My name is Richard Chalwe. I live in Kawama North with my grandmother. I don’t remember my father—he passed away when I was very young. My mother, Christine Zulu, once worked hard selling vegetables, but after a serious accident, she could no longer provide for us. I am the firstborn, and I have a younger sister. Life has been difficult for us—most days, we only manage one meal, and sometimes we have nothing at all.

I had to stop school after Grade 7 because we couldn’t afford the fees. To help support my family, I started doing small piece works—mostly delivering nshima at local restaurants—earning just 10 to 30 kwacha a day. Every bit I made went toward helping my family survive.

Even though life was hard, I never stopped dreaming of going back to school. I began asking the headmaster at Kalanga Secondary School for help, and eventually, he called me in. That’s when he introduced me to the team at WellSpring. They listened to my story and gave me an opportunity I thought I’d lost forever—they helped me return to school.

Now, I’m back in the classroom with books, a uniform, and hope for the future. I love playing football and going to Roman Catholic Church. Thanks to WellSpring—and to the people who support this ministry—my story is changing. I’m excited to learn, to grow, and to help others just like me.