Salesian missionaries in Zambia are responding to the urgent needs of children in crisis. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has taken a devastating toll on Zambia’s children. There are 1.2 million children classified as orphaned and vulnerable by UNICEF, and these children struggle to find education, basic services and hope for their future.
Over the past three decades, incomes in Zambia have fallen steadily. Poverty is widespread with 64% of the total population living below the poverty line and rising to 80% in rural areas. These families do not have adequate income to meet their basic food requirements.
In Zambia, nearly 20,000 homes are headed by children who have lost their parents in the HIV/AIDS epidemic. These young innocent victims are desperate for adult support as well as the basics that all children deserve. For these children, a chance to go to school opens a world of possibilities.
The Salesian-run City of Hope was established to meet the needs of youth and their families living in the most severe poverty in Lusaka. The vast majority of children attending City of Hope programs are those who have been abused, live on the streets or are victims of child trafficking.
Currently, there are more than 800 students enrolled in the City of Hope’s Open Community School which serves those suffering from malnutrition, lack of education and family deprivation. Basic education is offered to youth between the ages of 9 and 17. Primary school classes make up the first four years after which students take the government’s grade seven examinations. Most City of Hope students do not have the opportunity to attend other schools because of a lack of financial means.
The City of Hope also offers a shelter that is home to at-risk girls referred through the social welfare system, the police and other institutions and organizations. Many have been orphaned and have nowhere else to go. There are currently 36 girls who live at the shelter ranging in age from 7 to 22 years. The shelter is not an orphanage but rather a safe place for girls to stay while they gain an education and make the transition either to living with family or to a more independent life. To date, more than 150 girls have received services through the City of Hope’s shelter.
In addition, young children in the village of Lufubu will have a new Salesian Early Childhood Education Center thanks to Salesian Missions donors. Many preschool children in the village are left unattended during the day and roam around aimlessly. The Early Childhood Education Center will provide a safe, healthy learning environment for more than 100 preschool aged children.
Donor funding is supporting the renovation of two existing classrooms and equipping them with age-appropriate furniture, supplies and learning materials to provide a strong foundation for future education. Early preschool education provides the opportunity for these young children to access a school environment and learn early education fundamentals before primary school starts.
The Salesian secondary school in the Zatti community in Kabwe was able to add four new classrooms thanks to donor funding. This expansion will benefit the 350 students who attend the school.
From Zambia
From Zambia
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