Zambian Partnerships
Ndubulwila Community Care and Babies Home was founded in 2023 after a series of events impressed Helen to fight for care for the vulnerable around her.
In 2021, three abandoned babies were found and given to Helen by police. She asked the organization if the babies could go to the safe houses, to which they replied ‘No.’ This led to Helen creating Ndubulwila.
Ndubulwila means advocate in Bemba. It highlights the importance of someone who will speak up on behalf of another, especially for more vulnerable people groups such as the disabled, abused, abandoned, or traumatized.
Disabled Children’s Center
There is a high percentage of children with disabilities in Kabwe because of lead poisoning in the water, despite mines closing in 1994. Kabwe is considered one of the most polluted cities on Earth.
Children with disabilities are often overlooked, abused by other kids, and a strain for families. In many ways, they are “the least of these…” (Mat 25:40).
Part of Ndubulwila, the site of the disabled children’s center, was originally built by another organization, who later abandoned the building in 2022. Helen happened to be connected to the organization and asked if she could use the building for ministry, to which they agreed as long as they can have the building back if they return.
The site located amongst a township has helpful infrastructure including solar panels with batteries for electricity, a building with walls, classrooms, toilets, and running water.
Helen met with the parents of the children in the area. Shortly after, these parents expressed a desire for their kids to go to school, since the traditional schools would not accept their children. Helen believed this matched her mission of advocating for those who are overlooked and she slowly built up what is now the Disabled Children’s Center.
The Center provides one meal per day through the support of a German organization and education/therapy to roughly 91 children, and they receive wheelchairs from an organization in Australia.
Currently, there is no financial or other support for this community care center.
The center has 10 volunteers who function as PT/OT, teachers, and caregivers. Despite no formal training, these volunteers have made tremendous progress with the children they serve.
Disabilities range from mild to severe.
Some of the children they’ve worked with have caught up to peers and rejoined traditional schools to continue their education.
For those with more severe disabilities, staff focus on teaching life skills, including ways to generate income by simple tasks such as weaving mats if physically able.
The center provides weekly support meetings for the primary caregivers of the children
Kids Club is another weekly activity run by the center in an effort to normalize the children among the other children in the community. Unfortunately, in their community, disabilities are not well understood or accepted, which cause hostility among the children. By inviting the traditional school children to the center after school weekly, staff can help the children integrate and see the value in each other. These relationships benefit both the disabled children who learn social norms, and the other children who learn to not fear the physical and or behavioral differences of these children.
Abandoned Babies Home
According to Helen, “The passion came so much when I received 3 babies in one week.”
The first one was a baby boy named Osward. He was left on a rubbish pit for a week and was discovered by a drunkard person with maggots coming out of his umbilical cord. The police informed Helen, and she took the child to the hospital.
After one week, he was taken to an orphanage several miles away from Kabwe. The second baby was Miracle. She was discovered by boys who were digging for mice. She was buried alive by her mother, because she was HIV positive and had no husband. She didn’t want a child to suffer, and she decided to bury her alive. Helen was also called. She stayed with this baby for four days in hospital, and took her to an orphanage. The third child was Mary. She was left in the hospital after the mother ran away after giving birth to a premature baby. Helen was again called, and took all the babies to an orphanage.”
At present, there is nowhere local to take babies, and any babies found are transferred by Helen more than an hour away to an orphanage.
They already have a plot and the exterior of the home built.
When finished, the home will have a house mother who will care for basic needs as well as focus on developing attachment to an adult.
It is Helen’s hope that the babies can be adopted through social welfare to couples who may be struggling to have children.
Thanks to the generosity of those supporting Overflow Ministries, there are likely enough funds already raised to complete construction.
Orphanage
The orphanage has been the recipient of all abandoned babies that Helen has been involved with. They currently have the three babies from 2021, as well as 18 others.
When visiting the orphanage, run by two widows in their 60s, Theresa asked them, “What do you need?” To which mother Mary replied, “only food for the children.”
Theresa saw the menu and noticed the children are fed simple meals with little nutrition, such as bread, butter, and water.
This Orphanage also has no official funding. Overflow Ministries is committed to sending monthly support to help feed the children.
