A Note from Voster
What follows is a blog post from Voster, our group leader here from Habitat for Humanity Zambia, who we asked to write a blog post. Voster is 24 and just graduated from the University of Zambia with a major in Natural Resources. He has only worked with Habitat for a few weeks now and we are lucky to be the first group he’s led. Here’s what he wanted to share with you:
There is nothing so amazing like helping the vulnerable and being able to see the impact of your hands rights through their eyes, no matter how little your effort or contribution may be to their well being. This has been my experience for the past few days right here in Kawama, Ndola in the Copperbelt province of Zambia
Working with Habitat Zambia, in collaboration with the Habitat Global Village Team from the USA, I have seen how wonderful it is to change somebody’s life through empowering them with homes. It was so nice to see the “muzungus” work and work as if every bit of their spirit was here. I also really enjoyed seeing some of them take on Bemba names, like Mwelwa for Laura, Katongo for Brandy, Bwalya for Kara, Chileshe for Jill and Tom – Mapalo. It is so great to meet with people that have such great respect for their country’s history and how much they keep the memory of Martin Luther King Jr. in their minds. The blending of them into the community was also quick and very nice.
I love it here. I love my work and will always remember how wonderful it is to meet people that are able to work and live as if this was the only think they have ever wanted to do in their lives. This experience has changed my life and I hope I will be able to continue working with the communities, so as to contribute positively to their lives and the lives of others.
This being my first group that I’ve worked with, they have enlightened my spirit in helping me see my life beyond what I can afford to what I can do to live a better life with many people in our communities, especially the vulnerable.
We can change the lives of many people by coming together and working towards one goal. Our coming together and the positive contributions of our friends from the US has changed the life of Rose, a 59 year old widow of Ndola Town whose hustband died in 1993 and left behind 5 children without anyone to look after them and Lontia, who is also a widow and needed a home for her family.
The spirit of hope and renewal could be seen on the faces of these women from the first day a brick was laid on each woman’s plot. This was amazing. This I will live to remember and that first day opened my eyes and changed my life.
It is my prayer that the team will reach home safely and be able to look back and realized how great their contribution has been to the lives of the vulnerable and so many members of the Kawama community. This is my story and this I will keep always.