BASUNGE ORPHANAGE:

Childcare and support to orphans and vulnerable children.

Location: Kasama, Zambia.

ABOUT

Basunge is a faith based childcare centre for orphans and extremely vulnerable children. It has been a dream by the founder Ms  Margaret Kafula as her heart went out to so many orphaned children begging for food and living on the streets of Kasama. A child should never have to suffer like this anywhere in the world. The basic foundation of the organization is childcare. We have been in operation since 1997 and God has blessed our efforts but children continue to pour in and resources in Zambia are scarce to look after these destitute children. We are a registered entity under the laws of the republic of Zambia.

FOUNDER \ DIRECTOR

Ms Margaret Kafula was born in 1966.Completed her high school in 1984. Married in 1985 and was widowed in 1991 with three children. Two boys and one girl. She trained as a secretary and has been doing that as her vocation until the demands of the orphange were too great. She loves the Lord Jesus Christ and enjoys everyday life in the Lord. She is also a business woman trying to raise support for the children, and a member of a Christian Business Community in Canada called "Koggle" - http://www.koggle.org

BASUNGE 'S VISION

My vision is to see orphans cared for, loved and given a chance at life - something many others take for granted.

OUR MISSION

Basunge strives to achieve lasting improvements in the quality of life of the deprived children in our community, through a process that unites children across cultures and adds meaning and value to their lives.

We want to enable deprived children to learn how to meet their own basic needs and increase their ability to participate in the place where they live. Handouts are too temporary and unless we teach the children how to work and educate them so that they can be productive members of our community, then we have failed. Just feeding them is not enough.

OUR PROGRAMS

Children who have lost their parents are vulnerable in so many areas so our task is big in order to meet all their needs.

1. Provide a loving and safe environment for them to grow up.

2. Ensure they are fed nutricious food and are clothed properly.

3. Ensure they get a solid education (education is not free in Zambia).

4. Teach them life skills and teach them about Jesus Christ. Our goal is to see every child eternally saved also.

 SUPPORT

We receive occasional support from the First Lady of our country, the government through ministry of health, ministry of education and well wishers.

We began with 50 children, but because of the high rates of deaths (due to Aids), in our country, the number has soared to 200. We are also engaged in income generating activities such as farming, drying and selling fruits and gemstones.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Comprises 10 (ten) members with a heart  to serve the Lord and a love for the children. The committee is headed and chaired by the founder Ms Margaret Kafula. Each member is head of a program for example;

Spiritual education

School education

Water and sanitation

Food supplies and security

Nutrition

Teaching on Hiv\Aids

Sports

Healthcare

Farming

Income generation & fundraising

FOCUS

Our focus continues to be on programs that achieve sustainable improvements in health, water and sanitation, food, security, income generating activities, capacity building and education.

Child rights and Hiv\Aids are essential cross cutting issues and are integrated into all programs. Without this Aids will only continue to devastate our nation and community.

APPROACH

The Basunge organization takes a child rights approach to its program work. Program interventions are implemented with a child centered development approach.

SUCCESS STORIES

Since 1997, Basunge has helped improve the livelihood of orphans and broken the circle of poverty in our community. There is improved health among the children, they are in school and are being molded on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ. They are integrated into the mainstream society without further marginalization.

The centre has a 100 hectares of farming land where we are growing maize (corn) which is our staple food, groundnuts, sweet potatoes and beans for our food supplement and nutrition.

In 2002, we were blessed, courtesy of Ireland Aid, with a donation of a 27 000 000 00 (twenty seven million) kwacha (Approx $7,650 CAD) to fund drilling a borehole which was drilled by Drill Africa. Our children now have access to clean water.

Mealtimes: The children are fed breakfast, a snack and afternoon lunch every day before the end of classes . For breakfast we feed them with soya porridge. Lunch is usually made of nshima with some variety of vegetables or meat to make a balanced diet.

CONCLUSION

To more effectively exploit opportunities, develop appropriate responses and mobilize resources, we hope to work in partnership with supporters, donors and other organizations in order for us to improve the lives of our intended beneficiaries - the children who can't help themselves and for whom nobody else cares about.

For further information please contact us at the following addresses.

The Director - Margaret Kafula

Email: margaret.Kafula2008@yahoo.com

Cellphone:0978158480

City: Kasama,Zambia,Africa