Malnourished children have lower levels of cognitive ability, suffering from apathy and other behavioural impacts. In Zambia, more than 45% of children under 5 years old are malnourished and this affects their physical development. These effects continue into adulthood with lower IQs, low levels of education and mental health problems.

In 2009, Joyce and her friends started a feeding program with the aim of minimising this irreversible damage.

In 2010, Joyce started a school from the feeding program. There were two teachers, a cook, a counsellor and Joyce running Grade 1 and a Nursery Class. All those at the school (students and teachers alike) continued to receive one meal a day.

By 2013, the school had grown to 80 students up to Grade 4. Through generous donations a 4 hectare lot of land was bought so a farm could be built.

In 2014, vegetables and maize were planted and farming commenced.

In 2015, pigs and cattle were added to the farm as well as crop.

In 2017, 5 acres of maize had grown and livestock consisted of 80 pigs and 5 cattle.

In April 2020, with the first outbreak of COVID-19 emergency food packs were supplied to the school families and other contacts. The school remained open when it could, ensuring everyone was still fed.

In July 2021, when another severe outbreak of COVID-19 struck all Government Schools were closed. Additional funds were sent for more emergency food packs and where possible, children were still coming to school for food.

By the end of 2021, the harvest included 2750kgs of maize and 500kgs of peanuts and the school kitchen has been upgraded and improved.

Public education for Primary School in Zambia requires payment. Secondary and Tertiary education requires students to undergo exams as well as an increased payment. For children from the poorest families that can’t even afford food, money for school fees is non existent. Resulting in their employment future being limited to the most menial and irregular work.

In 2009, a kindergarten grew out of a Feeding Program (which included literacy and numeracy) Joyce started with her friends.

Over the next 6 years, the school expanded with a new grade each year. The school was still at this stage a small concrete shed.

In 2016, the first group of children sat the High School Entrance Examination. Such is the standard of teaching and support every single child at ALMs receives, from this year and every subsequent year, all ALMs students who have sat the High School Entrance Examination have been accepted into High School.

In 2021, three of the original students from 2009 have been accepted at Northrise University and one has been accepted to study Hotel Management (all pictured above with Joyce).

Children are orphaned in Zambia by diseases such as Cholera, Dysentry, Typhoid, Malaria, HIV and now COVID-19.

Malaria is endemic in Zambia and both students and staff are regularly affected and need treatment. The infection rate of HIV in Zambia is 1 in 6 adults. This has led to both high numbers of children being orphaned and suffering from congenital HIV. COVID-19 has increased unemployment, poverty and further increased the number of orphans.

ALMs covers the expenses for all students illnesses and health problems. They are treated at the local clinic.

For the children with HIV, additional high protein meals are provided and ALMs ensures they have all the appropriate medication and take that medication.

During COVID-19, food parcels were made up and distributed to the school families in need.

Joyce is a trained Counsellor and has a great deal of experience and wisdom. ALMs also employs an additional Trained Counsellor and Child Protection Officer. Due to the very limited Government resources, at times children are cared for at the school.

See Amanda’s Journey in our blog for her HIV story.

Clean water and sanitation are the most important measures a country can take to reduce childhood mortality. These issues are magnified in shanty towns were the poorest live. Contaminated water and poor sanitation increase the transmission of diseases such as Cholera, Diarrhoea, Dystentry, Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Polio.

The installation of boreholes and water tanks provides clean water for consumption. This together with the construction of hygienic toilet facilities means infections with water borne diseases have been uncommon among the children.

In the Dry Season, this clean water is also made available to the local neighbours whenever possible. Efforts are continually being made to persuade the local Government to provide reticulated drinking water to the areas of greatest need where the poorest live.

Before COVID-19 in 2020, unemployment amongst adults was at 13% and rising. Youth unemployment was at 22.6%. With unemployment expected to reach 13.4% by 2023, employment opportunities will be very few for the uneducated and unskilled. A regular job with a salary is rare amongst those helped by ALMs. The dismissal of household staff in the first COVID-19 outbreak put many of our families out of work.

Employment gives you self respect because you are able to feed and provide for your own family. ALMs trains and employs parents, carers and local families. Other local people are preferentially employed as well during any construction activity.

Farming and concrete brick making are not only ALMs initiatives in self-sustainability, but they also are some of the ways ALMs and employing school families and local people.

See Brenda’s Story and Mavis’ Story in our blog for the stories of parents in their own words.