One in a Million

by Joanne Selby on January 15, 2010

When Wendy Stebbins, a Chicago business woman, suffered her own personal tragedy she said that she knew she had to do something wacky to pull herself together. She packed a suitcase and came to Zambia on ’holiday’. But this holiday was not for fun, it was to find some way of helping people who were less fortunate than herself. Although her life had had its sadness, she knew there were others who were worse off.

Wendy arrived at the Sun International Resort in Livingstone three years ago on her holiday and spent the time in the communities to see how she could help. She didn’t have a lot of money but knew that, through friends back home, she could raise whatever she needed.

Finally she settled on a project to help teenagers who needed support to keep them in school. Although the schools in Zambia do not charge for education, there are hidden costs; costs like uniforms, books, food. There are many children who fall through the cracks of the system just because their family cannot afford to buy a pair of shoes.

Now, three years later, Wendy has 25 children in her ‘family’ who look to her for support. Every six months she comes to Livingstone to spend time with them. She makes sure that they are healthy, well-clothed and are getting on with their school work.

Wendy arrived recently just before Christmas and stayed with us at the The Royal Livingstone Hotel. She uses the hotel facilities for a group of eight of her children. Every day they have been coming to the hotel. Wendy has been helping them with their studies. They have also been doing some extra-curricula activities like learning to swim in our pool and learning to use computers.

The other day we all sat down to lunch at The Royal Livingstone Hotel. The children had arrived in their best clothes with Wendy fussing around them like a mother hen. It was so sweet. Around a large table, we tucked into chicken burgers and chips followed by chocolate brownies. We chatted about the difficulties that the children face in their day to day lives. None of them have electricity in their homes; homes which are just one room. Sometimes there is nothing to eat because no-one at home has a job. Their stories of life were quite sad, but they all had smiles on their faces because they know how lucky they are that Wendy has found them. She loves them all so much. The children love her too. She is definitely one in a million.

For more details on Wendy’s plans, visit www.Iam1inamillion.ws