By: Elizabeth Muma
I am Elizabeth Muma a former pupil of St Odilia Special School in Mporokoso. Today I want to thank you all for coming on board and helping me to go back to college and continue learning. I am now am in the second year at Kasama College of Education in the school of Social Science, and am studying Social Studies.
I was born on the first of January 1993, in Kasama. I am from a family of seven, 3 boys and 4 girls. All the boys are black and all the girls are albino and have limited vision. My late father Mr. Muma Stephen and my mother Estelle Mubanga are black, but both have relatives who are living with albinism. Our two parents loved us so much and wanted us to be educated. They kept a lot of goats as our source of income. When I started school in Mporokoso under the management of Mr. Hector Mwansa who was the headteacher and Sister Bwalya Agnes, who was the deputy head teacher, my parents were paying in kind with goats. This system continued until when I was in Grade 5 in 2005 when a problem started. It was on a Sunday when my elder sister Stephanie Muma, was attacked by the ritual killers. She was rescued by the neighbors but the ritual killers managed to cut off her middle finger and she was hospitalized.
The village where my family were living at that time believed that any part of an albino child, when sold, will bring money or miraculous luck especially in business. Even today, the people native to that area, still believe this, not only in the village but even in town. When a body part is taken, it is sold at a very high price. Stephanie’s finger was cut off by hunters (poachers) because they believed that when the finger was mixed with other traditional herbs, they would be lucky and they will be killing a lot of animals in the bush.
At the same time our father was very sick in hospital for he was asthmatic. He died during the same time when Mum was nursing my elder sister Stephanie, (just imagine, two in hospital who are very sick) and the day after of my sister’s admission my father died.
When my father was alive, we lived a happy life, for he was very industrious. We had goats and when we were farming, the production of maize was high. After my father died my mother was afraid, so she sold all the goats and moved to another village. I tell you we started living in poverty until the church members of the Seventh Day Adventist, started providing us with food and clothing for a longer period of time.
My family and I now live in great fear, especially my mother who is getting old. We are even afraid of our extended family, because one member is a suspect in Stephanie’s abduction.
The only place for us is at the Convent of the Sisters of the Child Jesus or the school for the visually impaired in Mporokoso. Sometimes I even fear the strong winds at night as I am affected even more than Stephanie. This is because when I go for residential studies, I meet a lot of people at the market which makes me very fearful.
On the issue of school, I started learning at St Odilia School by the grace of God. Everything was provided by the school including toiletries and other necessities. Our last-born sister by the name of Theresa Muma started school in a very difficult situation because of our poverty. My first cousin who was working as a general worker at Kasama Sugar Company, really wanted us to be educated. My cousin helped us because all the three boys are not educated and all of them are married and they just do farming. However, their in- laws are very kind, they help my mother by providing her with farm products but their efforts cannot take anyone to college.
When I completed my secondary school, I immediately entered college and only learnt in the first year. Then life became more difficult and I decided to stop, and stayed for another year in the village. Fortunately, the college reserved a place for me for a period of three years since I was home taking care of my nephews and nieces.
Then Sr Agnes Bwalya and Sr Auxilia Mwansa decided to hire me and I started teaching the Grade 8’s and working as a house parent at the Mporokosa School.
When ICC members, John, Jane Betty and Charlotte came with the Chalice team visiting Mporokosa, I was around, though on night duty and I was happy to see them. l prayed to God that ICC and Chalice would continue supporting the school, so that as former pupils we can also benefit.
My work at the school has helped me return to college, I am now in the second year. This year 2023, I am learning by distance but, come, 2024, January I will be full time in the college for by then I will have raised enough funds to pay for myself and my young sister Theresa. I do study very hard because I want to be independent and live a good life.
May the good Lord bless all those who are helping St Odilia School and the Kawambwa Schools directly and indirectly, as they continue to provide a future for blind students and those with limited vision.
I personally thank you for providing me with the means of achieving my dreams.
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.
