By Buumba Malambo
Zambia – Today I was excited as usual when my friend called me because for the past four weeks we have been celebrating the fact that the house her father and mother who recently died in a car crush was left in her name and her siblings meaning they had a roof over their heads. Unfortunately today she was crying on phone because the relatives have sold the house and thrown her and her brothers outside to fend for themselves. I was so shaken and for a long time I did not say anything as my blood froze after some minutes this is what I told her
When I passed to grade 9 at Mufulira High school an NGO from UK came at our school requesting if they could sponsor one of the pupils that passed with flying colours from secondary up to University preferably a university in UK. Fortunately I was chosen and during assembly of about one thousand students they announced that they will sponsor my education and encouraged other students to emulate me am sure those that where my classmates or at Mufulira High school will recall this poignant event. I was excited to accompany the director of the NGO as he went class by class to talk to the students little did I know that someone out there was extremely exasperated.
After doing the formal papers and signed the contract the head teacher in the company of some teachers that always found pleasure in being encumbrance or an hindrance to deserving students told the NGO that since I was a girl the school would not advice that I get sponsored after so many fights the NGO was forced to withdraw the contract that’s how I was unfairly treated and the perfect gift I was to receive that year was taken away from me because someone out there wanted their child who never passed a single exam to be sponsored. For a long time I was depressed.
Years passed and I healed from all the shame and hate I kept. Mufulira high school has a UK-ZAMBIA exchange programme where they choose hardworking grade 11 Mufulira high school students to represent Zambia and the school in the UK for three weeks. It was that time again and I was chosen by the programme committee for interviews but as usual the same teachers and the Head teacher interfered and my interviews were ignored luckily other teachers and pupils started questioning, due to pressure the head teacher called me and those that were chosen for a meeting when I entered the room I found one of my teachers holding a plastic with small pieces of paper in it.
I was told that 10 papers had the word NO and only one had YES written on it, in front of my friends I was made to pick one paper that would determine my going to the UK I took a deep breath and picked one paper, my hand was shaking like a reed so I gave Joan my friend to open it. When she opened she shed tears and I could see the Head teacher smile happily thinking I picked a NO my blood froze but Joan was shedding tears of joy because I picked a YES and that how I went to the UK in 2007.During our stay in Somerset, at a community function i was shocked to see the director of the NGO after 3 years. I was happy because I had the chance to ask him why???
Any way as for the Head teacher after I was picked to study at the University of Zambia he died after a short illness and the teacher was retired I sometimes feel bad because he died before seeing how the stones he threw at me made me grow stronger. Last month when I was home in Mufulira town me and my parents met the teacher and providently we were all glad in the BUUMBALAMBO FOUNDATION t-shirt up to now I still remember the infamy on his face.
I just want to tell you my dear friends that when stones are thrown at you make a bridge to cross to the other side and for those that unfairly treat others and hinder other people from progressing be assured that the bridge you are breaking today may turn against you tomorrow. To those who are unfairly treated smile because other people have eyes that see the future in you and they fear your progress.
NOTE: never hinder people when you see them progress because you work against and fight the hand of God in their lives.
Buumba is the Founder of the charity Buumbalambo Foundation, a charity that helps children in need. The organisation was founded in October 2012.
The organisation is currently appealing for donations and sponsorship and this can be done through the following contacts: Email malambobuumba@gmail.com and Tel 00260968871022
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