A Big Thank You & The Beyond Ourselves Golf Day

Thank You

Well thank you so much to all those who supported our Christmas text book appeal. Many of you bought much needed text books which will be so helpful to the children at the schools we partner with. We hope that the cards we sent you instead of a physical gift were well received.

As much as dogs aren’t ‘just for Christmas’, alternative gifts are also definitely not just for Christmas. We have honed our Alternative Gifts page down as we have recently evaluated how best to partner with the community when it comes to Alternative Gifts and endeavoured to find a better way to resource and empower those in need.

To this end, we will be working in even closer partnerships with the schools to identify the most vulnerable individuals and families who are in a crisis situation, and resource them accordingly. Any donations that we have received for Alternative Gifts that have as yet not been distributed will be placed in this crisis fund for the community. If you have any questions about your previous Alternative Gift purchases then please do contact us.

Please do Click here to visit that section of our website for any alternative gifts you may like to buy. It’s great to send gift cards to those ‘who you can’t think what to buy for’.

Beyond Ourselves Golf Day

The days are getting lighter and that means that the fair weather golfers will start brushing down their clubs. We have the perfect occasion – the annual Beyond Ourselves Golf Day. We have changed the venue to Crews Hill Golf Club. Please save the date and either come as a team or an individual. Full details will be out shortly. 

Please contact Karen@beyondourselves.co.uk for more details.

If you’re not a golfer, please come to the post golf party/BBQ. Always good fun and a great fundraiser.

BBQ, Kazza’s cocktails (!), great raffle prizes and an auction.

Tickets will be out shortly. 

Introducing Sheba

At the start of this year we welcomed a new member of staff to the Beyond Ourselves team in Zambia. Sheba Kafwimbi Moyo is a Zambian Headteacher who has been working in Community Schools since she graduated in 2005.

Sheba is taking over as Education Empowerment Co-ordinator from Emily Pearse, who leaves Beyond Ourselves at the end of February after three and a half years in the role.

We asked a few questions of Sheba for this blog in order that we can all get to know her a little better.

Sheba, tell us a bit about how you came to become a teacher.

"I come from a family of teachers. My mother is a teacher of English and Religious studies and my late father was a lecturer at a Bible college for most of my childhood. In a way, they both inspired me to become a teacher.

When I completed Secondary School I received a scholarship to study as a Early Childhood Teacher Trainer at a college in my hometown, and I've never looked back since. Teaching, training and supporting teachers is my passion, and something that I see myself doing for the most of my career."

Tell us a bit about your family/home life.

"My husband, Donald, is a Pastor and also works as an accountant. Together we have three beautiful girls, Rhema, Lusako and Tikondwe who are 6, 4 and 2 respectively. We also live with 3 other girls, an adult and two teenagers whom we look after as part of our extended family.

Our home life revolves around parenting, serving as assistant pastors in our church and work. So as you can imagine, life can get quite busy!"

The Moyo Ladies

Sheba and Donald

Why have you joined Beyond Ourselves?

"I joined Beyond Ourselves because I have a passion for education, more especially literacy in disadvantaged communities. When I came to know of Beyond Ourselves, I discovered that the organisation had a similar passion. I feel that through Beyond Ourselves I have the opportunity to have a greater impact in improving literacy levels in Zambia.

This past week we've conducted literacy training with teachers and representatives from the Ministry of General Education as part of the Jolly Phonics Pilot we've been commissioned to organise. It's been quite an experience meeting the teachers and headteachers and seeing their enthusiasm and willingness to learn how they can be more effective in teaching reading and writing. These are the types of experiences that energise me and that I can look forward to being a part of through Beyond Ourselves."

What do you do for fun?

"I enjoy family outings, going for picnics and family road trips. My hobbies include reading, listening to music, cooking and baking. I am also a singer/songwriter."



By Dan Whitcombe
- Dan and his wife oversee the work of Beyond Ourselves in Zambia and have been living in Ndola since 2013.