The Story of Chilabula Community

In 2007, a local community group named Mutende Organisation travelled to different communities, speaking to their leaders. They encouraged the communities to unite to support the sick and dying by visiting them in their homes. The leader of Chilabula was inspired and spread the message to local churches, who soon got involved. From these churches, men and women came together and began visiting patients, using anything they could from their own resources, and counselling and praying with the sick. Thus, the Chilabula Community Based Organisation (CBO) was born.

125 Children currently supported

12 Care Workers Coordinated by BArton

Basic Services Started in 2008

15 km from Luanshya Local Office

In 2008, Hands at Work partnered with the Chilabula CBO and encouraged them to focus on caring for the most vulnerable children. Hands at Work shared the biblical mandate that the church has to care for the orphaned, the widowed and the dying. A group of Care Workers were mobilised to begin caring for children and doing weekly visits to the children’s homes. These Care Workers come from the same community as the children and have grown up in a similar way, giving them a unique ability to relate to and understand the trauma that the children have experienced.

When the Chilabula CBO initially started, the most vulnerable children began coming to the Life Centre. As the Care Workers grew in their capacity and understanding of what it means to care for the most vulnerable, the number of children being cared for increased to 125 – a huge answer to prayer given the level of vulnerability in Chilabula. Caring for these children means assessing their vulnerability regularly and responding to their physical, emotional and spiritual needs.  

The local Hands at Work team in Luanshya is a group of Hands at Work volunteers who are committed to supporting eight communities in the Luanshya area, including Chilabula. Since Hands at Work partnered with Chilabula, they have been walking with the CBO to ensure that the leadership is healthy. Initially under the coordination of Jackson, the Luanshya team encouraged him to involve more Care Workers from the Chilabula CBO in the day-to-day running of the Life Centre, enabling the Care Workers to feel empowered and valued. Eventually, Jackson stepped down as coordinator and asked Barton to take over – a huge step in Jackson’s growth and involvement of the other Care Workers.

To enhance the safety and security of the Life Centre, grill doors were added to the toilets and kitchen, and brick ventilation windows were added to the kitchen to increase airflow. This work is another great step in ensuring the health and hygiene of the most vulnerable children. Additionally, the storeroom has been renovated, securing the storage of the food that the children will receive.

Meet David

In 2021, Care Workers identified David* as among the most vulnerable and invited him to join the Chilabula CBO’s Under 5s program. He is the youngest child of his three siblings. Though his exact age is unknown, it is suspected that he is four or five years old. His parents are known within the community for their excessive drinking and neglect of their children. Even after his father’s death caused by alcohol abuse, his mother continues to struggle. While none of the children are currently in school, the Care Workers are planning to have them all enrolled in January. Despite their mother’s challenges, David’s older brothers ensure that he comes to the Life Centre each day. The Care Workers know each of them by name and will follow up if they are not accounted for. The Care Workers are hopeful that David’s mother will come to a Maranatha Workshop, where they pray she will come to know Jesus.

The local Hands at Work team in Luanshya currently supports eight Community Based Organisations, which exist to care for the most vulnerable in their communities. The office provides training, networking, and encouragement to those Community Based Organisations like Chilabula. It also gives administrative support, including helping with funding proposals, monitoring and evaluation, bookkeeping and reporting to donors. 

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