Happy Father's Day! Help us celebrate by giving a gift of fun and learning to a vulnerable child in Zambia.
We believe that playing games, coloring, singing, dancing, and playing with building blocks is essential for the normal physical and mental development of a child. Our "Safe Park" program provides the right environment for educational games and activities. As a result of continued partcipation in this program, (i) younger children participate in games with enthusiasm, have fewer fights, and share toys more easily; (ii) older children are more comfortable in discussing their problems with youth counselors, asking for help with homework, and disclosing problems encountered by a friend and/or neighbor, (iii) there is an improvement in self-esteem and mental and physical competency, (iv) development of social skills via sharing, following rules, fairness, and cooperation, and (v) development of better social relations with peers and adults.
Power of Love's “Safe Parks” program is free and open to all children in the community of Matero, in Lusaka Zambia. Every Saturday morning children from this community, join our trained child and youth care workers in educational games and engage in drama, role play, and discussions. Most children have developmental problems (mental or physical) and are vulnerable to disease as they are growing up in an environment with a high incidence of HIV, may have lost a parent, their own HIV positive status, lack of enough food etc. These children need counseling and special care for normal development. Children are encouraged to play and interact with their peers while the Project Nurse observes them for any signs of distress, trauma or grief. Family members are provided with counseling and referrals to agencies that can help the child develop normally.
An example of a game that teaches children cooperation, problem solving and develops trust between peers is, “Ship Ship Come Home”. In this game the children are divided into two groups. One group shouts to the other group “Ship Ship come home!” and children from the opposite group run to catch friends from the other side. The children who are caught join the group which caught them.
Overall, games and activities improve the children’s physical, social, emotional and intellectual development and overall health. Better health leads to fewer missed days at school, and higher school performance. At the very minimum this program keeps children off the streets where they can get into trouble or get abused.
Thanks for your caring and support.
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Happy Father’s Day! At Power of Love, we are celebrating dads all over the world by working to keep children in school and free from malaria. This week, we were able to provide 2000 long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and education on malaria prevention to our community. Thanks to your generosity, we are able to work toward our goal of eradicating malaria one child and one net at a time. At this time we are waiting for pictures from the field and hope to post pictures of the 2015 malaria prevention activities soon.
Over the last six years, we have been able to provide 8,800 long lasting insecticide treated nets and education on prevention of malaria to children and families vulnerable to malaria in Zambia. These nets helped prevent malaria for an estimated 35,200 children (as each net can sleep up to four young children) or 17,600 adults (as each net can sleep two adults). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sleeping under a bed net is one of the most effective ways of preventing malaria.
The need for additional nets is ongoing as most people in our community live on less than a dollar a day and are unable to purchase a net. Please donate to help provide additional bed nets and education, which in turn has shown to keep children in school and free from malaria. A donation of $10 provides two nets that can prevent malaria for a family of two adults and 3-4 young children. And, as always, 100% of your donations go towards programs and no part is used for overheads.
Have a safe and happy summer.
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Happy Mother's Day!
Thanks as always for empowering women impacted by HIV and AIDS in Zambia. With your help we can continue to provide micro loans, business training and business mentoring to new women entrepreneurs, so they can take better care of their families and keep their children in school.
Our Loans Program is Expanding
Since our last conversation in March 2015, we were able to provide 50 new loans and business training to new women entrepreneurs in our community. Over the course of five days, 50 women went through an intensive business training course, at the end which they presented a business plan to qualify for a loan to start a business. At this time, the women are busy running their new businesses and providing for their families.
With the addition of these 50 loans we now have 275 women running successful to moderately successful businesses in our community in Lusaka, Zambia.
Testimonial
Before providing new loans last month we wanted to assess the impact of our loans program on women who were provided with loans 3-4 years back and to learn from their experiences. Accordingly, we had a long conversation with Amy (name changed) who was among the first set of women to join the program. Women like Amy inspire us every day and continue to inspire new loan beneficiaries. In addition to running and growing their businesses they have become role models and mentor the new women who join the program.
About Amy: Amy graduated from our loans program three years back and is continuing to run the business she started with the help of a micro loan. All her children are in school and she is able to take good care of her family. After completing her loan repayments she continues to come back to mentor new women beneficiaries.
Amy’s story in her own words: I am a 45 year old widow. There are seven people in my household – five children (two are my own), my sister and myself. My sister and the other two children are dependent on me.
I joined Power of Love’s micro loans program and received business training and a small loan to start a business. Before I joined the program, life was difficult as I did not have a means for taking care of my family and paying for school expenses for the children. After I finished a week long business training I started a business selling dressed chicken and cupcakes in my community of Matero. I worked hard, made my loan repayments and saved a small amount each week. My business did well. I was able to take better care of my family (we started eating 2-3 meals per day as compared to just one meal or less per day), and pay for school expenses for all five children. During my training and weekly meeting with the loan officer and other womaen, I learnt the importance of keeping children in school. I know that education is important for getting ahead in life. All my children are attending school and my oldest graduated from High School and has enrolled in the University.
Over time, I expanded my business by purchasing a sewing machine with the next loan. I love working for myself, feel empowered and am confident for a bright future for myself and my family.
After I received a third loan and paid it off (about 19 months after I received my first loan), I graduated from Power of Love’s loans program. Since then, I have been encouraging other women in the community, to start a business, and take their first steps toward self-reliance. In addition, I regularly mentor women who have receive loans and business training from Power of Love, to work hard at their business and make it grow. The Power of Love loan officer tells me that I am one of the best mentors and I am happy for this.
My dream was to have a shop of my own. I continued to save and expand my business. Over the last few years, I saved up enough to build a shop and sell groceries from my shop. At this time, my shop has soap, cooking oil, eggs, candy, bread, cereal, beauty supplies, cookies etc. My dream has come true. I have paid for my oldest child to enroll in the University and have been able to electrify my shop. I will continue to encourage other women to start a business, work hard, and keep their children in school.
Thanks for giving me a chance to be economically independent.
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