Zambia
Bath Abbey has been in partnership with the Diocese of Northern Zambia since 1996, and our work in this region continues to go from strength to strength thanks to the tireless efforts of Albert Chama, the Archbishop of the Province of Central Africa. Archbishop Albert maintains strong links with his former Diocese in Northern Zambia and has enlisted our support for several important projects which will benefit some of the region’s most vulnerable groups.
Providing water and sanitation
We have some wonderful news –a community school in Chilumba, now has much-improved facilities, as a result of one of our Harvest Appeals. We first provided funding for a water pump and toilets for the school a few years ago. What is marvelous to see is that these have continued to make an impact on the everyday lives of the entire community. Previously, residents including young children had to carry heavy loads of water over long distances to the site on a daily basis. Since the new pump has been installed, families can now easily access fresh drinking water. However, this hasn’t been the only significant outcome. When the school’s building was destroyed in a night storm, the Zambian government decided to rebuild it as a government school, all because of the presence of water and sanitation. The school might not have been rebuilt otherwise and what is even more remarkable is that the government replaced the original ‘hut’ with a much more substantial and much better building which will benefit local children for years to come. So what might have started off initially as a donation from the Abbey for a water pump and toilets has grown and evolved into a major development for the community as a whole. God is truly working with us in our mission.
Empowering women
Another initiative we have continued to support is a women’s empowerment project. Violence against and the poor treatment of women continues to exist as a significant problem in Zambia, but is still not being fully addressed, which makes Archbishop Albert and his team’s vision and dedication to a project like this even more remarkable. The heart of the project is a hammer mill for grinding maize (one of two funded by Bath Abbey). The hammer mill is both something that makes women’s lives much easier and a means of generating income. The income from the mill pays for David, the young mill operator, and the maintenance costs of the machine. It also pays for fertilizer for two fields of maize that local women farm as a co-operative, and for a local church building. The Archbishop tells us: “Once our women folk and children are empowered it will be a great thing as part of our mission as a Church.”
Future plans
Archbishop Albert’s latest vision is for a multi-purpose centre, to be built on land given to Northern Diocese just outside Kitwe in the Copperbelt district. The land is strategically located near very poor settlements/townships where there are many women and young people in need, who can be served by building a hall, chapel, skills centre and accommodation. This is a long-term, ambitious project which Bath Abbey is supporting from our Harvest Appeal 2011. Building is due to start in April 2012 after the end of the rainy season.
In practical terms our giving improves lives immeasurably; but just as importantly, it demonstrates solidarity of purpose and the Christian benefits of partnership. In the words of Archbishop Albert: “The successful attainment of any goal involves the joining or coming together of people who share a common objective and desire to do good for the benefit of humanity”.
