Benjamin & William

Thirteen-year-old Benjamin was taken from his village by his aunt who said that it was so that he could attend school in the town of Mumbwa. Instead, she arranged for him to work as a household helper for a family in Lusaka for extremely small compensation. Benjamin stayed for about one year, doing household chores, and then he run away, having never received any of his money.

Police took him to Fountain of Hope Drop-In Centre in April 2011. There, Benjamin met William, an orphan who had run away from his uncle during a trip to Lusaka.

The two boys started doing the LubutoLiteracy lessons at the library. Neither of them had ever used a computer before, and it was challenging at the beginning, but they learned quickly. Benjamin began lessons in Cinyanja and his native Silozi, and William did Icibemba lessons and Cinyanja.

As they were enrolled in school for the first time ever, the two boys spent their afternoons in school, but they would come to the library almost every morning to do their lessons on the computers and learn to read.