The widows in Mngwangwa continue to grow, in number, spirit and love between women that share so much in common.

The number has grown from 138 in September (when the group began) to 289 (273 women and 16 men). These women come from 6 different areas like Chiponde, Nkhwanila, Chiwoko, Mtema and Mngwangwa. Some others come from Chilombo and Kalimbira.

At present the group has two maize gardens and are in preparation of starting four vegetable gardens. The purpose of the gardens is to grow vegetables, not only for sale but also to provide vegetables for the children at the centre. Within their two maize gardens, they harvested 24 bags that will be sold and the money used to buy fertilizer for the coming year. The group has decided that each vegetable garden will provide vegetables to the children at the centre once a month, thus there will be vegetables for the children weekly.

The Mngwangwa group meets at the centre every Thursday for Bible Studies. These they have done since the first meeting nine months ago, they met, read the word of God and discussed it. Now they have began learning their first IGAs. Fatimata Karbgo, taught soap making and the group was excited at the prospect of learning something new. In addition Somebody Cares has also given a gift of 4 sewing machines to the group. One of the ladies from Chilombo zone, Dorothy, has voluntarily accepted to teach sewing to those interested. Dorothy is a widow with three children (Hendrina, William and Prisca). Her husband died in 2008 in a road accident leaving her without means to care for her children. She was unable to send her children to school because she could not meet the payments for uniform, books and school fees. Hendrina passed her junior secondary school exams but was unable to continue because her mother had no money to send her into form 3. Dorothy pleaded with her brothers-in-law for help to keep her daughter in school but everyone refused to help. Even her own brothers refused to pay fees for her daughter because educating a girl in the villages is seen as pouring money into a bottomless pit…pointless. Hendrina was out of school for a year before Somebody Cares took her on as one of the ‘girl empowerment’ recipients’. Now she is back in school with dreams of becoming a nurse and helping her family. To Dorothy this was a dream come true…to see her daughter back in school and she was speechless, failing to express her thanks. So when she heard about the sewing in Mngwangwa zone she thought it wise to go and give of herself to the ministry to help other women…freely! Here was her way of at least giving some thanks to the ministry!

“I want to thank God because this is my miracle and even to my family because they thought that Hendrina had no future but God had planned her future beforehand. As for me, I will teach my fellow widows how to sew and cut. May God bless mother Theresa Malilila and Somebody Cares.”

Below is a letter from the women of Mngwangwa:

A letter from the widows of Mngwangwa

Thank you Amai(Mother) for all you are doing. You have given us clothes, fortified porridge, fertilizer and seed, the Word of God, teachings on Rape Crisis and also sewing machines. All this we have received. We have been empowered are now going to be able to do things for ourselves. The Word of God is changing us…from day to day. The bibles we have received are helping us to learn the word for ourselves and to have a better relationship with God.

We who are unable to read are being blessed with the Proclaimers and can hear the Word of God for ourselves. Amai, we trust and rely on you. God continue to empower you.

Thank you very Much

The Widows, Women and Men of Mngwangwa Group

Nasinthika is a 31 year old widow living in Mngwangwa, Kalimbira 2 village.In 1996, at the age of 17 she married Mandala. Together they had four children, three girls and one boy. The family struggled but made ends meet. Mandala farmed a piece of land and was able to provide for his family as best he could.

In 2006 Mandala fell sick. Both he and Nasinthika were tested for HIV but only Mandala was found to be positive. He was placed on ARV medication and given instruction as to its dosage and use. He was also advised to use condoms with his wife. Mandala refused the latter advice. Soon Nasinthika was pregnant with their fourth child, Aliveta. Just before Nasinthika was about to deliver, Mandala fell sick with malaria.On the day she delivered the baby, just a few minutes afterwards, she was told the tragic news that her husband had just died. Three days after, her in-laws chased her out of her home and their village demanding that she return to her own home village as this was her husband’s and he was no longer alive. She could take nothing with her. All she had was four children (one barely born) and the clothes on their backs.

Nasinthika was too weak to even walk, let alone carry her new born baby. A lady coming from a different direction, walking on the same road, found her passed out on the side of the road with her children around her. Her oldest daughter was only ten years old at the time. She found the children terrified and crying. The lady (whose name Nasinthika does not know to this day) revived her by pouring some water on her face. Even though she gained consciousness she was still unable to speak. The children were asked where they were going and Sofilett, the oldest child, was able to tell her. She then put Nasinthika on her back and Sofilet carried the baby and they began the journey back to Mngwangwa. The journey took over two hours.

Once in their home village she left the family in the hands of some of their relatives. Nasinthika had lost her parents when she was a little girl and so she moved in with her mother’s brother and his wife. Her uncle, after seeing the condition she was in, took her to the hospital immediately. There she was tested again for HIV. This time she was found positive. The doctor placed her on ARVs at once. She was also advised to come back after six months that little Aliveta should be tested as well. This she did and it was found that Aliveta was also positive. Now both mother and daughter are on ARV treatment.

Nasinthika’s life has gone from bad to worse. Her uncle is unable to care for five additional people along with his wife and six children. None of Nasinthika’s children are in school for failure to buy uniforms and school supplies. She is unable to find work because of her medical condition and she cannot leave little Aliveta nor her other younger children. Her second born daughter, ten year old Chiipila, has begun working as a nanny to help her family. She earns US$2.62 (MK390.00) a month which means the family has to survive on 8 cents a day. This is not enough to even feed one person let alone a family of five.

Nasinthika has begun to join the widows that meet in Mngwangwa each week. She said she joined the group so she can hear the word of God. “I am going through such a difficult time but I know God hears and sees. God will answer me one day and I have such hope, such eager expectation that my life will change because of Jesus, because I believe in Him.”

Listening to her and seeing her is a shock to the system. She stands there, having never used a bar of soap to wash or to bath with. “Looking at me you might think that I do not bath, or wash my clothes, but I do. This that I am wearing is the only clothes I own. My daughter got this for me. ”Nasinthika’s life and state is one that causes pause to life and all that we think. Her faith defies her condition and challenges ours. But after all is said and done, we must, like her, believe that things will change, just as her name translates...I was changed...a prophetic declaration!