On Tuesday 1st April, Hands at Work began serving in a new community called Chilando, which is situated in a rural, farming area in Kabwe, Zambia. This community will be supported by Hands at Work UK.
Seven brand new Care Workers from the local church, supported by the Hands at Work Regional Support and Service Centre teams, gathered to collect water and prepare a meal, the first provision of the 3 Essential Services of food, education and health care.
By midday, children were arriving and, in total, 36 out of the 50 registered joined, alongside the Care Workers and several Primary Caregivers, who came to witness the launch of the feeding programme.
It was a joyful sight to see the children enjoying a nutritious plate of kapenta (small dried fish), vegetables and nshima. After the meal the Care Workers took part in a Relationship Group and reflected on the day’s activities.
Relationship Groups are safe and trustworthy spaces where the Care Workers can share their struggles and joys. They offer profound healing, understanding and support to the Care Workers, who are often dealing with their own brokenness and trauma, so that they can themselves become catalysts of change, sharing what they have learned with the children they serve.
In the coming days, more children are expected to attend Chilando, and Xolani, member of the Zambia Regional Support Team, shared that the sense of ownership from the local community and church has been incredibly encouraging.
Over the coming months, Hands at Work is looking to establish the infrastructure that will provide a consistent and safe centre in which to care for the children. This begins with obtaining a piece of land to establish a new Care Point, and then building structures such as the main building, a cooking shelter, toilets and storage.
We give thanks to God for this opportunity to bring essential care to vulnerable children in Chilando. Please join us in praying for this new community!
You can read more about the Hands at Work in Africa model of care here.