A trip of a lifetime to Zambia

From the moment we arrived at the Village, it was clear to see the love and devotion that the SOS mothers give to every single child. During our two day visit, we experienced a welcoming, thriving village and some very happy faces. We arrived on the first day of school holidays, giving us plenty of time to see the children and play with them.

The friendliness of all the staff and their eagerness to share their surroundings with us was wonderful. The children were very well cared for, great fun to interact with, and very inquisitive. They especially loved taking pictures of each other with our camera and telling us what they wanted to be when they were older (career ambitions include teachers, nurses, doctors and pilots). As well as seeing the various facilities and several homes, we spent time in the community area where the children sang circle songs, danced, played games, and enjoyed drawing.

 
Alex and his sister visiting their sponsored SOS child, Mapalo
The house mothers work very hard; to see this first hand is very humbling. Each mother cares for ten children of varying ages (babies to teenagers) and manages a household budget to ensure each child is clothed and well fed. Mothers get up at 5:00 am each morning to light the braziers if there are power cuts (which seem to happen very regularly) and to do the washing. The mothers take enormous pride in their houses which are really well kept and equipped with a kitchen, a bathroom and four bedrooms. The children are very proud of their clothes and fold them neatly in their rooms.

Saying goodbye

We took two suitcases with us containing various toys, games, stationery items and clothes for the SOS Village, purchased with travel grants generously provided by my school. The children were thrilled to play with balls and frisbees, which was a pleasure to see, as these simple toys are taken for granted in the UK.

The infinite love that the children in Chipata receive from their SOS mothers is wonderful to see and it is obvious to us that SOS is ensuring a bright future for these children.

We provide up to 130 orphaned and abandoned children with loving homes in Chipata, Zambia. Discover how you can become a sponsor.

SOSCHIDRENVILLAGES