Lubuto Library Fountain of Hope Librarian Harrison

Harrison

The first time I met Harrison, our head "librarian," I was convinced he didn't like me. He was shy and didn't speak much English, which made communicating with him challenging. So on the days I went to the library, I would sit quietly and do my work and he would do his job of ensuring that visitors signed in and were well-behaved. Then one day I brought out my laptop. I was instantly surrounded by curious children eager to look at pictures and play games. Harrison, who would often listen to music on his cell phone, asked me if I had any music on my computer. I mistakenly said yes and was soon inundated with requests to hear Lil' Wayne and Kanye West. Sadly lacking rap music on my iTunes, Harrison settled on Beyonce. As soon as I turned on "Single Ladies," this introverted young man became a different person. He grabbed one of his friends and started dancing in the middle of the Reading Room circle. While not exactly library-appropriate behavior, it was vastly entertaining to see his "Thriller-esque" dance. Since our random dance party, Harrison greets me with a huge smile and shouts out "Mapalo is here!" (The kids decided I was in need of a Zambian name so they chose Mapalo, which is the Bemba word for "blessing").

Harrison is one of the most impressive young people I've ever met. He takes his librarian responsibilities seriously, and is always there to open the building at 8am and close it at 6pm. He dutifully ensures that everyone who comes in signs their name and he conducts at least one story time per day. He sweeps, shelves books, and greets visitors. But perhaps the thing I most admire about Harrison is his positive attitude amidst a life of hardship and uncertainty. He is like any other teenage boy, laughing and playing with his friends, making jokes. When this is posted, Harrison probably will have already been "re-integrated" with his family. Knowing that his departure from Fountain of Hope was imminent, I decided to interview him to get his life story before he arrived at the center. It is both incredible and heartbreaking. With the assistance of another Lubuto librarian, Elijah, we have translated my interview with Harrison.

"My name is Harrison Zulu. I am seventeen years old. I have been one year at the center. Before, I was staying with my family in Kabwe. My uncle (Mr. Abel) was working as a prison warden in Luapula province. Mr. Abel sent a letter to Kabwe to let me stay with him. So then I went to Luapula province. Then Mr. Abel was transferred to the Copperbelt and I started experiencing some abuse at home. I worked from sunup to sundown. I was not allowed to come home late. One day, I escorted some friends home and was going to be late. Before I got home I heard that my uncle was going to beat me so I decided not to go home. I spent the night with a musician visiting from Lusaka. In the morning I did not want to go back home so I walked and followed Mpongwe Road by myself. I was heading to a village, but before I reached the village I met Mr. Manjoro who worked for the Council. Mr. Manjoro questioned me. He carried me to the police and they wrote down my statement. Mr. Manjoro carried me to his home. I became like a son to him and I entered into school. My uncle never even tried to look for me. I changed my surname to Manjoro. Then I moved to Lusaka with Mr. Manjoro. Mr. Manjoro started to drink beer. I make noise (snore) when I sleep so he made me sleep outside on the veranda. I slept outside on the veranda for one month. One of the neighbors saw how I was suffering. He communicated with friends who worked for Victims Support. Social welfare came to pick me up and brought me to the Center."

In an attempt to fill the gaps of Harrison's history, I spoke with people at Fountain of Hope. Apparently, Harrison's family in Kabwe (which included an abusive aunt), thought the uncle had sold Harrison and that he had died soon after. The family even held a funeral service for Harrison. It's unclear whether Harrison's integration with his family again will be successful. It has been three years since he's lived with his family, and given the previous pattern of abuse, he may run away from home again.

But, there is reason to hope. Since Harrison began working at the library in March, he has earned a small salary, enough to pay for his school fees and provide small savings. Harrison told me that he would like to work in an office one day, managing documents and papers, and he thought that his experiences in the library were good preparation for this. "I learned to be responsible…responsibility and discipline. I will never forget working in the library and it will be always in my memories." I will also never forget Harrison; his special dancing capabilities, his ability to make me laugh and to laugh with me (or at me, like when he tried to teach me to eat nshima properly). My earliest Lubuto memories will always be of Harrison's smiling face greeting me as I first stepped into the library.

Jennifer Campbell sharing some photos from the Fountain of Hope Lubuto Library in Lusaka Zambia!

Here is Jennifer enjoying her first taste of
nshima, a cornmeal dish that is the staple food in Zambia.

Here are some of the children at the Fountain of Hope Library in Lusaka Zambia, using the One Laptop Per Child XO Laptops.

One of the Fountain of Hope Lubuto Library staff members reading to a group of children.

Motivational Mentoring Celebration

On Saturday, June 13, students who had participated in Lubuto Library’s and YOFOSO’s Motivational Mentoring program gathered for their final meeting. The program, which began earlier this year, ran for twelve sessions. Motivational Mentoring was designed especially for Lubuto with the assistance of Dr. Lawrence Mukuka of the Sky High Institute for Success. Each session was focused on teaching a specific principle, including purpose in life, honesty, faith, courage, perseverance, self-confidence, responsibility, persistence, self-motivation, self-empowerment, friendship, and self-discipline.

The lesson plans were unique, utilizing three positive examples, which combined traditional Zambian stories such as the elephant and goat (self-confidence) and internationally recognized figures (Nelson Mandela-self-motivation).

It was my first visit to the Lubuto, and I was instantly overwhelmed. Immediately surrounded by hordes of children, I could only smile and laugh. Their enthusiasm was infectious and shown plainly on their faces. It was evident that the kids who attended loved the program. This final session allowed the students space for reflection. As the only muzungu (white person) there, and sadly lacking knowledge of either Bemba or Nyanja, I was unable to understand exactly what the children were saying, but in the end, it didn’t really matter. When asked what value they thought was the most important, the students stood up one by one to give testament to all they’d learned, a visible demonstration of newfound self-confidence, empowerment, and motivation. The girls, especially, looked proud, and even a bit sassy, as they stood in the center of the circle, hands on hips and turning from side to side to address the audience: (note, I clearly did not do the translations)

Sakalunda: “Self-empowerment: Before, I had wanted very much to play football but I couldn’t. The story of Kalusha Bwalya changed everything as I am now the best player at my school.”

Ann: “Self-confidence: Having confidence is a very good thing. I have taught others and I have also set myself high standards, making myself a role model for my friends at school and in my community.”

Gift: “Faith, courage, and perseverance have helped me help my School…to do very well at NATA 21 Arts Festival.”

Precious: (on self-motivation) “I’ve come here to present myself on poems and I shouldn’t fear…but I have to motivate myself so I can speak my poems.”

Some of the students’ parents shared their observations of changes they’ve seen and felt within their children.

Parent 1: “Thank God for Fountain of Hope and Lubuto Library. My child has started to make me have faith-this lesson has raised her self-confidence. She has started to teach her friends as well.”

Parent 2: “Maxwell, my child, has taken up the role of counseling me on issues such as being involved in unnecessary arguments in the community.”

Parent 3: “A word of advice to the children: please be really honest with yourselves and the lessons you have been learning. Let us the parents see your actions be in tune with your lessons.”

Following a delicious meal of nshima, chicken, and cabbage (where I was duly laughed at for my inability to neatly roll the nshima into balls with my hands), the group of 200 gathered outside for a drama competition. I was fortunate enough to be given the role of esteemed judge from the United States. Using the ever-official criteria of creativity, voice projection, acting, costumes, and cast, as well as the scientific 1-10 scale, I was tasked with a difficult decision. Six groups in total competed, incorporating props and costumes, and not quite Oscar-worthy acting skills. Not understanding any of the action, I based my official duties almost exclusively on audience reaction. In the end, the group from Matero emerged victorious thanks to the efforts of one particularly amusing actor who played a kleptomaniac taxi driver (I think that’s who he was, anyway). Following their victory dance of jumping up and down screaming, the group received Lubuto Library Project/Motivational Mentoring t-shirts. I wish I had taken a picture of the kids’ faces when they found out what they had won. Words can’t adequately describe their glee.

The day lasted over seven hours, and yet the children remained excited and attentive throughout- a truly amazing feat. They listened to one another and showed respect for both their peers and the teachers in attendance; evidence the program had made an impact on them. The program gave the children a chance to express themselves, learn valuable lessons from peers and mentors, and spend time with their friends in a beautiful space. In the words of a boy named Jackson who participated, “This program should continue so that we can learn more.”