Visitors are Welcome

We at Mthunzi like to believe that there are few places in the world with plenty of peace, friendships, happiness and hospitality than in our home. When we receive visitors we do our best to show them that at Mthunzi they have new brothers.

Recently four friends from Italy - Veronica, Anna, Stefania and Elisa - visited us. They had come previously on different occasions, and this time they asked to be involved in the education of the younger children, especially helping them to improve their English and Mathematics, since many have difficulties in expressing themselves in English, and as a consequence their get poor results in school. 

Mthunzi children attend a primary school called “Tubalange”, a name that in Chinyanja means ‘‘let's show them”. I am not sure of the reason for this name, but it seems that when the school was started, after Zambia's independence, the locale people wanted to urge their children to show that they were not less capable or intelligent than those living in Lusaka town.

Our four friends not only gave lessons in academic subject, they also organized games and taught songs, and we all together had a wonderful time. On their side the Italians had an opportunity to visit the neighborhood, and play with the children at school, and they distributed some clothing to the less fortunate families. People appreciated that the Italians enjoyed eating the Zambian staple food, “nshima”, and the seasonal food available, like mangoes, mushrooms and green maize.

 In the evening before our four friends left, the boys prepared a show of music and dances. The following day, when their luggage’s were being packed into the bus, not a few tears were shed by both sides.

Mike Mwenda