Report from BHW Zambia Partnership Facilitators Following Visit

Key people: Doris Nkuasu, Jennifer Kabunda, Grace Nkuasu

We met with Doris at her house and plot. She and the family are doing well. Her son Chisenga is getting married in December, after he finishes his theological studies at university.

Recent Events

Orphans

Currently no orphan programme is running, but Doris is wanting to help 12 students to re-sit GCE exams for grade 12 this year, with fees and extra lessons. This will be funded from the income generating activities.

Some of the orphans who have finished grade 12 are doing well, one Lubuto is working at the Congo border for customs. These ones have even started to try and give Doris some money to help with the programmes she runs. Others have unfortunately gotten pregnant and are mothers at home. Doris still tries to help these ones with a few things like blankets and baby clothes or giving them some produce to sell at the market. 

Income Generation

In 2021 Bright Hope funded US$770 to help set up an income generating activity. Originally this was to raise chickens, but the market became difficult so Doris held the funds back until she could think of a better option.

They have decided to build some rental properties, two units, which will return 600 ZMK per month (US$30). That totals US$360 per year from the $770 investment. Doris sees the benefit in this as it is passive income that helps with the ministry without putting too much strain on her time. 

Farming

Each year Doris runs a farming training course for 20 people. This has been going well with people increasing yields to help with their families’ support.

For last year’s crop the farming cooperatives that were formed to get assistance by subsided farming inputs from the government caused people many issues. The government changed the rules, so instead of getting 6 bags of fertilizer each, most people only got 1/3 of a bag, and it was given in February which is totally useless as it is needed in November at planting time.

These factors have caused a lot of hunger for people, so Doris has been giving out some of her own maize to families to help them through. So far, she has given away about 20 bags of maize.

Seed Co saw how Doris had farmed using good techniques so came to her to plant a demonstration plot along the roadside. They planted a quarter lima (12.5m x 50m) and used various types of maize and soyabean seed to show each one’s characteristics, with Seed Co supplying all the farming inputs of seed and fertilizer. 

The plot looks amazing, which is a testimony to the work Doris, Grace and Jennifer have achieved.  With the maize looking so good, Seed Co want to have them plant a lima next year. Doris also wants to run the next farming training course now to show people what is possible if Foundations for Farming methods are followed.

Last year Doris and Jennifer travelled to Samfya to go and see Peter Bobo’s farm, to learn how to plant cassava. The trip went well, and they saw the methods being used, and the type of varieties grown. They intend to plant cassava this coming season.

Discipleship Courses

Last year Doris started a discipleship course for 20 women in the local area, to bring them up in the Word of God. She held a tea party and invited ladies from her local church and seven other churches to come. At this party many were interested in the course, so Doris selected the 20 who applied.

The course is based on the book “Knowing and Doing” which is used by Samfya Bible School (ZAM18) in the church extension programme. Peter Bobo came for the first lessons in February. The first module talked about creation, and there are so many things that God has created that can surprise us.

Peter will come for the next lesson in April, and then Doris and Jennifer with Chisenga will run the rest of the courses throughout the next two years.

Personal Stories

Jennifer Kabunda

Doris describes Jennifer as a hard worker, and whenever she calls her, she comes to help. She is involved in the farming trainings and the discipleship courses. (Jennifer pictured on the right with Doris).

Jennifer's husband died many years ago, and she has three adult children. One daughter and two grandchildren live with Jennifer as the father of these children is nowhere to be seen. The grandchildren are aged 4 and 5 years, both are girls, not yet in school.

They plant a field of 1 lima, the land provided by Doris on the plot, with beans, ground nuts and maize, and sell some of the produce at harvest.

Jennifer has a business cooking and selling fritas when they can afford to buy the flour to make them. She also trades the fish called kapenta. She can make about 60 to 100ZMK (US$3-$5) per batch of flour when she sells the fritas. 

For food, they have a light porridge for breakfast and then nshima for dinner, but she is complaining about the cost of food being far too high now.

She first got involved in the project in 2018, when she attended a Foundations for Farming course. She was surprised to hear about potholes rather than ridges and has been using the method since she was trained. Her yields have gone from 6 bags per lima to 15 bags per lima in the last two years.

Ideas for the Future

Doris talked about how people are suffering economically with lower harvests and the price of food stuffs doubling in the last two years. She has been in discussions with Barnabus from CORAC (ZAM27) about the small business loans they are using there to help empower people in businesses they are already running.

From these discussions she is wanting to propose a small business loan programme to be managed for some of the people in the local area. Doris asks “If a fund can be set up to help the vulnerable people in the area by giving them loans to empower their small businesses. These loans must be repaid so others can be helped, and even some interest paid”.

Doris went away and discussed with the guardians of the vulnerable children to see what businesses they are already running. She provided detailed information on the costs, expected income and profit for 20 people in seven different businesses.

The aim is that these loans are to be repaid with 10% interest in three months’ time, so that either they can reapply for another loan if needed, or the loan will be used for another person.

The BHW Executive has subsequently approved providing US$1,200 as a start-up fund for this loan programme. 

Current Issues and Challenges

The high cost of living is severely affecting people in the area. Doris states that “Our concern is for how the many vulnerable people in the area will put food on the table and buy inputs for farming such as seeds and fertilizer. It is a very big challenge for people”.

Comments

It is great to see Doris using the connections with other Bright Hope World partners to try and help solve problems that she sees in her area.