Our Christmas hamper appeal - THANK YOU!

I'd like to extend a huge and heartfelt thank you to everyone who kindly donated to our Arise Christmas Hamper appeal. I was blown away by people's generosity and delighted to be able to bless so many children, guardians and their families over the Christmas period.

Some of the hampers we distributed to children and guardians



It was quite a feat purchasing all of the food and household items and treats to put in the buckets and bowls. Shops over here don’t always keep things in stock and often have limited supplies. There are also only so many bags of rice, sugar and beans that you can fit in the boot of a car!

Guardians in Kamalasha

We began delivering the hampers in November as it takes a while to get to some of the homes that we visit. With the rains expected towards the end of the month, we prioritised travelling to Kanfinsa and Mwkela first since it can be difficult to get to these places when it is wet.

Guardians in Kanfinsa

Rosie and I travelled back to the UK for the month of December but were glad that Naomi (another teacher from the UK who moved out here in October) was here to continue delivering the hampers with one of our Zambian volunteers. They came up with a plan which involved inviting a group of guardians from one area to gather in a local house where they could explain the reason for the gifts and distribute them in a more efficient way.



Naomi found a different way to travel within Sikania!

The money and the effort that we spent was totally worth it to see the smiles on the guardians’ faces when we arrived to give them their hampers. Some of these people often don’t know where their next meal is coming from. Fortunately the local community has a culture of pitching in to help who are really struggling, so somehow people manage to get by, but a surprise gesture is always very welcome.

A very happy lady receiving her hamper

The guardians who we support are predominantly single mothers (often widows), grandparents or aunts. They were all very quick to say thank you, some looking to heaven or closing their eyes to thank God. One lady was so happy that she even burst into song!

More grateful recipients



Word obviously spread among guardians. Once Rosie and I had returned to Kaniki in January, several other guardians turned up at the Arise Office asking if there was a hamper for them! Thanks to the generosity of many of you back home, we were able to give them all a hamper.

One of the guardians who came to the office to collect a gift

Thank you to all of you who helped make Christmas 2015 a happier one for a needy family in Zambia.

Change a life - Sponsor a child

This lovely young lady had a tough start in life. Orphaned at a young age and abused by her stepfather, she was raised by her elder sisters. She lives in Kaniki and fortunately for her, she's sponsored by Arise.

Meeting my sponsor child

This is the girl that I personally sponsor through Arise. My sponsorship pays for her to attend school and get an education that she wouldn't otherwise receive. She absolutely loves school. In fact, she was disappointed last week when she came into the Arise office and found out that due to transport issues she had to wait a few more days to go back to school!

In Arise, we try to consider the individual needs of the children and families that we support. This is why the girl that I sponsor actually lives at an orphanage in another town during term time where she attends school. It means that she can receive counselling to support her in dealing with the childhood trauma that she experienced.

Sponsoring a child can make a real difference to their life

It was amazing to have the opportunity to meet her and see the difference that sponsorship is making in her life. Some years ago I sponsored a 5 year old girl called Mercy through the charity Soapbox, and met her when I travelled to Kenya on a 
short-term mission team. Ironically she was the only child there who was scared of the 'muzungus' (white people), so she actually cried when she met me!

Mercy and her mum

With some children who weren't scared of me!

My sister, Rhi, with her sponsor child Nicholas
(and his friend in the background!)

When I was growing up, we used to sponsor children in other parts of the world as a family. I remember that we had photos of them pinned up on our kitchen noticeboard. At the time, I probably didn't really know how different the child’s life was to mine, or even where the country that they lived in was. However, it did make me aware that there were children who lived in less fortunate circumstances than me. Being linked to a sponsor child in another country can be a great education for children, learning more about the world around us and how different lives can be in countries many miles from our own.

Although many people won't get the chance to meet their sponsor child in person, it can still be both exciting and rewarding to receive a photo of the individual child you are supporting. You can read their school report and hear how they are getting on, seeing what a difference your support is making in their life.

We have many more orphans and vulnerable children needing a sponsor. The scheme costs £25 a month and pays for the sponsor child to attend Kapumpe Christian Primary School. Sponsorship also covers school fees, uniform, books and stationery for the child, as well as porridge at breakfast time and a snack during the school day. Each sponsor child is invited to attend our weekly kids’ club and their family or guardian is visited and supported by Arise volunteers.

If you sponsor a child through Arise, you will receive an email newsletter each school term to update you on Arise and Kapumpe. We will also send you a photograph and some information about your sponsor child, and their school report.

If you would like to change a life and support a child, please visit https://form.jotformeu.com/kaniki/arise and complete the form, or email me at kop@kaniki.dk. We would be delighted to hear from you!

We’ve also put together an information sheet about Arise child sponsorship which you can read below.

Click here to read our Arise Child Sponsorship information sheet

Thank you for your support.

A Tribute to Hope Cross

One of the hardest things about living in Zambia is being so far away from friends and family and missing important events. Today is one of those days for me. It's my lovely Nan's funeral. So I'm thinking of my family today as they gather to celebrate Hope Cross and a life well lived.

My sister Rhi has written a tribute to read on behalf of us three Cross sisters. It conveys some of our memories of Nan which I would like to share in tribute to her.

Nan & Grandad with seven of their eight grandchildren

There are many things we will remember about Hope. She had a way of making every person she spoke to feel like they were most important person in the world to her. She also had a great ability to find beauty in the smallest things.

The first time Nan and I met

Hope was one of the funniest people we knew. Even when her dementia had advanced and there was lots she couldn’t remember, her quick wit was still fully intact. She had an uncanny ability to drop jokes into conversation, and she often had us in stitches.

'Love and Laugh' was Nan' and Grandad's motto

Hope was the most positive person we have known. When asked how she was, she would always respond with a cheerful ‘I’m fine!’ even during the most difficult times. She once told us that when she was a young woman she decided not to say a bad word about anyone, so from then on she didn’t. She would interrupt strangers in restaurants or on the street to compliment them, and would give money to crying children to cheer them up. She unashamedly loved everyone that she came into contact with.

I loved being spoiled when I went to stay at Nan and Grandad's

Hope was a lot of fun. As grandchildren we would always want to visit her, no matter how old we got. We never felt that we were ‘too cool’ to spend time with her. In fact as we got older we realised that she, who at 89 came shopping with us at Dorothy Perkins and Topshop, was in fact much cooler than us.

Shopping with Nan

Hope was always tidy. She kept everything clean and in its place. She kept kitchen roll manufacturers in business by using it with every cup, plate and saucer, and another piece was always kept up her sleeve. She would clean before the cleaner arrived, and wipe down tables when she was leaving a café or restaurant. She would insist on combing my hair if she thought it was too messy, and would always look immaculate before stepping out the front door.

Nan and Grandad with my Dad at my parents' wedding

Hope was in love; Kenneth was the love of her life. After 65 years of marriage they were still very loved up and were often seen holding hands or affectionately teasing each other. Ken once said that Hope was “too good for this life”, a sentiment understood by all who knew her.

Hope & Ken

Hope had a faith. She loved Jesus. She talked about him and to him often. She prayed for each of her children, children in-law and grandchildren by name every day. She never missed an opportunity to thank him, and when saying goodbye to someone she would always add a “God bless”. Through grief, illness and frailty, her love for and faithfulness to her Lord were always evident.

Nan was always cheerful, even in hospital

Hope is an inspiration. When we look at her life and the legacy that she left behind her, we cannot help but be inspired. Anyone who knew her and loved her wanted to be like her. Life without Hope in it is hard to imagine. But we strive to become more like her by being kinder, more thankful and generous, and by complaining less, and therefore by doing so we bring a little more Hope to the world.

Nan and Grandad

I am really grateful that I was able to see Nan several times when I was back in the UK in December. The last time I saw her, she was on form. Despite being so sick and frail, her humour and cheerfulness were contagious, which was so typical of her. She made the ordinary extraordinary.

When I was interviewed for my previous job as Head of School, some of the children had an opportunity to ask me questions. 'Who is your hero?' they wanted to know. I imagine they expected me to say a well-known historical figure or a superhero, but immediately I said Nan! Her character and attitude towards others is something that has both inspired and challenged me. I know she would absolutely adore the children and all the people that I'm working with here in Zambia. Her faith in Jesus and the compassion she modelled set an example to me, and is something that has prompted me to get involved in the work I'm doing here.