Lent Fast Day: Friday, 10 March 2017

Parishes: £1,023,789 Individuals: £251,419 Schools: £102,603 561 signed up to Hands On (515 of these are from parishes). Thank You for your support at Harvest Fast Day. Parishes raised over £1million!

through my Lenten journey of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. God of Love, Maker of all, transform my heart through my Lenten journey of prayer, fasting and almsgiving.   Help me to see the dignity in all my sisters and brothers, made in your image and likeness. Inspire me to share the fruits of your creation so that all your people can become artisans of their own destiny. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

Zambia Landlocked country in Southern Africa. Capital: Lusaka Population: 15 million 2/3 of Zambians live below the poverty line. Zambia is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, which has been at peace for most of its recent history. It has a population of 15 million people, of which 9 million people live in rural areas. 2/3 of Zambians live below the poverty line, not having enough money to meet basic needs such as food, clothing and housing. For more information about Zambia you can read our country guide, available at: cafod.org.uk/fastday

There are two main seasons: the rainy (summer) season (November to April) and the dry (winter) season (May to October/November) Temperatures in Mbala range from 15ºC in the cold season/winter to 29ºC in the hot season/summer Farmers in Mbala mainly grow maize and beans.

Click on the video box to hear Nkandu Chikonde, CAFOD’s programme officer for Zambia, speak about the work that CAFOD’s partners are doing in Zambia.

The Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary CAFOD has worked in Zambia since the 1980s. One of CAFOD’s partners in Zambia are the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary. The Sisters are based in Mbala in Northern Zambia, close to Tanzania. They came to Mbala district in 1962 at the request of the government and with approval of the then Bishop of Mbala. This is Sr Yvonne Mwila, one of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts. Sr Yvonne has been based in Zambia for 9 years, of which for the last 8 years has worked on a programme set up by the nuns called ‘Households in Distress’, which you will hear more about soon.

Their Mission Statement: We, Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, urged by the compassion of Christ and responsive to the anguish of peoples and plant, are called to help shape communities of gentleness, justice and peace that witness to the healing, liberating and empowering love of God.

What the Sisters are doing in Mbala: Established Households in Distress (HID) in 1991, to reduce impact of HIV/AIDS, working with poor and marginalised. The programme also supports young adults with special needs and vulnerable adults. HID provides practical training in: farming beekeeping fish farming business skills

The Sisters provide training in farming The Sisters provide training in farming. The Sisters teach people to grow different crops, as it means that they are less susceptible to extreme weather or infestations. The training also teaches people how to grow crops that might be resilient to extreme weather such as certain beans that can be eaten even if they are scorched by a severe drought. Farming

Another skill that the Sisters teach is bee keeping Another skill that the Sisters teach is bee keeping. Bee keepers can sell the honey and it can also be used as a food source. Bee Keeping

Florence lives in Mbala, her husband died in a mining accident 10 years ago. Florence farmed on her parents land, but this was not sufficient to feed her and her 2 children. Thankfully Florence was able to secure some land, and she began to farm. Her neighbours rallied round her to help so that she was able to grow crops.

Fish Farming The Sisters and her neighbours recognised how hard Florence was working and invited her to learn about fish farming. Florence was provided with tools and training in fish farming. She built one pond and then another, then once she had enough fish she sold them at market. This small business means that Florence is able to buy school books, medicines and other essential items.

This is the tilapia fish that Florence will farm, and sell at the market.

Remembering the kindness of her neighbours, Florence took it upon herself to set about training her neighbours and sharing her knowledge, so that they too could benefit.

“I wanted to help my neighbours as they had helped me in the past “I wanted to help my neighbours as they had helped me in the past. When I was doing my work people came to help me. I thought if they were empowered, they too would benefit.” Florence’s neighbours had supported her with farming the land, and so wanted to repay their kindness. She says: “I wanted to help my neighbours as they had helped me in the past. When I was doing my work people came to help me. I thought if they were empowered, they too would benefit.”

To find out how you can get involved this Lent Fast Day please contact your local CAFOD volunteer centre: cafod.org.uk/Volunteer/CAFOD-in-your-area