Engaging With Our Heads, Not Just Our Hearts

Over the years we have learnt that as important as our heart is, we can’t lead with that alone, we need to use our head too. We need to be smart about how we partner with the communities in Zambia and avoid doing harm.

As a team we are always evaluating what we do, wanting to do it better. We read books and blogs, we research and read reports, we look around at others who we can learn from, always on a quest to not just “do something” but do something well. You might remember a blog post from us last year talking about Toxic Charity and how the concepts in that book really resonated with us and have informed some of how we work, so that we can avoid becoming “toxic” in what we do.

As part of this learning, last month here in the UK, we invited a couple over from the US to share their wisdom and experiences with us, to help us evaluate our journey so far, to spark discussion and ask us the right questions as we head in to this next season. The couple, Shawn and Holly Duncan, are based in Atlanta and have worked alongside Robert Lupton, the author of ‘Toxic Charity’, as well as lead their own organisations focusing on healthy community strategy and engagement.

The time with Shawn and Holly was invaluable, and as often the way with such discussions, left us with more questions than answers - but the questions are good! Here are just a few (of the many) we are continuing to think about and discuss:

How do we continue to build healthy and meaningful engagement with each community?

How do we engage in a more robust framework so our models aren’t reactionary models?

How do we better focus on the person and their potential (strengths, abilities) rather than the lack and need we see?

We fully believe that everyone has something to contribute. Everyone. We choose to go beyond ourselves, knowing the moment we make ourselves the heroes of the narrative we are in a dangerous place. 

Our heart is, and always has been, to see communities restored. Not just educational or economic restoration. We want to see communities, and the individuals within them, flourishing. So we choose time and time again to engage our heads, not just our hearts, to do this well, to do this better.

Meet Janet - One of the small entrepreneurs that Zambia thrives on

I first met Janet a back at the end of 2016 when she was invited by Mary, the Head of Kawama School, to talk about her journey to becoming a small business woman to the Grade 7s just before they moved from Primary School to Secondary education. Janet is Mary’s cousin and was one of several speakers invited to talk about moving up in education and what the pupils could aspire to in adult life.

Janet talking to the school leavers at Kawama

Janet now lives in Chimwemwe, which is a township situated between Kawama School and Greater Joy School. Janet told me when, I met recently, that as a child she had been brought up by her extended family in a small village in a rural area. There were no shops nearby and most people survived on what they grew locally. However, her uncle realised that some people would walk into the nearby market town to buy a few goods each week. This would take them a long time and was not an easy journey. He decided to start up a small business from his home. Janet and her aunt started to go into the market each week, and buy goods, like oil and salt, to sell to their neighbours. She was taught very early on how to bargain for goods and the value of buying in larger quantities. She understood that when her family bought goods cheaply and sold them at a higher price, they would be able to have a better standard of living themselves.

Janet with her cousin Mary ar Kawama School

Because Janet was so useful to her family, and became very good at getting a good bargain, she didn’t have much formal education. Instead she learned how to run a business, even at the tender age of 12.

When she married, she decided to use her business skills to support her growing family. With her husband, she set up an Ntemba in front of her house. An Ntemba is a small kiosk, often smaller than a basic garden shed in UK, which generally sells small amounts of the basic items such as flour, eggs and bread. She explained to me how she could make a profit by buying a tray of eggs but selling them individually. Having an Ntemba meant that someone from the family had to be available from early in the morning until late at night, to serve the customers. However, Janet managed to do this as well as look after her growing family. Now as her family are getting older they also help to run and serve in the Ntemba.

Janet now makes sure that not only do her children understand how to run a business, but that they, unlike her, are able to attend school. Janet has now extended her business. She travels to many places in Zambia and even further afield such as Botswana to buy goods, often rugs and blankets or small electrical goods that may not be available or which she can buy more cheaply than in Zambia. Janet knows that her neighbours are not able to buy these goods in one down payment, so she runs a ‘lay by’ system where customers pay a small amount each week, until they have paid for the much wanted item. Janet explained to me how she uses the small lump sum that she has to maximise her profit. Although on a small scale, Janet is an excellent example of how to run a business in Zambia.

The outside of the Ntemba at the rear of Janet's home

Janet's family help serve in this 'Aladdin's Cave' of goods

Life has improved for Janet and her family. Through their own hard work and initiative. Her husband, who works as a driver, also supports the business in his spare time, making this a true family affair.

It was fascinating to talk to Janet, a lady with so little formal education as we understand it, but so many talents.