from a vision to reality: shekinah glory school - visionledd
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WOW COMMUNITY UPDATE 2012 BWACHA, ZAMBIA
COMMUNITY UPDATE
BWACHA, ZAMBIA
(ABOVE) STUDENTS IN SHEKINAH GLORY SCHOOL IN BWACHA, ZAMBIA A MINISTRY OF VISIONLEDD
The dream for Shekinah Glory School began with a woman’s vision in 1995. After praying and fasting, Theresa Ng’oma felt certain that God had laid it on her heart to begin a school for the children in her community. After the mines closed, unemployment, poverty, and hopelessness had left little in the way of a future for the children of Bwacha. Beginning with seven children out of her own home, Theresa’s school discontinued for a brief time when her husband and father of her children died. It was her eldest son, Pastor Lester Ng’oma who encouraged her to begin again.
When Visionledd first started supporting Theresa’s school in 2005 she had moved classes from her own home into an abandoned building without floors or a roof. Visionledd’s WOW Christmas celebrations helped provide some supplies and school uniforms but the school was facing a major problem. The lack of a borehole and proper infrastructure was drawing the attention of the Zambian government – the school was at risk of closing down.
“In February 2008, by divine providence, Pastor Joel and his team from King St. Pentecostal Church in Canada adopted our school. As a result we have built three classrooms, an office, pit latrines and a well
to provide clean and safe water for the students!” Theresa rejoices.
The support from King Street Pentecostal has transformed not only a building, but children’s lives. Lives like Euphasia, who at 13 walks 8 km each day to attend this school. Since her father lost his mining job life has been a struggle, regular meals for Euphasia and the five other children in her home are rare. Until she started attending Shekinah Glory in 2004, education was a seemingly unattainable dream. Most students come from very difficult home lives, many are eating only one meal per day, sleeping on feed bags and sharing a single blanket.
Until the support of King Street, Theresa had been paying for a school guard and school supplies out of her own pocket. The volunteer teachers, though extremely dedicated, had no income. Thanks to ongoing support and new income-‐generating projects, teachers’ incentives and security are now funded. The community of Bwacha still has many challenges, but the school stands out as a shining example of how God brings together local champions like Theresa and compassionate churches like King Street Pentecostal to make transformation possible.
Bwacha is located just outside of Kabwe town in Zambia.
Your Community at a Glance
• Peri-‐urban slum on the outskirts of Kabwe
• Total population is about 12,000
• Only one medical clinic in the area
• Many depend on small-‐scale farming as their source of income
• Income and employment are scarce
• Major health risks exist surrounding lack of sanitation and access to clean water
• High prevalence of HIV and AIDS
From a vision to reality: Shekinah Glory School
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TO SEE THE SCHOOL, COPY COORDINATES: 14°24'43.21"S, 28°26'34.89"E
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WOW COMMUNITY UPDATE | 2012 BWACHA. ZAMBIA
www.visionledd.com
In 2012, funding from King Street Pentecostal Church to the community of Bwacha supported the community school, Shekinah Glory. This support funded: o Incentives for five volunteer teachers
and one headteacher whom otherwise would receive no income for their work
o A security guard to keep the building and its contents protected from thievery and damage
o A maize and sweet potato income-‐generating activity project that generated 720 000 ZMK (Zambian Kwacha) which is about $144 CAD. This supplemented incentives for three teachers and school repairs
o A WOW Christmas celebration that provided over 250 children from the school with uniforms, school supplies and a wholesome meal
MEET WILSON In February 2012 Visionledd staff sat down with 14 year-‐old Wilson Chiwaya, a grade seven student at the Shekinah Glory School. Like so many children in the Bwacha community, Wilson is an orphan. Both of his
parents died when he was young leaving behind four children. But Wilson doesn’t live with his brother and sisters anymore. Four children were difficult for a grandmother to look after so Wilson went to live with his other grandmother, separated from his siblings. At home, Wilson helps his elderly grandmother by sweeping, cooking, and washing plates. Attending school is the highlight in Wilson’s life where his favourite subject is English and he enjoys the company of friends and afterschool activities. With pride, he told us about a workshop he was recently chosen to attend to demonstrate to the Ministry of Education what community schools like Shekinah Glory were doing for vulnerable children.
BWACHA’S FUTURE Over the last four years, Shekinah Glory has become a thriving Christian school that
educates over 250 community children, children who would otherwise not have access to education. The school was the community’s first priority, and now that it is fully “up and running” it is an opportune time to address the pressing home-‐life needs of Bwacha’s community. Child-‐headed homes, orphans, widows, and grandmothers struggle everyday for basic needs. The Home-‐Based Care program is the next, exciting initiative to bring physical and spiritual transformation to the people of Bwacha, helping these vulnerable children on the homefront.
WHAT IS HOME-‐BASED CARE?
Home-‐Based Care volunteers visit the homes of vulnerable people in their communities to bring help, comfort, and basic needs on a regular basis. Often, the people they visit have no other family or relatives to help them. Support for HBC equips the volunteers with emergency food packs and basic medical supplies like painkillers. Additionally, funding provides transportation so the HBC volunteers can bring people to clinics for HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy. HBC volunteers cook, clean, wash and most importantly, comfort the vulnerable people they visit. Often working in pairs, one volunteer will perform chores while the other will sit and pray, read the Bible, and perhaps sing some hymns with the person they are caring for. Many people have come into a relationship with Jesus through the witness of servant-‐like, compassionate HBC volunteers.
Bwacha Updates from 2012
Bwacha’s Important Milestones
WOW Christmas Every year since 2005, WOW Christmas celebrations take place and provide uniforms and supplies to the children of Bwacha
2008
Borehole & school Borehole was drilled and the construction of Shekinah Glory School was completed
Third and final phase School was plastered, painted, and furnished with floors and desks. Major winds blew the roof off of the school but it was repaired with the help of volunteers
Income-‐Generating Activities (IGAs) begin Maize and market garden projects were funded to provide additional income for the school
2009
Breaking ground Phase 1 of Shekinah Glory School was completed and Phase 2 was underway
2010
2011
Teachers & security Support for four qualified teachers and a school guard began and such support continues to present day
2012
Harvest is in Profits from the maize IGA project supported an additional teacher’s salary, incentives for three others, and some school supplies
Looking ahead The students of Shekinah Glory School return to difficult home lives where security, food and health are rarely guaranteed. A home-‐based care program would benefit the people and children of Bwacha immensely
2013