When Susan was just over a year old it became clear she would never walk. Her parents left her  with her grandmother who had no resources to put Susan through school or do anything for her medically. They simply survived. Until Living Compassion came to Kantolomba.

Susan was bright and eager and her grandmother wanted much more for her than mere survival. Her grandmother approached Theresa for assistance.  Susan started attending the informal classes that Charles (a co-op member) held at the property.  Susan now had access to nutritious food, a tutor, companionship, a new wheelchair and eventually funds to enroll in a government school.

Susan’s classmates would assist her to navigate her new wheelchair over the rocky paths to the local school.  It was a heartwarming sight to see them all laughing and dancing as they took turns pushing and even sometimes four of them teaming up to carry the chair with Susan in it! 

Though Susan enjoyed school, she struggled to catch up with her peers and after not passing her grade 9 exams, she chose to take another route. For the last year and a half, she has been enrolled in a tailoring program, paid for by a loan from Living Compassion. 

She has now graduated and the cooperative is scheming on next steps.  They are talking about a micro-loan for Susan to buy her own sewing machine and have her set up a little tailoring shop, “right here at the Living Compassion property. There are always people who need school uniforms for their children or a dress made for themselves, something mended. And Susan does very good, careful work. We think we can start to build a reputation for having high quality work here at Living Compassion.” Theresa tells us.   

Susan is setting the stage for the other young women for whom academics is not a viable option.  She is a beacon of what’s possible when we don’t give up! 

This Bemba song, Balapanga inshila, There’s Always a Way, perfectly encapsulates Susan’s perseverance. The song lyrics tell us, “Wherever people think there’s no way to do it, there is always a way.  Look how far we have come.”

Please join us in wishing Susan a very Happy International Women’s Day and help us meet our $5,000 matching grant.