How it began

One dark night, about 20 years ago, a tiny newborn baby was brought into a hospital in northern Zambia. He was near death and would have died in minutes if it were not for the actions of Rose Nkandu, a determined Zambian nurse, who was on duty that night. She fought hard to save him and, miraculously, he survived. A powerful bond grew between Rose and the baby and as time went on, she was able to take him home.

The child's parents could not be found and eventually Rose adopted him. He was the first of Rose's family of orphans and destitute children, for whom she cared with affection and passionate commitment all her life. Rose believed all children have a right to live and be loved in a family. She believed that institutions, however well run, were not the best place for them to grow up; this includes all children, nomatter how sick, disabled or difficult they may be. Sadly, Rose died in 2000 but not before she had made the trip to the UK and to Finland to ask for the help of Wendy Machin, Alan Gillespie and Outi Puttonen all of whom she had met when they had lived and worked in Zambia in 1996-97. All had been supporting Rose's work and her 'family' of children in Zambia since then. Without her, the children needed help like never before.

After Rose's death, Wendy and Outi went to Zambia to meet Rose's family and to see what could be done to carry on the work with the orphans and vulnerable children. The charity then took a new direction and, after Rose's 40 foster children had been provided for, the township of Kantolomba was identified as needing help.

Outi and family, Wendy, Alan and the FFCZ team began raising money to support the children and to start the school in Kantolomba.

Our part in the OVC project and St Catherine's School came as a result of a child bereavement workshop, led by Alan and Wendy, in Lusaka in 2001. People attending the course from Chitsime community organisation came up with an excellent action plan on how to support orphans and vulnerable children in the township of Misisi. Alan and Wendy then made a commitment to send a modest donation each month. The project grew and expanded from there.