Key points:
- A record 11 students supported by partners of Family Legacy graduated in the Africa University class of 2026.
- Traci and Mykal Jones traveled from Dallas to witness the graduation of Isaac Sakala, whose education they have funded from primary school.
- Beneficiaries of Family Legacy’s Excel Beyond program were grateful for the opportunity to learn at a renowned institution.
When Traci Jones first met Isaac Sakala while visiting Zambia on a mission trip in 2012, she immediately fell in love with him.
“I called my husband, Mykal, who was back home in Dallas, Texas, and told him I wanted to bring a little boy home in my suitcase,” she recalls while shedding happy tears.
Her husband quickly squashed those plans. “I informed her that she couldn’t do that because it was illegal,” Mykal Jones sternly explained.
Sakala, now 24, had no parents or guardian and was being cared for under Tree of Life, a foster care program run by faith-based Zambian nonprofit organization Family Legacy.
The Joneses decided to sponsor Sakala’s education from primary school, and on June 5 they arrived in Mutare and saw him for the first time in over 10 years.
It was an emotional moment for the trio as they hugged and openly wept on the eve of Sakala’s graduation. He graduated June 6 at Africa University, the United Methodist pan-African university, with a bachelor’s degree in business management, and his family from Dallas was there to witness the ceremony.
“I appreciate the care they gave me, the guidance and love, which went beyond financial support,” he said.
Traci Jones, a Baptist, said they missed his high school graduation because it was during COVID. “The world shut down and we weren’t allowed to travel. I was so sad about that, and I told him, ‘We will not miss your college graduation,’” she said.
“Being here to watch him graduate just means the world to me. I’m gonna cry. I just love him so much,” she stated as another floodgate of tears opened.
Mykal Jones said the couple is proud of Sakala’s accomplishments.
“He’s put in so much hard work, and he’s worked his tail off to get this far. We love him, he’s like one of our own ... he’s one of our kids,” Mykal Jones said.
The couple said they hope that one day he will be able to visit them in the U.S., where many people have prayed for him over the years.
Sakala said he is forever grateful to Family Legacy and its Excel Beyond department, which runs the tertiary education program.
“Graduating from Africa University is the world’s greatest thing. I really appreciate all that Family Legacy did for me. I now have a U.S. family, which they provided. My life is a testament of the work done by the organization,” he told UM News.
Sakala was one of a record 11 Family Legacy wards who graduated from Africa University in the class of 2026.
Family Legacy cares for orphans and vulnerable children ensuring they live in a safe environment in the organization’s homes run under Tree of Life. The organization operates in 18 communities in the metropolitan area of Lusaka, the Zambian capital. It has the Legacy Academy group of schools, which provides primary and secondary education in Grade 1-12. The organization also has Excel Beyond, which trains young adults in various skills and trades and provides a college pathway for diplomas as well as a university pathway for undergraduate degrees.
“Africa University shapes ethical, servant leaders grounded in Christian values,” said Wenham Peter Dabale, the institution’s director of alumni, church relations and internationalization.
He said Family Legacy began collaborating with the university in 2021 under a program facilitated by board member Lisa Tichenor of Highland Park United Methodist Church in Dallas.
The partnership enables 10 high school graduates from Family Legacy to enroll annually in a bachelor’s degree program.
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“This year, 11 such students are graduating, poised to transform their communities. We welcome other like-minded partners to join us in investing in Africa’s future through education, as Nelson Mandela wisely affirmed that education is the key to empowering the world,” he said.
Tichenor began work on behalf of the university in 1989 and retired from the AU Tennessee board in 2025 after serving nine years, including time as chairman of Africa University Tennessee Inc.
In 2020, Highland Park United Methodist Church funded construction of a fully solar-powered female dormitory and the student union, which was named the Lisa Winton Tichenor Student Union Building in October 2025.
Rose Lyani, 25, of Lusaka also was very emotional after graduating from the United Methodist institution with a degree in medical laboratory science.
“Family Legacy is my home. Without them I would not be here. They have impacted my life. Now, I must give back to other vulnerable children,” she said.
Lyani lost both parents and has lived with her grandmother and five siblings since she was 14.
“I am sure Gran is very proud of me,” she said.
She is the first university graduate in her family and was overwhelmed by the achievement despite having faced challenges in her academic journey, including a medical condition that forced her to return home to Lusaka for a surgical procedure. She said she is grateful for her education, which was supported by two people in Dallas.
“I don’t even know how to say it. It takes God to achieve this. With Him by my side, here I am.”
Gabriel Chavula, 27, studied business management with support from George M.C. Daniel of Dallas, who funded his education from primary school. “I am very grateful because he didn’t give up on me even when I faced challenges and wanted to quit.”
Chavula faced many hurdles including the loss of his dad last year and the birth of his son, Gabriel Brendon, who is now 2 years old.
“I almost gave up due to social challenges, but counseling helped me. I am very grateful to Family Legacy. Everything I am today is because of them.”
Chikwanah is a UM News correspondent based in Harare, Zimbabwe.
News media contact: Julie Dwyer at [email protected]. To read more United Methodist news, subscribe to the free UM News Digest.
