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