David & Chanda
Brothers Through Thick & Thin
David & Chanda: Brothers Through Thick & Thin
David and Chanda* are brothers who live together in a child headed household in Zambia. In 2017, they left their rural home village in search of a better livelihood in the city of Lusaka. Unfortunately, they faced many challenges as they were unable to find a stable place to stay and gainful employment in the city at such a young age. They eventually moved from the city and found work as caretakers in a farm outside Lusaka.
They were paid 500 Kwacha (~$26) a month to work on the farm, take care of the livestock, and work the land. Even though they were being paid so little for the hard work they were doing, these brothers continued to pursue a better future for themselves. They are both enrolled in secondary school David is doing grade seven and his older brother Chanda is in grade ten.
David is on the left (white shirt) and Chanda is on the right (blue shirt).
To manage their school work and their farm work, they’d take shifts. Here’s what a normal day would look like:
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Morning: David works the fields, Chanda attends school
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Afternoon: David attends school, Chanda works the fields
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Evening: Both finish their work, study, or attend church.
By alternating shifts, the brothers got the best of both worlds or so they thought.
A few months into their new jobs, their employer failed to pay them for many months of their work. This led to many days of working in the fields and attending school without any food in their stomach.
Determined to stick it out, the boys continued to work in hopes they’d receive their wages. But their wages never came.
As a result, the boys left the farm. Around this time, Chinkuli Free Methodist Church (a partner church of Forgotten Voices) noticed these hard-working boys. Moved by their vulnerability and extraordinary story, the church began supporting these boys.
With partners like you, Forgotten Voices and Chinkuli Free Methodist helped by:
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Paying for their school fees so they could get a stable education
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Providing a supportive community for the brothers to grow spiritual, emotional, and socially.
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Counseling David through challenges and trauma he has experienced
Now, both brothers are active members of Chinkuli Free Methodist Church. Their faith in God continues to strengthen despite their challenges. The church also encourages them weekly to work hard and be courageous.
As of right now, David and Chanda are staying at another farm in the community that’s owned by a generous community member who has been helpful to the brothers. They’re caretakers of this farm and they continue working hard!
With COVID-19, schools are still currently closed. But once they’re-open, David will be going into grade seven.
Isn’t it incredible how two brothers can endure so much and still move forward?
We’re encouraged by stories like this one – why? David and Chanda are two faithful, hard-working boys who want to succeed in life. To help them get there, the local church is stepping up to empower them to succeed!
Will you please remember to pray for David and Chanda?
*Names have been changed to protect those we serve