Month: October 2016

A dear friend, Elizabeth Colson, passed away in August at 99 years of age, sitting on her verandah in Zambia, watching the birds. Not only was she a world renowned American anthropologist who dedicated her life’s work to the Tonga people, with whom Malambo Grassroots works, she was a remarkable woman and incredibly generous with all. She will be greatly missed. Thank you for all you did, Elizabeth.

Please read about Elizabeth’s life and work in this blog, Remnants of Empire, by Pamela Shurmer-Smith.

A letter from Mweemba Matonga!

“Here is a the information  about my coming  into this program.
I went to school with a friend of mine Emmanuel Makoye at senior secondary school. The time I finished school I asked how he did manage to go to college to do Marketing and I was told of the program being ran in the farm about Mwabuka Zambia association and that someone needed  to work in the farm for some time and should have relatives who are workers in the farm.

When I heard that I thought of trying because I am coming from a not well-to-do family and having had problems  with completing my secondary school because of finances.when I reached at the farm,I first  met with Madam Marylee who I talked to and she tried to look for where to place me so I could work but then to no avail. After some time, when I went to check as to whether  she had found where to place me she referred me to Madam Heidi who I personally  talked to over how I loved school and that I wanted to do banking and finance and shared that I had a problem of where to get funding.

From that day she called me after two weeks and we had similar discussion including reasons  why I wanted to banking and finance.

After that, Madame Marylee  called me informing me that money was sent for my school and thats how I started school.

In the process I become the best student in one of the  subjects and graduated as the best student in my banking  and finance diploma course in Zambia.

When I finished banking and finance diploma  I asked if I could done a degree in financial services and luckily I was offered help and now am a third year second semester student of bachelor’s degree in financial services and intended to graduate next year December.

Currently  school is going on well and will be writing  exams in June. My future plans are that after am done with my bachelor’s degree in financial services next year June, I do my masters degree in 2018 possibly if graduate with a distinction as I intended and be able to do something thereafter.

My goals are that, I would want to help people  that will be in the state  I was of no financial muscle to take them to school and many more works as i have learnt a lot from you and that people you have no relationship  with helps a lot compared  to the relatives  sometimes..

This is briefly what I can say otherwise have no many words except lots of appreciation.

Well good to hear from you and I am very well.”

A lovely note from Iven Moonga, about his education and current work!

“MEMORANDUM

TO: SPONSORS
FROM: IVEN MOONGA
DATE: 05 MARCH, 2016.
RE: APRECIATION FOR THE SPONSORSHIP

Initially, I thank the almighty God our Heavenly father who lavishly nourishes, strengthens and encourages us through our hard times and has once more made it possible for me to communicate to you individually through this latter. It is my pleasure to write to you after a long period of not being in touch with each other though, it is out of my control due to some challenges I may be confronting here and there, but I still bear the blame of not having been communicating to you frequently. Nevertheless, am doing fine, believing that all is well with you, may the all mighty God be glorified.

Updating you with my academic progress as well as expressing my gratitude as the main objectives included in the latter, it is my pleasure to inform you that from the unfailing help that you have been giving me from the time I embarked on the educational program with you, am really appreciating and benefitting from it. Your reliable and consistent sponsorship has not just made it possible for me to acquire academic knowledge but it has managed to shape and carter for a wide range of my life socially, mentally and physically through interactions we make with friends in both academic and extra-curricular activities such as sports et cetera.

Just to give a brief summary of my educational background, I wrote my grade 7 at Malambu middle Basic School, (Moorings Farm Monze Zambia) in 2008 and requested to join your sponsorship for my higher education, lucky enough the following year I happened to be among the small number of people that were chosen to be sponsored for secondary level of education in 2009-2013 at Rusangu secondary School (Monze Zambia) where I did my grades 8-12 and completed with very good results. There had never been an academic term I stayed at home because of not having school fees, you sent, and I received it on time not until I was pronounced as a secondary school graduate!!! I really appreciate the consistent and convenient sponsorship you offered.

And now in my tertiary level of education with your motivating, encouraging and reliable sponsorship, as if it is not enough, you still went ahead and bought us hp laptops that are really facilitating our studying strategy by reducing unnecessary burden of continuous buying of hard-copy textbooks as well as reducing share waste of time moving from one point to another searching for information that you may not be having as it is easier to access all the data that you need from your computer for your assignments and am not ashamed to mention that am now doing my second year studying a Bachelor of Science in Nursing at one of the big and recognized Universities in Zambia, Rusangu University (RU). The duration is expected to be five years for full-time students (us that only learn during academic terms), but for those that are able to pay for both full-time and holiday tuitions, the duration is Four years or even less.

In conclusion, I cannot complain of anything concerning school nor your sponsorship as you have been so caring and responsive to our cries and concerns. What am just requesting from you is that you continue supporting us as we endeavor through this adventurous project and it is only through Gods grace that this will be possible and my prayer to God for you as everyone else under your sponsorship is that he abundantly and richly blesses you with long life so that you shall at some point see our education come to fruition and may HE also stabilize you financially than ever before.

Thank you for the time spent reading this memorandum…”