ZAMBIAN girls at the Renewed Hope Children's Village orphanage have been given a helping hand by a New England politician.
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Independent Matt Sharpham and his wife Jane handed out 150 reusable period kits on their recent visit.
"The normal women's sanitary stuff is just unaffordable for them over there," Mr Sharpham said.
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The couple set up a business in 2017 aiming to pour a portion of profits into the Zambian orphanage, and the attached school of 300.
Kasuba sells and installs solar bore pumps, batteries and solar hot water services, with the profits partnered to help the orphanage and school.
It now employs about a dozen people full time, which supports families, and funds projects and other operations.
Mr Sharpham visited Zambia in 2015 with the local Baptist Church, and installed a solar power system at the orphanage - but trying to get the equipment through South Africa was an "absolute nightmare".
He saw it as an opportunity to invest in a business that could help out in the long term.
"Rather than just handing money, I'd rather see the projects that will actually work long term to generate an income for them to make them more self sufficient," he said.
Mr Sharpham bought the orphanage a shelling and milling machine, which means it can mill its own flour and generate its own income.
The couple were kept away from the orphanage for three years because of the pandemic.
Mr Sharpham said people in Zambia describe COVID as a mild version of malaria - "because malaria is a much bigger issue there than COVID could ever be".
The Sharphams arrived home on Wednesday November 2, and hope to keep a closer watch on the orphanage with borders open.
"They get under your skin, you just fall in love with them," he said.
"They really just appreciate everything you do."
Meanwhile, Mr Sharpham is biding his time until the next federal election; keeping up a profile and getting involved with the community to find out their concerns.
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