Introduction
In 1926 the Dominican Sisters founded Kasisi Orphanage. Two years later they handed it over to the Little Servants of Mary Immaculate, a Polish Catholic order. Since then, it has grown to be the largest and best known Orphanage in Zambia. In 2002 the name was changed into Kasisi Children’s Home.

At the moment, the children’s home has a separate wing for babies and younger children, a small house for older girls, a street kids house and two wings for children who are infected with HIV/AIDS, namely The House of Hope and Martin’s Room. Seven Polish Sisters, eight Zambian Sisters and about fifty Zambian Housemothers run the children’s home.

Location
The children’s home is situated 37km from Lusaka main city and 7km from the airport out in the countryside.

Funding
Kasisi Children’s Home is funded purely via donations from individuals and organisations throughout the world. Kasisi has no access to any central funding.

Mission
The mission of the children’s home is to provide the children with basic needs, spiritual care, love and protection, and to ensure that these children will be self-supporting once they reach adulthood. All the children of school age go to school and after secondary school Kasisi supports them in further education or in finding a job.

How the Children Find Themselves at Kasisi
The children are brought in from all the provinces of Zambia. These children are sometimes referred by the Social Welfare Society, police victim support unit, refugee centres, hospitals, and the streets and from the communities.

Facilities at Kasisi
The home has 250 orphaned children of which 60 are living with the virus of HIV and 40 are already receiving the ARVs. Kasisi is divided into four areas, a wing for babies and younger children, a house for older girls, a street kids house and two wings for children who are infected with HIV/AIDS.There are also a pre-school; two play grounds, gardens and a classroom, a library and a small computer room.

As the family is the best place for a child, Kasisi tries to find solutions to reunite the children back with members of their extended family and continues to support them with some their basic needs. We have 33 children who have been discharged in the last year but are still getting support from the children’s home.

Activities
The Children’s home has two play grounds, we have got the main playing ground where all the children gather and play all sorts of games and a smaller play ground for smaller children that is the pre-schools and the like. So any items that can be used for these children will be appreciated.

Age Breakdown
Currently, the youngest child at Kasisi arrived when he was 4 days old although sometimes they arrive at a day old. At the moment the children’s home has:
97 boys and girls aged 0 to 5yrs old.
15 boys and girls aged 5yrs to 7yrs in the Pre School.
97 boys and girls aged 7yrs to 15 yrs old who go to Kasisi basic school in grades 1 –7.
32 boys and girls aged 16yrs to 22 yrs who go to different secondary boarding schools around Zambia.
5 college/university students of which two are studying in England, the other three are at colleges in Zambia.

Medical Requirements
The children’s home also has a small clinic, which is managed by two nurses, and doctors from The Coptic Church Hospital who come to review the children on monthly basis. Children who get sick are treated within the home and serious cases are always referred to the larger hospitals.
We are always in need of drugs, eg Antibiotics Syrups, multivitamins both syrups and tablets,. And surgical consumables e.g.-I.V Cannula, needles size 23g, syringes 2mls, 5mls,and 10mls, Oral Dehydration Salts, examination gloves, cotton wool etc etc.
And any other medical supplies that you have will be of great help.

Basic Requirements
We will always be grateful for anything that can be given to our children and this includes the following items:
Diapers and plastic pants
Feeding bottles.
Shoes for both babies and older children
Toys
Soaps
Clothes of any kind for the ages mentioned above
Bags for school and travelling to boarding schools
Books exercise and reading Materials
Sports Shoes
School Shoes
Sanitary Towels
Beddings for both babies and older Children
Bathing Towels