A Defence for the Helpless (ZAM)

Six-year-old Maywa Tanda lives in a community in northern Zambia. At the age of three, she lost her father to a vicious attack by men in her community who left him to die from his serious injuries. Traumatized by the incident, Maywa’s mother fled to Luanshya with her and her sister Belinda. The two little girls became orphans soon after when their mother became ill and passed away.

Many Zambian children suffer a similar plight, with overcrowding and HIV/AIDS running rampant among the people. The villages remain underdeveloped and cut off from access to clean water, nutrition, education and electricity. Hands at Work began impacting communities around Luanshya, Zambia in 2001by working closely with local Christian leaders who shared their dream of a future for children like Maywa. Local churches were mobilised and encouraged to demonstrate God’s heart for the poorest of the poor. Active caring volunteers received support and training and began to realise the dream of orphaned and vulnerable children experiencing God’s generosity through the love of these carers and their help in gaining access to food, education, and health care for them.

Such care workers identified Maywa and her sister as vulnerable orphans and started working to ensure that they receive the care they need. Maywa is now a student at New Wells Community School, a community school run by local volunteers and free for children like Maywa to attend.

Maywa, who stays with her sister and their grandparents, now has access to a nutritional meal each day, and is enjoying kindergarten. The careworkers in her community devote their time twice a week to visit Maywa and Belinda at their home to provide mentorship and love, and to ensure that the sisters are thriving and growing together. However, prayer and support for Maywa is continually needed, as the girls’ traumatic past is likely to leave emotional scarring, and their grandparents often struggle to support the new additions to the family. While Maywa and Belinda have renewed hope, they still face daily challenges in their situation. Please pray for them and the other 1.3 million orphans struggling in Zambia today. Prayer and consideration for these children, their careworkers, and their country is indispensable for He is a defence for the helpless, hope to the hopeless and a father to the fatherless. (Psalm 68:5).

*All names have been changed