Child Sponsorship

In the remote community of Chikondwelelo in Luangwa District, opportunities are scarce, but dreams still thrive. One of those dreams belonged to Wampemba Chifunda, a young boy who once herded goats given to his family by ChildFund through the Pass-On Goat Restocking Project.

“Growing up in my village was fun but also tough,” says Wampemba, now 21. “Sometimes it felt like survival itself was a full-time job. My father did all he could as a subsistence farmer and general laborer, but with ten children and very little income, every day was a struggle.”

Wampemba, the seventh-born in a family of ten, spent his early years working in the fields and helping tend the family’s small garden by the Luangwa River. Life was hard. But everything changed in 2012, when he was enrolled in ChildFund’s sponsorship program while in Grade 4.

With support from his sponsor, Wampemba received school shoes and bags twice a year, along with school books, clothing, and occasional food support. “I remember the first time I got new school shoes. It felt like I was walking on clouds,” he laughs. “And to receive two pairs in one year? That was something I’d never imagined.”

With determination and consistent support, Wampemba completed his primary education in 2015, junior secondary in 2017, and graduated from high school in 2020. When he was accepted to study midwifery in 2021, a new challenge arose — he didn’t own a laptop. Most assignments were submitted online, and he needed to type all his work.

“I feared I would fail,” he admits. “I had to borrow friends’ laptops and wait until they were asleep to do my assignments. Sometimes I missed deadlines and lost marks. But my sponsor came through again and sent money for me to buy a laptop. I will never forget that kindness.”

In 2024, Wampemba graduated with a Diploma in Midwifery and is currently volunteering at Katondwe Health Centre as he awaits government deployment.
“It’s not about money for me,” he says. “It’s about saving lives and giving hope to others — just like I was given.”

One night, his calling was put to the test when a pregnant woman arrived at the clinic in critical condition, unconscious and bleeding. Wampemba was the only midwife on duty. “It was the scariest moment of my life,” he recalls. “But I knew I had to stay calm.” He stabilized the woman, administered first aid, and prepped everything before the doctors arrived. “They told me, ‘You did a great job,’ and that meant everything to me.”

Thanks to Wampemba’s quick thinking, both the mother and baby survived. Now, each day, he helps deliver babies, educates expectant mothers, and supports early childhood interventions — all while carrying the spirit of the sponsorship that helped raise him.“Every child I see born safely is a reminder that dreams do come true. I’m always excited to see mothers from my village come to this hospital and deliver safely under my care,” he says.

The Power of Sponsorship

Wampemba’s story is one of thousands made possible through ChildFund’s sponsorship program, which connects caring individuals with children in vulnerable communities across Zambia and around the world.

“When children like Wampemba are given a chance through sponsorship, we see transformation — not just in the child, but in their entire community,” says Mr. Norman Luvera, ChildFund’s Sponsorship Coordinator in Luangwa. “Wampemba’s success proves that with the right support, even children in the most remote areas can achieve great things.”

Today (May 5, 2025) over 28,000 children are enrolled in Zambia’s sponsorship program, of which 18,000 have already been matched with individual sponsors.

Wampemba is determined to continue serving his community, particularly mothers and newborns. His dream? To make Luangwa a safer place to give birth and raise children.
“I am who I am because someone believed in me,” he says with quiet pride. “Never give up, even when the road is rough. Help is out there and when it comes, grab it with both hands.” Wampemba is still sponsored and will remain in the ChildFund sponsorship program until the age of 24.