Not Alone:
Leah’s Story of Resilience
NOT ALONE: LEAH’S STORY
She was abandoned by her ex-husband and left alone to survive with her small twin boys who were 4 years old.
Leah*, a single mother from Zambia found a way in spite of everything to make ends meet for herself and her twin boys Vincent and Calvin* who are now 7 years old.
Without any formal education, she has been able to run a small business selling goods between the border towns of Livingstone, Zambia, and Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. She was able to provide for her children and even afford to pay for their school fees without any problems.
But when COVID hit and increased the economic instability, the borders shut down and Leah’s livelihood was lost. Providing for her family without support became a struggle.
Leah and her boys, Vincent and Calvin
“Before, I was alone”
After seeing the vulnerability of this family, a local church in their community stepped in to provide support for her to get back on her feet so that she can continue to take care of her family. Things changed for Leah, Vincent, and Calvin! The church provided food, covered school expenses, and helped Leah join a savings group.
Empowering Leah has given her support and economic security to provide stability for her family and keep her children with her.
Not Alone
Here is what Leah said:
“The church has helped me as well as the boys emotionally and spiritually. Before, I was alone with no one to help me.” And her boys were alone, with no one to help them navigate their father’s abandonment. Through the church’s counseling, Vincent and Calvin “have learned not to hate their father when they see him with the other family, but to love him.”
“God has answered my prayers by helping me put smiles on my children’s faces. They know they are not alone”!
We are thankful for how local churches are empowering vulnerable children and families to thrive in their communities. Thank you for making this possible.
A special thanks to Sishekano Kaywala, our Area Impact Coordinator in Zambia for collecting this story to share with partners like you.