Karen Gillon finds innocence lost and found in Zambia

Church of Scotland Guild members have recently returned from an inspiring and emotional trip to Africa.
Building a better future...most of the young mums are still children themselves so the Guild members, including Karen Gillon pictured here with the girls, enjoyed seeing them relax and have some fun too.Building a better future...most of the young mums are still children themselves so the Guild members, including Karen Gillon pictured here with the girls, enjoyed seeing them relax and have some fun too.
Building a better future...most of the young mums are still children themselves so the Guild members, including Karen Gillon pictured here with the girls, enjoyed seeing them relax and have some fun too.

Among the party of 10 who visited the Journeying Together project in Zambia was Karen Gillon from Carluke.

Since 2018 the Church of Scotland Guild has donated more than £40,000 to the project, run by the United Church of Zambia.

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And the trip, from February 28 to March 8, was organised to see how it was being used to support 50 young mums who live in abject poverty in Kanyama.

Great bake off...provided a very poignant moment for the Guild visitors as the girls sang a Gaelic song they'd learned the day before. There was barely a dry eye in the house!Great bake off...provided a very poignant moment for the Guild visitors as the girls sang a Gaelic song they'd learned the day before. There was barely a dry eye in the house!
Great bake off...provided a very poignant moment for the Guild visitors as the girls sang a Gaelic song they'd learned the day before. There was barely a dry eye in the house!

Often plagued by severe flooding during the rainy season, up to 10 people live in a house and very few have toilets which leads to cholera and dysentery – with babies and children most at risk.

The project provides training to young mums in essential skills like nutrition, parenting and sexual and reproductive health.

They are also given the chance to return to school or train in a new skill to make their own money.

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Karen is the associate secretary of the Guild and was keen to hear the girls’ stories.

While some of the stories were harrowing, Karen was keen to hear them as they will be shared with Guild members to inspre more fundraising later this year.While some of the stories were harrowing, Karen was keen to hear them as they will be shared with Guild members to inspre more fundraising later this year.
While some of the stories were harrowing, Karen was keen to hear them as they will be shared with Guild members to inspre more fundraising later this year.

For 10 of them will be shared with Guild members across the country to galvanize members to raise even more funds for the last 18 months of the project.

One story, in particular, had a major impact on the visiting party.

Karen said: “It was a real emotional rollercoaster as we spent a lot of time with the girls, some of whom have pretty harrowing stories.

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“Some have been sexually or physically abused and one young girl had been raped.

“She made an excuse about her English not being good enough. I think it was still too difficult for her to talk about it, but she wanted her story to be told so she wrote it down.

“She was determined that her wee boy was going to change her life for the better and turn a negative experience into a positive.

“She was an innocent young girl doing very well at school when she was raped.

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“However, she called her wee boy Innocence because she believes he is going to help her through this.

“We were very emotional after reading her story; it’s an example of how much good the project is doing.”

The story of Innocence and his mum, along with nine others, are currently being crafted into cards that will be sent out to Guilds across Scotland.

In addition to funds, members have also donated threads, zips and buttons which will be put to good use.

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“The project aims to help girls learn new skills so they can earn money for school fees or food,” said Karen.

“Every girl wears a piece of material round their waist, a chitenge; it’s like a sarong.

“It costs £3 to buy but, using that material, the girls can make hair scrunchies; they can then sell them for 15 cwatcha each, about £1.

“The profits they make can then help them buy supplies to make more.

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“We also showed them how to make aprons, purses and make-up bags, using material donated by Guild members in Carluke ... but I must admit, I wasn’t at the forefront of the sewing!”

A local church was called into service to teach the girls how to bake biscuits, which they will also be able to sell at the local market.

A charcoal oven has been bought for the girls so they can make them in future and baking those biscuits will live long in Karen’s memory.

She said: “One of the women with us was from Skye and she taught the girls a really simple Gaelic song.

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“Standing in the kitchen making the biscuits the next day, they started singing it.

“It won’t change their lives but it’s a connection they’ve made with us and it was a really special moment.”

There was also time for some much-needed fun, when the girls’ ages became all too apparent.

Karen said: “We’d taken balls and parachutes out for the kids but the girls wanted to play with them too.

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“The girls are only 14 to 17 years of age but have had responsibilities since the age of nine so it was a chance for them to be kids and relax.”

The division between rich and poor in Zambia is very evident, so Karen also spent time with Guilds – appealing for their support.

She added: “A further 50 girls will be supported in the next 18 months.

“But we want the project to be sustainable for many years to come so I spent some time with church leaders and Guild members.

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“We have put the right building blocks in place but we hope they will keep the project going in future.

“In the city centres in Zambia, there are shopping malls and fast food outlets – like any city across the world.

“But drive half an hour and you’ll find extreme poverty; that’s where our girls live.

“I really struggled with that but the fact there is a middle class means there is cash to support the girls too.”

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