Phanny is a supervisor at Autoworld – a company which sells an extensive range of automotive, marine and lifestyle products in Zambia.
“I supervise a team of men who work in automotive repair, vehicle servicing and boat repair,” says the 28-year-old. “I owe my success to a man that sponsored me through ChildFund, and I’m really grateful,” she adds. “My life has turned around for the better, and I wake up every morning with a reason for living.”
Phanny’s parents died when she was just four years old, leaving only her 16-year-old sister to care of her. None of their relatives offered to take them in, so the sisters remained in their parents’ home and Phanny’s sister dropped out of school and resorted to doing odd jobs so that they could survive.
“My life before ChildFund was very difficult,” Phanny explains. “My sister only made enough for us to have a meal, I had no hope of ever starting school, and most of the time I joined my sister washing people’s clothes and cleaning their homes for food.”
Phanny’s big break came when her sister heard about ChildFund’s sponsorship program. The girls were immediately enrolled in programs through ChildFund Zambia’s local partner, Tiyanjane Community Association.
“Being enrolled at Tiyanjane project was the biggest relief for us,” Phanny says.
“The sponsor I was assigned was very kind. In our letters, my sister explained that I came from a child-headed household, and he became like a father to me,” she says. “He sent me inspiring letters and cards. I looked forward to receiving them every month.”
With support from her sponsor, Phanny sailed through primary school and qualified for secondary school with good grades. She completed school in 2006 and decided to study motor vehicle engineering.
In 2009, she started working for Autoworld as an assistant motor vehicle technician. She quickly rose through the ranks due to her commitment and love for the job.
Today, she is the supervisor and still the only female at Autoworld’s downtown branch. She and her sister live together in a nice house and Phanny’s sister no longer has to take odd jobs.
“I’m the only lady here, supervising a number of men,” Phanny says. “My life has changed positively, and I feel like I’m living my dream. I have dreams of meeting my sponsor to thank him and tell him in person what his support has done.”
In the future Phanny wants to further her education and open a garage of her own so that she can support other children in need in her community.
Margaret Nyirongo is well respected in Chongwe district, a poor rural area of Zambia not far from the capital, Lusaka. Not only is she a dynamic businesswoman, this 25-year-old has become an inspiring role model to other young women as the founder of a girls’ peer support group.
Below she tells us about her journey, and the youth program that changed her life.
The struggles faced by young girls in rural Zambia
In an area where youth unemployment, early pregnancies and HIV prevalence are at critically high levels, this kind of support can be life-changing for girls who see few prospects for themselves.
“I want to be a good example to other young people and my family,” says Margaret, the eldest of seven children. “I want people to understand that sharing knowledge and skills can bring about desired change in our communities, and that selflessness is key.”
Margaret knows first-hand the risks faced by girls in her area. Like many other bright young women in rural Zambia, Margaret saw her dreams slipping away when she was forced to drop out of school early as her parents could no longer afford to pay for her education. She had always wanted to be a nurse.
“I was devastated when my mother said I needed to stop school,” Margaret recalls. “I felt like the world had crumbled, together with my dream of wearing a nurse`s uniform.”
No longer in school, Margaret became pregnant at the age of 18 and life took a turn for the worse. She says: “The man responsible refused to take responsibility and my mother asked me out of the house.”
How Margaret’s life was changed by a ChildFund youth program
It was at this point that a friend of Margaret`s encouraged her to attend a youth meeting in her district, organised by ChildFund Zambia. Here, she heard other young people talk about how participating in the group`s activities had changed their lives.
“They requested me to join their group, but I thought it was all nonsense. I did not realise that the programs they participated in kept them away from vices like illicit sex and alcohol abuse, which are so common in our communities. After a few days, I actually saw positive changes in most of the youth that I knew and this was what made me join the youth group,” Margaret says.
Initially she took part in the various trainings on offer, including life skills, psychosocial support and village banking, which helped the group members set goals, become more confident and able to teach others.
Then in 2010, Margaret was among 200 young people (mostly young women) from Chongwe and Luangwa districts to be trained in banana production and business management through the AusAID-funded Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), managed by ChildFund Australia. The overall goal of this three-year project was to establish sustainable livelihoods for the young participants and increase their incomes through improvement of production, marketing knowledge and access to markets.
How Margaret was empowered to follow her dreams
“With that support my life changed a lot because I realised that I had the capacity to earn income in a respectful manner,” says Margaret. “Besides, I also learned that it pays to work hard and that when you sweat for your business, sweat turns into sweet!”
Today Margaret is not just leading the YEP group in Chongwe district, she has set up her own banana plantation. She also keeps chickens and is running a grocery store built from the proceeds of the chicken sales.
Her knack for teaching and supporting others has also seen her in high demand with local schools, community groups and other organisations to assist with training children, youth and adults on issues such as HIV prevention and awareness, and women`s rights. This is something Margaret is incredibly proud of.
“It means they have seen something in me,” she says, flashing her big smile. “I will always remain grateful to ChildFund for helping me rediscover my purpose and realise that despite my humble education background, I can still make it.”
You can help children in poverty reach their full potential
There are still other children like Margaret who are forced to drop out of school and give up their dreams. Many of them are girls, who are forced into early marriage, child labour and other unsafe situations.
To reach these children, and empower them to follow their dreams, we need your help. Donate to our current appeal, and help children fear less.
Donate before June 30th and your donation will be tax deductible, which means you’ll be able to claim it on your tax return. There’s no better time of year to give back, to get back.
You can also take the leap into child sponsorship, a journey that will see you make a monthly contribution to support a child in poverty. If sponsoring a child interests you, learn more about our child sponsorship program here.
The Youth Empowerment Project was completed in June 2013. ChildFund Zambia and their local partners continue to provide mentoring, technical and monitoring support.
