LETS HELP OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO AE VICTIMS OF FLOODING 

‘Charity Begins at Home and Comes From Home

 The flooding in Zambia has been declared a National Disaster and the country has made an appeal to the international community for support to cope with the devastation caused by floods both in humanitarian immediate needs and infrastructure restoration. Caritas Zambia supports this appeal and we hope the international community will rise to he occasion as they have always done to support this cause of the victims of flooding.

However, the focus of this appeal is to challenge the Zambians to rise to the occasion and show compassion and solidarity to their fellow citizens in dire need of help. The tendency in Zambia when such calamities occur is to look to other nations to offer charity even when it is within the collective means of the Zambians to help. We always prefer to stand on the fence and remain indifferent even when it is our own kin and kith right in our backyard who need help. When there was a Tsunami in Asia and floods in Mozambique in the past, we saw highly publicised SOS initiatives. We want to see those initiatives reinvigorated even on the cause of poor local communities. In doing charity, no one is too poor to give because charity is not only shown when there is excess but it is an act of sharing and sacrifice. A big chunk of the aid that comes from the international community does not necessarily come from wealthy people but from ordinary citizens who are touched by our situation at a personal level. They temporarily for go some of their routine habits to accommodate our needs. We can do the same thing ourselves. All we need is the will to do so. This appeal therefore is a challenge to all Zambians as individuals, groups or corporate bodies to offer help to the flood victims. Emergency needs of food, shelter, medicine and blankets are too urgent to wait for the bureaucracy  that go with international help. Lets do what we can do as Zambians. The problem is within our means only if we can have the hearts of generosity. We commend individuals, organisations and corporate bodies that have so far led the way but we also know that these are too few. Many of us are still watching as spectators. We need to be our brothers/sister’s keepers. 

If there are any who are willing to help but have no time or means to directly access the victims, Caritas Zambia would just be too happy to be the medium of such help. We are and experienced relief and emergency agencies of the Catholic Church and we have credible and effective structures in all the areas where this problem of flooding has occurred. Contact us at Caritas Zambia head office on Tel. 260980/261789

Thank you in advance.

S.M.Mulafulafu

Director

Caritas Zambia