The Arising Life Ministries’ Story

In 2009, Joyce Chimbila and her friend Minerva Kachaka started a Feeding Program for disadvantaged children and orphans in Old Mushili, one of the poorest parts of Ndola, Zambia. Together with Feeding Program, Joyce and some friends then began teaching the children basic literacy, numeracy and social skills. Almost without realising it, they had begun a school with 25 students. They called it Arising Life Ministries (ALMs).

ALMs provides students with basic education, beginning at the First Grade through to the Seventh Grade. This includes teaching them to read, write and communicate in English. The majority of students are orphans, coming from homes that live on less than a dollar per day.

ALMs insists on holistic care for each child. Every need for each child is looked at, including their families. They are all helped and cared for. Children with Malaria, congenital HIV and other illnesses receive good and rapid treatment in partnership with the local Medical Clinic. Those who are at risk are protected and looked after.

Joyce’s energy, compassion and leadership has seen ALMs broaden in their community, both in the expanding of their premises and facilities and now also addressing the problems of health, nutrition, child protection and employment. ALMs, through various projects including farming and brick making, has made tremendous strides in improving the premises. This has made it more habitable and comfortable for its students, while also supplying ongoing employment for the local community. Recently, a borehole was sunk by the Rotary Charity Organisation, which also aided not only ALMs but the local community to ease the problem of water supply. Adult numeracy and literacy as well as entrepreneurship and how to set up a small business training are examples of other programs instituted by ALMs. Mothers and carers are provided with micro-loans to set up their own small business.

Currently ALMs supports 200 students in Primary (Early Childhood Education to Year 7), 46 Students in Secondary, 3 Students in University and 1 Student awaiting to go to University in August 2023. ALMs has also supported 1 Student who has already completed a Hotel Management Course in December 2023. This student was one of the Foundation Students of ALMs. ALMs continues to support its students looking to further their education in any way possible, mostly financially.

Joyce Chimbila

Mrs Joyce Chimbila is a Northrise University (NU) graduate, who has a mission on her heart to care for the abused children of Ndola, Zambia. In her early years, Joyce was a high level PA in the Mining Industry. She went on to be employed by the Zambian Government to teach women in villages how to start small businesses.

In 2009, after a dramatic change in her life, Joyce started a Feeding Program with her friend Minerva Kachaka which then became a school - Arising Life Ministries (ALMs). ALMs is part of the Northrise University outreach and Joyce is constantly in contact with the Government to further its students’ education.

Along with abject poverty, the children on Ndola, Zambia have had to endure forms of abuse including sexual, verbal, physical, mental and neglect. ALMs and Joyce are beacons of hope in their lives.