MUZUNGU

"Muzungu! Muzungu! How are you?"

Parties, friends, choosing a university degree, shopping, going to the movies…that’s what should have kept my mind occupied when I turned 18. I had finished school and for me, it wasn’t time to decide. I needed to live.

Whilst my parents advised me not to, I was busy closing my suitcase. Hope and fear where at the same level inside me. I was beginning an adventure, my adventure. I was beginning a dream, and without knowing it, I was about to start drugging myself, and I was about to become an addict. My drug and destiny blended into the same name, Africa.

I was going to start travelling Africa from Kenya, with 8 months ahead of me, Nairobi seemed the perfect place to start. A conflict between local oppositions, forced me to change my direction. Zambia called my attention. Honestly I think it was because I didn’t even know where it was on the map or maybe it was because in its border with Zimbabwe it had one of the Seven Wonders of the World (Victoria Falls). The plan was to spend a few months in Zambia. I never stick to the plan.

Victoria Falls

Muzungu! How are you?

It´s impossible to explain with words what enchanted me. What was it that made me stay in Zambia. There are a million good reasons, but what most attracted me; the people.

Mwandi is a small community near Livingstone city. Everything was very different to what I was accustomed to, the walks were never ending, the life-style seemed to be in slow motion, and even their needs to be happy, were different . In the short time I was there, I got to know almost everyone in the community, I adopted some of their customs and began to speak their dialect. Africa was completely different. I had just discovered another world and I didn’t want to leave it.

Morris and Elena

I loved to go to a small school in the community where children can learn for free until the end of their primary education. I helped teachers; I painted walls, played with children and even started up an afternoon reading club for the children and adults of the community to learn how to read. I fell in love with each and every one of the kids I met, each with their own story. Edson, the perfect student, smart, joyful, who at the age of 10, had 3 brothers and a 25 year old mother; Morris, orphan after losing his parents and brothers by an elephant attack while they walked to try and reach the city; Alex who lost his mother, and at the age of 8 was diagnosed with the most widespread disease in Africa, and who’s father abandoned him after finding this out.

In spite of all these stories which in our world could be called tragedies but for them are nothing more than ‘’part of life’’, these kids don’t ever lose the smile on their face. Not a day goes by without hearing ‘’Muzungu, Muzungu! How are you?’’ as you walk along the streets. Muzungu is how they call white people.

Edson and Elena

With time, my vague idea of studying languages completely changed. Something had created a bond between me and Zambia and without realizing, it had defined my near future. I would study medicine in Spain, and I would cure in Africa.

As soon as I landed in Madrid, I was already planning my visit for the following year. I started medicine and before a year had gone by, I had saved enough money to return to Zambia. I went back to Mwandi school to see ‘’my kids’’. The school’s headmistress, Joyce, confessed her fear to me. Edson was finishing primary school and without help, he would have to leave his studies at that. Edson and his 19 classmates, as their families had no money to pay secondary school. I couldn’t let that happen. I decided to try and start a sponsorship program. Thanks to the friends and family I have, it didn’t take long for me to convince them to participate in this project. 100% of the money reached the kids, as it was me who sent it or personally took it to Zambia and Joyce offered her help. Her help meant she would walk every day from the community several hours until she reached the city, to buy uniforms, shoes, to pay the school fees…etc. With less than 100€, each sponsor was paying one child’s school and uniform for a year. The same price we pay for a good dinner, a night out or tickets to the theatre. In exchange, one kid would be able to study another year.

My next trip was different. Seeing the children in school with their uniforms, shoes with soles, or a notebook instead of the back of their hands, couldn’t make me happier. It’s now been three years since these kids began being sponsored, are studying, are creating a life with a more promising future. (It couldn’t have been done without the help of all the incredible ‘’sponsors’’).

So things can be a different way, the infinitely small can become great.

I wish I could sponsor all the kids. I wish I could save the 13 year old girl about to give birth, the 10 years old boys who follow in their brother’s footsteps and decide to get high with whatever they can find, the 12 year old kids who walk for hours to the border with Zimbabwe making business, and all those who dream of being nurses or pilots but can only dream, because history, geography, politics or the million other reasons foreign to them have unjustly given them this life.

My idea was to begin something at some point. Something that could have an infinite economic imput to be able to sponsor all the children who finish primary school. It was only an idea. Until a few months ago, Alvaro called me. Alvaro is one of my friends that sponsored the children from Mwandi community. As always, eager to help, generous and devoted, another victim of Africa’s addictive vibe, didn’t think twice before answering ‘’Tell me when you want the money’’. When he called me, he told me his idea, his project, his dream. Much bigger than what I had ever even though of. He told me he wanted to fund an NGO to help Kibera, the biggest slum in Africa which is near Nariobi. He had spent some time there a few years ago. He wanted my help. Starting in Kenya, and continuing in Zambia some day, without a doubt, I accepted.

Since then I have put myself in the hands of 4 people who continue to amaze me every day with their initiative, their creativity, their effort, their work, their dedication, their good humor, their desire, their excitement, their intelligence…I could go on…but what I like the most, is that they don’t lose hope, they are sure that this will do that ‘’bit’’ to the world which could make a difference. Alvaro, Meso, Nacho and Pedro make it seem easy to build an NGO. I have been absent this last month with exams and things which in my world in Madrid become more important than they would do in Africa, and without realizing, this project has taken huge steps, without a doubt, thanks to them. As I’m sure you are also thinking, I am the luckiest person ever!

Thank you for reading our blog and for helping us make this real.

Elena