Zambia Project/Save a Life Center

Hi; Madison & Kelsey here!

It was our first week of practicum, and our experience was more than we could have hoped for.  This week we were placed at the Zambia Project.  This included an experience in the Save a Life Centre and the Walk-in Clinic.  The Save a Life Centre works with malnourished babies and children in Mongu, while also working closely with their caregiver to enhance their nutritional status.  It involves education for the caregivers, weekly provision of food, supporting the caregivers in establishing a micro-business, as well visiting the child’s home to check in on them and to ensure that the child is improving.

We worked with mothers and their children at all different stages of malnutrition both through home visits and the feeding centre.  It was an amazing experience, which allowed us to build trusting relationships with moms and their children.  When we arrived at the centre each day, we were welcomed by the staff and a room filled with mothers sitting on the floor and active babes crawling around us. The mothers were very accepting of us and trusted us with their children, so much so that we often did not know whose child had been dropped in our lap until they came to grab them at the end of the morning.

We both felt a great mixture of emotions throughout this experience due to the fact that we working with sick and vulnerable children in difficult circumstances.
I (Madison) had a difficult time seeing babies and young children so sick.  There were times where I teared up looking into a child’s eyes, or saying goodbye after a home visit.  I repeatedly held the children and looked into their eyes and whispered,  “You are so strong, you are so loved” because in that moment I felt the need to tell them their worth, even if they didn’t understand.  I am tearing up writing this, not because I am sad, but because I want to hold onto those moments forever, and I absolutely will.  The spirits of these children are resilient.  They are so happy with what they have, to be held, to dance with you, or just to be with you.  I have been given so much strength from these children, and they have taught me so much in such a short period of time.  I feel hopeful; because of the Zambia Project these children have the ability and chance to grow, learn, and ultimately be a kid again.

I (Kelsey) felt very humbled by this experience. I found the most valuable experiences to be the home visits because prior to this experience, I didn’t have a real idea of the factors that contribute to malnutrition. Through the home visits, I was able to get a glimpse of each family’s circumstances and obstacles. The strength and determination that I witnessed from these families gave me a new understanding and appreciation for the mothers who try so hard to provide for their children despite having the odds stacked against them. I felt very grateful to be a part of each family’s journey and to gain a new perspective by looking at life and circumstance through a different lens.

Thank you to the Zambia Project for their patience, knowledge, and welcoming arms, and we’re so thankful to have been a small part of these families’ journeys.

All our love,
Kelsey & Madison