Namumu Orphanage Center - May 2019 Update
Siavonga, Zambia
Dear friends and supporters of Namumu,
Greetings in the name of Christ our Lord. As we shared in our previous update, a team from Outreach traveled to Siavonga, Zambia where Namumu Orphanage is located in September 2018. The purpose of the trip was to visit the children and meet with the Namumu leadership. This picture shows the Outreach team and Namumu board members after a very productive meeting to map out strategies for care for the children.
We are pleased to share this message we recently received from the Namumu Orphanage coordinator, Mr. Siakwale:
“On behalf of the Namumu Orphanage Center management, board, and children, I would like to take this opportunity to thank The Outreach Foundation and local partners for continued support. Provision from generous people like you is the reason for our survival. Working together, we can add value and quality to the lives of the children thereby securing their futures and unlocking their abilities to become responsible citizens of our nation.
By God’s grace, this year has been good so far despite a few challenges we are facing. These challenges include:
• The continued increase in the cost of feed and stiff competition in the market price contributed to the IGA’s generating less income. Lack of rain is also a problem.
• Income generated from the IGA’s pays for five worker’s monthly salaries, electricity bills, administrative costs, food, general upkeep for the children, maintenance costs, and more. When less income is generated, it is difficult to pay the bills or to save any money for the future.
• The shortage of funds reduced our workforce making it difficult to run the operations of Namumu.
• The cost of living is high due to the economic recession in Zambia.
• The lack of mode of transport also makes it difficult to run the operations of the institution.
However, despite the challenges we are facing, we are grateful to The Outreach Foundation and local partners who have continued to support the welfare of the children.”
Namumu now has nineteen children. All the children are in school. We have been able to enroll eight girls in Mubuyu Christian Academy, a boarding high school. Four boys attend Siavonga Secondary School, and seven are in primary school.
Mr. Siakwale sent grade reports and the scores are so encouraging. All the children appear to be improving academically. The board and staff try to visit those in boarding school. The children receive counseling and help from their teachers in various subjects, which makes them feel supported.
We are grateful that the House of Moses shared their shipment of rice from Rise Against Hunger and had 100 boxes of fortified rice delivered to the children at Namumu. We also thank God for the local Rotarians for improving the living conditions by repairing the dormitories, dining hall and bathrooms. We are also grateful for the Namumu board – they generously offer their time and talent for the Namumu children. Thank you for your generosity that makes it possible to care for children in Zambia and beyond.
We also want to take this opportunity to let you know the steps that Outreach is taking to embrace the international childcare policies that are now in place. Children grow and do well in families. We are taking steps to help our partners make this transition to caring for children in families and not keeping them in an institution. Namumu will be no exception as Zambia is moving forward with deinstitutionalizing children. We will keep you updated as we make progress. Rev. Charles Ngoma, a Namumu board member, recently participated in a Foster Care Training workshop in Lusaka and gained more understanding of the direction we are taking. We need your help as we implement decisions during the transition to connect global partners with available resources, facilitate networking so they can learn from one another, and decide on family strengthening and economic empowerment programs for successful children and family reunification. We will continue to mobilize resources and help with education.
The African proverb: “It takes a village to raise up a child” is true in every context. You are included in the village and we are counting on your generosity to help each child reach God’s intended potential and have a bright future.
Gratefully,
Ebralie Mwizerwa
Read more about Namumu Orphanage Center HERE.
THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking $20,000 to feed, clothe, offer medical care, and educate children at Namumu. Make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.