Milika's Story

We changed Milika’s destiny. This is her story.

Milika is from a small rural village in Zambia. Her mother was only 16 when she gave birth. Her father died when she was just six months old.    

Times were very hard for Milika’s family. She began acting as a guide for her blind grandmother who was begging on the streets of Kitwe. Whilst she was on the streets Milika met street workers from Friends of the Street Children, but any help was met with fierce resistance from her grandmother who wished Milika to remain as her guide. Gradually the street workers won the trust of the grandmother and Milika began to attend street corner education. She came to classes for two years, until her grandmother decided they should move to Lusaka and all contact with Friends of the Street Children was lost.

When her grandmother died in 2008, Milika lived full-time on the street using all the resources she had to survive. She came back to Kitwe, where Friends of the Street Children’s street workers recognised her. 

The street workers spent time building a relationship with Milika until she felt ready to stay in their residential centre - Cibusa House. In 2009, she began school and quickly caught up. By 2010 she had taken a national exam and passed with flying colours.

Friends of the Street Children’s staff traced Milika’s mother. In January of this year Milika returned to her family and is continuing her education. She has become close to her family and aspires to become a lawyer.