Zambia: Support for Schooling of HIV/AIDS Orphans

Douglas was born on 2 February, 1995. His father passed away in 2001, followed by his mother in 2003. After the death of his parents, his grandmother took care of him. But due to financial challenges, Douglas’s grandmother did not have enough money to pay for his school. It was for this reason that Douglas came to our school support project in 2005.

After three years of being in the project, Douglas’s grandmother became very sick. Due to her illness, she decided to travel back to the village with Douglas where she eventually died.

In 2011, Douglas returned from the village back to Ngombe, where he had lived and received education, under the care of his uncle. When he returned, he reported at our office and requested to be given another schooling opportunity under the same school support project. He finally restarted school the following year in 2012.

However, while under the care of his uncle, Douglas became rebellious and disobedient towards his uncle. He lost interest in schooland he got a job as a gardener and begun to earn some money. In addition, Douglas did not like the idea of sharing a class with girls and boys younger than himself. His uncle was supportive of Douglas’s schooling but because of his attitude, he got frustrated and decided to send him back to the village. However, AAR Japan did not give up on Douglas; we continued to encourage him until his interest in school increased. Because of the dispute between Douglas and his uncle, AAR Japan offered Douglas the opportunity to attend a boarding school by covering all school fees, including his tuition payments and costs for uniforms and stationeries, so that he can concentrate on his studies without any distractions.

After entering the boarding school, Douglas’s change was impressive. In school today, he participates in gardening, cleaning of surroundings and performs other duties assigned to him at the boarding school. Being in the eighth grade, Douglas studies for two hours during the day and two hours during the night. His favorite subject is Science. In his spare time, he plays draughts and volleyball. Early this year, the school director and teachers discovered that he is a very brilliant, determined and enthusiastic young man. His ambitious attitude is evident in the excellent grades he acquires in school. This prompted the school authorities to make a rare exception and to pay examination fees for him to attempt the final ninth grade examination; a higher grade than the one he is in. 

Douglas now appreciates the schooling opportunity given to him. He is confident that he will pass his examinations. Douglas hopes to be an electrical engineer when he completes high school. He also hopes to take his siblings from the village and give them an opportunity to go to school. In the future, he even intends to start an orphanage to take care of orphaned and vulnerable children like himself. He hopes to proceed to university so that he can realize his dreams.

Through the AAR School Project in Zambia, AAR Japan is determined to continue our assistance to HIV/AIDS orphans in Zambia and to support them in making their dreams come true.

  Memory is one of the beneficiaries under AAR Japan’s schooling support projectfunded by Globalgiving.

  Memory was born in 1997 in Lusaka. She is currently staying with her 49-year-old mother Rhodah and 5 siblings. Her father left the family when Memory was born, because she was born through C-section and her father was not happy about the surgical procedure. He believed that medical doctors might have left instruments in his wife’s uterus.

  Rhodahwas left to care for her 7 children.Memory was still a baby at the time. Life was difficult for Rhodah, because as a fulltime housewife, she had no education to get a good paying job.Rhodah started selling oranges and bananas to feed her family. Though she had little income, she even tried to send her children to school. Due to the lack of financial resources, however,none of them could continue. Memory was the most eager one of all to continue her education, and in 2005, Memory’s wish found the way.She was recruited onto the AAR Japan schooling support project. Since then, AAR has been assisting her with school fees and necessary items such as notebooks, pens, and school uniforms.  She is currently in grade 10 at Flying Angels Secondary School and is a very active participant in school.

HER CURRENT LIVING CONDITIONS

  Memory’s brother has recently passed away from tuberculosis which is one of the most common opportunistic infectious diseases caused by HIV. Now Rhodahis the only breadwinner of the family, and she pays rentfrom the little profitshe makes. As she sells perishable food items, her earning is unstable; which makes it difficult for her to earn enough money for rent and three meals for her children. Memory and her family survive on two meals a day or sometimes one meal a day. To make the matters worse, Rhodah was diagnosed with hypertension a few months ago. For survival, Memory had no other choice but to work. She started selling fruits with her mother on weekends and holidays. This extra work sometimes hindersMemory from concentrating on her education, although she is a very motivated pupil. We often visit her to support her, because we sincerely hope that she will continue her education and get out this negative cycle.

HER AMBITION

  Memory hopes to complete her secondary school and go to college to be a medical doctor. She says, she wishes to contribute to the development of Zambia in the future. We strongly believe that education is the key to tackle the negative socio-economic impact of HIV/AIDS and plan to continue our support to children like Memory.