An overwhelming response to

Our New Resource Centre

• We recently hosted, in collaboration with Girls Can Code! Rural Coding Series and Peace Corps Zambia, three weeks of computer camps for over 20 rural youth from 11 communities.
• Central Location = Greater Visibility
  The opening of our new resource centre (located in a much more central part of town) has presented Bakashana with both a challenge and an opportunity.  The challenge is facing the extreme variety of needs that the people of Kasama face on an everyday basis and, as an organization, learning how to handle the influx of requests that fall within our mission, but outside our already established programs. The opportunity is that, as a community based, grassroots program we can assess and be responsive to community needs as they occur.  In a handful of extreme cases, we have been able to provide targeted, specialized support to women and families who face insurmountable challenges. Here are a couple of examples of this specialized support:
  • Bana Mpundu, (above left) was, due to her albinism and cultural taboos, blamed for the death of her neice-in-law who died while giving birth to twins.  After being chased out of the community, her house burned, this grandmother of 6 was left to care for the twins (one of whom suffers from hydrocephalus). We have been able to assist her with formula for the twin girls and transport to the capital for treatment.
  • Emanuela (above right) suffered childhood polio that left her severely disabled. Despite her challenges, she is excited about her new hand-knitting machine provided by Bakashana. She is learning quickly and has the goal of producing sweaters that will be purchased for the girls in our program.This will provide a livelihood for Emanuela and much needed income to support her and her family.

School begins again next week and 9 of our Bakashana Grantees still need sponsors!

Sponsorship starts at just about $1/day and means the world to one of these deserving young women.