Agnes Mwape is a 65 year old widow of Kawama Township. She had three children but lost a daughter a few years ago. Her late daughter had two sons who soon after her death were abandoned by their father. Agnes had no choice but to take them into her humble home.

She is too old to engage in any form of work and yet has the responsibility of providing for her grandchildren. Her daughter is married to a bricklayer who does not earn enough to even provide his family with a decent life. This prevents the daughter from being of any help to the mother. Her only son works as a driver and also earns very little to provide for his mother consistently.

Once in a while, she sells small packs of the local cigars by the roadside near her house. From the little she earns, she pays for the two boys’ education and provides a meal for them. Sometimes, the family goes without food for two days or only eats once a day. There is little the community can do for them as almost everyone lives in similar circumstances.

As if this was not enough, Agnes and her two grandchildren lived in a two room mud house. Their shelter was a nightmare especially in the rainy season when it flooded due to a leaking roof and the severe cracks on the walls. This made their lives even more miserable.

The family was identified in partnership with the Salvation Army and has since moved into their new house. Agnes has this to say: “Though we may sometimes sleep without food, we now have something to hold on to. It makes such a difference. I don’t know how to thank God for this’’.