October's Volunteer of the Month is Lucky Changula, who has been volunteering at the Lubuto Model Library since he first visited in 2015. He is one of Lubuto's most dedicated volunteers, and it is rare that a… Read more

I'd like to tell you about Blessing.* Blessing arrived at Fountain of Hope a couple of months ago. He said that he was 15 years old but he doesn't look more than 12 or 13, and we think he may not know how old he is. The only language he can speak is Nyanja, which is very unusual in Zambia, and he has obviously suffered a lot of trauma. When Blessing arrived, he did not understand how to behave in social situations, and had trouble communicating and learning the daily routine. I wondered whether he might have an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. Despite his problems, he soon identified the library as a place where he felt comfortable - so much so that it is very difficult to get him to leave when it is time to go to school!