Lusaka Lowdown, Zambia. Vol 5#10. October  1999

Charity Chase

Anglican Church Street Children's Project

by Toni Tilley


The fate of orphans landed on overstretched relatives is sometimes very cruel. Take the seven year old boy, let's call him Peter, so badly burned by a resentful step grandfather, that he spent weeks in hospital. On recovery he was sent to the Anglican Church Street Children's Project, which provides sheltered accommodation for deserted, abused and homeless children. Peter is now in school, top of his class, and smiling again.

The Project is housed at the Waddington Centre on Nationalist Road past UTH, at the end where it joins Burma Road. At present it is home to children under 15 years of age.

The children are those brought in by Social Welfare, the Police, and the hospital, after being found homeless or abused. They are not accepted from homes which are just poor, though that is bad enough.

The accommodation is basic but secure - a boys' and girls' dormitory, a common room, two other small rooms with basic cooking and storage equipment.

A Housemother, Miriam Daka, is in charge of the children, who are enrolled in local primary schools, and she sees that they keep their surroundings tidy and do their homework.

Catherine Sakala runs a little shop at the project to raise funds, and also helps supervise. Both ladies are on small allowances only, and the whole project is run entirely from donations from the Anglican Cathedral and the Lusaka Parish, and from well wishers. Which is where you come in.

Needed are school uniforms, shoes, soap, and cleaning materials, bedding, food, books clothes, paint and brushes, and wall posters to brighten up the solid but spartan home.

You are welcome to visit the home any time, especially if you are bringing donations. Go on Saturdays, if you want to meet the children, as otherwise they are at school. The Housemother would prefer to know in advance, so contact Ann Wallace on telephone 758-853 if you are interested in visiting the project.