Empowering Through Service: LIS Wins the 2024 AISA Service Award

Luanda International School (LIS) has been honored with the AISA Service Award, a prestigious recognition that celebrates the impactful and sustained commitment of African international schools to service learning. At LIS, this award represents more than just achievement—it reflects a deep, community-wide belief in purposeful action, empathy, and student-led change.

According to Ms. Susana, our Diploma Programme Coordinator, “This award validates years of thoughtful planning and reflection as we have shaped service learning into a meaningful, developmental journey for every student.” Ms. Cathy, our Middle Years Programme Coordinator, adds, “One of our greatest strengths is how consistently we apply the five stages of service learning across all year levels, helping students understand their role as active members of both the school and wider community.”

LIS has developed a continuum of service learning that begins in MYP Year 7 and culminates in the Diploma Programme's CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) programme. Throughout this journey, students engage in both formal, documented service and informal opportunities that emerge organically across the school year. The framework is grounded in the five stages of service learning: investigation, preparation, action, reflection, and demonstration—mirrored in the CAS model at the DP level.

Ms. Cathy, reflected on the growth of the programme over the years:

“In Year 11, students run their own Service as Action projects with our Early Years team, following the same process our DP students use in their CAS projects. It’s amazing to watch their confidence grow year after year.”

Now in its second year, the Year 11-12 transition project is another highlight of the programme. Year 11 students accompany Year 12s on their CAS fieldwork—an intentional move to strengthen continuity and mentorship.

“We’ve seen the difference,” said Ms. Susana. “This year, because our Year 12s had that exposure in Year 11, they were more confident, more prepared, and more strategic when they entered the community.”

Students begin by conducting interviews and asset mapping in a rural village. They then co-design sustainable projects, always with community input at the heart.

“They think about sustainability. They assess the needs of the village. They even feel frustrated sometimes when things don’t go to plan—and that’s real learning,” said Ms. Cathy.

Student Reflections on Impact and Growth: Reflecting on Service as Action at LIS

The award also highlights how deeply students connect with the values of service. Francisco, a DP student shared a powerful moment from his CAS journey:

“I think the moment I felt I was making a real difference was when we went to a school in Caputo. We helped with rebuilding and shared healthcare education. One of the teachers told us that after the renovation, more parents started sending their kids to school. That really stuck with me—seeing how something we did could inspire a whole community.”

For Channol, also a DP student, the autonomy of the CAS experience was deeply meaningful:

“The biggest part was having full ownership of our projects. We got to explore what mattered to us and design something from scratch that could really help a community. In the end, seeing our plans actually make people happy—it felt personal and powerful.”

Ester and Diane, currently in Year 11, were part of the first LIS cohort to go through Service as Action in Year 8 during the height of the pandemic.

“It was challenging—we had to do interviews and plan actions while stuck at home,” said Ester.

Diane added: “We learned that service isn’tjust about helping. It’s about understanding, collaborating, and growing with others.”

When Service as Action formally began at LIS, Diane and Ester were among the first students to experience it. Due to the impact of COVID-19, their Year 7 year was largely online, making Year 8 their first real introduction to the MYP experience — and it came with little precedent.

"Even the teachers didn’t fully know what to expect. We were just figuring it out as we went.” - Diane

Despite this uncertainty, their group took initiative and laid down a strong foundation for the programme. That spirit has carried through into their later years, setting a high bar for those who came after them.

"In Year 10, our group did a lot. We were super prepared, maybe even over-prepared. Now when we look at the younger years taking on similar events, like the talent show, we can see the difference — they’reconfident, butmaybe feel less pressure than we did.” - Ester

They also noticed how the program has evolved — with more structure, experience, and support for the younger year groups.

"The Year 8s and 9s now are more prepared than we were — they’re benefiting from what we helped build.” - Diane

This layered legacy — where older students guide younger ones, and lessons are passed down year by year — speaks to the long-term impact of Service as Action at LIS.

“It’s part of the culture now. It’s rewarding to see how much it’s grown.” - Ester

The skills that our students acquired, especially when they were in leadership roles, are essential. They were also able to recognize the importance of community and how something like the Variety Show has had a broader impact, not just on the school but on the people they have helped. It’s inspiring to see how they’ve taken all of this in stride and even used the lessons from last year to make this year's event better.

The pride they feel for contributing to a bigger cause, and the realization that the money raised is going to help others, is powerful. Our students not only improved their personal skills but also set an example for others.

What is most exciting about where we are now is that the real long-term impact is just beginning to unfold. Our current Year 11 students—the same group who took on the ambitious "Partnerships Book" project—will be the first full cohort to carry this program forward into their post-LIS lives. And that’s where our next chapter truly begins.

When we talk about preparing students for life after school, we’re not just referring to academic readiness. We’re talking about developing the ability to engage meaningfully with the world, to lead with empathy, and to build initiatives from the ground up.

We have seen firsthand how students who may not shine in traditional academics or sports thrive through service and action. They develop leadership, organizational skills, and a clear sense of purpose. Take the students who revived the Variety Show with barely two weeks of preparation—not because they had to, but because they wanted to. Or the students mentoring younger peers for LIS Got Talent, giving practical advice and emotional support. These are the moments that show us we’re building something lasting.

This kind of student-to-student mentoring, where older students model, guide, and inspire younger ones, is deeply embedded in our approach. It's powerful because it makes the message more relatable, more credible. And we see the ripple effect—not just in events and projects, but in how students carry themselves, support each other, and engage with the wider community.

A Community Achievement

Winning the AISA Service Award is not just a milestone for the LIS Service Learning Team—it is a celebration of our students, staff, and community partners who have committed to meaningful engagement and reflective action.

As Ms. Cathy explains,

“This award is not the end of a journey—it’s a source of inspiration to continue evolving and deepening our impact as a school community.”

As the LIS community celebrates this recognition, we also look forward with renewed purpose. The AISA Service Award is not a finish line—it’s a marker of growth, resilience, and shared vision.

“We’re incredibly proud,” said Ms. Susana, “but also inspired to keep evolving. This recognition reminds us that service learning is not about one project or one event. It’s a mindset. A way of being. And at LIS, it’s part of who we are.”

When we speak to students—whether at the beginning of a project, mid-way through, or after it’s complete—they are able to clearly articulate the “why.” Many speak about purpose, social responsibility, and long-term impact. This is the result of years of intentional planning and care, beginning in their earlier years at school.

We are now witnessing the results of that intentionality: students who not only identify needs within the communities they serve, but also propose realistic, sustainable, and context-sensitive solutions. There is a growing maturity in how they approach challenges, collaborate with peers, and communicate their goals.

Of course, none of this would be possible without a supportive school community—from leadership to teachers and parents. We are given time within the curriculum, the autonomy to innovate, and the encouragement to grow. To be recognised externally with this award was deeply meaningful. It affirmed that our long-term, intentional programme has not only taken root—but is being seen as a model.

That’s why we’re committed to continuing this journey. The next step is to strengthen these connections even further—starting from the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and continuing seamlessly through the Middle Years Programme (MYP) and Diploma Programme (DP). Because, as we’ve seen, problem-solving, community-mindedness, and student-led action are no longer extracurricular. They are integral to who we are as a school.

And we hope that this mindset goes beyond LIS—that our students, once they leave here, carry these values into the wider world. That they continue to lead with empathy, act with purpose, and create positive change wherever they go.

So while this award celebrates what we’veaccomplished so far, it also signals where we’re heading. Because service learning at LIS is not a side project—it’s at the heart of our identity. Our students are not just preparing for the future. They are already shaping it.