A place of
many stories
A Democratic Nation in the heart of Southern Africa
Zambia is a land-linked country in Southern Africa, bordered by eight neighbors and home to nearly 20 million people. It is known for its political stability, proud national motto of “One Zambia, One Nation,” and a remarkably young population, with a median age of about 18 years. The government knows well that 80% of its population is under 30 and has tailored its public health vision to focus on this reality.
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For Tonga Teen Corners,
Zambia is not an abstract place on a map.
It is home.
Our work is rooted in the realities of Zambian communities, particularly in the Southern Province, where young people grow up at the intersection of deep cultural traditions, rapid change, and an education system that is still finding ways to serve them all. We have been deeply moved by the Zambian commitment to education. Every Zambian has the right to a free public education through high school, even if completion rates are not yet 100%, and those having superior school bulletins can receive scholarships in excess of 50% to cover tuition at university. In the center of every village we visited, even the most remote, there were sound, clean, often gaily painted school buildings.
Many Peoples, Many Languages
Zambia is a country of many peoples and many stories. Government and diplomatic sources describe more than 70 ethnic groups across the country, each contributing languages, music, ceremonies, and ways of life that shape everyday experience.
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English is the official language, used in government, secondary education and much of the national media. In daily life, however, most people move between several languages. Bemba and Nyanja are the most widely spoken, and Tonga, Lozi, Kaonde, Lunda and Luvale all have regional status. These languages are used in primary schooling and local radio, and they carry stories, proverbs and humor that help children make sense of the world. It is said that there are 72 different dialects and languages spoken in Zambia.
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Traditional ceremonies mark the rhythm of the year. Events such as the Kuomboka of the Lozi, the Nc’wala of the Ngoni and the Likumbi Lya Mize of the Luvale draw people together in large numbers and offer a visible expression of history, leadership and spirituality. For many young people, these gatherings sit alongside social media, school life and contemporary culture, creating a layered, dynamic sense of identity and a powerful sense of the collective and community.
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For the founders of Tonga Teen Corners, this cultural richness is the context in which the young people we serve are growing up, learning and making choices. Our work respects and builds on local languages and traditions, especially Tonga, within which we help to create spaces where adolescents can ask questions, gain confidence and imagine their own futures
Zambia’s population is very young. United Nations data estimate that more than 40 percent of Zambians are under 15 years old, and the median age is around 18. This means that the education system and youth services carry an especially important responsibility for Zambia’s future.
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The formal education structure includes primary school (up to Grade 7), lower secondary (Grades 8–9) and upper secondary (Grades 10–12). Government statistics and international analyses show that Zambia has made strong progress on access to basic education. By 2019, the official Education Statistics Bulletin recorded a primary school completion rate of 97 percent at Grade 7, although this dropped to 86.4 percent in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted schooling.
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Completion and learning outcomes
at the secondary level are more uneven
National data reviewed by UNESCO point to lower completion rates in Grades 9 and 12 and highlight ongoing challenges in overcrowded classrooms, learning poverty and rural–urban disparities.
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This is where youth-focused spaces such as Tonga Teen Corners matter. When adolescents have places to read, to access reliable health information, to talk openly about their experiences, to model themselves upon the lives and work of exemplary peers, to take care of their own health and that of their families, and to be supported by trusted adults, they are more likely to stay engaged in school and to see their education as essential to their own lives.
Learning in a Young Country
Facts and Figures
15 Things to Know
01
Zambia is a very young country: about 44 percent of the population is under 15 years old.
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More than half of Zambians live in rural areas, where services are often hardest to reach.
05
Almost all children now start primary school, but far fewer complete lower and upper secondary.
07
Around 29 percent of Zambian girls aged 15–19 have begun childbearing, with higher rates in rural areas.
09
Zambia is home to an estimated 1.7 million child brides, including 400,000 women married before age 15, although child marriage is slowly declining.
11
Pregnant school-age girls have the legal right to return to school after giving birth, yet stigma and poverty still keep many out of the classroom. Centers such as Simonga do outreach to the community, drawing young mothers into healthcare prevention, well-baby care and school programs.
13
Early pregnancy is one of the leading reasons girls drop out of school at lower secondary level.
15
Creating safe, youth-focused spaces next to rural clinics directly supports Zambia’s own goals to keep young people in school, reduce early pregnancy and improve access to health care.
02
Median age is around 18, so adolescents and young adults make up most of the population.
04
Primary school is officially free and compulsory, yet many pupils still struggle with hidden costs like uniforms, books and transport.
08
About 35 percent of rural adolescent girls have started childbearing, compared to roughly 20 percent in urban areas.
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Comprehensive sexuality education is written into the national curriculum from Grade 5 to Grade 12, but the quality of delivery varies widely between schools.
12
Health facilities in rural Zambia often serve thousands of people with only a handful of staff, making youth-friendly care difficult without extra support.
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Official strategies in both health and education now highlight “adolescent-friendly” services as a national priority, especially in rural districts.
Map
Today, Tonga Teen Corners works primarily in Zambia's Southern Province.
