Lazarus Project

Are you looking for direct ways to fight suffering? Consider Zambia’s homeless orphans, often victims of physical and sexual abuse, extreme poverty, and AIDS.

There are over a half million orphans in Zambia, many of them are living alone on the streets. The Lazarus Project was created to battle this horrific situation by providing food, clothes, housing and education for these children.

My name is Lazarus Mwanza, the Lazarus Project was named after me and I was the first orphan taken off the streets. I was Born in Lusaka at “The Garden”, not a good area. I have been at the Lazarus Project 4 years and I was 10 when they took me in. I first met Pastor Banda many years ago when I lived on the streets and I’d go to the church on “Soup Day”. All the kids go there. Then I would hang around the church all the time and talk to Pastor Banda about God. I liked Pastor Banda. He and other people from the church would help my parents when they were sick. The first farm where the orphanage started was a big house. I slept in a bed for the first time. It was good to sleep in a bed and the people were nice that took care of us. We also had school on the farm.
Parents: Both died about 3 months ago from HIV/AIDS
Reason for leaving home: Sick parents and no food.

I lived on the streets for three years before they started the orphanage and took me in.
I have 3 sisters-9,11,13 and 4 brothers 25,19,12,10. They live at The Garden by themselves.
I have aunts, uncles, grandma and grandpa that also live at The Garden.

Have you attended school prior to living here? Yes
What grade had you attained: Grade 2
What languages do you speak? English and Bemba
Are you able to read and write English? Yes
Tell me what you remember about your family. No food to eat. I would like to help them someday.
What was your home like? It was a brick-one room house with no running water-no electricity. We would get boxes and sleep on cardboard on the floor.
How did you get food while you lived on the street? I ate food that other people threw away.
How do you like it that they named the orphanage after you? It felt good to know they named the project after me. God is good.
Who do you think Jesus is? He is the creator and the savior.
Where did you first hear about Him? Northmeade Church. (Pastor Banda’s church)
Do you think your prayers have ever been answered? Yes-God has kept his plan for me. When I’d pray for food and for God to take me off of the streets, He did.
Do you think God loves YOU? Yes-I know that.
If you could do anything you wanted to do what would you do? Trust God and I would like to be an engineer.
Do you think it is possible to achieve your dream? Yes
What steps do you need to do to attain your goal? Help some people to fix their cars.

For more about how to help the orphans, go to the Contribute page or click here for the Donation Form.