Lushomo is a support group for young people living with HIV in Lusaka, Zambia. ‘Lushomo’ is a word from the local Tonga language that means courage. The children in the group chose this name because they wanted to say that “despite our status, we have the hope and courage that we will excel in life - we are coming with full force!”
Since 2006 it has been managed entirely by volunteers, and worked with around 50 young people. Having started out focused on regular meetings to offer information, advice, and support, it is now trying to develop more practical projects which give the members a platform to be heard by a wider public.
The group was started by a team of young Zambian and British development workers, and still retains a ‘base’ in both Lusaka and the UK. It has partnered with a range of other individuals and groups since then, and continues to seek like-minded allies. Some of these key people are outlined in the summary of who’s involved.
How does Lushomo raise funds and use them?
To date, the group has relied on private donations from people associated with the original team. Funds tend to be raised in the UK, then sent to enable the work on the ground in Zambia. During the first 12 months the group was running, from October 2006 to October 2007, it used a total of ZMK 4,247,330 (Zambia Kwacha), which is about £600-700, depending on the exchange rate.
 |
12% | Materials |
| 4% | Communications | |
| 12% | Transport | |
| 14% | Staff | |
| 14% | Food | |
| 6% | Venue | |
| 38% | Meetings |
Because this was during the start-up period, and covered recruitment of the replacement co-ordinator, the costs for transport, stationery, and communications are relatively high. Over time we would expect to see these proportions change, so more of the funds go directly into group meetings and support. But even during this initial period, the only expenses that could be considered ‘overheads’ are for staff, transport, and communications.
However, each of these categories includes costs which group members themselves have incurred, not just the voluntary ‘staff.’ For example, staff costs include allowances for the Group Co-ordinator and peer educators – but the peer educators are group members as well, so these costs are also part of their direct support. Likewise communications and transport costs are for keeping in touch with group members between meetings, ensuring everything is organised for the next get together, and bus fares for the young people to get to the bungalow. All this means that the vast majority of funds are used for precisely the kind of work we all want to make sure can happen.
What are Lushomo's plans for the future?
We’re currently still taking things one day at a time, and looking ahead no more than about 12 months. The number one priority is making sure the group members carry on getting the support they need, but we’re also aiming to put the ‘organisation’ – such as it is! – on a firmer footing too.
One of the most immediate issues we to address is the growth of the group, and the different needs of the young people at different ages. It’s become clear there are quite different dynamics at each end of our age limit, and many members have been staying on long after they’ve passed their 18th birthday. So one current idea is to split the current members into two groups for different ages. This would enable each to meet at separate times, and their sessions to be tailored more specifically to their individual needs. The drawback, of course, is that if we’re doubling the level of activity, the funds will run out twice as quickly.
So looking ahead to the medium-term, it has always been our intention to try and establish the group as a registered charity. We can then apply for formal funding from donors, rather than relying on personal donations. Becoming registered will also give Lushomo more credibility with other local organisations, and hopefully lead to more partnering arrangements. Registering as a charity in the UK would help with fundraising, but doesn’t sit easily with the intention to build capacity in Zambia. Registering as an NGO in Zambia is therefore another option, but without strong local support, this is a long, costly, and ultimately uncertain process. Another option might be to find a larger NGO who could take the support group under its wing, but this would mean becoming part of a much larger and less efficient machine, where the group’s identity and independence could be traded for an official status and, hopefully, greater stability. This could yet be the best option, but for now we’re trying to stay small and beautiful!
[More detailed versions of some of this information was originally published in the group’s newsletter in February 2008.]
