22/04/2026
Receive your flowers ๐บ girl ๐โค๏ธ
Meet Iness Silungwe, a mother of 20, teacher of 100 children
LIVING with children who once had no hope of belonging, while giving them hope and a sense of family, has been the daily story of a Lusaka's Garden Park-based child care worker, Iness Silungwe, and the vulnerable children under Beacon of Hope orphanage, for the past few years.
For Iness who is a teacher by profession, a voluntary desire to teach and support vulnerable children has grown into a demanding responsibility that stretches far beyond the classroom, as she now plays the role of teacher, counsellor, administrator and mother to dozens of children.
This is a story of children coming from broken homes, poverty and neglect, where many arrive at the centre in need of basic care, emotional healing and stability.
Yet, behind the work, Iness said the journey has not been easy.
Before Beacon of Hope was formally registered in 2024, Iness told that she already carried a vision of creating a safe space for children, but turning that vision into reality has come with several difficulties, especially financial constraints.
Today, the centre directly supports about 20 boy children and hosts 100 pupils who are under Beacon of Hope School, but Iness said limited resources remain a major challenge.
โSo aside from being a teacher, yes, Iโm a teacher. But doing this work while here, I also have to teach when maybe a teacher has not showed up,โ she said.
โI do administration work, assist with food stuff, sometimes mentoring because I have also done counselling and mental health studies.โ
One of the most pressing limitations is accommodation, as the centre is currently only able to house boys, due to insufficient infrastructure to meet required standards for caring for both genders.
โAt the moment we are only able to accommodate a boy child. Thatโs because we are not able to meet the minimum standards of care for child care facilities,โ she said.
She added that staffing is also a challenge, as the centre operates with only about five voluntary workers, forcing them to multitask across several responsibilities.
Another major struggle is funding and infrastructure, with the centre still unable to fully complete its facilities.
The lack of equipment such as computers, printers and learning materials has also slowed down administrative and teaching work, forcing the organisation to outsource basic services like printing and typing at an added cost.
Despite these challenges, Ines said the organisation continues to push forward, relying on goodwill, volunteers and community support to keep operations running.
She said Beacon of Hope is now exploring income-generating activities, including agricultural projects in Mumbwa, to reduce dependence on donations.
โWe rely so much on support. We have even managed to purchase land, but it still needs development,โ Iness told .
โWe donโt want a situation where we entirely depend on support. We want to sustain the organization,โ she said.
Despite the struggles, Iness continues to hold onto her vision of building a stable, safe and nurturing environment for children who have nowhere else to turn.
โIf a child is supported while they are in their home, they will not have a reason to go to the street,โ she said.
Picture and story by George Musonda
Kalemba April 21, 2026
