Zambia Orphanage Appeal

Hello All,

My name is Dave King and I have been a member of the Republic of Ireland Soccer Supporters Club (London) for nearly 10 years, travelling to most games, home and away. Myself, Cathal Chu, Tommy Feely and a group of friends are visiting an Orphanage in Zambia over Christmas.

There are 24 children (12 boys, 12 girls from age 6 – 14) living in and 50 “external” kids attending school.

Please find attached a certificate of registration and a letter of endorsement for the Orphanage from the Zambian Government and the “bricks” we need to unload..

Please see extracts from 2 emails below from Eunice (the founder) about their urgent needs at the orphanage.

The rainy season in Zambia is severe with an average of 208mm & 245mm rainfall in December & January respectively.

These children literally have no roof over their heads.

The Club has kindly given me permission to inform you all of the harsh conditions that these children endure every day of their lives. They never heard of the “credit crunch”. To be affected by the credit crunch, you have to have something to lose first!

Success for them is being alive tomorrow. Eunice receives no funding from her government and the Orphanage survives through private donations and little projects they run themselves, like making peanut butter and selling it.

Eunice is an amazing lady, physically disabled, an orphan herself, with 3 young children, 8, 5 & 2 years old. She works full time and when she finishes her day job, her real work begins at the Orphanage caring for 24 live-in children.

Fund raising events have already taken place in Ireland including a risky walk up Bray Head in October!!

The aim of this fundraising is to build the boys dormitory and give these children shelter from the storm!

Anyone requiring more information, email me or ring me and I will be happy to fill you in!!

BE A BRICK BUY A BRICK (EACH BRICK COSTS MINIMUM £1)

I will bring the “bricks” with me to the meeting next Friday and hope you will all buy a hod full!!

May I also remind members to bring their old Irish Jerseys, (Soccer, Rugby or GAA) to the next meeting.

Please give generously and sign each brick to let these children know they are not forgotten.

A Christmas Card and additional paper in festive colours and gold & silver pens will also be provided.

Please be assured that every SINGLE PENNY (and more) raised both here and in Ireland will go directly to giving these children a reason to get up in the morning!

As stated above, we are visiting the Orphanage over Christmas and I will personally guarantee that your generous donations will go where they are most needed, i.e. directly to the children in the form of fun days out, clothes, toys or towards their education and improving the quality of their lives.

Many Thanks in advance on behalf of the Children.

Dave King

Telephone: 020 8674 5704 (home)

Mobile:0780 366 9549

E mail king-d2@sky.com

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From: Eunice S. Bwalya
Sent: 18 November 2008 08:07
To: Cathal Chu
Subject: RE: A few questions

Hi Cathal

Thank you very much to hear that you are bringing us much in terms of goods and gifts. The urgent requirements are: We are building the dormitory for the boys and we have reached the roof level and have completely run out of money but we need to complete the boys dormitory. We need 40 roofing sheets, capros, 5 window frames and 2 doors, 2 door frames and pockets of cement so we will be very grateful if it is possible to help us by purchasing for us these items we will be very grateful.

We also need beddings for the children like blankets and bedsheets.

The names of our own children are:

1. Mapalo (meaning “Blessing”) – Girl – 8 years old in grade 5

2. Twatasha (meaning “Thank you”) – Girl – 5 years old – grade 1

3. Grace/Malumbo (meaning “Praise”) – Girl – 2 years old - nursery

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Hi Cathal, Dave

Thank you for your reply. Below is the information.

24 DOUBLE ORPHANED CHILDREN, NO MOTHER AND FATHER, Ages 6 – 14, including 2 sets of sisters,

1 brother and sister and the Banda Family, Stanley12, Samuel 10 and Mary 9.

24 children stay in the orphanage. Over 50 children just come for schooling and they go back to their homes. Among these children some are vulnerable and others are single orphaned.

The orphanage was opened by Pastor Stephen C Bwalya and Mrs Eunice Shakami Bwalya who have 3 children aging 8 years, 4 years and 1 year 9 months old. They are in grade 4, 1 and nursery. We sacrificed our home to keep these children from 13th September 2004 not that we are rich no, but because I personally was orphaned at a tender age and God had to use other people to help me so that I get my education and that is why we have a heart to help these orphaned children. We are registered with the Social Development and Community Ministry and Registrar Societies. We have a recommendation letter from the mentioned ministry to ask people, organizations that are willing to help us. It has not been easy on our part, there are times when we run out of food and money and our work becomes very difficult.

Bye

Eunice