Vulnerability in Zambia continues to be attributed to factors such as HIV/AIDS, poverty and Displacement. HIV/AIDS accounts for 57% of Zambia’s orphaned children while about 70 % of the total population lives in poverty and has therefore not been spared from its effects. Though not many families have been displaced due to civil war as is the case in other third world countries, displacement in Zambia has often usually been as a result of property grabbing which physically displaces the family from their family homes. However, in November 2002, a group of residents occupying an area called Ngombe Compound, east of Lusaka; the capital city of Zambia had to suffer displacement in what the victims term as a very unusual circumstance.

This was not as a result of property grabbing but a land conflict. The many families that settled on this land were assured that no one would ever move them. They however knew that the land belonged to a church which had no use for it at the time. Mirriam and family were among the families affected. While living in Ngombe, the family owned a 1 roomed house where they lived happily. Their happiness was however not long lived.

The family spent a week in the open before they finally found a one (1) roomed house to rent after their house was demolished. The husband was able to pay rentals from a fish business that he ran. He was able to sustain his family from the little profits he realised. Unfortunately, Mirriam’s Husband died in December 2004 from severe headache. This happened Two (2) years after their house had been demolished in Ngombe compound. Life became difficult for Mirriam and her children due to the loss of the breadwinner. They could not even afford to pay rentals for their one roomed house. Mirriam feared that her children would become destitute but luckily, a cousin of hers was offered a job as a leave-in maid by a wealthy family who also provided her with accommodation. she then left her one roomed house to Mirriam and her family. Mirriam lived in this house until 2007 when her cousin lost her job and needed to come back to her house. Like other families affected by the displacement, Mirriam was allocated a plot in Independence compound in 2005.

She could however not develop anything on it due to lack of finances. In 2007, she had gone there to clear up the grass growing on it when she learnt about a neighbour who needed a caretaker. This happened at the time when she was also looking for a place where she could put her children. It was a prayer answered indeed. She lived in that house for two and half years while doing a small fish business to help her start putting up a house for her children. Her brother had lent her some money to start this business. Unfortunately, on one of her trips from buying fish to resale, the vehicle she used had a break down and all the fish went bad. This marked the end of her business, and the end to her dream to build her house. Currently, she crushes stones for a living. This is a tough going business as she is not guaranteed of making sales on a daily basis. In February, 2009, the owner of the house where Mirriam and her children lived as caretakers decided to sell it. They had lived there or two and half years but it was time to once again start thinking to where to go next. Mirriam decided to look for a tent and leave permanently on her piece of land where nobody would ask her to move away from. This is the place she and her children now call home. Though it gets too hot and too cold in the hot and cold weather, and allows water during the rainy season, this is home for the poor children.

The family of 6 members is composed of the following: 1. Stephen Mubanga male aged 19 in 9th grade at Mandevu Basic school 2. Abraham Mubanga male aged 16 in grade 6 at Mandevu Basic school 3. Emmanuel Mubanga male aged 12 in 5th grade at Mandevu Basic school 4. Naomi Mubanga male aged 7 in grade 1 at SOS 5. Francis Phiri male aged 1 year and 2 months Mathews Mubanga (Mirriam’s second born child aged 17 leaves with his father’s brother). Note: all the children that are in school are sponsored by SOS Village, the non-governmental organisation that Habitat for Humanity Zambia partners with in Chazanga and Independence compounds. The provision of a house to the family will indeed be a blessing and life changing for each member of the family