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I'm one in a million!
“Little Citizen’s Of The World” pre-school is the brainchild of Alvin Muhongo of Livingstone Zambia Africa. As a teacher to street orphans aged 7 years old and up, he has learned that by the time a street orphans is 7 years old his brain has formed, it is too late to make a meaningful difference in these older children’s lives. They have already spent years surviving, starving, begging, prostituting themselves, being abused and depressed. In some ways, they are the lucky ones. They have not yet died of AIDS, TB, malaria, worm infestation, other diseases, starvation, or abuse. They have had no time to think about education. Most are double orphans so are already the head of a household where there is no house. They don’t have books and if they did would not know where to put it. Under a rock? So, as Alvin watched, observed and worked with 7-14 year old children he could see that the key to success in education which will lead to jobs and a good quality of life must begin with 2, 3, and 4 year olds. He developed the blue prints for his pre-school and in his mind has his dream written down in realistic terms. It was only when he met Wendy that he realized that his dream would come true. Upon telling Wendy about the pre-school he wants to erect and administer, she made a commitment to Alvin to raise the money for the school. Together this dream will become a reality. The land has been selected. It is large and surrounds many areas where street orphans hang out or live. So, they will have easy access to it. Those who don’t will be picked up in a truck. The school is being designed so that adult education classes can also be held. Because Alvin is from Livingstone, he knows exactly what realistically can be done, what classes members of the community would benefit most from and he is well known and well respected by the entire community of just over 100,000 people. This already gives credibility to “Young Citizen’s of The World” All who meet and know Alvin agree that he has a genuine compassion and commitment to all the people of Zambia. This project is in good hands. Wendy Stebbins, Founder Wendy Stebbins is Founder and Director of Wendy Stebbins Counseling Centers since 1984 with 4 offices in the Chicagoland area. She is a graduate of Roosevelt University, The American Academy Of Dramatic Arts in New York City as well as Albany Business College. She founded the White Bear Family Counseling Center in Minnesota, is a former television weather girl, the mother of 4 children and the grandmother of three. She has held many volunteer positions both on boards and “hands on” throughout the United States. In April 2006, quite by accident, she started on a quest to help the world in a more global way. Thus, “I Am One In A Million” began. “April 2006 I realized I needed to re-invent myself. I needed a purpose, something that would fuel my engine, make me feel alive again with the joy I had experienced as a child. Rising from abject poverty in a Vermont mill town (population 2500 on a good day) to live on the “Gold Coast” of Chicago along the lake front has been quite a journey. But now what? As I looked out my window at the water, feeling unfulfilled, I asked myself “What haven’t I done that would be meaningful to me?” The answer came quickly. “I’ve always wanted to go to Africa and hold AIDS babies. I had heard there were such programs there. With that, after 2 months of research, I hooked up with a volunteer service group. I would work for a month at Christmas time with Aids babies and street orphans in Livingstone, Zambia, Southern Africa. I had never heard of Zambia on the news, which made me think it must be a safe country ! Now it was June. But as Frank liked to tell us “It’s a long way from June ‘til December”! I contacted the organization I would be connecting with. “We want to have a drive for the street orphans – what do they need?” They responded that we could not send a few toys because on any given day they never knew how many street orphans would come to the area (could be up to 170). If everyone didn’t get something it would be cruel. So, whatever we sent or brought had to be something everyone could play with together. Like a soccer ball. (At the time they tied plastic bags together with a string and kicked them around for a soccer ball) So, Wendy put the word out and people with big boxes and bigger hearts came from near and far.
At Wendy Stebbins Counseling Centers everyone talked about Africa…about AIDS, malaria, TB, the water, the problems, the dangers, the poverty, the hope, the possibilities. The energy and enthusiasm was infectious. I knew if I never made it to Zambia this had already been worth it. As is customary when volunteering with African organizations, I had to pay ($1265.00) to volunteer there. I also sent $80.00 extra to pay for the duty on the boxes I had air mailed ahead. Total: $1345.00. One night I was alone working late at my main center. I ran across an old safe we had not used in over a year because I had lost the key. I thought, “I wonder if there was any money in the safe before I lost the key.” There was a slit on the top of the safe to where counselors put envelopes with clients money. I turned the safe upside down so the slit was on the bottom. When I looked in the slit, I saw something white. “Aha, an envelope which means money!” With a ball point pen I pulled out 4 envelopes. The money totaled “$1345.00”. Another time I got a call from a young many who had seen my ad on Craig’s List for used baseball bats for the street orphans. “I have 6. May I bring them to you now”. I met him in our lobby, a young redhead grinning from ear to ear “I was going to sell them on Craig’s List. Then I saw your ad and wanted to help”. On the end of each bat faded but clear, were the initials “W.S.”……my initials. Wendy Stebbins. In October a beautiful young black girl came to our center and signed up for some classes. “Where are you from?” I asked “Africa”, she said “Where in Africa?” “Zambia” “Where in Zambia?” “Lusaka/Livingstone” Exactly where I was going. |
