A note from Heather Macfaden, HOJ volunteer and child sponsor!

Hello, my name is Heather Macfaden. I have been a Canadian supporter of Homes of Joy since 2008, and am a child sponsor for Natasha Tembo. A registered nurse, working in the Birthing Unit in a hospital near my home, I was keen to help when Micaela sent a letter about Homes of Joy. I strongly believe every child should have access to the basics of life; water, food, shelter, education, medical care and loving support.

I had the opportunity to visit Sister Ruby and the girls at Nyumba Yanga orphanage in September 2010, whilst in Africa to climb Mt Kilimanjaro with my friend Suranika Dias. Despite the time being very short due to travel difficulties, we enjoyed our visit. Suranika was able to teach computer skills and give some private tutoring, and I had fun playing with the younger girls not yet old enough to attend school. When the older girls returned from school, after completing chores of washing school uniforms and sweeping the orphanage pathways, we played ballgames, read together or visited the duck pond and rabbits (especially the new baby bunnies). The girls had great fun chasing the turkey because they insisted he needed a bath. Amidst much laughter and screaming (when he chased them), they were very determined and eventually he did run into the pond! Able to meet and spend some time with Natasha, whom I support, I was very impressed when we played netball with how great she is at netting the ball.

Sister Ruby and her fellow sisters have worked hard to improve things at Nyumba Yanga. The garden is now fully irrigated (thanks to funding provided by Homes of Joy and the Norwegian support group), and the girls are often found watering the plants and caring for the garden. The maize crops are also being expanded to bring in some much needed income. The chicken coop is fully enclosed now, so the chickens cannot fly away and they are laying eggs, as are the recently acquired quails. Any food scraps from the girls are recycled to help feed the fowl and animals. The homes have been repainted and the ‘cooking room’ is almost complete, which is expected to help with some income and offer the girls an opportunity for increased skills training in catering.

Nyumba Yanga is a very loving environment, but currently the girls can only stay until finishing grade 9, when they are integrated back into society with foster families. A new project is currently underway to extend a full support system and home with the Sisters of the CIC until the girls can finish school their secondary education. I truly wish I could support every girl; as they all deserve the chance to fulfill their potential.

My personal goal is to climb The Seven Summits (the highest mountain on each continent) and raise funds for disadvantaged women and children, especially orphans. Money raised from the Kilimanjaro climb is for Homes of Joy.

Sincerely,

Heather Macfaden

A New Voice From Nyumba Yanga: Lucy Masiye Lungu Says Hello!

Hello Everyone,

I feel privileged to share my motivation as a volunteer at Nyumba Yanga Orphanage in Lusaka, Zambia. I have volunteered throughout my life because I believe I have something to give to others. I am motivated by the love and grace of Christ to help. I am a gender activist and I belong to an Association that champions women’s and children’s rights with an emphasis on the girl child. I am currently the Chairperson for the regional YWCA branch in Lusaka. Through the mother body known as the Non Governmental Organizing Coordinating Committee, (NGOCC), we address issues of human rights that include children’s rights.

This being my first blog for Homes of Joy, I wish to introduce myself to all friends and partners of the special Home for children, Nyumba Yanga. I am known as Aunty Lucy by the children. Lucy Masiye Lungu is my full name. I am a secondary school teacher by profession but later changed to social work and worked as a Program Manager until 2005 when I decided to take another route. I am completing a degree in Development Studies this year. I have travelled extensively and lived in four countries.

I am married with three children (two boys and one girl) and two nephews. I have been married for 33 years to a very supportive partner who is a professor at the University of Zambia. Our children are all graduates and independent while our nephews still have two more years to finish secondary education. They lost their mum when they were 4 years old and have lived with us since 1999. They are special to my family. We give them all the love they deserve. In our African culture, they are our sons. This is the beauty of extended family systems in Zambia. We continue to encourage our society to uphold this culture because it does not leave children without mothers or fathers.

Nyumba Yanga is managed by the Sisters who need the support of Zambian volunteers because they are dealing with children from different backgrounds. As a Zambian with extensive experience in working with different people from different parts of the world, I am convinced that I can make a difference at the orphanage. My background and my knowledge and skills are centered on gender issues, and this makes it possible for me to deal with the different needs of the girls and mothers at Nyumba Yanga.

I am the bridge between Nyumba Yanga and the outside world. It is in this outside World where we hope for the girls to succeed in the future. I wish to share the love and care I received from my parents with others who may need both. My family is really supportive of my passion and my husband is always ready to help where need arises. This makes me a happy volunteer. Stay tuned for my next blog when I will share some conversations with the girls at Nyumba Yanga.

Lucy Masiye-Lungu

Volunteer at Nyumba Yanga

Nyumba Yanga Site Visit: A Short Reflection

Hello all,

It has been an exciting couple of months for Homes of Joy! All three HOJ volunteers (Amanda, Angi and myself) have now returned from our visit to the Nyumba Yanga Orphanage in Lusaka, Zambia. For me, the site visit was an incredible experience! It was wonderful to see how much both the girls and the institution have grown since my initial visit in 2008.

While at Nyumba Yanga, I did a lot of reflecting around the difference between a house and a home. There are thousands of orphanages around the world and the people within them work tirelessly to provide the best life they can for the orphaned children they take in. However, in this way, Nyumba Yanga truly stands out. The Sisters, house mothers, and volunteers go above and beyond to create a true home for the girls. It is so much more than just a roof over heads and food at a table. During our visit I felt very fortunate to join this community and become part of the Nyumba Yanga family. Listening to some of the older girls tell their stories at the 10th Anniversary Celebration was amazing. Many of the girls were overcome with emotion and had to fight through tears to tell everyone how much Nyumba Yanga meant to them and how strongly they recognized the doors that had been opened for their futures as a result of being accepted into the Nyumba Yanga family. It was very obvious to me that everyone that works at Nyumba Yanga makes decisions based on needs and resources, but they do so within a framework of love and support for each and every girl that enters through their gate.

The other thing that was constantly on my mind while visiting Nyumba Yanga was the importance of grassroots development. There has been a lot of publicity lately that criticizes the effectiveness of aid and international development. However, I still strongly believe in the critical importance of small scale development. It was a beautiful experience to walk around Nyumba Yanga and see firsthand the impact our funding has had over the past two years. Talking with Memori about how much better she sleeps with her own mattress, seeing photos all of the girls in their raincoats during the monsoon season, and visiting the girl’s schools were all moments that stood out to me. Providing resources to a small project like Nyumba Yanga has made tremendously effective use of the comparatively small amount of funding that we have been able to provide. Although I had full faith in the way we were distributing our funds, it was very moving to actually see what they had accomplished on the ground. I am incredibly thankful to all of our donors, volunteers, and HOJ board members who have made this possible.

I look forward to our continued growth as an organization and to the increasing impact we will have on the lives of the girls at Nyumba Yanga.

With gratitude,

Micaela
HOJ Founder

A snapshot of everyday life at Nyumba Yanga!

Hello and greetings from Zambia!

For a while I've wanted to talk about what an average day looks like for each of the girls here. However, I've come to realize that it's not the same for everyone, depending on age and what time you go to school. I do know what goes on for the littlest girls, so I'll start by talking about them. Later this week, I'll collect more information on the middle and older girls, and try to put together a good, general idea of what everyday life is like at Nyumba Yanga Orphanage.

All of the little girls are enrolled in private school, and in the mornings the bus leaves around 7:20 to get them there. Sometimes, depending on the season, there are chores to do in the garden and they can be up and out as early as 6:00, pushing around soil and bringing in vegetables. Their 'older sisters' or house mothers pack them a lunch, and they are off for the day.

They arrive home around 4:00 in the afternoon, excited to change out of their school uniforms and start playing. However, there are always at least a few chores for the girls to do before they really let loose. Sweeping leaves from the lawns and dirt from the paths is the main duty that each all of the little ones does each day, sectioning off so that not a spot of the grounds go uncovered. Other chores include hand-washing their own clothes, cleaning the plates after dinner, picking dried corn kernels from the cob so they can be ground up, and watering the gardens.

But, all in all, the life of a little girl is fairly relaxed. A good deal of the day is spent playing, either skipping with ropes, performing intricate clap-games, or just hanging out in the sun using their imaginations. When the energy starts to fade, the girls will often read books in the guest house or sit with the older girls and get their hair plaited. Many nights the energy never fades, and the little girls can be found in the hall, dancing to pop music with the rest of the children, until they are shooed to bed by their big sisters or the house mothers.

Hope you're all well in your respective corners of the world! Stay tuned for more information on the middle and older girls coming up this week!

Take care,
Angi

Africa Freedom Day and Other Updates!

Hello and Greetings from Nyumba Yanga!

It has been a busy week since Amanda and Micaela departed. Here, the girls have returned to their school routine. Right now, the majority are going in the morning, which means near silence until around 2:30: a big change!

It was Africa Freedom Day on May 24th, a statutory holiday. The day was spent working on sponsorship profiles with the littlest ones, while some of the middle and older girls helped translate for me. They identify in three groups: the “littles” being baby class, reception, grade one, two and three (and select children in grade four who are younger than average), the “middles” being the girls in grade four, five, six and seven, and the “Big girls” in grade eight, nine, and those who have moved to the compounds but come to visit. All of the “Big girls” have one of the “littles” who is their assigned Little Sister. The big girl is responsible for making sure the little one has washed, has her uniform ready for school, is dressed and ready to go when the bus arrives, etc. It's a great way to make sure that each of the littlest girls gets some quality attention from an older mentor.

In the evening of African Freedom Day we all headed over to the convent for a “brai” (BBQ). The older girls prepared chicken on the brai but also joined in on the singing and dancing. So did the house mothers and the Sisters! The house mothers told stories about what it was like before African Freedom, and explained to the little girls that Independence meant that black people and white people got to use the “same window to buy bread from.”One of the Mothers talked about how when she was a little girl in the compound before independence, instead of desks and books, she had to sit on the ground and do her school work in the dirt. Then the teacher would come around and grade it on the dirt with a big stick. She also told a story about how before people had televisions, a van with a projector and speakers in the back would drive from compound to compound and play films on the sides of buildings. While the stories were quite funny, it was obvious that they held a much deeper meaning for the children: to be thankful for all that they have now, in freedom.

In the evenings, the middle and big girls have been coming to the guest house to make friendship bracelets with some of the hemp and beads we brought from Canada. Once they have mastered hemp bracelets we're going to move on to embroidery thread. It's a great way to get to know the normally shy older girls better. They have promised to teach me how to make cards and rosaries in return for me teaching them how to make bracelets and anklets.

I hope that all is well in whatever part of the world you are reading this from!

Until next time, take care,

Angi

10th Anniversary Celebration!

(Written May 15th)

Today, I got to experience one of the most memorable events of my trip thus far--the Nyumba Yanga 10th year anniversary celebration. From the get-go it took my breath away. The celebration started with a celebration of the mass led by Fr. Eugene; the first reading, read eloquently by Memori brought tears to my eyes. After mass, it was time for the girls to show off their talents. We watched many wonderful dances and heard beautiful songs. However, my favorite parts were a skit about how Nyumba Yanga really was a HOME of JOY and when two girls got the chance to tell their stories. The whole hall was dead silent and tears were streaming down most of the guests cheeks including my own. It was so touching to hear what these girls had been through and the joy, acceptance, and love they found at this small orphanage they affectionately called home.

After all of the formalities and thank you's had been expressed, it was really time to enjoy. There was food handmade by the older girls (Samosas, chips, dosai and other Indian delights), tables filled with the crafts the girls had worked so hard on (rosaries, necklaces, bracelets, hand knit scarves, home-grown popcorn, and door mats), and music blasting over the make-shift speaker system. Visitors and guests were plenty and the girls loved all of the extra attention. Nyumba Yanga did not quiet down until 7pm that night after a communal meal was shared on the lawn. Micaela and I closed the night by teaching some of the girls (Memori, Chisanga, Gorette and others) the actions to the song 'Awesome God' which the girls got a kick out of.

It was all in all a memorable successful day and all the preparations leading up to it were well worth it,

Amanda

(Written on May 13)

Hello again from beautiful (if a little windy today) Zambia!

Things at Nyumba Yanga are especially busy as we approach the much anticipated 10 Year Anniversary Celebration for this Saturday. All the girls are busy setting up, decorating, and practicing their performances for the day's events. We've heard the choir sing each morning, and have got to watch some of the amazing dances the girls seem to have choreographed themselves. One of the highlights has been the Bare Feet Theatre's contribution, heading a dramatic/musical sketch that some of the older girls will preform, depicting how Homes of Joy brings them “peace, love, and everything we need”. Bare Feet Theatre is an NGO that is in touch with vulnerable communities around the country, bringing creativity and unity to them through theatre and arts.

There will also be a fundraising activity where the girls will showcase some of the skills they have learned here, and will sell the things they've produced. They have been divided into groups according to their preference: knitting, gardening, Chitenge tye-dying, and cooking being a few of the skills they'll be highlighting for the guests. The older girls will help with the selling, pricing and exchange of money (especially those who express a passion for mathematics) while the younger ones will be scattered about the lawn or in the houses, showing the guests how to produce what they do. I was fortunate enough to work with the knitting group yesterday. They make scarfs, ponchos and doormats, all very beautiful and expertly crafted. There is definitely a lot of talent on display along side the wonderful things that guests can purchase.

Tomorrow, there will be a visit from the Irish ambassador. The girls went to the Irish Embassy on St. Patrick's Day and sang the Irish national anthem (in the Irish national language!) for the staff there. They were clearly a big hit! This morning they were up early practicing “The Fields of Athenry”, a traditional Irish folk song that, while it sounds lovely coming from their lips, is a little bizarre to hear from a choir in Zambia. Singing is another thing these girls do very well, though. It's a pleasure to listen to them each morning.

For the next few days we'll certainly be busy getting ready for the celebration. Until then, take care!

Angi

A day in the Life (Preparing for the Nyumba Yanga 10 Year Anniversary)

Good Afternoon from Home of Joy Orphanage (or at least it’s afternoon here)

Everyone here is earnestly preparing for the Nyumba Yanga orphanage 10 year anniversary celebration on 15th May. It’s very busy. Yesterday we got the younger girls to paint with us…boy do they have talent! Some painted their schools and others painted the orphanage or flowers and blue skies. It was quite exciting to watch and interact with them and get to know their stories a little bit.

Currently, in preparation for the 15th May, each girl has been assigned a group and a task for the 10 year celebration. Some girls are in charge of showcasing the beautiful rosaries they have made, while others are responsible for showcasing their knitting, beading, and tie-dying talents. A few girls are additionally responsible for decorating the hall and the chapel. While wandering the grounds yesterday I ventured into the chapel just in time to be taught how to decorate the altar in a traditional fashion by the CIC sisters. Memori (one of the older girls at Home of Joy) and I had lots of fun laughing as we tried to mimic what the sisters were doing in terms of decorations.

Yesterday evening at HOJ the power was out so all of the younger girls came to visit us at the guest house. What followed was them ‘platting’ or attempting to ‘plat’ our hair. Platting is when they braid their hair really tightly in corn rows. It was quite the experience and the girls had a lot of fun with it (our heads were quite sore afterwards).

The girls have been having lots of fun with the skipping ropes and books we brought over from Canada. Whenever we are in the guest house, there is always a knock at the door and girls asking us to read with them or asking if they can borrow books (very cute). One of their favorite reads thus far has been the ‘balloon tree’. One of the girls (Victoria) told Micaela she would like to plant a balloon tree someday :0).

Tomorrow the Irish Ambassador is popping by for a visit. (He provides funding and donations to the orphanage). I am excited to see the girls all dressed up and hear them sing the Irish National Anthem that Fr. Eugene has taught them. Final preparations for the 10 year celebration will also occur tomorrow. I am excited to experience all of the new experiences that tomorrow will bring.

Yours,
Amanda

Adventures at Nyumba Yanga: Part one

The trip was long, but we arrived safe and sound (if not a little tired). On the first day we mostly rested. We divided the clothing that J.L. Jordan School donated, which made the girls very happy. We got them to check which ones fit, and then write their names on the labels. We've started a master list of who already has clothes, and who still needs them. Sister Ruby is very conscious of fairness. Because not everyone will get an outfit this time, we will go to a second hand store here to make up for the rest – that way, when the clothes are distributed, everyone will get something.

The girls showed us how to pick ground-nuts today. They are not all ripe yet, but it seems like they are starting to get there. There is a cycle of produce here: something is always growing and something is always ready to eat!

So the basics to finding ground-nuts:

-Finger your way through the bush, while being weary of burrs – they are almost unavoidable.
-Find the stem of the ground-nut. Pull (hard)!
-If they are ready, they'll come up. If not, well ... they're still down there and stem-less! I'm guessing that is how the ground-nuts keep coming up every year.
-Pick them off the roots, throw them in a bowl.
-Repeat.

Micaela and I tried them. They look just like peanuts, but because they're fresh they're not dry like the peanuts we're used too. While we were with the girls Amanda was learning how to husk corn with the house mothers. The corn --- often called maize -- they grow here isn't used to eat like we do in Canada. It's almost always dried out. Some of it is completely dehydrated, which is used as a snack to make popcorn. The rest is ground up with a large mortar and pestle. (I’ve been told that maize and corn are different things. Further investigation is needed!)

Some of the girls let us watch and (try to) help them grind the maize yesterday morning. They put dried maize kernels into a big wooden bowl that looks like a jembe drum without a skin, and add a bit of water. Then, with a long stick, they crush the maize. It takes a lot of muscle – they let us attempt a go at it, but we tired out pretty quickly! After the maize is crushed, it is poured onto plastic trays where they dustiest bits are removed, and the cracked corn is saved. Kernels that are still whole are picked out, returned to the mortar, and crushed again.

The adventures never cease here! Until next time, take care.

Angi

Well, Hello! You've stumbled upon the new, official Homes of Joy Blog! This space will be used to share stories from volunteers at the Nyumba Yanga Orphanage.

Currently, Micaela Roughton, Amanda Roughton, and Angi Eddy are packing up and getting ready to go (in an HOUR) from rainy ol' Victoria BC to Lusaka, Zambia. We have packed two suitcases full for the Orphanage, and cannot wait to see what adventures await us there! Stay tuned here for updates and thanks for checking us out!