ST. PETER CLAVER SOCIETY 2022 FUNDRAISER

Zambia’s first Cardinal, His Eminence Medardo Mazombwe, had a dream before his death in 2013: to build an agricultural training center where disadvantaged young people would be prepared for adulthood and learn the skills necessary for rural farming and husbandry, thereby avoiding the many problems accompanying urban migration. The St. Peter Claver Society an apostolate of St. John the Beloved Catholic Church has been working with many Zambian partners over the years to make this dream a reality. We are pleased to report that construction of the Cardinal Mazombwe Life Skills and Agricultural Training Center (CMTC) is well underway with the building of the classroom block, staff house and dormitory. None of this would be possible without our donors’ on-going generous financial support and prayers, for which we are very grateful.

Classroom block under construction

The CMTC is located on a 59-acre property donated by the Makunka parish of the Livingstone Diocese of Zambia. Until recently the project was managed by CARITAS, but Bishop Kalumba transferred management to the Curia on May 30, 2022 and assigned Father Barnabas as project manager. The next phase of the project will include a second dormitory, solar lighting and furnishings for all the buildings.

Roof on the staff house almost complete

Transfer from CARITAS to the Curia with Vicar General, Father Mulasikwanda, looking on.

When St. Anthony Children’s Village was established in May 2003, the majority of the children were HIV infected, their mothers having died from AIDS.  However, with the availability of ARVs (anti-retroviral drugs) for adults and children, more mothers are able to live and care for their children.  Currently, St. Anthony’s has increased the number of vulnerable children it welcomes to include those who have been abandoned by their families, or whose mothers are incapable of caring for them, and especially those with special needs.  St. Anthony’s provides both physical and emotional support to these children in a loving and caring community. As needed, the kids receive physiotherapy from a qualified physiotherapist. Caregivers continue with the exercises. The St. Peter Claver Society, which has supported St. Anthony’s since 2004, raised the necessary funds to purchase the physiotherapy equipment.

Siblings, James and Chikondi, are not orphans, but their extremely poor parents locked the children in a house without food.  When James and Chikondi arrived at St. Anthony Children’s Village, they were severely malnourished; Chikonddi could not walk at all, and James was unable to walk straight.  With physiotherapy and proper nutrition, they can now walk and are able to go to school.  Donations are especially needed to deal with the impact of the pandemic. 

James

James’ sister, Chikondi