Vision Zambia
Support of several projects in the Linda Open Community
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Vision Zambia is an NGO that supports three projects in Zambia: Linda Open Community School, Light of Hope Health Care Centre and Mother of Mercy Hospice. In combining these projects Vision Zambia focuses on improving the empowerment of woman, the physical well-being (through health care, clean drinking water and sports) and education of people living in the Linda community (about 50.000 people), located within the Lusaka region (location). We met with Sue and Jeff, two of the visionaries behind this beautiful charity. They are wonderful people and were very happy to help us. An absolute inspiration to us!
Linda Open Community School
We had a warm welcome at Linda Open Community School. Leah, the secretary of the school, awaited us and showed where we could find the Head Teachers office. Doreen, the Head Teacher, welcomed us and we could immediately feel that this was a confident and strong woman that has that natural aura of authority, which any Head Teacher should have. We had a good talk about what the school’s relationship is with Vision Zambia, what encompasses her vision for the school, what changes she implemented at the school and what impact this has had on the children. After the meeting we had the privilege to be shown around the school yard by Doreen. With pride she showed us the well-designed courtyard with a corner “just for reading”, the vegetable garden and some of the buildings that either function as classroom, laboratory or computer lab. Now and then she stopped with the tour and addressed one of the students to pick up some litter from the ground. She then told us that the specific mindset she wants the children to have, takes time and is a continuous effort. It was refreshing for us to see a woman in Africa with a long term vision, instead of having to focus on the short term struggle for survival that is so common in Africa. Money and opportunities, via the aid of Vision Zambia, can do that if given to the right person. This gives us the confidence that our plans for the future are definitely possible and excites us for what is still to come.
With Linda Open Community School, Vision Zambia supports about 1600 children in Linda Community. When Vision Zambia began working with the community the standard of education at the school lagged well behind government schools. There were not enough classrooms, no running water, toilets or electricity and the teachers did not receive wages.
One of the kids found a cool spot in the shade to study.
With assigning the current headteacher, Doreen, to the school things started to change dramatically. During our visit at the school, we could see and feel it had become a school with a vision. Doreen emphasized that you have to involve everyone, from the children, to the parents, to the teachers, in your vision until they all share it. And then you become a success. She and the other teachers want the school to be a center for educational excellence in its own right. And they are well on their way of achieving this as there are ablution blocks, clean drinking water, 4 extra classrooms have been built, computers and desks have been supplied, teachers receive wages and, above all, students enter examinations. As Doreen stated: ‘this school now meets university standards’.
Light of Hope Health Care Center
The sign above the little building John uses as his Health Care Centre in the middle of the Linda Community.
The story of John Shawa is inspirational. He felt the urge to help his community out and made it his life goal of providing his neighbours in Linda with a health care centre, which was lacking at that time. Now the Light of Hope Health Care Centre provides the most vulnerable and poor in the community with basic health care and food supplements from, for example, Moringa trees which he grows in his backyard. In addition, he looks after the Light of Hope Football Association where boys and girls can channel their energies positively, instead of falling prey to drugs, criminality and alcohol or become isolated because of AIDS/HIV.
After meeting with John at the Light of Hope Health Care Centre we really admire that he can do so much for the community with the limited resources he has. The health care centre consists of one building and lacks most of the facilities that hospitals have. During our visit, he showed us that there is always a way to help the community out. For example, he helped in building an ambulance (a bicycle with a kart behind it) for the sick that are unable to get to the health care centre. Currently, he is also in the process of building a lodge next to the health care centre. He showed us around and told us that 30% of the profits will go back to Light of Hope to improve the quality and reach of his health care. True dedication.
Here John shows us his Moringa trees. He himself also uses it as supplements to his food.
It was inspiring for us to witness that everything related to physical health (health care, nutritional support and exercise) can be managed from one organization. This is a clever way of keeping updated on the health of the community, which is essential in combating, alleviating and preventing HIV/AIDS and other sicknesses in Linda.
Mother of Mercy Hospice
The entrance to the Mother of Mercy Hospice. A Hospice set up by a Dutch woman a very long time ago in support of aids and HIV patients.
At the Mother of Mercy Hospice we witnessed, for the first time, what HIV/AIDS does with a human-being. Undernourished women and men were lying in bed, probably also affected by other sicknesses like TBC or pneumonia. The Mother of Mercy Hospice offers these patients free palliative care in the form of medicines, a healthy diet and some well-deserved TLC. Locally, there are only a few alternatives, so the hospice fills an important void for men, woman and children that can’t afford health care.
The Mother of Mercy is a hospice because it is not recognized by the Zambian government as hospital. As a hospice it doesn’t receive funding from the government and therefore it is dependent on funding from Vision Zambia and other organizations to function.
Donate
Are you as inspired as us about these projects? Do you want to help? Find the donate button via VisionZambia website (click here). Or contact us if you want to give some money to one of the projects specifically.