Antony Ranjan, who was born in Sri Lanka moved to Zambia for his professional work and is currently living in Livingstone, Zambia. In his capacity as Managing Partner of PKF Zambia, Antony has spent many years working in the popular tourist destination. A growing city with an estimated population of 150,000. Known as the adventure capital, Livingstone is also popular for its rich culture and various attraction spots. More notably the beautiful Victoria Falls is said to be the largest waterfall in the world.

But behind the picturesque city, a grim reality where many low-income communities live well below the poverty line. The inability to provide basic living needs leads to a host of interlocking social issues. Unemployment, lack of education, prostitution of women and sexual abuse of children, poor health and hygiene, the epidemic of diseases, AIDS being the most prevalent.

Seeing the struggles for families to live on a daily basis was heartbreaking for Antony. It brought back memories of his own childhood.

At the age of 12, his father passed away, leaving him and his three siblings with their mother. “It was very tough….very tough,” he says. Antony watched as his mother battled a sea of challenges just so that she could provide for him and his siblings. It has stayed with him and influenced how he lives his life. He turned to God and asked, “Lord, what can I do to help these people? How can I be used to make a difference in the lives of these children?”

He went to the local church and spoke to the Priest who welcomed his time. He started a Youth Group, and it was there he was able to connect with families in the community and get them involved in the programmes they had put in place. He continued to work and advocate for any kind of assistance for these programmes.

However, the death of his son in 1995 devastated him and he felt it was time to leave Zambia. Antony moved to New Zealand, but Zambia was still in his heart and mind.

He could not forget the struggles or the families affected by them even after he left for New Zealand. When he returned to Zambia, he saw the face of his son who had passed in the faces of the children and it fuelled his passion to empower Zambian communities. And so, the Lubasi Trust was established.

The Lubasi Trust is a residential home for orphans and vulnerable children. A place of safety. A home where children are given the basic needs so that they are able to go to school and get educated. Funding has allowed these children to get the support they need in terms of medical attention, food, and school resources—things that most Zambian families are struggling with.

Following that, other efforts were further established to serve the Zambian families.

The Lushomo Trust is for women and girls who have been sexually abused. Spurred on by the story of a 16-year-old girl who contracted HIV while selling herself on the streets, after running away from an Uncle who sexually abused, tortured, and belittled her from the age of eight.

The Kwenuha Women’s Association (KWA) was established to address the issues that affect women involved in sex work and to educate and inform about HIV and Aids in an attempt to eradicate the life-threatening disease. Quite often these women are put in unspeakable situations. They need a safe place to unpack the abuse they were subjected to. KWA creates that space while offering the opportunity for them to learn alternative life skills, such as Tailoring, Catering, and Computer Training.

The Grace Centre aims to empower young girls who are at risk, by giving them the tools to look at other revenue streams. Similarly to the Kwenuha Trust, the Grace trust runs courses in Tailoring, Catering, and Computer Training.

While grateful for the many supporters that have come on board to help fund and run the programme, there is still much more work to be done. Antony continues to work tirelessly to seek assistance for the strategies put in place to create a different life for these children.

When Antony began, he had nothing. He did not have the resources, connections, or finances. He has been questioned and doubted. Told that he cannot do it, that these visions are too big, he felt the only person he could turn to was God. “…I removed my cap as an Accountant and put on my cap of Faith.”  

He says, “My heart is not satisfied because there are still more problems to be addressed. I have cried out to God and asked how can we do this? We need to provide good homes for the children, better options for these young girls, and empower the families. God, please provide the people and resources to accomplish this work.”