We are Heart for Zambia
Heart for Zambia Humanitarian Foundation supports education projects in Zambia because “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” (N. Mandela).
The Foundation promotes education, particularly in Zambia’s Western Province,
the poorest and least developed region of the country, where people have virtually no material possessions. In February 2020, we opened a students’ residence in the centre of Livingstone, and we are currently building a students’ residence for 100 high school students in the Nawinda mission, located far away from Livingstone.
Our Story
Dr. Marino Ninčević enjoys visiting continents and countries where consumerism has not yet fully taken root. His friend, Rev. Boris Dabo, is a missionary who works in Africa, notably in Zambia. During a conversation they had, they came up with the idea for Dr. Ninčević to spend his vacation in Africa, assisting Rev. Dabo with his work in the missions. Soon after, Dr. Ninčević was given a plan for his stay in the Nawinda mission. The plan included visiting mission stations, many of which are isolated and remote communities, celebrating Mass and sacraments at those mission stations, and living among the locals.
The Heart for Zambia Foundation is based in Zambia’s Western Province. This is the poorest and least developed region of Zambia, inhabited by the Lozi tribe. The Lozi are a kind, benevolent, hospitable, and pious tribe. They win your heart at first sight with their cheerfulness, friendliness, and gentleness – you can’t help but love them.
When you visit this part of the world, you feel as if you have entered another dimension, a dimension of unbearable lightness of being, as Kundera would put it. A world in which life is vastly different from what we are used to.
“Despite extreme poverty, I have never witnessed such human kindness, honesty, gentleness, warmth, sympathy for others, and profound true joy. What my experience in Zambia has taught me is that being open to others, especially to those different from you, can help you find purpose in life, regardless of whether you are a believer or not. This means recognizing others as our brothers and sisters capable of bringing light, truth, and togetherness into our lives, rather than seeing them as rivals and enemies. Being open involves sympathizing with other people, accepting them and listening to them, especially those who are vulnerable, poor or oppressed, so that we all might live in harmony.” – Dr. Marino Ninčević.
Our team
The Heart for Zambia Foundation director is a priest of the Archdiocese of Zadar, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sc. Marino Ninčević. Holding a master’s degree in Theology and a doctoral degree (Phd) in Pedagogy, he is a professor at the Faculty of Croatian Studies at Zagreb University. Fr. Marino loves Zambia, where he goes every summer. He lives among the locals in the Nawinda mission, helping them, teaching them and celebrating sacraments with them.
Members of the Foundation’s Managing Board are Nela Pedišić, Petar Pavić, Luka Božić and Filip Piškulić. They volunteer their time to support the Foundation expecting nothing in return. Every individual can make a difference in making the world a better and more humane place.
About Zambia
Zambia is a landlocked country in South Africa. It is home to some 70 ethnic and tribal groups who mostly speak Bantu languages, which number 73 in total. Bemba, Nyanja-Chewa, Tonga, Lunda, Luvale, Kaonde, and Lozi are the largest tribes. Christians, particularly Catholics, are the largest religious group, followed by Muslims, Hindus and Animists, that is, those who practice no known religion. Approximately 40% of the population lives in cities, with the rest living in distant and remote villages. According to the 2000 Census, Zambia had a population of 10 million. The official population estimate is at 20 million, although the actual population is likely to be between 35 and 40 million. Zambia has a tropical climate.
There are three seasons: the cold and dry season (May-August, with night temperatures ranging between 0 and 5 degrees, and daytime temperatures between 35 and 42 degrees); the hot, dry, and windy season (September-October, with night temperatures ranging between 25 and 30 degrees, and daytime temperatures between 35 and 42 degrees), and the hot and humid season (November-April, with night temperatures over 30 degrees, and daytime temperatures ranging between 45 and 50 degrees, at times even higher). During the 3rd season, people plant their crops, primarily corn. In recent years, the rain has been scarce, so periods plagued by hunger are becoming increasingly common. The currency is the Zambian kwacha, and 100 euros amounts to approximately 1100 kwacha.
