The Ntabayengwe community, and other neighbouring communities, are located in scattered homesteads just 20 minutes drive from Victoria Falls. Despite being relatively close to town, the daily existence could be from another world. Most families survive by cattle raising and subsistence farming on the infertile Kalahari Sand soils. Human-wildlife conflict is rife as the area is adjacent to the Zambezi National Park and Jafuta Forest, so cattle are often taken by lions.

The people in this area are often poorly educated with low aspiration levels and limited role models. Prior to Lesedi, the nearest local school was many kilometres away. Children were often absent or dropped out of school altogether. Many parents, unable to pay school fees, preferred their children to remain at home to help with household chores. Alcohol dependence was an issue, with some households engaged in the illegal moonshine business. Many families are dealing with ill health, including HIV and AIDS.

The cycle of poverty in these communities has persisted for generations and there was little hope for improvement without outside intervention.

In 2013, one of the co-founders of  Ngoko Safaris, Benson Siyawareva, became involved with the local community and realized that many children were not attending school. Along with his business partner, Fiona Thompson, Benson began working with the community on an ambitious plan to build a primary school in the local area, aiming to break the cycle of poverty through the power of education.

Our project started with construction of a simple structure to offer classes to pre-school children, with the initial intake of kids, our “pioneer” students, enrolling in 2014.

Thanks to the generosity of our ever-expanding Lesedi family, development has continued year on year and Lesedi Primary School now offers a full infant and junior education. Infant education consists of four years of schooling from Early Childhood Development (ECD) A to Grade 2. Junior education comprises five years from Grade 3 to Grade 7.

In January 2022 Lesedi Secondary School opened for Form 1 learners on a site adjacent to the Primary School. The intention is to continue up to 'A' Levels, whilst ensuring a strong vocational offering for those learners who are less academic. In Form 1 our learners choose two vocational subjects from a choice of Food Technology & Design, Wood Technology & Design, Metal Technology & Design and Agriculture. All students study ICT / Computing.

We have two 'streams' at Secondary. This means that we not only accommodate all the learners who graduate from Lesedi Primary School, but also the same number can join from neighboring schools.

Over 360 children are now enrolled at Lesedi Primary and Secondary Schools, with our child sponsorship program providing for the education and welfare of nearly all of our learners.