Monday 18 January 2016

A Sambaland report in Times of Zambia


In an Interview with Times of Zambia Mr Samba and Pastor Brian Mulenga shared about the Vision of Samba Land.
Many at times we take for granted the basic necessities in life that we possess.


Hunger and poverty are inevitable in a typical township anywhere in the country, more especially with the way the economy has plummeted between 2015 and this year


Amongst the poorest of the poor a simple meal a day would do, any level of education would suffice and decent clothing would be more than enough.


Amongst all the challenges that we are faced with today, a Livingstone based Non-Governmental Christian Organisation called Samba Land Heart for the Children that operates in Ngwenya Township have taken up the initiative to help fill in the gap and meet the needs of people in this sector of the community.
Samba Land was birthed in 2000 from the persevering efforts of one Justine Samba and later joined by his friends coming for voluntery work.


The aims of Samba Land heart for the children is to provide spiritual, physical and emotional growth to children they associate with.


It is an organisation that caters for the vulnerable, children, youth and the widowed offering material and spiritual support according to their needs.


In an interview Mr Samba revealed that in the beginning he installed satellite dishes to raise funds to begin his mission.


Mr Samba said he was compelled to reach out to children in the township because of his desire to help children have dreams and see them achieve them.


“I started this organisation because I have always had a passion to help vulnerable children in society,


“I want to bring hope to these particular children so that they look beyond their geographical locations and dream big,


“Such social groups are usually shunned in society and Samba land offers them a place of acceptance and social security,” he said
The organisation to date has offered school support to over 200 children at primary level and fed over 1500 children over the past years.


The founder said it was all possible through support from friends and family as well as well-wishers.


Mr Samba raised his concern over the high level of alcohol and drug abuse within the community.


He said it was vital for children to be in school as it would not only benefit them but also the lives of their families in future.


“I have seen the need in Ngwenya for children to be educated because idleness makes room for one to turn to criminal activities,


“Alcohol and drug abuse limit ones’ ability to think outside the box and see that there is life beyond their present environment “he said.


Speaking in an interview Pastor Brian Mulenga said the goal is to ensure that the community understood the value of education in a child’s life as it groomed them to be better people.


quail farming at Sambaland
“We aim to change this wrong mind set of idleness in these young people and show them that there is hope beyond the borders of their house “he said


Based on Christian beliefs such integrity and unity the organisations’ vision its not just provide material but also spiritual and emotional growth.


“Our mandate is to equip children to know the word of God so that they can also go and teach others to operate in the same form of love that we show them,” Pastor Mulenga said.


He also called on teachers in community schools to emphasise on the importance of education to their pupils as it could possibly reduce the number of dropouts.


Mr Samba launched the organisation in 2002 at his first feeding scheme where he fed well over 80 children in Ngwenya Township.


He narrated that it was not an easy task as it was his first time to undertake such an initiative but thanked God for allowing him to conduct such an event.


“From the time I started doing the feeding schemes over the years the numbers have increased and we are grateful because more people are hearing the word of God and being blessed ,


The largest crowd SHC has ever fed at one time is a group of 600 children.


Mr Samba conducts the feeding schemes on the parents farm within Ngwenya Township on a weekly basis.


The farm is made up of vegetable and animal produce which are given to widows and vulnerable children.


“This year we plan to engage our beneficiaries of SHC to also grow some farm vegetables and take care of the produce so as to create a productive environment and encourage them to start such activities of their own,”
Mr Samba is 34 year old, he always appreciates for the support from the volunteers purely, the response he received from them was favourable and he recommended their concerned efforts.


“Though total poverty eradication was impossible all at once it would all be possible one step at a time through unity. “Mr Samba said.


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