Apr 10
13
COT Success: Siachitema
When WHI first introduced the Community Orphan Trust (COT) program to the village of Siachitema, Zambia in 2004, a sense of despair seemed to permeate the area. Siachitema’s leaders shared with us that their community had been devastated by a combination of poverty, drought and HIV/AIDS.
They longed to see their children educated, and hoped for a time when there was enough food to go around.
Since those humble beginnings in 2004, the people of Siachitema Trust have exemplified the ideals of the hope and mission of the COT program—to see poverty-stricken communities strengthened and transformed through the implementation of income-generating projects, community health education and home-based care. Consider just a few highlights of the COT program in Siachitema:
• Most recently, Siachitema graduated from the COT program due to their demonstrated mastery of the program and self-sufficiency!
• A fresh-water well was drilled and provides clean, fresh water for at least 190 families in a drought-prone area.
• Trust members have been trained to implement income-generating projects (a maize-grinding hammer mill, maize farming and gardening). The hammer mill project has been very successful. The staple crop of Zambia is maize (by staple crop we mean every meal, every day…) and the preferred way to eat it requires machine grinding–which the hammer mill does.
• Trust members have reported that profits from the projects have been used to pay for school fees for vulnerable children in the community.
• 12 Trust members have served as volunteer caregivers (and are training others) to provide a range of community health education and home-based care services to Siachitema’s orphaned or vulnerable children and people living with HIV/AIDS.
• 108 children are sponsored through Hope for Children in Siachitema, giving them access to education, health care and other essentials.
Congratulations to the people of Siachitema Trust and thanks to all who are making the COT program possible! Our hope is that the program continues to empower people with choices and opportunities to lift themselves out of poverty.