Historic Context
Africa Wesleyan University College
of the
Pilgrim Wesleyan Church of Zambia

Dr. Alfred Kalembo, Vice Principal for Advancement
The beginning of Africa Wesleyan University College can only be fully understood against the historic backdrop of God’s working in Zambia.  God’s power and blessings over the decades provide a remarkable story of hope and redemption.  We give remembrance and honour to the efforts of the many men and women who have sacrificially invested their lives to build God’s Kingdom here in the country of Zambia.  This is the story of the foundation that has been laid for the bold vision of a Wesleyan university hoping to serve Zambia, all of Africa, and the world!
In Matthew 9:35-38 we read, “Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the Kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” A highlight of the story of the Pilgrim Wesleyan Church in Zambia is the work the early missionaries undertook in obedience to the Great Commission – the call by Jesus to his disciples, which was to establish three key initiatives like three cooking stones in a village that provide a balance for a cooking pot to produce a delicious meal:
  1. Meeting spiritual needs by planting and building churches,
  2. Meeting educational needs by building primary schools, a bible college and Choma Secondary School in partnership with the Brethren in Christ Church, and;
  3. Meeting health needs by establishing a hospital, first in Jembo and now in Zimba, and three rural health centres in Chabbobboma, Gwembe district; Jembo in Pemba district and Siachitema in Kalomo district, and a college of nursing in Zimba. The bible college at Jembo and college of nursing both offer three-year diploma programmes.
The Pilgrim Wesleyan Church has built a total of 74 primary schools as a contribution to human resource development to the nation in the following districts in Southern Province: Gwembe, Kalomo, Monze, Pemba, Siavonga, Sinazongwe and Zimba. Over the years, many students who have passed through our education system have served in both public and private sectors, as well as in politics. For example, the current President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema attended Nkandela Primary School in Monze district. This school is one of the 74 schools built by the Pilgrim Wesleyan Church. The current Minister of Education, Honourable Douglas Syakalima, also attended the Choma Secondary school established by the church. Since 2000, the Pilgrim Wesleyan Church in Zambia has become an independent governing Church. However, since it is part of the worldwide Wesleyan Church, it continues receiving financial and resource support from the mother Wesleyan Church in North America and other partners. The Pilgrim Wesleyan Bible College (PWBC) origins are traced back to 1951, when the leaders of the Pilgrim Holiness Church, under then District Superintendent of Jembo and Siachitema, Rev. F.B. Gray, realised that the Pilgrim Holiness Church needed trained church leaders. A bible school was, therefore, opened, under the leadership of Rev. C. G. Keith, involved in training church leaders for ministry in a residence programme.  The Bible School was opened officially in 1951 at Siachitema Mission. Rev. Simon C. Syabbamba and Rev. A. K. Mwiikisa were the first students of this bible seminary.  In 1960, due to the need for more space for expansion, the seminary was shifted to Jembo, where it is still located today, under the banner “Pilgrim Wesleyan Bible College.” The change of name of our denomination came about following the merger between the Wesleyan Methodist Church of America and the Pilgrim Holiness Church in 1968, which resulted in the new name of the Holiness Church in Zambia as “the Pilgrim Wesleyan Church,” hence the Pilgrim Wesleyan Bible College (PWBC).   Since then, the college has been training only pastors, offering diploma and certificate of theology programmes.  The enrolment numbers have remained constant over the years with a modest enrolment of approximately 50 students each year.  But, nearly every pastor in the Pilgrim Wesleyan Churches in Zambia has attended PWBC.  The influence of the bible college has been profound. The Zimba Mission College of Nursing and Midwifery, located at the Zimba Mission Hospital in Zimba, began in 2021, with its first intake and has continued to enroll students to complete the three-year cycle of enrolment. The total enrolment at the college is currently about 200 students. Africa Wesleyan University College is set to offer a wealth of relevant and contemporary knowledge through an affordable means of distance learning, backed by contact sessions and examination opportunities. This brings us to today.  Africa Wesleyan University College will offer degree qualifications in three schools namely: School of Theology, School Education, School of Nursing.  These three academic programmes find their genesis in the colleges established in Jembo and Zimba and the many primary and secondary schools around the country.  These three programmes are only a beginning, with additional programmes in agriculture and business to follow. It is worth noting that the plan to establish a university has been many years in the making. The first plan was to begin the university on the bible college campus in Jembo, East of Pemba.  However, that decision was reconsidered due to the isolation of the campus in Jembo, the lack of much needed high-speed internet, and the quality of facilities overall.   The tipping point for not choosing Jembo as the preferred campus location was the needs and requirements of the nursing programme – a key signature programme for the new university. Since nursing students need access to training in places like hospitals, the decision to begin the residential university college in Zimba, adjacent to the Zimba Mission Hospital, was an important factor in the decision. The fact that the Pilgrim Wesleyan Church owns 16 hectors of land along the Great North Road with excellent visibility, and that the land is contingent to the hospital was also a deciding factor for the location.  The PWC has formally allocated this campus property for the establishment of the university.   Additionally, since Zimba is just an hour from Livingstone, the tourist capital, with an international airport to serve guest lecturers and international students, this location is ideal for the university. Of course, the long-term vision to have distributed campuses in Choma, Jembo, Lusaka, Chipata, etc. where different programmes will be provided to meet the growing demand of Christian higher education in Zambia and beyond. Thank you for your interest and prayers for Africa Wesleyan University College – Changing the World for Christ through Christian Education. Dr. Alfred Kalembo Vice Principal for Advancement, Past Presiding Bishop for the Pilgrim Wesleyan Church Past President of the Council of Churches in Zambia

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Vision

To change the world for Christ through quality education with a Christian purpose.

Mission

Africa Wesleyan University College is a Christ-centered university committed to academic excellence and the development of leaders for service to God.

Africa Wesleyan University
AWUC Main Campus
Zimba, Southern Province