January 8, 2015
Zambia
Three students from the Zambian city, Solwezi, shared their stories and future plans for when they finish their studies in four technical areas taught at two colleges in the north-western province of Zambia. The school year began last September and the examination period is now under way.
The six-month courses in the fields of metallurgy, carpentry and joinery, tailoring and cookery are supported by Caritas Czech Republic through the program supporting local integration of former Angolan refugees in Zambia. This program is funded by the United Nations, specifically the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees.
The individual cases and situations of all 38 male and female students clearly show the effect that the program has on their lives. Many of them have not had an easy life, for various reasons. They would often have to stop going to school. The chance to continue with their education could fundamentally change their life direction. For some of them, it symbolized the fulfilment of their childhood dreams. For others, it was a way out of a bad financial situation or a means to take care of their families in a better way.
We often realize how little it takes to change someone’s life positively, especially when these people tell their own stories. Here are the stories of three students from Zambia. Let me introduce Abraham, Mukonda and Robbams!
Abraham
Abraham Zimba is a 24 year-old boy with five siblings and whose childhood dream was to become a carpenter. He took an interest in construction while helping his neighbor with this type of work. He learned how to make clay bricks and was able to carry out other necessary tasks too. What bothered him though was the fact that he did not know how to build a house. That’s why Abraham started looking for opportunities to continue his studies and gain new skills in order to learn how to build a house from the foundations to the roof.
Life in his hometown was not easy. He was working as a taxi driver, unofficially of course, so he had little time to spend on construction work. He decided to leave his hometown and move to Meheba to join his older sister's family. It was there where he first heard about the Caritas CR program.
In those days, as the third best student, Abraham completed his first semester of the carpentry and joinery course . His dream is to open his own business and continue with his studies. This time he would like to focus on metallurgy, being more successful and getting qualified.
When Abraham isn’t studying or working, he helps with the construction of the church in Solwezi. He believes that a bright future awaits him. "When I work in the school workshop, it feels like a dream, not reality", he said.
Mukonda
Mukonda Malichi is the youngest of the group of students having received support from Caritas CR. By the time he attended college in Solwezi, he was seventeen years old. Though Mukonda's family comes from Angola, he was born in a refugee camp in Meheba. He also started going to school there, but unfortunately he did not finish primary school due to his mother’s passing way. His grandmother, who took care of him and his siblings from then on, could no longer afford to send Mukonda to school.
He had to help his grandmother to take care of his siblings. Eventually, he got in touch with a family friend who worked as a carpenter and became a mentor to Mukonda. Then, Mukonda heard about the Caritas program in Solwezi and applied for it. Even though he only completed seventh grade, his mentor is proud of him. He also advised Mukonda to continue studying carpentry.
After the first semester, Mukonda had the second best grades. He takes his studies seriously, which can be seen in the fact that during the Christmas break he was helping local carpenters in Meheba. He even helped out with Caritas CR work.
Mukonda is happy that he can finally study carpentry, which includes theory and drawing lessons. After graduating, he would like to find a job, so that he can earn money and perhaps open his own workshop where he could teach other young people, which is what he received during his studies.
Robbams
You will always recognize Robbams Ngalande thanks to his yellow cap and punctuality. He is 27 years old and comes from Zambia. He came to the Solwezi district hoping to find a job. His childhood dream came true when he got a job in a metal workshop, where he was working for a year and a half. His boss did not pay him most of the time, which considerably complicated matters in his own life. When his uncle asked him to move to the Meheba camp and help him with building the house and farm, Robbams didn't hesitate and accepted the offer.
One day, when he was on his way back home from football practice, he saw the charity leaflet offering studies in Solwezi. He immediately enrolled on the metallurgy course . Now he is trying to achieve the best results at school and in entrepreneurial training, which Caritas Czech Republic holds in Meheba. Entrepreneurial training is an integral part of the whole program. If students want external support for their business, they must complete the entire course, including exams. Robbam's commitment is great. He even persuaded several classmates to work together on homework to create a business plan for their future business, during the free day without school lessons.
Robbams takes his future seriously and plans to open a metal workshop in Solwezi. This will finally enable him to be independent and responsible for his own future.
