LIFENET IN ACTION
OUR STORIES
Zambia, as many of sub-Saharan African nations, is faced with a serious problem of orphaned or disadvantaged children, several of whom are roaming the streets begging for help. It is estimated that Zambia has between 900,000 to 1,000,000 children who are orphaned and disadvantaged due to difficult economic problems compounded by the HIV/AIDS pandemic in the region.
“It has been reported that the large number of adults that are dying from HIV/AIDS will leave behind, hundreds and thousands of Zambian children without parents to care for them. More than 17{b7f5c8cc1153b5025f4db26277168e09da2d34bc6fac49e7f817bb517223ba10} of Zambia’s children living in impoverished conditions are prone to die before the age of five. Only 57{b7f5c8cc1153b5025f4db26277168e09da2d34bc6fac49e7f817bb517223ba10} will go to primary school meaning majority of the population will be illiterate. One out of every five children who are born into vulnerable and disadvantaged families is moderately to severely malnourished.” (Source – Orphans of Zambia)
We have a great challenge at hand and a generation needs to be rescued, helped and empowered. The purpose of LifeNet is to provide opportunity for these young people who if we did not come along side of would not be able to realize their dreams of living a fulfilled and meaningful life. One child at a time is our starting point and there are so many 1’s we are yet to reach.
MEET OUR BOYS – PAST AND PRESENT
Silas was born in 1993 in Garden Compound, Lusaka on the 19th of September, 1993. He was born in a family of five and he is the fourth – born. His father died in 2001 while his mother died in 1999.
Gift was born in 1995 on the 4th of April, in a family of two of which he is the first-born. His father was a twin who passed away when Gift was a baby. His mother passed on when Gift was in his second grade.
Truvent was born in 1998 on April 4th ; he is the first- born child in a family of two. He was born in Chikonga Village, Chibombo. Truvent’s mother passed on in 2000 and his father died two years later after a long illness.
Ben was born in a set of triplets to Mr. Burton Obert Moonga and Mrs. Hilda Halweembe Moonga in 1999 on February 6th . His mother died few months after giving birth to her triplets. The cause of her death was T.B, which she had battled with for a long time even during her pregnancy.
Mapalo Daka was born in 2001 on 16th August. He came to LifeNet from Chilenje transient home through the Social Welfare Department. Mapalo went to Chilenje Transient Home through social welfare after staying for a while at a police station.
Blessings’ birth date is not well known. He was born in Lukata Village. Both his parents died after long illnesses. We adopted him on the 17th of November, 1996 as his birthday.
Abraham Sakala was born in 1995 in Katuba Central district of Chibombo. Although his exact date of birth is not known, 12th February has been adopted as his birthday. Abraham is a maternal orphan and the whereabouts of his father, known by some as a bankrupt alcoholic are not well known.
Rayford was born on 27th October, 1984 in Petauke in the Eastern province of Zambia. His father died when he was a child and he does not remember when this was. Sadly, the above did not prove easy for Rayford’s mother and his family.
Joseph Cheepa was born on 12th May, 1998 in a family of eight and he is the seventh – born. His parents were poor gardeners who also looked after other orphaned children. As such, Joseph was one of the children that were used in the garden for cheap labor.
Wiza grew up with his maternal relatives in Lukata Village. Wiza was born on 20th January, 1995 in Itezhi-Tezhi district the southern province of Zambia.
Isaac Mulimbika is the third born in a family of three. He was born on the 6th of April, 1992 in Lukata Village.