Annie Has a New Lease on Life

Annie is a hard worker. She is an attentive single mother to a teenage boy sponsored through our Serenje sponsor site in Zambia. She is also a loving sister and aunt. Last year when she was visited by a Chalice staff member, it became obvious that something was wrong. She was despondent and in a lot of pain.

Something you should know about Annie is she suffered from polio as a child and lost the use of her legs. At the time of the visit, Annie's wheelchair was in obvious disrepair. She was sitting on a plastic patio chair covered in dirty foam, which was very uncomfortable and caused sores to develop.

Annie lives with her younger sister who is also a single mother of a young boy and the four of them lived together in a small house with no inside toilet. The pit toilet was located 100 meters from the house and Annie required someone to assist her to use it, which was especially difficult during rainy weather.

Both Annie and her sister are very hard workers. Annie sews clothes using a sewing machine given to her by a well-wisher some time ago. Her sister has a small business selling fritters. They had begun to build a new home recently with an inside toilet and a bathtub to make life a little easier for Annie. However, the business had been slow for them and they were struggling to meet the basic needs of the two families, meaning progress on the new home had ground to a halt.

Shortly after the visit, Chalice approved a critical need for Annie to purchase a new wheelchair and finish their new home so Annie could have a safe space and live a more comfortable life.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, $3,130 was raised for Annie and her gratitude knows no bounds. "Thank you so much for making it possible for me to have a bathroom within my reach," says Annie. "My big challenge in life is over. Thank you so much and God bless you always!"

Annie's smile and enthusiasm could light up a room and she is a true blessing to all who know and love her. Everyone is so thankful she received the help she needed, and they all agree it could not have gone to a more deserving person.

Thank you for all you do to support the most vulnerable people in our world. Without your support, we couldn't do what we do. From everyone at Chalice, we hope you have a most blessed year.

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