Mazuba the farmer, Zambia

At the age of four, former sponsored child Mazuba's family were supported by World Vision to purchase a cow, which he then turned into 20 cows. For years he has been buying, breeding and selling cattle to pay for school and care for his family. He now has five cows left and is waiting for them to reproduce so he can continue his education.

Mazuba remembers how, as a young child, he would exchange letters with his sponsor. He talked about drawing pictures of cows. He explained that in his community, having cattle means you are established, and provides a way to barter and to care for your family. As a boy, he watched other children whose job it was to herd and lead cattle, and he had longed to have cattle of his own.

"having cattle means you are established, and provides a way to barter and to care for your family."

It was important to Mazuba that we understood that the cow had helped his entire family.

Last year Mazuba was married, and, using money from the sale of his cattle, started building a brick home just beyond his mother’s house. He is excited that, thanks to the opportunity World Vision provided, combined with his own enterprise, now he will be able to provide for his new wife and pass on a legacy to his future family.

How You Can Help

• Sponsor a child: Sponsorship makes a long-term investment in the life of a child, his/her family and community, providing greater access to life-giving basics like nutritious food, clean water, medical care, and education -- the foundation for a future of independence and hope.
• Share our VISION: Be a part of our ongoing campaigns to raise awareness for children caught up in conflict and/or poverty by sharing this message with the world. Use Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+ and Pinterest to spread the word. Raise your voice and let others know how important it is to invest in the lives of children.