August 2025 Newsletter
Chimwemwe Home
Children from the Chimwemwe Home produced another good crop of exam results from the national exams taken at the end of last year. All three children taking grade 9 exams passed, with George (1 grade three, 2 grade two’s and 4 grade one’s) and Nkisu (6 grade two’s, 1 grade one) doing particularly well. (Grade one is the highest grade.)
Both boys doing grade 12 passed to receive their certificates - Gideon (including 3 subjects at grade 2 - civics, RE and maths) and Godwin. Since completing their grade 12 exams both Gideon and Godwin have done all the courses in the computer school and then been officially ‘discharged’ from the Home.
Gideon is currently living with relatives and in September will be applying for a place at the Copperbelt University in Kitwe to study computer science.
Although Godwin has 2 sisters who both live in Lusaka they are unable to accommodate him as they are both married with children and living in only single-roomed houses. However, he has kindly been given lodging by Mark, the AETZ manager. Godwin has also been fortunate to get a job in a print shop, producing promotional and advertising materials such as flyers, brochures, signage, and T-shirts/cap printing. He is currently learning graphic designing in photoshop and CorelDRAW. He is excited to be working and keen to learn on the job. After getting his first salary, he was able to travel to the village in Eastern Province for 2 weeks so that he could visit his biological father, an alcoholic he has not seen for more than 11 years.
Oscar Mwinga is the newest recruit to the Chimwemwe Home. He is 10 years old and a single orphan. His father disappeared while he was a very young child, but last year it was discovered that he was in prison, having been sentenced to to more than 10 years imprisonment for commtting numerous crimes. A year after his father’s disappearance, his mother died and he was subsequently looked after by his grandmother who later also died leaving him in the care of his great grandmother, who is blind. Oscar attended a community school sponsored by USAID up to grade 3, but when their funding was pulled he was no longer able to attend as his great grandmother could not afford school fees. Oscar has settled in well in the Home and will be starting school again at the beginning of next term.
Computer School
Adrinah is 22 years old and has been recently been through the computer school. Beforehand she had only completed Grade 12 and was working at a small shop as a cashier. She reports that she didn’t know how to use a computer at all, not even how to type or open a file. But everything changed when she joined the Computer and Digital Literacy program. Now she can type documents, design flyers, send emails, and use digital tools confidently. She helps small local businesses with their posters and social media and is taking on jobs as a beginner graphic designer. She says, “I used to feel lost anytime someone mentioned digital work. But now, I can confidently use a computer, type documents, browse the internet, and even help others. This place has changed my life - I’ve gained real skills I never thought I could learn. This has truly opened doors for me, I now see a future I never thought was possible. I’m so proud of my progress!”
Rain/ Drought Update
There ended up being a good amount of rainfall during this last rainy season, thankfully ending the drought of 2023/4. Unfortunately, this wasn’t sufficient to replenish the water levels of rivers/reservoirs supplying hydroelectric power stations so there is still significant rationing of power, although not quite as bad as last year.