Having access to reading books is also quite common. But for many others the story is different. Sometimes, people can’t easily get these things, or they have to wait until they’ve got the chance, if ever they find it.

Chance has found its way to Garden, near Lusaka, Zambia. It’s called “YOFOSO ” -Youth for Sport, Rehabilitation and Restoration. This social centre was foundered by Mulenga Mulenga Cliff and opened in 2005. It provides children at risk, from the age of 3 to 24 years old, a safe place where they can learn new and interesting things, have access to a wonderful library with about 500 donated books, meet new friends, play in a safe area, participate in a dancing or drama group or play soccer in a team called Young Gunners.

YOFOSO aims to facilitate learning in a fresh environment to all those young people in Garden who don’t have it as easy as some others do. For this reason the YOFOSO managing team is continually developing new ideas and programs so that these children remain in the centre, where they can be guided in their future, and learn life skills to help them with their future.

All this work requires resources and YOFOSO have always strived to find ways to be self- sufficient. That’s why last December, YOFOSO opened an internet café. The café is new, but it has everything it needs so that these children have computers where they can use the wonderful world wide web. Whilst the aim is to raise money to support the programmes of YOFOSO, the café provides an opportunity (for free) for the youth to learn how to use computers and the internet. The interest of these young people to learn this important tool is great to see. Expanding the business, finding more computers and printers are all in the future plans. The more successful the café, the more opportunities will appear for the youth of Garden.

So, as you see, there’s a lot to do at the YOFOSO centre. The local community is seeing the transformation of the youth that have been going to the social centre since its inception. The youth have already been given opportunities that didn’t exist 3 years ago.

One of the young men that has been transformed by this center is Leonard, who has learned a lot since he joined it. We asked him to tell us his impressions about this programme:

• What is your name?
Charles Leonard Phiri. and I’m 19

• How did you know Yofoso?
First, it was a place I used to fear by the discouraging words which were coming from different people in the compound, but at last I realised that if I continue to live on the words that people were saying I will end up doing bad things like what other people do and at that time I didn’t have a place at which I could spend much of my time doing good activities; then I decided to visit the place and I visited the place at least for some days, and then I knew that it was a good place to which I could so that I know who I am and what I can do to achieve my goals, and that’s when I started to spend my time at YOFOSO.

• Why did you join it?
Because many activities, which are taking place there, are good to me; that’s why I decided to join and I feel like it was a place I was lacking. When I started I felt everything had changed to me and I continued for I want to learn more and develop different skills.

• What do you think of this place?
The only thing I think is that may God continue with the blessings which he is showering to the people of Garden compound so that children of Garden can learn how to live with other people and how they can achieve their goals.

• Do you like to come here?
Yes, I come everyday because I want to learn more things and to make a change in my compound.

• What kind of activities do you perform at Yofoso?
I participate in all the games, specially football and drama.

• Do you have friends at Yofoso?
Everyone is my friend.

• What do you think about the experience with the adults at Yofoso?
We only have three volunteers: two of them are women; one usually teaches us spiritual matters and other helps us with our culture and drama issues. The other volunteer is a man who helps us with sports, in particular football. Only Mr. Mulenga is the full time volunteer at the centre. I organize and supervise my friends as I am the most senior in terms of Educational level as I am in my last grade at secondary school.

• Do you like the new Internet Café?
Yes because it is where we get a little amount of income to help run most of our activities, like when we have a trip to go somewhere and we use some of the money for transport and other staffs. We are also able to study and research on the internet.

• How have been your experience at the Internet Café?
It is quite good and I am still want it more.

• Have you had chance to use the computers or the books of the library? If so, what have you learned? Do you like what you've learned so far?
Yes, almost anytime I want, but as to the books in the library we have a time of reading and that is from 18 to 19:30 which is Monday to Friday, though we can use the Library to do our homework or even study at anytime. My experience as regards both the computer and the library is just that I am having a very good experience without paying any amount of money and I know this will help me in terms of doing a course as if I find things like this at a College, it will be easy for me to know them.

• Do you think there should be more people coming at Yofoso to offer their help and make of it a better place for more children?
Yes, because many people like what the children do in both culture and football, not forgetting our behaviour. They are also welcome to offer their help to build the talent of young children in Garden.

• What have you learnt by using the computers at the cafe?
To communicate with other people outside and within the country, and to learn and read school books.

We invite you to come and visit or give us a hand as a volunteer or donate something for the library or just be part of this unique place!