The difference between surviving and thriving can be as simple as having access to the right resources at the right time. Families across rural Zambia are working hard to break the cycle of poverty and build brighter futures for their children. Last year, through our partnership with the Daughters of the Redeemer and the support of compassionate U.S. Catholics, entire communities experienced merciful change as men, women and children received the resources to improve their health, deepen their faith, and establish greater stability.
Clean water projects, microenterprise support, agricultural training, education, nutritious meals and the life-changing message of the Gospel combined to bless families with renewed hope and opportunity. Lives were transformed through the provision of material support and the sharing of Christ’s love.
Access to clean water transforms every aspect of community life. For years, long daily walks to gather water from unsafe sources placed women and children at risk and prevented them from pursuing anything else. The loss of time left parents unable to fully care for their homes or find steady work. It limited children’s ability to attend school, study and simply be kids.
Generous donors responded, supporting new water and health initiatives — in partnership with the Daughters of the Redeemer — to improve sanitation, provide access to safe water closer to home, and promote healthier living conditions for remote communities.
“People were drawing water from shallow wells, which are, in most cases, contaminated. Those who didn’t have shallow wells in their yard had to walk very far,” Sr. Matilda explained. A lack of access, coupled with poor sanitation, meant that usable water needed to be rationed. “They couldn’t bathe or wash clothes every day,” she said, adding, “Now, with the coming of the intervention, things have improved.”
Hardworking parents in Zambia’s rural villages needed better access to training, tools and financial opportunities to generate sustainable incomes to support their children. Now, through microloans and vocational programs, men and women have gained invaluable skills that have helped move their families toward greater self-sufficiency.
Last year, the Daughters of the Redeemer’s microenterprise program helped Zambian villagers turn business ideas into reliable income sources by providing modest, affordable loans. For some, it was the first time anyone had invested in their potential, empowering them to create a better future for themselves and their families.
The result? A mother kept her market stall stocked, a child’s school fees were paid on time, a family was able to eat healthy meals each day, and entire households found a way forward that had not existed before. In addition, savings and lending groups empowered participants to encourage one another, hold each other accountable, and sow back into the program, ensuring that more families and future generations will continue to benefit.
In addition to helping provide financial stability, the program recognized and upheld human dignity as individuals found new ways to support their families and contribute to their communities.
Agriculture is often the primary way that families earn income and secure food for their children in remote, rural communities. However, in recent years, changing weather patterns, limited resources and outdated farming methods have made it nearly impossible for families to grow enough food to sustain themselves year-round, much less take it to market.
Last year, Ronald and his wife, Elina, were blessed to receive a loan through their village savings and lending group. At the same time, they participated in the Daughters of the Redeemer’s agriculture program, through which they received training and resources to improve their crop production and strengthen their food security.
“I am so grateful for the help that has been given. We didn’t have seeds for maize or money to buy them before,” said Ronald, adding, “Now, I am confident we are not going to be hungry this year.”
With homegrown food available, hardworking families no longer rely as much on costly produce brought in from other regions. They can also sell their extra yield and use the income to buy more seeds, tools and essentials.
Ronald and Elina are so grateful that they now have enough food to feed their children and extra income to cover school fees and household necessities. They plan to purchase goats and cattle next year.
Receiving an education not only changes a child’s life for the better but also changes their family’s course for generations. Too often, a lack of access to quality local schools, school supplies and tuition assistance traps children in the same cycle of poverty their parents and grandparents have always known.
Thanks to faithful supporters, students across rural Zambia were able to attend school and take advantage of the exciting opportunities that naturally come with learning and personal growth. In addition to providing scholarships, the Daughters of the Redeemer offered career and personal development workshops for college students and those in vocational training.
Students like Juliet, who dreams of becoming a nurse, exemplify what Zambia’s youth can accomplish when children in rural communities receive a quality Catholic education despite their circumstances.
Rising food costs and poor harvests due to drought have increased the burden on families struggling to survive in remote communities. Access to nutritious food support can be lifesaving, especially during the dry season. With Vitafood shipments sent by Cross Catholic Outreach, the Daughters of the Redeemer were able to provide impoverished families with protein-rich meals that helped parents meet the urgent needs of their children.
Sadly, malnutrition is common in rural Zambia, and the most vulnerable suffer the greatest — especially young children, infants, pregnant mothers and the elderly. Vitafood meals have helped ease food expenses for struggling families, allowing their limited resources to stretch further. Children have been able to go to school on a full stomach, play with friends, and face each day with greater strength and hope.
In receiving emergency food support, families have also been reminded that they are not forgotten and that caring supporters around the world are standing alongside them during times of hardship.
In addition to material assistance, the Daughters of the Redeemer and local ministry leaders shared the message of God’s love through prayer, discipleship and encouragement. Churches and outreach programs worked together to bolster faith, build relationships, and remind families that lasting hope is found in Christ.
On the importance of the spiritual evangelization program, Sr. Matilda explained that sharing the Word of God is a key component in their outreach, helping people realize that “most of the things that happen to them are not by accident.” Families have seen the Lord’s hand working in their circumstances and they are lifting praise!
Community members have gathered for worship, prayer and fellowship, giving thanks for both the practical support they have received and the spiritual encouragement that continues to strengthen their hearts. As a result, according to Sr. Matilda, some people have even felt convicted and encouraged to receive the sacrament of marriage and live a more Christian life every day.
As our brothers and sisters in Christ pray for brighter futures, your support remains a powerful reminder that God is using his people to bring hope, healing and transformation. Cross Catholic Outreach is deeply grateful to the compassionate supporters who have invested in vulnerable families in Zambia.
Donations from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures for this project incurred through June 30, 2027, the close of our ministry’s fiscal year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs of the ministry.
