Take Heart International was founded in April 2011 by Bob and Shirley Griffin after they visited Zambia, a landlocked country in Southern Africa. While in northern Zambia, Bob and Shirley recognized the immense improvement that could be made in the lives of the children who attended school by constructing school buildings composed of cement foundations and floors, brick walls coated both inside and outside with plaster, good illumination from a generous complement of large windows with glass panes, and a metal roof to keep out the rain. We found a wonderful woman in Kasama, Claire Powell, whose parents immigrated to Zambia from Scotland and who grew up in Zambia attending public school. She is fluent in Bemba, the local language. She was in the midst of constructing her own school on the shore of Lake Tanganyika. and she agreed to oversee the construction of our schoolhouse and to insure that the funds sent to Zambia were all used to build the school.
After returning to the United States, Bob and Shirley established Take Heart International and made plans to build as many public school buildings in northern Zambia as our donors would be willing to finance.
Take Heart International Founder Shirley Griffin Visiting Public School Children in Rural Northern Zambia
To contribute, click on “contribute” and follow the prompts, or send a check to “Take Heart International” at 4913 Puma Way, Carmichael, CA 95608. Take Heart International has been recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) organization, so your donations are tax exempt. Each donation, large or small, is appreciated. No donations made through this website will be used for administrative costs.
Children peeking into classroom through small windows in other building
Take Heart International 