“Two of the girls (ages 4 and 6) had just lost their mother to AIDS. A picture of her hangs on the wall. Their father, also HIV positive, works all day in construction, so they are mostly alone. These sisters, too, have HIV. They are the prettiest, sweetest girls. We got on our knees, they put their hands together and squinted shut their eyes, and we prayed. It was the only thing we could do and the most important thing we could do, all at the same time.” - Allison Stockton
< Africa | India | USA | The Joshua Tree >
Challenges facing child development in Pokot region of Kenya.
Click here to read this story by Julius Mbagaya and WBOC Kenya Team.
Stopping the spread.
Stop the Spread (STS) is a non-profit organization with a unified mission of hope and health. We want to extend hope to all generations of Africans by sharing the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. Concurrently, we are committed to increasing the health and wellness of the African people by reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS and poverty. This goal is accomplished through a long-term holistic approach which combines education, training, counseling, and physical aid.
The current focal point for STS is coordinating HIV education programs in the Copperbelt province of Zambia - a country and region where almost one in five adults are HIV+. Unfortunately, the ravaging effect of the pandemic is seldom acknowledged or addressed and very little prevention efforts have been made. Stop the Spread is seeking to provide Zambian young people with a holistic, interactive, and down-to-earth approach to the concerns of HIV, abstinence-based sex education, and other related issues. This is done through a combination of games, skits, music, teaching, training, personal testimonies, small groups, and counseling. Specific topics that are addressed range from the biology, transmission, contraction and prevention of the virus to sensitive issues such as sexual abuse, emotional effects, and death. Principles taught during the short term programs are reinforced year-round through Zambian-led activities that center on STS clubs in middle schools, high schools, and churches. The clubs facilitate the formation of a much-needed network of support. Additionally, training has been conducted with pastors, church leaders, teachers, student leaders, and other interested adults. Our goal is to equip these people to use their platforms to reach, educate, and provide hope to a variety of audiences in regard to HIV.
Stop the Spread is also involved in the fight against malnutrition. Since Zambia has one of the highest malnutrition rates in the world, there is a clear need for an affordable, sustainable food supplement. The STS agriculture project has focused on the fast-growing, hearty Moringa tree with leaves that have an extremely high vitamin and protein content. It can be easily added to the local staple food of nshema and relish. The team assists with planting and distributing Moringa trees as well as demonstrating and teaching how Zambians can harvest the leaves, make the powder, and add it to food. Results have been very encouraging.
In a village not far from the hub of the HIV education efforts, STS has begun to assist and financially support an orphanage called Enfys Foundation Mufulira. After feeling the burden to provide some level of care for vulnerable children in Zambia and working with this particular orphanage for a few years, the decision was reached to join hands with Enfys Foundation. By supporting the work that Enfys has already begun, together we can improve the lives of these village orphans.
Please visit the Stop the Spread website for additional information on the current activities going on in Zambia.
Enfys Foundation Mufulira
Orphanage
His organization is named Enfys Foundation Mufulira, which means “Rainbow” Foundation in Bemba. There is a board of directors, or a committee, made up of 10 people and we have hard copies of all the official documents. Only three people have access to the bank account, and that is Pastor Joseph, the secretary, and the treasurer.
Biography
His name is Joseph Bwalya, his wife is Hildah Bwalya, and their 4 children are as follows: Conceptor (boy, 17 yrs), Margaret (girl, 15 yrs), Jay Jay/Joseph Jr. (boy, 5 yrs), Natasha (girl, 3 yrs). Now for the 5 children currently living in his home: Roster Canda (girl, 14 yrs, dbl orphan), Vincent Mwansa (boy, 16 yrs, dbl orphan), Jack Mbundu (boy, 12 yrs, single orphan with a guardian), Twapalwa Chichi (girl, 7 yrs, neice of Joseph’s sister), Rebecca Siwelwa (girl, 16 yrs, neice of Joseph’s brother). Twapalwa is staying because Joseph’s sister is separated from her husband and a single mother. Rebecca is staying to go to the college/trade school nearby.
Sustainable Activities
Hildah has been sewing and making fabric to sell since 2004, long before they started taking in children. She also saw this as a ministry and began teaching village women how to sew in order to give them a trade. She has two sewing machines (we have photos), and showed us the exquisite smocking she can do on dresses and such. The fabrics she makes are basically like tie-dye.
They have a mill that is used to grind maize meal. Right now, they lack the electricity on the property to start it up. It would be the third mill in the village, and during harvest time (from now through Sept/Oct) would generate around $20 profit daily. It would pay for itself (upkeep and monthly bills), if the one-time expense could happen. Steep though = 2.7 million K or $794.00. Nice side note, he didn’t ask me for the money or even mention it other than as one of the things they have going on.
The chicken program and pig program sound great, although he is limited a bit right now by being kicked off the old MOF property. He is right now making and drying bricks to build his own chicken run and pig sty on the land he is renting now (7 hectacres). They have to be out by next Sunday, and he says it will happen within this week. Please pray!!! The need here is for a vehicle to transport the pigs and chickens to and from markets and slaughterhouses in order to get profit. Also, this vehicle could be used to gather rubbish at the market to feed the pigs (maybe a cart?).
Current Property
Renting to own from a local woman, whose husband died I believe. Joseph is now helping this single mother with some of her child’s needs, and the woman is very grateful and appreciative of the work he and Hildah are doing. She will not sell the property to anyone else, until the time when he can purchase it completely. It is 7 hectacres, with a large house, which they currently share with another family (1/2 and 1/2). This family doesn’t have any rights to the home, however, for the future and would have to leave whenever Joseph buys. Planted moringa grove, and will also now have the chickens and pigs on the property.
