Zambia

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• September 7, 2007
• July 21, 2008
• September 29, 2009
• February 2, 2010

Shalom Community School

Training / Education,
Orphans & Vulnerable Children,
Humanitarian

Partnership Overview

Dick and Anita Mumba and family

Dick and Anita Mumba run a Christian school for 23 street kids in a house in Chipata, Zambia. The programme includes feeding the children and giving them spiritual guidance. Dick and his family have gone there and are committing to stay there for five years at least. They are struggling to be effective because of lack of funding. Bright Hope World puts $2,000 towards staff support and $4,600 for helping the children. They operate out of a house which is not adequate and they need to shift to a better location. However, they have no resources, just a vision and a love for the children.

History of Partnership

Back in 2004 Bright Hope World became aware of a great woman in the city of Chipata, Zambia. Elizabeth was running a school for destitute children. She had well over 100 kids when we first visited. The conditions were appalling and they struggled to meet the needs of the children and the demands of the community and guardians. She had a number of voluntary teachers but the quality of assistance was low.

In 2005 BHW commenced funding, supporting the feeding of the children and supplementing the meagre income of the teachers. Then in December 2005 tragedy struck. Elizabeth died very suddenly. The project almost folded.  A couple of people held it together for the sake of the children but there was no direction or consistent management.

Part way through 2006 Dick and Anita Mumba came to Chipata. They were associated with YWAM as was Elizabeth. They had no resources but decided to take up the reins of the Community School. By this time there were many unhealthy things going on in the school so most of the people associated with it were put off and new people were brought in as volunteers. It quickly became obvious that the school needed a new start so they have had to rationalise and drop the number of children attending the school.

Therefore in 2007 the number of children was dropped to a manageable 23 and the plans are to grow it from there from year to year.

Beneficiaries

Anita teaching in the little classroom

Children in the local area in Chipata who cannot afford to go to Government Schools.

What We Like About The Partnership

We particularly like the character of Dick and Anita. Their commitment to making this work is huge. They have made difficult but wise decisions about how to move forward and have developed a good strategy despite lack of support and resources.

Relationship To Other Partnerships

Directly to ZAM11b which is the personal support of the key people in this partnership, Dick and Anita Mumba. 

Indirectly, BHW has one other partner in the Chipata area and the key leaders know each other. Also, this school rents the building from another partner based in Ndola, GLO Zambia.

Key People

The children obviously love being at school

Leadership Profile

Dick and Anita Mumba are the key leaders. Anita is a school teacher but they have few resources and very cramped facilities. She has been very unwell with anaemia from a miscarriage a couple of years ago. She has not been able to recover sufficiently and requires food that is not easily accessible or affordable. Dick has been roped in as a teacher as Anita cannot teach the younger children because she does not know the local language. He is not a teacher but feels he has to try.

Prior to coming to Chipata they were involved as church planters in another area of Zambia. They met at YWAM training in Hawaii, Dick is a Zambian and Anita is a Pacific Islander. They have five children, one is at boarding school and the others live with them in Chipata.

Other People Involved

They have had some help from YWAM volunteers, especially from Canada, but are severely under staffed. They are currently hoping to have some people come to help as teachers.

Vision and Annual Strategy

The vision is to have an effective school as a means to introducing children to Christ. They hope to have a new site eventually on which to build a new campus.

The strategy is to add about 16 new grade one children at the beginning of 2008 and then to add a new class each year into the future. They hope this will give them the time to develop their facilities as the school grows. Plans are being developed and research being done to see that happen in 2009.

A team of people from New Zealand are going to visit in January 2008 to assist with refurbishing the buildings and to build some semi permanent buildings that will be able to be transported away when the new site has been purchased.

Annual Budget

Bright Hope World is the only consistent funder of this school. We do not know the total amount required to fully fund it. Currently the Bright Hope World contribution is $US6,600. $4,600 goes towards the needs of the children including food and school supplies and the rest goes towards supplementing the teacher's needs.  This partnership is currently financially supported by Bright Hope Australia.