Two orphaned sisters, Gertrude and Chisomo Chabwera of Mapira 1 Village in the area of Traditional Authority Mwambo, Zomba District, have received a modern house from the faith-based organization Passion Center.
The sisters lost their parents in 2019 and 2022 and had since been living on their own under difficult conditions.
Their lives have now taken a positive turn following the construction of a new home by Passion Center.
Since the death of their parents, Passion Center has been supporting the girls by paying their school fees, providing food, and meeting other basic needs. The organization has now extended its support by building them a safe and decent house.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Passion Center Executive Director, Pastor Saul Mateyu, said providing houses for vulnerable children is important because it offers them safe and secure accommodation, protecting them from crime and other dangers.
Pastor Mateyu explained that the organization decided to build the house and support the girls’ education after witnessing the hardships they faced following the loss of their parents.
“They had no proper place to sleep, and they were physically weak and frequently ill,” he said.
He added that Passion Center currently supports more than 700 vulnerable children and aims to construct more modern houses for needy children while helping them remain in school through the payment of school fees.
“We ask community members and relatives to protect these girls from people with bad intentions and to help take care of this house,” he added.
Zomba District Council’s District Social Welfare Officer, Christopher Ndaona, commended Passion Center for its efforts in improving the lives of vulnerable children.
Ndaona said that nearly 90 percent of the most vulnerable children in the district lack adequate housing and encouraged other organizations to emulate Passion Center by providing housing support to needy children.
Receiving the house on behalf of her younger sister, Chisomo, Gertrude Chabwera expressed gratitude to Passion Center for the assistance.
She said the sisters are delighted to have a proper home, noting that during the rainy season their food supplies and school notebooks were often damaged by water because of inadequate shelter.
Gertrude, who is in Form Four, and Chisomo, who is in Form Three, both dream of becoming doctors after completing their education.
“We hope that one day we will also be able to help underprivileged children in our communities,” said Gertrude.
