According
to the UNAIDS report on the global AIDS epidemic of 2006, it
is estimated that in 2005, there was over 4.6 million orphans
due to AIDS in southern Africa with Zambia having over 7 hundred
thousand.
Vivian Musonda lives in the remote area of Mporokoso district
in the Northern part of Zambia. She is 17. On the 16th of February,
1989, Vivian was born as the fifth child in the family of six
from Fred Musonda and Fray Mwenya.
‘
We used to stay in Kabwe with my parents. My father was a soldier
and my mother was a housewife. I remember we had a good life.
In 1991, my mother died and it was not easy for us because my
father was at the same time unwell most of time. As result he
retired early on medical grounds,’ Vivian explains.
‘
After he retired, we settled in Mporokoso where I started schooling.
And later in 1996, my father passed away. We were then left
in the care of our grandmother because grandfather also died
later the same year. And then three years later my grandmother
died”, she recalls.
Then after a thoughtful pause she continued. ‘It was then
that our family was separated and I was taken up by my aunt.
When I was in grade nine I was forced to be out of school because
my then guardian refused to pay for my examination fees. She
insisted that I should instead get married. I stayed at home
for about 9 months during which I was chased from home and left
to fend for myself”.
“I realized that I first had to survive so I found myself
a place to stay in the village and started going into the bush
to collect wild fruits to sell. When I had accumulated enough
capital, I started to sell vegetables at the nearby market.
It was there that I met a Zambia Red Cross Society volunteer.
I told him about my desire to go back to school. I was later
directed to Mr. Phiri who is the Red Cross society home-based
care project officer in the district.
When I explained my situation to him, I couldn’t believe
it when he agreed to find me a place in grade 9 at a school
of my choice,’ she says.
“Without hesitation I choose Chishamwamba basic school.
I was one of the brightest students which prompted the head
of the school to make me the Head girl at the school. I also
joined the drama group, which is one of my favorite pass time
activities. I am currently writing my final junior examinations
and am determined to make it to senior level with high marks.
The society has provided me with an opportunity I thought I
would never have. Apart from paying my school fees and school
requirements, they provide me with blankets and food,’
she explains.
‘
It was not easy to put Vivian on the Orphans and Vulnerable
Children (OVC) list as we had just concluded the process of
identifying the OVCs in the community, but after looking at
the confidence, willingness and the situation she was in, we
had no reason of leaving her out of the list of OVCs,’
says James Phiri, the home-based care project officer for Zambia
Red Cross Society in Mporokoso.
Asked about what her advise would be to others who could be
facing similar situations, Vivian suddenly wears a mature serious
look on her young face and replies: ’Never give up. Take
me for example, I didn’t expect to be back in school but
somehow the Red Cross society came to my help. And I intend
to become a journalist when I complete school,’ she adds
with a smile.
Vivian Muscoda is one of the 100 orphans and vulnerable children
whom Zambia Red Cross Society is assisting in Mporokoso District.
The society is running home-based care project with the support
of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies.
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Vivian
Musonda lives in the remote area of Mporokoso district
in the Northern part of Zambia. She is 17. Vivian Muscoda
is one of the 100 orphans and vulnerable children whom
Zambia Red Cross Society is assisting in Mporokoso District.
The society is running home-based care project with the
support of the International Federation of the Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies. "The society has provided
me with an opportunity I thought I would never have. Apart
from paying my school fees and school requirements, they
provide me with blankets and food," she explains.
(p15246)
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