Inverness County Cares

I am Albert Muma age 11 and my sister is Charity Muma age 7. We are from Nchiengi district in the Northern part of Zambia at the boarder of Zambia and the Republic of Congo. Most of our relatives live in Congo and my parents usually go to Congo for visiting and trading. Most of our relatives from my mother’s side are Albinos and they are not educated.

When I was born my mother hid me in the house since she never wanted people to know I was born. For almost one year and four months I was a secret with no vaccinations, very little care and no birth certificate.

Due to extreme neglect, I developed sores all over my body and I started crying because of the pain. That was the time our neighbors discovered that there was a baby in my home. My mother was taken to the police station and I was taken to a mission hospital where I stayed for almost six months under intensive care. I was taken care of by my grandmother. I love my grandmother so much. When I was better, I went back home with my grandmother, while my mother was in jail for five years and two months and my father was living at my step mother’s place in Congo.

One Sunday my grandmother went to the wedding ceremony of my uncle in Mansa and it was the first white wedding in the family.  My cousins also went and my grandmother took me. It was during that wedding that my grandmother learned about St Mary’s Special School in Kawambwa. We were lucky for most of the people gathered knew about the school. At that time, I was four years old. My uncle phoned the headteacher and lucky enough, Sr Bwalya Agnes was also in Mansa for her own business. After a long discussion, my family decided that I remain in Mansa staying with my cousin. While I was in Mansa, I learned that my mother was in Mansa prison and she was about to end her prison term.  One day my family members went there to see my mother, I was among the team. My mother cried bitterly upon seeing me.

Two months later, she was released from jail. After three months, she asked to go home and I remained with my cousin who took care of me very well until such a time when I was taken to school. God is good, my mother conceived and my sister Charity was born, also an Albino. My mother accepted her and she was brought up just like any other child in the family. I am with her at St Mary’s Special School in Kawambwa.

It is because of my experience, that my cousin Ester, who is also an Albino, was able to be in school, as well as our neighbor Micah who was born blind. Let me say this, rejection from your own parent is painful and it causes harm to one’s personality. I do not love my mother much, only my grandmother, she is so precious to me. The community has welcomed me because of my grandmother, who accepted me.

My home village is very close to the Republic of Congo where ritual killers of albinos are very common. Because of this I am not allowed to mingle freely with the community children, fearing attacks or kidnaping by the ritual killers. I must always be under the watch of a relative when I am out of the house or playing with others.

I always appreciate the importance of St Mary’s School in Kawambwa and I am looking nice because of what the school is doing for me. When I went back to my home village in Chiengi, everyone was surprised by my abilities. I was able to sweep, help my grandmother with house chores, even go to church and pray before and after meals. My people in my village now understand the importance of education and that is why Ester, Micah and my young sister Charity have also started school.

We are very grateful to the Canadians who give us so much help. God bless you all. Thank you.

 Inverness County Cares (ICC) is a local charitable organization, founded in 2012 and based in Inverness County, NS, Canada. ICC works in partnership with Chalice.ca, a Canadian charity, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Chalice provides guidance and assistance to help ICC provide a better life for the children at the Kawambwa schools. The Kawambwa Project involves supporting two schools for albino and visually impaired students, in Northern Zambia. Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website   https://invernesscountycares.com When using E-transfer, please include your mailing address for CRA tax receipts and a thank you message.  

E-transfer address:  [email protected] or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided for USA and Canada.

By Labson Emmanuel Kaunda

Many people wonder how I survive in this life because I have additional disabilities some of which are noticed and some not.

I am Labson Emmanuel Kaunda, an ABINO child from a family of seven, two boys – both albinos.  Sharon the first born is the only albino girl. She is our pillar in most of the family activities. My father and my mother are still alive but vulnerable. My mother’s body is weak and cannot do much manual work. In most cases she is home, that’s why earlier I said our first born is a pillar of our family activities. Sharon is very responsible and capable, the reason for this is very simple. Sharon was taken to St Mary’s Special School in Kawambwa at the earliest age, because when she was born, my mother left her in the hospital and went away. My sister was kept by a nurse by the name of Brendah Chanda who took care of her until she was four years and at that age she started school at Sr Mary’s, and learned to be responsible. When I was born (third born), I am told my mother had some complications, that resulted in me born as a premature baby. I stayed in hospital for many months. This time she didn’t run away, because she was talked to. When I was growing up, I had some delayed milestones in speaking and walking.

I am a slow learner with limited vision, speech problems and I cannot perform at the same rate with my classmates, hence, watering flowers is one of my favorite jobs and I want to have my own garden of vegetables. It is not in my plan to be under someone, instead I prefer to be independent and supervise myself.

You know what! I am rewriting my grade nine examination, for I am at junior secondary school while my former classmate is at college. This year she came for her second school experience, which means she will finish her tertiary level this year in December. She will then start waiting for deployment. Look at me, still here, but don’t worry I am happy because I am unique with additional disabilities. It is very normal for me.

Last year I wrote and I failed in two subjects, this year I am rewriting English, religious education, and Zambian language. I tell you with confidence that I will pass. I don’t mind when I will finish school, what I want is to be someone useful in life. I have people who can help me and understand my condition. This time I can read, understand and comprehend articles and analyse. This is a great achievement and I am proud of myself.

Sometimes, I am aggressive and my teachers and friends remind me to be patient. I know that I have some characteristics of Autism and my teacher always reminds me of the importance of routine. Look at me that today, I can do most of my house chores, I can cook, make a fire and water the garden. I like flowers especially red flowers. My relationship with my family is average in that, some fail to understand my slowness, but others accept me and we relate well.

My albino brother is fine and he completed his grade 12 last year and is now waiting to go to college next year. Today he is a shopkeeper, the little amount he earns helps the family. My sister Sharon as earlier said, is dependable. She completed her tertiary education in 2020 as a social worker and she is working under the government institution called social welfare and community services and she stays in the next district near our home. This year God willing she will have a baby in August or September. She is married to a teacher who is black. My mother has now come back to her senses, after seeing the positive results from Sharon and that she is supporting the all family. Superstitions are there especially that others are black, but Sharon is a good advocate and she encourages us to interact with others. Thank you to all our supporters in in Canada.

Inverness County Cares (ICC) is a local charitable organization, founded in 2012 and based in Inverness County, NS, Canada. ICC works in partnership with Chalice.ca, a Canadian charity, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Chalice provides guidance and assistance to help us provide a better life for the children at the Kawambwa schools. The Kawambwa Project involves supporting two schools for albino and visually impaired students, in Northern Zambia. Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website   https://invernesscountycares.com When using E-transfer, please include your mailing address for CRA tax receipts and a thank you message.   E-transfer address:  [email protected] or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided for USA and Canada.

 

By Rosalind Kalumba

I am Rosalind, a fourteen-year-old albino girl. I have never lived with my mother; I did see her but at this time I cannot say how she looks as I have limited vision. I have never seen my father, but I saw his coffin, not himself. But that is life. Listen to my story!

I was born outside marriage. My father was at the Teacher Training College when he impregnated my mother who was in grade ten at Nchelenge Secondary School. He was doing his teaching experience for three months, September to November 2008.

When I was born at the hospital in June 2009, my mother immediately expressed her disappointment at having an albino girl baby. She cried and cried, (my grandmother told me this) and breastfeeding me was an issue. When my father was told, he completely refused to acknowledge me… both my parents refused (just imagine)! Through God’s love my grandmother (mother to my father), took full responsibility for me and an agreement was made by the two families that after weaning me, my mother would surrender me to my grandmother. It happened just like that and fortunately I become the favourite of my grandmother. She showed me how to pray because she was dedicated to church and an active member of the St. Anna lay movement and well known at St Paul’s Catholic Church in Nchelenge.

In 2015, on the 29th of June, the feast of St Paul and Peter, my parish celebrated the patron saint of the school. It was the great day when the hospital had an official opening of the eye clinic. Many people where invited and it was at that feast, that Sr Agnes Bwalya saw me and talked to my grandmother at length. My grandmother was very much willing to take me to school. Sr Agnes told my grandmother and my family that, “Rosalind will be taken in August when the school opens”.  August came and I was taken to school where I was very happy and my grandmother told everyone in the family that I had started school, including my father.

My grandmother never minded about the behavior of my father. He started work as a secondary school teacher in North Western Province and never bothered to support me directly, however I benefitted from the money he was sending to my grandmother for buying food.  She became sick and died of malaria when I was in Grade 4. May the soul of my grandmother Rosalind Kalumba rest in peace, amen. I do remember her day and night, and am happy because I was named after her, Rosalind Kalumba.

When my grandmother died, I was taken by my aunt Hellen Musonda, (sister to my father) who was married to a clinical officer and working at Mbereshi hospital. My aunt’s husband loved me so much and supported me and I felt happy to be asked to live with them. I lived with them up to grade five until they divorced and my aunt decided to go back to school because she was married when she was in grade twelve, and my uncle also decided to join his first wife with his four children. My aunt had no child and it could be the reason why they divorced.

I am so lucky, to have people who love me and encourage me to be more focused and have a positive mind set. When I was at St Mary’s Special School in Kawambwa my class teacher Madam Catherine helped me not to think more about the past but concentrate on the present. She introduced me to sports, which I love especially netball, I even have my own ball. I have made a lot of friends out of this game and I spend time playing cards and snakes and ladders with my friends. These indoor games have really developed my mind and I am very good at mathematics and science and religious education, but very poor at cooking (laugh).

Now when I was in grade seven in 2020, stories about my father’s sickness reached my ears, I felt no impact because I had never seen him, and when he died and his body was taken to Nchelenge for burial. I didn’t view his body because I didn’t know him, I just saw the coffin and I didn’t cry, I was just looking at people and immediately after burial I went back to school with Madam Catherine.

When I was in Grade six the elder brother to my Father (where am staying now) decided to take me because he had found a job in the ministry of Agriculture and was posted to Northern Province. Because of the distance, Sr Agnes and my family decided that I should join St Odilia Special School in grade eight. It was not easy for me but I had no option. I never wanted to leave my friends especially Promise Mambwe.

I wrote my grade seven composite examination and passed with good marks and I am at St Odilia in Grade 9. This year I will be writing my final examinations for me to enter the senior secondary level.

My social interaction with the community and other family members is good. I have a lot of friends at home and I interact well with my age mates especially Rhodah who is also albino but learning at the Mbala special unit. I have introduced her to sports and we meet from time to time. She is also in grade nine like myself. During holidays we study very hard and she has helped me to have a positive mind set.

This year I represented my school during Social Science District Competition and I won and came first in Religious Education, junior category. My subject under discussion was prayer. It was a paper presentation and I came second. What an achievement! (Smile with me).

Life is what you make of it.

Thank you to Inverness County Cares and Chalice. We truly appreciate your support.

Inverness County Cares (ICC) is a local charitable organization, founded in 2012 and based in Inverness County, NS, Canada. ICC works in partnership with Chalice.ca, a Canadian charity, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Chalice provides guidance and assistance to help us provide a better life for the children at the Kawambwa schools. The Kawambwa Project involves supporting two schools for albino and visually impaired students, in Northern Zambia. Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website   https://invernesscountycares.com When using E-transfer, please include your mailing address for CRA tax receipts and a thank you message.   E-transfer address:  [email protected] or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided for USA and Canada.