Trinity Episcopal Church, Fort Worth, Continues Partnership with Zambia

Zambia, one of the poorest nations in the world, is a landlocked country in South Central Africa that is about the size of Texas. Historically, many children with any kind of disability, such as cleft palate or deafness, are considered “damaged” or cursed by God. For example, if an adult had a stroke and lost his ability to talk, it was assumed he was being punished. To counter this, a former charity called CLASP International began sending therapists several times a year to provide speech therapy to some of the people in Zambia. Next, Trinity Episcopal Church, Fort Worth, decided to make this effort self-sustaining. They wanted to change delivery of speech therapy through an ongoing effort in Zambia and have spent the last 12 years working to make this happen.

With the assistance of diocesan grants and Texas Woman’s University personnel, parishioners helped fund, plan, administer, and teach a master’s degree in speech therapy using Zoom connections. In 2015, 18 students became the first native Zambian speech therapists.

A clinic was opened by one of the graduates, and others helped in hospitals and schools. However, there was still no on-going training to provide continuous education of therapists so Trinity envisioned the creation of a university training program in the field of speech-language therapy.

Parishioners worked with a Zambian university, Levy Mwanawasa Medical University, to set up the degree, courses, and clinic to support the new professional degree. Three of the 2015 graduates came to the United States and completed their PhDs. They returned to Zambia to be the professors for the new degree offering. The courses at the university will begin in early 2023.

How This All Happened:

By the grace of God and the hard work and generosity of many episcopalians, the attitudes in Zambia are changing.

For example, one little girl who has no fingers was not allowed to go to school. After the Zambian college students tested her and proved her ability to learn, she was admitted. Children with special needs are coming out of hiding and attending schools and public events.

Special schools have opened for children with intellectual disabilities. The first Zambian speech therapy clinic has opened, and people are lining up to get in.

Funding has sprung from 12 years of efforts by the faithful parishioners of the former diocese of Fort Worth. In 2011, the diocese determined to tithe its budget for mission and outreach. Grants from the resulting Mission and Outreach Committee of the former diocese (since July, the North Region of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas) have covered thousands of dollars and years of support for the efforts in Zambia.

Members of Trinity donated thousands of hours of work, and the Trinity Reaching Out Committee provided financial support. Parishioners shipped 500 pounds of medical equipment, university supplies, and program set-up materials to Zambia. Members of Trinity made hospital gowns for the maternity ward and donated stethoscopes, bandages, thermometers, scrubs, lab coats, and blood pressure kits. Members collected used textbooks and laptops and leftover supplies from local hospitals.

Parishioners served as program directors and teachers. Some traveled to Zambia to help, and other parishioners provided textbooks, therapy supplies, computers, and equipment. Women of the church made more than 800 hats to help premature babies keep warm because there were no incubators. Members donated time and money to help the PhD students complete their degrees. Other members provided housing for the students, transportation to school, and unending prayers and support.

The diocesan outreach funds covered a brand new audiometer and supplies for the university clinic, which will open soon. The funds from the diocese also covered transportation costs for the shipments. A final crate the size of a large garage will be sent in August to supply assistance to the children in the village of Hamaundo and surrounding villages and to further the advancement of speech therapy in Zambia.