Partnership Overview

Early in 2007 BHW commenced an orphan care project in Kaishe (ZAM14a) and in the first year more than 100 orphans were sent to school.  However, there are few opportunities for school leavers in the Kaishe area and a real need was seen for a Skills Training Centre to train these young people in practical skills that would enable them to support themselves. Riccarton Community Church in New Zealand partnered with the community of Kaishe to establish a Skills Training Centre. 

From 2008 until 2014 the Skills Training Centre offered courses in tailoring, bricklaying and carpentry. These courses have currently been placed on hold as the number of students was falling. There have been quite a few people however who have benefitted from the trainings, with comments such as “now we have doors on houses, not just Chitengis (the local term for a ladies dress)”.

The focus then shifted to Foundations for Farming training, extra lessons for school children and a preschool programme. Currently no programmes are being run from the Skills Centre.

History Of Partnership

Charles Chibale has been working as an evangelist in this area for a number of years. As in many other areas, a large number of orphans have come into the churches as members receive children from their extended families and as the number of orphans in the village increases. There is no infrastructure in the village communities to care for these children.  BHW was approached in 2005 and in 2007 commenced funding of the orphan care project (ZAM14a).

In 2007 a Skills Training Centre was built by the local community to assist with training the children who leave school. The training continued until 2014, with around 5 to 20 students in each course. 2009 saw additions to the Skills Centre with a new carpentry wing opened, and two dormitory blocks built by the community to house boarders who are coming to be trained. 

In 2011 the Skills Centre also started to run short courses for farming, extra lessons for primary school aged children, and adult literacy to teach some adults reading and writing in English.

The community has not always been supportive of the Skills Centre with many jealousy and cultural elements needing to be worked through but as the Skills Centre has remained faithful, the community has come to see the benefits. 

Key People

Leadership Profile

Charles Chibale studied at Samfya Bible School and after graduation went into Christian ministry. He travels this area preaching and teaching. On many occasions he travels through into the DRC as the border is nearby. As he moved around the churches in the area, he became aware of the issue of orphan care in the churches. There were too many children at Sunday School not going to school and not able to read or write. He therefore did something about it. He approached BHW after seeing a successful orphan care project not far from this community. He is a leader in the community, he is an agent of change and transformation.

As well as heading up the orphan care project (ZAM14a) Charles is currently also the coordinator for the Skills Training Centre.

Vision And Annual Strategy

At some stage in the future, Charles would like to use the Skills Training Centre to train more people in farming, after demonstrating on his own farm and running an intern programme.