At All Is Grace School in Ndola, Zambia, many students have only one set of clothes. When that set is dirty, they may stay home because families cannot afford another outfit.
During a community visit, school staff found a young boy named Gillan at home that way. His mother had kept him home because he did not have clean clothes to wear. Gillan wanted to go to school, but without clean clothes he felt unable to attend.
On that visit, team members had brought a few gently used garments from community donations. They gave Gillan a clean shirt and shorts that fit. After changing, he walked to school and participated in class.
Many families in the community struggle with basic needs. For some, the choice between food and clothing means children do not always have clothes suitable for school. When a child lacks appropriate clothing, that child may miss class even if teachers, books, and classrooms are available.
All Is Grace Community Partnership Initiative (AGCPI) seeks ways to meet this need. The goal is to provide every student with a school uniform at no cost in the future. Until that is possible, the organization gathers donations of gently used clothes from local families and supporters abroad and distributes them to students who need them.
Donated clothing can also have effects beyond the physical need. Children who arrive at school feeling clean and comfortable are more likely to attend regularly and engage with peers and teachers. Clothing that fits and is weather-appropriate helps children participate in school activities and feel included with their classmates.
Local families sometimes share outgrown items with one another. When donations from outside the community arrive, they supplement this local sharing and increase the availability of clothes for school. AGCPI coordinates these donations and distributes items based on need.
