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Triplets in Zambia Rise to New Beginnings

on  December 23, 2019

In Southern Africa, where tourists come to see wildlife running free and visit markets selling boundless copper gifts, lies the capital city of Zambia, Lusaka. Despite its vibrant culture, among the 1.9 million people living in its many cities are people who dream of a better life. Margaret, the mother of a set of triplets, a set of twins and two other children, continues to have hope for her children’s future.Living in between the lines of the country where many rivers flow, there is an abundance amount of water surrounding the city. For tourists, Victoria Falls is known as Zambia’s most stunning sites, doubling the height of Niagara Falls. But for many families in Lusaka, ample clean water is difficult to come by. Like most of the residents in their town, Margaret’s family must walk to a public tap and pay for water.Now, imagine giving birth to triplets in a town with a lack of running water. At the same time, you find you’re unable to produce milk, and formula is difficult to afford. When the triplets, Christine, Christabel and Chrispin, were first born, Margaret was excited. Unfortunately, she began to struggle to produce enough milk to feed them, and the triplets needed formula to receive the proper nutrients. Margaret’s family lacked the financial resources to provide formula for the three infants.According to the United Nations, in Lusaka, there are more than 14 million people living on less than $1 U.S. dollar each day, and more than 60% of the landlocked country’s population faces poverty. The World Factbook states that living in Lusaka can cost more than living in a city like Washington, D.C. when comparing purchasing power and food insecurity.With Zambia transitioning to a free-market economy, there are many trades present. Most of the people work in the markets as salespersons or vendors to make a living. Although there is much land for farming, Lusaka is known for its production of copper. The triplet’s father works in the industry as a welder in the local market, but the area’s economic challenges still made it difficult for their family to cover their financial needs.Through the help of partner the Alliance for Children Everywhere, the triplets began to receive formula. Like most toddlers, the triplets are described as vibrant, smiley and playful. However, before receiving the formula and nutritious meals, they were very malnourished. Now at two and a half years old, the triplets can keep up with their older siblings and have grown to be healthier and stronger. As a family, they all receive Rise Against Hunger meals to eat at least twice a day through the Alliance for Children Everywhere and the Children’s Family Preservation and Empowerment Program.Chilala, the Family Preservation and Empowerment Program Manager, has noticed a difference in the entire family. “The children enjoy the Rise Against Hunger meals and their overall health has improved; they no longer look malnourished.”Through the program, the children have begun to thrive. The oldest twins are now attending school and Margaret looks forward to her other two children and the triplets also attending school when they’re of age. With the support of the feeding program, their entire family now sees a brighter future.Margaret said she knew their family would face many challenges but she never lost hope. With her family receiving adequate nutrition, Margaret is also able to participate in a savings program and was nominated to be the group leader by the other participants. Now learning about financial management, she is able to help her family and save funds for her children’s needs.Christine, Christabel and Chrispin, along with their family, have made great strides with the help of nutritious meals. Will you help children like the triplets in Zambia receive the proper nutrients in their diets to rise and break the cycle of poverty? Unbox the same hope that Margaret has for her children this holiday season by donating today. Your contribution can change the lives of families around the world.

About the Author

Janae Curtain is the Manager of Digital Marketing at Rise Against Hunger. Janae leads the development and execution of digital marketing initiatives including social media, email marketing, digital advertising and more!

More Posts by Janae Curtain

Strength, Stability And Hope

The gift that filled Nelly’s table.

“We were yielding very little, and the crops could not sustain us the whole year,” Nelly remembers. As a mother of seven and a farmer with two decades of experience, the stress of inconsistent yields was all-consuming. A poor harvest not only strained her family financially, but also limited their own meals to just two a day. Their story reflects that of many in their fishing and farming village near a lake in the Karonga district of northern Malawi. Here, heavy rainfall makes conventional farming methods nearly impossible. The entire village is, quite literally, saturated in food insecurity — a reality that leaves families struggling to survive season after season without a dependable source of nourishment.

In 2019, Nelly began participating in Harvesting Prosperity and Resilience, a sustainable agriculture project implemented by Rise Against Hunger in partnership with the Foundation for Community Support Services (FOCUS). The project works with 3,100 smallholder farmers in Malawi’s Karonga and Mzimba districts to strengthen food and nutrition security by improving production methods, nutrition practices and household income.

Just one year later, Nelly was ready to expand the variety of crops on her farm. What land once only produced maize began to flourish with sesame, cowpeas, rice and groundnuts during the rainy season (summer), as well as maize and vegetables during the dry season (winter). Through climate-smart agriculture training, she learned new techniques like manure making, pit planting and mulching, crop rotation and intercropping. Equipped with these tools, Nelly’s farm began to thrive.

After the 2023–2024 growing season, she sold enough produce to purchase an ox cart. Her harvests in 2024-2025 season yielded over 500 pounds of crops, including 22 bags of groundnuts, seven bags of maize, 12 tins of sesame and three bags of rice. With this surplus, she was able to invest in a motorbike, which she now uses to transport African doughnuts (mandasi) that she cooks and sells — creating yet another source of income for her family.

The transformation reaches far beyond her finances. Nelly now has the stability to provide for her husband and children. “I am able to eat different food types, pay school fees for my children and fulfill the visions that I have made with my family,” she beams. “I am now sleeping peacefully without any fears of food or paying school fees for the children.”

Her leadership has also grown. Today, Nelly serves as a leader in the Harvesting Prosperity and Resilience project, teaching other farmers in her district to adopt climate-resilient, labor-saving practices. By sharing her knowledge, she is multiplying her impact — empowering her neighbors to experience the same transformation she has achieved.

Across Nelly’s community, food and economic security are on the rise. Lombani, a government extension officer for the region, explains, “I can see the community is being transformed in the sense that in the area, there is food, income and nutrition security. Development is also happening at the household level.”

Nelly reflects on what it means to invest in holistic programs that address the root causes of hunger: “We are now healthy people. Children are going to school after eating their breakfast, having high yields and different types of crops due to conservation agriculture practices. With the support from the project, we have food, and we can access other food items from the market after selling our produce.”

This is the gift that fills: a future full of stability, strength and hope. It fills tables with food, families with security and communities with the resources to thrive. It’s an investment in futures rooted in resilience and hope.