USAP Zambia Profiles
Taking a USAP Zimbabwe as a perfect sample of assisting the students to achieve their goals, the USAP Zambia was started in 2009 with an aim to support highly qualified students who want to study in the US colleges and universities but have difficulties with financing their study. Below are the profiles of our Zambian students.
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Andrew Kayula Kaonga
Furman University '16
Born and raised in Kafue, Andrew was a rowdy child who was academically unsuccessful. His success, however, took an abrupt turn in his third grade when he began to dream, for the first time, of becoming an engineer. With overwhelming tenacity, he consecutively ranked in the top 5% of his school and graduated from primary school as the "Best Science and Geography Student". When there was an influx of foreign investors, who usually brought their engineers into Zambia during his junior secondary, Andrew decided against becoming an engineer, and instead, began to dream of becoming an entrepreneur… an industrialist so to say. During high school at Malundu School, he was the school's soccer team captain, 2009 second longest jumper, 2010 longest jumper, JETS president and School Headboy. Again, he graduated within the top 5% of the school and was awarded the honor of "2010 Best Science Student in Physics, Chemistry and Biology" during a Science/Math/Language competition.
His being selected into the 2011-2012 USAP group introduced him to like-minded people- those with a weak financial muscle, but want to change the world using their strong intellectual muscle. Through it, Andrew exchanged future developmental projects with his fellow USAPers, further embedding the idea into his head that he was not only going to study in the US for his own benefit, but also for the benefit of his country. Now at Furman University, where he intends to major in economics, Andrew hopes to use the economics degree he will get to make financial capital before becoming an entrepreneur. He then hopes to analyze and predict the sectors of the Zambian economy in which it would be best for him to invest for the maximum benefit of all Zambians.
Charles Banda
Vassar College '16
Born and raised in Chelston, a small residential area in Lusaka, Zambia, Charles is the third child in a family of four. Having attended all his primary education at Chelston Basic School, Charles graduated on top of his class and was accepted by Kafue Boys secondary: a school commonly known by most of its graduates as the "land where birds fly backwards and dogs run sideways". To him this was the beginning of his self-discovery as he leant to live on his own without having any close relatives nearby. Despite being away from home for the first time, Charles quickly integrated into boarding life and soon established himself as one of the best students in his intake. His academic achievements included but were not exclusive to overall best performances in Technical drawing, Science, Woodwork, Civic education. He also participated in the campus scripture union and JETS (Junior Engineers, Technicians, and Scientists) club, where represented his school and won first position during the District junior JETS quiz.
After acing his junior secondary school exams, he was accepted into one of Zambia's prestigious high schools, Hillcrest National Technical High school. It was there that Charles would continue his academic journey to excellence. He took part in various extracurricular activities including soccer, JETS and was at one point dorm captain of his house. He later went on to become Vice Chief Librarian of his school. Charles recalls the library experience as "the best experience of my high school years" because he got the opportunity to serve his fellow students and also met a lot of people who honed his perception of life. Charles later graduated from high school with a perfect score of eight distinction/ones in eight subjects.
He was then admitted into the third USAP Zambia intake that he describes as a 'God-given opportunity' through which his dreams of studying in the US became a reality. There he met individuals of diverse characters with limitless intellectual potential who inspired him by their positive work attitude and desire to alleviate poverty in Zambia through education.
Charles aspires to be a medical doctor. He says his mother's diagnosis with a heart condition had a large bearing on his decision to specialize in cardiovascular surgery because he has seen the need for such specialists in Zambia. He is attending Vassar College where he plans to major in Neuroscience and Behavior and a correlate sequence in economics while fulfilling the requirements for medical school. His ultimate career goal is to open an ultramodern hospital in Zambia that will be able to carry out complex medical procedures.
Kapaya Katongo
Massachusetts Institute of Technology '16
"Nothing is mystical but anything you put your heart and mind to is attainable." - Unknown
Approximately two decades ago on a picturesque Monday morning, a loud cry shattered the silence in the maternity ward of Kalulushi Mine Hospital. It was on that day that Kapaya got his first glimpse of the world. Beaming with energy, he was up and about so much that he had received severe injuries inches away from both of his eyes by the time he was ten years old. Academically, he was just an average student who didn't put much effort into his school work but still managed to skate by. Everything changed when he received the second highest score on a science quiz in the sixth grade. He thought, "With more effort, I can definitely make it to the top."
"It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness." - Unknown
After receiving the second best score at his primary school in the Grade Seven National Examination, Kapaya later went on to St. Canisius Secondary School, otherwise known as the "Home of Brain Shakers" . In spite of all the remarkably talented people he met there, he was not intimidated and continued to work diligently. He joined the Junior Engineers, Technicians and Scientists Club (JETS) and in the ninth grade was chosen to represent his school at the JETS Junior Quiz. In class, he was always the best pupil in his grade and therefore received the award for best overall performance of the eighth and ninth grades respectively. Mysteriously, he was not selected to Hillcrest High School, arguably the best high school in Zambia, even after receiving one of the highest scores in his province. None of the school officials knew what had gone wrong but nothing could be done at the time. Devastated, he went back to Canisius for his high school. Two weeks into the second term of his first year, he changed his mind and decided not to give up on his dream. He threw back the lemon he had been handed and demanded for an orange. Thanks to his persistent mother, he transferred to Hillcrest within a few days and never looked back. While at Hillcrest, Kapaya went on to receive, among other awards, first position (Gold medal) at the 2010 National JETS Quiz.
"It will be the young people of Africa, brimming with talent, energy and hope who will claim the future that so many in previous generations never realized." - President Barrack Obama
Under the auspices of the United States Achievers Program, Kapaya gained acceptance into multiple US colleges and universities. Currently a freshman at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Kapaya is contemplating on studying Electrical Engineering and Computer Science with a possible minor in either Economics or Management. Zambia, and indeed Africa, is in need of young and zealous engineers who will spearhead her technological, economic and social renaissance. With the plethora of opportunities available to him at MIT, Kapaya has one single phrase echoing through his mind;
"Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum where to place it, and I will move the world!"