Our Story

Samnanger Faith Academy begun in April 2010. Its mission is to provide quality education to the under privileged in Lusaka’s Kanyama compound. Our vision is to become one of Zambia’s biggest learning institution.

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Frazer Siansengo
School Director

It all started with a letter, or a postage stamp if you will, that in 1999 found it’s way to Samnanger Norway, to the, now retired, youth chaplain Svein Høysæter. The letter came from one of the worst prisons in Zambia, (some would argue worst in the world) Mukobeko Maximum Prison, Condemned Section in the town Kabwe, from a man convicted of murder, Frazer Siansengo. Frazer was out on the town one night, and witnessed a fight which sadly resulted in a man’s death. In Zambia at this time (and often still) this automatically resulted in a death sentence, and Frazer was sent to jail. After some time he joined a Christian community with some of his cellmates. Occasionally different flyers and booklets were sent to the prison, and amongst these were a booklet for Alpha, a sort of course for adults regarding Christianity. On the back of this booklet was a list of all Alpha-advisors wolrdwide. Frazer closed his eyes and pointed blindly at one of the names, and chose to send a letter and share his story.

This was the letter that found it’s way to Svein Høysæter, and started this whole process. The youth group at the local church, they called themselves SoulX, started sending packages to the prison with food, hygiene products etc, and contact through letters was maintained. Hilde Aarvik, who was the leader for the youth work in the church, maintained contact with Frazer. After some time, collected money was sent to Frazer in order for him to acquire a lawyer to help with his case. This proved to be good, as Frazer finally became a free man, after many years in several prisons. He got some money for a bus ticket, and finally came home to his mother, who had prayed for him throughout these 11 years for a miracle to happen, for her only son to be set free. His mother, Emma, was part of a prayer group from her church, and they had been praying with her all these years. This group, now called SoulX Ministry, did charity work as well, because even if they themselves were poor, there were always someone else worse off. These wonderful ladies, together with Frazer, were the starting point of our school. They wanted to do more and came up with the idea for the school, and that it should primarily be for children who were generally picked last when parents had to chose who to send to school, because of the cost. This primarily includes girls and the younger siblings, and also “those that we keep”.

Article in the local newspaper in Samnanger, Norway, Samningen, in 2014, after the first large group traveled to Lusaka, from Norway. (02.10.2014).