Zambia, known for its rich culture and warm hospitality, faces significant challenges, including child homelessness and vulnerability. In response to these issues, various orphanages and care centers have emerged, striving to provide essential support and a brighter future for children in need. There are over 1.2 million orphans in Zambia.
Children in Zambia
Organizations Making a Difference
Several organizations are dedicated to supporting orphans and vulnerable children in Zambia. Here are some examples:
Chande Baptist Orphanage
As pastor of two churches in Kitwe, Zambia, Rev. Patrick Chanda was seeing the impact of the rising death rates in his community. In 1995, more than 25% of the adult population was infected and living with HIV/AIDS. Rev. Chanda attended the funeral for a member of his church and heard the man's son cry out, "who will be my father?" The Lord impressed upon Rev. Chanda to go to the boy and tell him that God is a "father to the fatherless." Patrick Chanda, a father of nine himself, promised to be this boy's father. With Rev. Chanda leading, his two church communities, Chamboli Baptist Church and Ndeke Baptist Church, came together to create THE CHANDE PROJECT, now called Chande Baptist Orphanage. They began serving 50 orphans with school fees, food, clothing, and medical support. Today, Rev. Richard Daka serves as the Director of the Chande Baptist Orphanage.
The school functions on a year-round schedule with three months in the classroom and one month for break. The school boasts an accelerated Christian education curriculum taught in English. Primary and secondary education in Zambia is entirely tuition based.
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Chande offers two paths for its students. Because of its strong reputation for high scores and successful programming, Chande has a large population of tuition-paying students. As of August 2023, there were 662 students, with approximately half considered orphans or vulnerable, and Chande helps supply these childrens with needs. There are approximately 25 children living on the premises with paid caretakers.
MBC has been supporting Chande since 2007 when a group of 17 church members took the first mission trip to Zambia. Since then, various church members have visited to continue showing our love and support. MBC has partnered with Chande in their educational ministries by offering training to teachers, leading classes, and providing educational materials. The church has provided financial support for the purchase of a brick-making machine, a knitting machine for women's ministry, and the electrification of the security fence surrounding the compound. Some of our church members provide salary support for the teachers.
Namwianga Mission
Loving, supportive care for children is a crucial part of Namwianga’s ministry efforts.
Shocking Truths About Orphans | Lindsay Hadley | TEDxStGeorgeSalon
The Haven
The Haven serves as a home for infants and young children. These little ones are placed in Haven care due to a family tragedy, most often the death of their mother. Haven staffers work closely with the local social welfare office to provide the best possible situation for each child. Sometimes a grandparent, aunt, or other family member can take care of the infant. The MILK FUND provides infant formula for these babies. Infants who have no one to take care of them find a loving temporary family at The Haven.
Homes at The Haven site operate in a family model with a set of house parents and a small number of children. Caregivers - called aunties - are vital to the work and provide day-to-day care for the children.
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The Haven is designed to provide temporary care. The goal is to transition each child back to family or relatives as soon as possible. Most children are reunited with family members by the time they are 2 years old. A full-time social worker directs the Family Reunification Program to place children in families. Family members are encouraged to visit their children at The Haven as often as possible. The children also are taken on visits to their home villages throughout their time at The Haven.
Babies at Namwianga get daily massage, language classes, and playtime. Because the goal is to return children to their families, their diet, style of play, language, and dress at The Haven are strategically planned so that the children will be able to transition more easily to life back at home.
Goat Program
The Haven supports the reunited families through the Goat Program. Each child receives a goat for the family when leaving The Haven. The goal is for the family to start a herd that will eventually help provide school fees for the child.
Goat Program
Eric's House
Eric's House is a home for older boys.
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Namumu Orphanage Center
Namumu Orphanage Center, located in the Kariba lakeshore area in the district of Siavonga, Zambia, provides vulnerable children with food, clothing, shelter, and education to help them reach their potential. Some who have “graduated” from Namumu have trained as pastors, teachers, and clinical officers, and then returned to serve in their community.
A clinic was built to provide essential primary health care services for the children and has recently been expanded to provide a full range of primary services to the community and local businesses. The Namumu Coordinator is also working to develop income-generating programs to make Namumu sustainable.
Support for Namumu makes it possible for vulnerable children in the rural villages near Siavonga, Zambia to complete their education and vocational training to achieve their dreams and help develop their community.
Kacema Musuma (Good Shepherd) Orphanage
This past January 2024, six Inverness County Cares members travelled to Zambia. In these six weeks we came across many cultural experiences. We spent a day at the Kacema Musuma (Good Shepherd) Orphanage administered by the Sisters’ of the Child Jesus, the same order of sisters who direct the Kawambwa and St Odilia Schools. There are 48 children at the orphanage age 2-18. Many of these children were abandoned in horrific ways. The younger students go to school on site and the post-secondary students attend technical or trade programs and return ‘Home” to the orphanage for holidays.
The orphanage is their only home and there is almost no hope of adoption. The orphanage is situated on a sprawling piece of land with huge gardens which the children help care for and run free as they play with goats, chickens, ducks, guinea fowl, rabbits and guinea pigs…all a source of food. Two dogs are on site as guard dogs. They have maize, sweet potatoes, beans, groundnuts, casava, squash, canola, orange trees, mango, banana, avocado trees and more. The children are taught how to care for a garden and are proficient in naming many plants and discerning the difference between a weed and a vegetable. Washing is done outdoors in a big tub and hung to dry in the yard. They are one big family.
We asked a girl if she had any brothers and she gestured to the other children and remarked, “They are all my brothers.” They care for each other and provide love and support. Children from this orphanage have become successful teachers. We met one blind young lady, a former resident, who was teaching at the primary school near the convent. We were told about how orphans are helped when they want to get married.
Tetekela Convent School
We also stopped in to see the sisters’ at the Tetekela Convent School near Kasama. It is a school which takes in children from vulnerable families, feeds them and enables them to go to school every day. Some children are street kids without a family to support them. They come to school each morning, have a shower, eat breakfast and attend the Tetekela school. John MacInnis met with Fr Alan MacMillan’s sponsored child, 14-year-old, Robert. John gave him gifts from Fr Alan and took him to buy school supplies. Tetekela is a private school which also takes in fee paying students as well.
Inverness County Cares (ICC) and Chalice
Inverness County Cares (ICC) is a local charitable organization, founded in 2012 and based in Inverness County, NS, Canada. ICC works in partnership with Chalice.ca, a Canadian charity, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Chalice provides guidance and assistance to help ICC provide a better life for the children at the Kawambwa schools. The Kawambwa Project involves supporting two schools for albino and visually impaired students, in Northern Zambia. Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members.
Challenges and the Path Forward
Zambia faces significant challenges related to child welfare, including high rates of orphans due to factors like HIV/AIDS and poverty. Organizations are working to combat these challenges by providing not only basic needs but also education, skills training, and emotional support. The goal is to empower these children to become self-sufficient and contribute positively to their communities.
The work of these orphanages and supporting organizations is crucial in providing hope and opportunity for Zambia's most vulnerable children. By offering care, education, and a sense of belonging, they are helping to build a brighter future for these children and the nation as a whole.
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