Mangunje IGP Distribution Part 1

Translation:
The man in the video says is the father/guardian to Mangunje. He says he is grateful for the support the boy is receiving from the sponsors. He says the distribution of livestock to Mangunje will sustain his life. He said that he can not express in words just how grateful he is.  He is appealing to the sponsors to continue helping Mangunje since their contribution has already started yielding fruits. The man wished the sponsors more of God’s blessings.

Prima Stove Distribution Part 3

Translation:
The lady in the video told me that she was Clara Cheelo. She told me that her children were supposed to receive the kerosene stove with her but they were all out for holiday. The lady said she was so happy to receive the stove together as a family. She said the stove would help prepare the children’s food on time before they go to school. The lady says she is so grateful for the sponsors who purchased the stove.

Chinyama with her Chicken

Translation:
I asked the lady in the video the relationship she had with the girl. She told me that the girl in the picture was her daughter. Asked her how happy she was for the daughter to receive the chicken. The lady said that she was thankful for the donation on behalf of the sponsors. She said that the letters that sponsors wrote to the children were very exciting such that each time the letter comes she is anious to open it and read it.

Prima Stove Distribution Part 2

I asked the lady in the video what her name was and she told me that she was Regina Ngandu. I asked her how she felt after receiving the Kerosene stove. She told me that she was very grateful because the stove will make cooking in the house easier. She told me that the sponsor is the father and mother to her (meaning that they care for her as parents would). She told me that she did not know that she would ever be a part of a sponsorship program.  It makes her life easier. 

Prima Stove Distribution

This is the only video and photo I was able to receive from Zambia today because of their internet connectivity.  As you can see, the stoves are very much appreciated!

Translation:
The lady in the video said that her name is Hansingu (last name). The grandmother to Ronah Nyirenda. I asked her how she felt to have received the Kerosene stove. She told me that she was very happy to receive the stove because it would help her prepare something for the grand child to eat before she goes to school. She told me that she was very grateful to the sponsor who did this and encouraged her to continue supporting her and the family. She told me that the stove came at the right time when firewood was scarce in the community.

Victoria Falls

What Makes a Family?

In Zambia, family is not just your mother, father, brothers and sisters.  It includes cousins (that are usually referred to as brothers and sisters if they live in the same house) and uncles and aunts (that are usually referred to as mum and dad if in the same house).  Grandparents can, also, live with the family.  How awesome would that be to have all of your relatives surrounding you!  Everyone working and serving each other to make the household work!

“Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.”

Marian Wright Edelman (born 1939);

Troubles

“I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!”  Dr. Suess

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

986 Anita Hameenka

970 Monica Mweene

That's what little girls are made of... These sweet girls are from a community known for its sweetness!!  Mazabuka is known for its sugar production =)  If you would like to sponsor one of these preschool girls, go to www.mwanahopezambia.com and search by their ID numbers.  Then, click on "Sponsor Me!" 

Chores in Zambia- Working the Garden

Aren't these little ones so cute!!  Even the little ones help with the chores in Zambia.

Items for Distribution- Fold Up Mattresses

More items for distribution.  Here are at fold up mattresses =)

Items for Distribution

Here are some pictures of some of the items that have been purchased by the sponsors.  The picture at the top is the Primastove.  More items are being purchased all this month in preparation for a combined distribution at the beginning of September. 

Chim and team are headed to Mazabuka next Tuesday to distribute some of the items and take photos and videos of the families that did not go on vacation for school holiday. 

Contract Signing

Here is a photo of the contract signing that took place at the Holiday Inn in Lusaka.  The European Union has partnered with CHILDHOPE to bring much needed supplies to the people in the southern province.  Included in this are the areas of Mazabuka, Monze, Choma, and Kalomo. 

Part of this contract includes a company called Sight Savers.  You can find them on the web here:   http://zm.sightsavers.org/  That link will lead you directly to the Zambia specific program.  We have many children and family members suffering with eye problems.  These supplies will help save their eye sight before it's too late.  Yay!!!

Twice Blessed

We have several sets of twins in our sponsorship program.  Here are 4 of the sets =)  Hamoonga twins above and Hakalima twins below.  The Hakalima twins are unsponsored.

Nyanwa twins above and Ngoma twins below

There is a new book that just came out.  I have not read it yet, but I will have to pick it up.  It's called "Twins in African and Diaspora Cultures: Double Trouble, Twice Blessed".  It is a look into how twins are regarded in several African communities.  If you read the book before me, let me know what you think...

Chores in Zambia- Doing Laundry

The girls in the family are the ones responsible for getting the clothes clean, too.  No washing machines here, unless you are speaking of the HUMAN washing machine.  If you have never washed clothes by hand, give it a try!  I lived in Mexico for a few months, and I was able to experience this first hand.  You need a wash board or other hard surface to scrub against.  If you decide to try it out, make sure you get all of the clothes that you usually wash and try to clean them all in a day.  Don't forget to hang them on the clothesline afterwards.  This will give you a whole new appreciation for your sponsor child and just how much they do for their families (in addition to going to school)!!  Incredible children!

Dancers

Here are the dancers and drummers together.  This is the Ayubu Kamau Kings & Queens African Dance.

African Drummers

I love this drumming/dancing group.  They always put on a good show.  My daughters and I saw them on Monday.  It makes me want to get on the stage and dance- Except, I am not that brave!  LOL!!

In Need of Product Donations

Here are some items that are needed on a regular basis that you can help with.  Ink is number one on the greatly needed wishlist.  The printer takes HP920 in black and the HP920 3pack color.  This ink is used to print the certificates that the children get showing that their school fees have been paid, to print their sponsorship ID cards, and to print the letter templates.  The letter templates are being printed here in the USA now.  This will help us make sure that there are many templates for the children to choose from and that they are always available to them to use.  The sponsorship IDs and certificates have always been printed here in the USA, so this is nothing new... However, we are in great need of ink.  If anyone would like to help fulfill this need, the ink can be purchased at many online retailers and shipped directly to us. 

Paper is, also, needed.  Heavy cardstock paper for the ID cards and certificates and regular paper for the letter templates.  These things can be bought at Sams Club online and usually ship for free.

Stamps- wow!  Always need stamps.  If you want to help with those, you can purchase them directly from usps.com and have them shipped here for only $1 for shipping. 

These are our regular- always needed supplies.  If you have extra supplies around the home or office that you do not need and were getting rid of, please consider checking if it is something we may need before trashing it.  Office supplies are needed here and in Zambia, and they are always appreciated.  Some office supplies that could be put to good use:

filing cabinet/ box filing system

mail sorter

staplers

staples

binder clips

paper clips

folders

envelopes

glue

tape

pencils

pens

colored pencils

Those are just a few of the things I can think of off of the top of my head.  Any supplies you would like to provide should be shipped to:

Mwana Hope Zambia

P O Box 847

Anna, TX 75409

USA

Thank you for all you do!!

Mutale Family Introduction

A post from Nicole N: I thought that I would share some things from Josephine Mutale's letter.  She is a bright and sweet young lady. I want to preface this letter by saying that I asked her to list 3 things that she really wanted or she really needed. I told her that I could not promise her that I could get them for her, but I would rather try to get her something that she needs or wants rather than just get stuff.. so her request is a specific response to my letter. This child has never asked me for anything. She has been very sweet and her letters are exceptional.. She may not have had a template to use to write, but I got a great letter. She tore a piece of paper from one of her notebooks.
It used to bother me that all of the sponsored children still called me "Sponsor", until a sponsor that sponsors a lot of kids and travels to see them regularly addressed this issue.  When someone stated that they had concerns about this, the other sponsor cleared this up by saying that the kids equate "sponsor" as a name of honor and distinction.. that it is a wonderful thing.. not an insult (not because they can not remember your name).. so keep that in mind as you read the letter.

"Dear Sponsor,

Greetings from all of us in the family. I was so happy when I received the letters you sent to me. We are all fine and in good health. I hope that you are fine together with Sarah.

In my area, most people are peasant farmers, they grow crops such as ground nuts, cassava, sorghum, maize. All these crops have been harvested. Sugar cane is grown in large scale by the Zambia Sugar Company along the Kafue River.  Maize is the staple food in my country.

I am very happy that you are concerned with my school ing.  I am in a primary school located far away from town and on a normal school day we start by sweeping the classroom and then the school surroundings. We go in our various classes after a Bible sharing at 0730 hrs.

I walk a distance of 3KM to get to school. We are many in my village who go to the same school.  On the way, we see fields, some goats, as well as fishermen.

In my school we learn the following subjects: maths, English, science, music, social studies, literacy, and religious studies. After class we do have sports and homework. Sometimes we are given story books to read at home, but there are not enough for every child in class" 

I would really love to have a bicycle and other school logistics(?)to help me in my school work. A ball would also be a good gift as we have started playing netball.

In my family we are five: my father is David, my mother is Cecilia and I have one elder brother, Mutale #1196 (photo not yet available) and my elder sister is Christine #465 (photo above).

 

Mutale is in form 4 at the boys school and Christine is in form 1 at the girls school May God always bless you. Josephine"

Happiness

“Happiness depends more on the inward disposition of mind rather than on outward circumstances.”

Benjamin Franklin