Mongu is the provincial headquarters of Western Province, and is 600 km (an approx. 8 hour drive) from the capital Lusaka. Although adjacent to the Barotse Plains which in the wet season are flooded by the Zambezi river right up to the town, Mongu has a semi-desert topography, bordering the Kalahari desert. Despite being highly fertile the plains are a disaster-prone area affected frequently by either chronic drought or flooding. The population of Mongu district is 166,000 and the geographic area 10,000 square kms. Villages are spread over a large area while water and electricity are only available in Mongu town (pop: 44,000) where the supply is limited in terms of both coverage and regularity.
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Infrastructure in the district is underdeveloped. Most of the population are subsistence farmers. The people make a living by growing vegetables on a small scale and selling them in the local market. There is a small beef industry – cattle are grazed on the Barotse Flood Plain. The farmers sell their cattle to a local abattoir and the meat is transported by refrigerated truck to Lusaka. The area is also known for basket and mat weaving. Poverty levels are high with 61.7% categorised as living in extreme poverty. Women are disproportionately represented among the poor.
Cheshire Home, Mongu
The Cheshire Home is situated 6 km outside the township of Mongu on the Limulunga Road. The Home was opened in 1983 during the International Year of the Child as the result of a survey carried our by a local group at the instigation of the Capuchins order. It is managed by a Management Board of local people on a voluntary basis and is run by the Presentation Sisters who have an agreement with the Management Team that two sisters will work in the home. The Home has a capacity of fifty five and has a staff of twenty four which includes a resident nurse and special education teacher. Cheshire Home is the only one of its kind in Western Province and as such has a huge catchment area. Parents and children travel mostly on foot from outlying areas for a number of days to reach Mongu.
The Home is for the Rehabilitation of physically handicapped children between the ages of birth to 16. Rehabilitation is carried out with the children for the duration of their stay through surgery, physiotherapy and education. There are two programmes in operation:
- the Residential Programme for children from 3 years to 16.
- The Mother and Baby Training Programme on which children under three years stay with a parent – usually the mother. This is also called the Early Intervention Programme – we encourage parents to bring their child for treatment at as young an age as possible to maximise on results. On this programme parents of children with cerebral palsy are trained in the management of their child’s disability. They are taught various exercises so that when they return home they will continue the treatment.
Three/four times per year Orthopaedic Surgeons travel from Lusaka to perform operations. On average forty children per year have operations. The preparation and aftercare is carried out in the Cheshire Home and we use the Theatre in the local hospital for the surgeries. For more serious surgery the children are taken to Lusaka. We also take children to Senanga for operations for hare lip cleft palate and for plastic surgery for burns and skin grafting.
A renovation of the Cheshire Home renovation was completed in April 2009. The renovation of the accompanying guest house was completed around the same time.
Alan Kerins Projects has supported the Cheshire Home through a number of projects since 2005.
Outreach programs- Mongu
In addition to running the Cheshire Home, the Presentation Sisters are involved in a number of Community Outreach Projects, the following have been supported by Alan Kerins Projects.
Livelihoods: The Block Project which we began in 2004 is running well and can produce 1200 blocks per day. It employs 13 staff and produces construction materials for out own projects and for sale. We have supported the 120-strong local farmer’s group (the MKFA) since its inception and provided seeds, equipment and conservation training to the group.
Water & Sanitation: We have sunk twelve shallow wells and installed three electrified bore holes.
Shelter &Housing: -We have build 34 houses in local villages.
Profile of Sr Cathy Crawford
Sr. Cathy worked in Presentation College School and in the local area of Mountmellick, Co. Laois from 1971 to 1980. In 1975 with a group of local people she began Community Care Services to address the needs of elderly and vulnerable people providing services such as: Meals on Wheels, Hairdressing, Socials, and Outings etc. This venture proved very successful, the group is still in existence and active and have built a new Care Centre in the town. Cathy trained for Social Work and transferred to Drogheda Co. Louth in 1980 where she worked in Social Service Centre for twelve years working closely on family issues – violence, addictions, child abuse etc. In 1992 Cathy transferred to Kilcock, Co. Kildare where she was part of the setting up of the Presentation Sisters Nursing Home.
In 1993 Cathy spent three months working in Mongu Cheshire Home and was happy to return on a full time basis when she was asked to take over as Head of Cheshire Home in 1994.
I lived with Cathy in Mongu for eight years and she was an inspiration to me. She was admirably suited for her new ministry. She is a tremendously caring person and has a great sense of compassion, not just with the children under her care, but with those with whom she comes into daily contact in her sphere of work, her co-workers, volunteers and the many others. She is well equipped to meet the officials who in one way or another have connections with the Home, Doctors, Local Government Officials and Management.
Though the children are a priority, everyone is an ‘important person’ to Cathy, all those who collaborate with her and whom she comes in contact. Although she is compassionate and caring she is never condescending and does not let her compassion or care impinge on the dignity and autonomy of those around her. She has great respect and feeling for the Zambian culture and that of the Lozi people. She has not come to teach people ‘her’ ways but with them to search for what is best in the local situation. In this respect one of her priorities is to grow towards self-sustainability, and with the help of generous donors this is being done in every way possible.
Cathy is compassionate and she is also fair. The ethos of the Home is important. She does not make rules but discusses with those concerned what is best for the Children and the Home in general. The staff respect this and collaborate. Long before ‘Policies for Child Protection’ were being put in place she had her own rules in place. She is ever on the alert and keeps a watchful eye, so that no child or adult under her care is being abused or mistreated in any way.
She has done much, again with the help of generous donors, to build on the existing amenities of the Cheshire Home. She has widened the scope of the outreach work, and has set up a number of projects to help towards sustainability. She has also reached out beyond the immediate concerns of the Home. Malengwa has a large marginalized population and much is being done to improve their housing and living conditions.
Cathy is a dedicated busy woman, yet if you want something done – go to Cathy. The children of the Cheshire Home, past and present, the co-workers and volunteers and the people from the wider Malengwa area, and from Mongu would agree wholeheartedly with this.
Profile by Sr Catherine Campion
