HEART FOR ZAMBIA

Africa is an enchanting place for me. All of the enticing African colours are the product of infinite adaptations that allow living beings to survive a harsh environment and a relentless ecosystem. Africa changes everyone. My heart was captured by the optimism and joy of the poor people of Zambia’s Western Province, the poorest region of this magnificent country. Despite all the problems, poverty, disease, hunger, and all kinds of hardship… they look forward to each new day as a new opportunity. They are happy and “happy people always find joy in small things. Crazy greed is foreign to them. I have never seen happy people give in to relentless chase, a blind run after a golden calf. They are exceedingly honest, open and uncomplicated…”/ P. Bosmans /

The situation in Zambia is particularly harsh this year because to the Covid-19 outbreak, which caused a partial lockdown. “Injustice and evil are not invincible, please remember the most vulnerable”, Pope Francis remarked in one of his sermons. We haven’t forgotten about the impoverished in Zambia, where the Heart for Zambia Foundation started a number of educational projects, because “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” (N. Mandela).

We embarked on the projects to establish a students’ residence in Livingstone and construct one in Nawinda, relying on people’s generosity and kindness. The residence in Livingstone is open, students are there, but we still need scholarships for some of them. You can see them all on our website (thank you to @Profico from Split for developing our website!).

The students’ residence in Nawinda is coming along; the first house for 50 high school boys is finished, and the beds have been completed. When I go there, I need to arrange the transportation of beds and mattresses from Livingstone to Nawinda, which is neither simple nor cheap, because of the deep sand the trucks cannot drive on. We are beginning with the construction of the second house, for 50 girls. Unfortunately, the corona virus slowed us down significantly, but it did not deter us. With the help of good people, our students will continue their education, and our high school students will soon move into their residences.

As Charles Bukowski once said, “You begin saving the world by saving one man at a time; all else is grandiose romanticism or politics.” “If you want to be happy, try to make someone else happy. If you want to receive, give yourself a little. Remember, sometimes, when you least expect it, there will be those who will give you a good experience.” /W. Shakespeare/

Thank you to everyone who is helping us alleviate the suffering of these people in need.

Dr. Marino Ninčević