On assignment in Zambia - Mama Carol

In January we received an eMail from my brother Al who was former Information Director at Bemidji State University (Minnesota). It’s where I spent my first year at college. He heard they were working on a magazine story about one of their graduates, Carol McBrady, who is helping street kids near Zambia’s capitol of Lusaka. They were at a quandary about how to get photos, so Al put us in contact with Rose in the Marketing Department to see if there was a chance we could help.

Since Rita and I have some pro photo and video gear with, we connected with Rose to find out what they were looking for, and contacted Carol about her location. We knew our itinerary included travel through Zambia on our way to Malawi. It turned out that we would be overnight in a camp near Lusaka. We would travel 9 hours from Livingstone and made plans to meet up with Carol for the remaining :30 min ride to Salvation Home. It was a tight window of opportunity and there was no certainty we could pull it off. Regardless, we did what we could to handle the logistics, photo releases, etc. here since there’s nothing Rose could do from her end.

Planning went well while in contact with Carol, who provided info via e-mail before we arrived in Zambia. However, we started having communications trouble once we landed in Africa. We connected with our overland transport group, Dragoman, to finalize a route and last minute details. They agreed to leave at early at 7am to get us there by late afternoon. We tried calling Carol to let her know - from our Skype and two different cells, but to no avail. All we could manage was a text saying we would try to come to her location after 4pm (which we didn't know went through). We had seen a newspaper headline that Lusaka had to relocate some people due to flooding, but we didn't know if Carol was affected.

Since it’s still the wet season, we awoke to pack our tent in the rain and hit the road on schedule. We arrived at the outskirts of Lusaka after the long drive from Livingstone and asked to be dropped at a roadside gas station, intending to find a cab for the remaining distance. Carol had given us some well known landmarks so we felt that we could get in the general vicinity. From there, she just said, "tell them you're looking for Mama Carol - the white lady who works with kids." Our travel partners looked a bit concerned just dropping us in the middle of nowhere, the two of us standing by our bags.

We found a guy willing to drive us, but he also had a local cell that worked. We were finally able get through to Carol by phone, who was already enroute with their flatbed truck full of kids to meet us. Good thing, since the roads were really washed out and I’m not sure any car would have made it to Salvation House. It’s on the outskirts of town surrounded by corn fields. All of the rain had taken a toll on the car paths (don’t know if I’d even call them roads). It was exciting (and, a bit of a relief) to finally meet Carol in person. Rita jumped in the front of the truck with her, while I rode in the back with the kids and our bags… buffeted by wind, drizzle and laughter.
The rain continued on and off through the next couple hours, but that didn’t stop the kids from putting on a little welcome dance and skit. It also didn’t deter us from using the last of the remaining daylight to capture images representing the amazing work Carol does. It was an unusually full night at Salvation House, the simple 4-bedroom rambler was home to 37 boys/young men and girls/young women. Some had been with Carol for several years, who are now helping to run the center. Others had just arrived, conditions having worsened from the rain fed floods. They get food, a safe place to sleep, medical care, literacy training, etc. in exchange for a commitment to go to school, stay off drugs, take on chores, etc.

Kids who end up on the street, some as young as age 5, have a life expectancy of about 6 years. They end up there because they were sold, abandoned or just runaways who thought life would be better if they were on their own. That means most are not going to school, spending their time trying to simply survive huddled along roadsides and buildings in the heart of the capitol. They soon turn to cheap street drugs to numb themselves from the regular beatings, rape (both boys and girls) and abuse. Some of it comes from local authorities trying to curb theft and lawlessness. Most is simply from a fight for survival.

Carol hoped to take us into the heart of Lusaka to show us the living conditions where the street kids are concentrated. She makes regular visits there to minister to them, sometimes spending entire days with kids lined up needing to be bandaged. Unfortunately, the truck was needed to get to the hospital so our trip was delayed until after dark. We left as soon as the truck got back, not much past 8pm, but the streets were filled with an eerie darkness and full of people. Everyone knew Carol, many wanting to come over for a hug and most asking her to take them home with her for the night. The streets were scary, so I couldn’t blame them.

Kids were roaming everywhere, delirious and high, holding plastic water bottles to their nose to sniff “sticka” (slang for a dangerous paint byproduct that serves as a cheap drug). Rita and I have been many places in the world, but this made us the most uneasy we have ever felt. Even with Carol’s kids around us as body guards, we were three white people walking the most dangerous area of Zambia - it could easily get out of control. In fact it did, as we made our way back to the truck one of our boys let out a scream of pain as he had sticka splashed in his face. The attack came from somewhere in the dark, apparently from someone jealous that he couldn’t come with us. Carol and others immediately began to rinse the caustic liquid from his eyes. The boy would be fine, but the visit would leave a lasting impression on us – this is where Carol chooses to work, alone or with a few volunteers, to make a difference in the world.

Once back to Salvation House the kids were already having their traditional meal, consisting of a bean stew with mealy meal (milled corn). We soon joined them and shortly after it was time for bed. Carol gave up her room for us, opting to sleep with the girls. Others had already doubled up in one of the bunks or taken a blanket to the floor, since the house was more than full. We awoke at sun-up to find kids starting their chores, getting ready for school and cooking their morning porrage. We had to meet our overland group around 7am to continue our travel through Zambia, but we had enough time for a few more photos and laughs before we said our goodbyes.

I’ve posted a few photos, so click our More Photos link. Meanwhile, I’m posting information about Salvation House’s non-profit / NGO. If you’re looking for an organization where your donation makes a big difference, I can attest to the fact that Carol squeezes every penny she gets. She started the place by selling her own home and possessions in Minnesota, but now runs day-to-day from donations made by folks like you and I. Anything you can do to help will be appreciated.

Jeff

http://zcfund.org/

Legally registered NGO - September, 2005
Registration No. ORS/102/35/3280
Action for Children ~ Zambia
P.O. Box 35716
Plot 104/401a
St. Bonaventure
Lusaka, Zambia
Africa
20855 Kensington Blvd.
Lakeville, MN 55044
c_mcbrady@hotmail.com
Carol McBrady, Director
0977.538534