Child Support Specialists



Kafwa sharing their stories

 We continue to be saddened and moved by the stories the Kafwa shared with us in June.  Four of the Kafwa in Chipulukusu met with a group of 40 orphans one Saturday at the school.  As the Kafwa said, "The stories the orphans shared brought tears to our eyes".  As they related the stories to us we could tell they were still very moved by the experience.  Some children said their relatives refused to give them food or soap to wash their clothes.  Many said they were treated differently than their caregivers' own children.  They said some of the grandmothers did not feed or bathe them.  They see the OVCs as a burden because they don't even have food for themselves.  This is not true in all cases, however.  Some, fortunately, are in loving homes but even then it's still challenging.  One of the Kafwa, Jenny, who is caring for her 12 year-old granddaughter, says its hard.  Even though she loves her granddaughter, normal pre-teen attitudes get tangled up with feelings of being an orphan.  Jenny says if she refuses to give her granddaughter money she says to her, "You don't want to help me because my mother died.  I wish I'd died instead of her."  All of the children, however, expressed their joy and gratitude at having a school to attend.  Some are now calling the Kafwa "Mama" or "Grandma."  As the Kafwa said, "They know we are their friends."