The Story of Mulenga Community
Mulenga is an urban community within the city limits of the mining town of Kitwe in the Copperbelt province of Zambia. Most of the people living in Mulenga survive by doing occasional work in the community, often leaving them with an income too low to support their families. The economic struggles in Mulenga mean that few people can afford basic necessities let alone school or clinic fees. Often prostitution and substance abuse are perpetuated by difficult financial circumstances. The devastating effects of HIV/AIDS have significantly impacted the community. Family support systems have crumbled under these hardships and many parents have abandoned their families, leaving children without adequate parental care.
125 Children currently supported
12 Care Workers Coordinated by Elizabeth
Basic Services Started in 2008
4 km from the Kitwe Local Office
When Reuben Chileshe met a previous Hands at Work leader, he was challenged by the call to help the poor and vulnerable children in Mulenga. Following this meeting, Reuben joined the Breakthrough Care Group Community Based Organisation (CBO) in Mulenga with a vision to help the most vulnerable children in his community. Life was not always easy for Reuben - a lack of employment opportunities forced his family, including his wife and four children, to survive on the meagre earnings that came from selling small baked goods. In spite of these challenges, Reuben was passionate and dedicated to his work. He spent much of his time visiting the sick, spending time with children who lacked parental care, teaching at the local community school and bringing the hope of God to those around him. Pursuing the vision to serve the poorest of the poor across Africa, Hands at Work began partnering with the Breakthrough Care Group CBO in 2008.
Currently, Care Workers from the Breakthrough Care Group CBO care for 125 of the most vulnerable children in their community, providing them with a nutritious meal daily, and support with their education and basic health care. By visiting the children in their homes, Care Workers are able to build strong relationships of love and trust. Having strong relationships with the children enables the Care Workers to support each child’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs on an individual basis.
After many years of operating the Care Point out of a home, the Breakthrough Care Group CBO now have their own piece of land. In 2020 and 2021, a kitchen, eating shelter, secure storeroom, toilets, and a house for the CBO coordinator, who will also act as on-site security, was constructed. Having this land gives the children and Care Workers a safe place to call their own where they can come knowing that they will be loved and accepted.
Every few days, the Youth Leaders in Mulenga meet together for Relationship Groups, a safe place where they can share their challenges, hear from God’s word and pray together. This is such a beautiful testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness in Mulenga.
Meet Chisomo
Twelve-year-old Chisomo* and his younger sister are from a broken family. Throughout their lives they have been passed from village to village, from parent to relative to neighbour, having no stability or structure in their lives. Shortly after moving in with a neighbour, the Care Workers in Mulenga found Chisomo. They saw him as a child created by God, with infinite value and worth. Care Worker Elizabeth welcomed him into her own home and family, just as she has done for many other children over the years. For the first time, Chisomo began to feel wanted and had a safe person to share his pain and fears with. Elizabeth sees him as her own child; loving him out of an overflow of love that she has received from Christ. Chisomo is a gentle and quiet boy, and he is happy to now have started attending school for the first time.
The local Hands at Work team in Kitwe currently supports seven 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 Breakthrough Care Group. It also gives administrative support, including helping with funding proposals, monitoring and evaluation, bookkeeping and reporting to donors.
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