BIRTHDAYS – Two of our youths celebrated their birthdays this month. Willard turned 19 years old on the 3rd of July while Eustus also turned 19 years old on the 14th of July 2020. As a policy of the Home, when children under our care attain the age 19 the reintegration process slowly begins.
This is a process in which the children either are taken back to parents/relatives or start living independently with the support of Kwathu until he or she can sustain themselves. This is the case of Willard; he is being trained in farming skills to prepare him for the Kwathu farming project.
SCHOOLS – Since the opening of schools, grades 7, 9 and 12’s have continued attending lessons in their various schools and preparations for mock examinations have commenced.
TRAINING – The House mothers, having attended the training in Basic Qualifications of Youth and Childcare work last month, have been facilitating discussions and talks with children on the four components of the circle of life. Independence and empowerment, Generosity, Mastery and Belonging. This is done with focusing on one component every week and facilitating reviews.
This month, all the children have fared well despite some of them having minor sicknesses such as stomach-ache and headaches, which have been treated. We are also ensuring that the children stay home and observe preventive measures regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
The month of July has been so cold and cases of COVID-19 in Zambia are on the rapid increase. For this reason we continue to strictly adhere to health standards, both at the home and the school.
Our Grade 7 Classes During Lessons
Since the opening of schools (examination classes) on June 1st, Kwathu Free Haven School has been operating well, besides the COVID-19 pandemic. The school is facilitating its normal lessons regardless of the pupils knocking off at 12:00 hrs. This is done to abide by the instructions and guidelines that the government has advised to all schools.
Kwathu Free Haven School been one of the registered schools under the private sector, and it operates normally like any other, following the government calendar and using the authorized syllabus. On Friday, the 24th of July, the school had a mini workshop for teachers within the school.
School-based assessment Seminar for Kwathu teachers and the DEBS.
The District Education Board Secretary was invited to attend the workshop, but he was represented by the Education Standard officers, Mr. Malawo and Mr. Lungu, and Mrs. Michelo, the general inspector. The workshop was focused on the School Based Assessment (S.B.A). This was to enlighten each other about the new changes that the ministry put in place where the assessment will be done from grades 5-12 and results will be sent to the Examinations Council of Zambia.
DONATIONS: We had a good number of donations in the month of July, ranging from clothes, toys, and food.
Clothes and toy donations came all the way from Geneva-Switzerland through our friend and partner Gibinno Frederic and family. This kind gesture cheered the children who are the main beneficiaries of the clothes and toys. This donation was so timely especially since we had six (6) new child admissions and our clothing storeroom was almost empty.
We received food donations from Lizell and Werner, our friends from within Livingstone city.
These food items will actually go a very long way in compensating the food budget shortages that the home buys especially looking at the escalating prices of items amidst COVID-19.
FEEDING PROGRAM: The Feeding Program has been an amazing program which Kwathu has been undertaking all these years. However, after the closure of schools due to COVID-19, Kwathu has decided to expand its reach throughout the surrounding communities, especially to assist the less privileged who cannot afford descent meals. Before the closure of schools in March 2020, the school fed over 200 pupils that are enrolled at the school and few from the community. Due to the pandemic, there has not been any feeding program from the school. The administration and management of Kwathu looked into the feeding program and how best the pupils and the community can be helped. Therefore, the community was informed that the program for feeding will resume and it will be done every Thursday.
The first feeding program, since the onset of the pandemic, was on the 9th of July 2020. The turnout of parents and pupils within the community was more than expected. This therefore led to a shortage of food to few parents that were waiting to be served. The program for feeding continued on the 16th, 23rd and 30th of of July.
BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE: In July, we continued to work on the container that we are modifying into a clinic. The modifications have advanced and window panes have been installed, as well as the glass on all three doors.
The clinic looks almost complete. What is remaining now is to work on the floor inside and the concrete on the outside. Once the mentioned are done we shall start sourcing medical items and equipment needed for the clinic to be fully functional.
QUARTERLY SHOPPING: This was a routine quarterly shopping that will go all the way to September for the home. We are so grateful to our partner and sponsor; TANDEKA for their unwavering and continued support.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH: In the month of July we touched base with 5 household during our community visitation. One family, among many poverty stricken homes, is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Muleta. The Muleta’s have 4 biological fully grown children who have completely abandoned them and have nothing to do with their parents.
The Muleta’s live as caretakers of someone’s incomplete house. Mrs. Muleta has several health challenges ranging from a hearing impairment, high blood pressure, blurred vision, stiff-legged, dizziness as well as a stroke. She is often in and out of hospital and her husband is the only person available to take care of her.
With this cold season, this couple does not even have blankets to cover themselves with, a mattress to lay their old-aged ribs (imagine the pain).The little old rugged blanket they had was recently stolen by thieves around the neighborhood when Mr. Muleta had gone to look for work so he can put food on the table.
Even with so much struggle and agony of waking up each morning to go and source food through stumping (uprooting of old hard trees ) in someones’ plot, he has not been in pain from March until July this year.
He further narrated that they mostly go all day long without a taste of any kind of food whatsoever. This is so heartbreaking.
Kwathu visited them thrice in 1 week to take already cooked food and also donated some blankets, cooking oil, clothes, shoes and some rice.
NEED LIST: Our needs at the home are numerous, but the most urgent ones are:
- Bed sheets
- Blankets
- Pillows
- Boys clothes (trousers, shorts, shirts, t-shirts, vests, scarves) of ages 12-18 years
- Warm jerseys
- Socks
- Face masks
- Thermogun
- Hand wash
- Sanitiser
- Pads
- Toothpaste
- Financial support for Kwathu Free Haven School
- Testing kits for the clinic which is starting soon.
How you could help if you would love to give a donation towards our feeding program please follow this link: (https://www.givengain.com/cc/kwathu-school-feeding-program/)
