In Africa there’s an attack against the family. An entire generation of parents in their 20s though 40s is being wiped out by AIDS, waterborne diseases, and conflict. In a population of 11 million there are over 600,000 AIDS orphans. Children are becoming the country’s workers and parents. (It’s not uncommon for a 13 year old to have a child.) Children are Zambia’s present and future. |
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In Zambia, children suffer from lack of safe water. Several of the schools where we work had been closed because the well had broken and the children had to walk long distances to get water. At another school, dozens of children were infected with schistosomiasis after fetching water from a contaminated pond. Seeds of Hope is working together with UNICEF, Lifewater, and Thirst Relief to provide over 38 schools and their surrounding communities with safe water, sanitation, and hygiene training. Zambian schools are an ideal place to work to bring hope and change to a community. When young children learn to use sanitary latrines and good hygiene, this raises the standard of what they expect at home. In addition, education is so valued in Zambia that parents are open to being taught new health practices by their educated kids. People’s lifestyles change and the changes influence others. We have seen many mothers going out and sharing health and hygiene skills with their neighbors and friends. |
Wells have been drilled at three Ndola orphanages, which have brought fresh water to hundreds of orphans who previously walked for hours to retrieve water. SHIP is also overseeing the sponsoring of several orphans who have been enrolled in school. |
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