Joseph Siame was born in 2008 and comes from Northern Province, Zambia. He is the 5th born in a family of eight children. Sadly, education has always been difficult for the family, as none of his siblings managed to complete school. Most dropped out around Grade 5 or Grade 6 due to challenging family circumstances, and Joseph’s journey followed the same painful pattern.
Joseph attended the local Primary School and stopped schooling while in Grade 6. Life changed dramatically after the death of his mother on 3rd December 2025. Her passing left a huge gap in the family, and only a few months later, in March 2026, his father remarried.
According to Joseph, after the remarriage, attention shifted towards caring for his stepmother’s children while he and his siblings increasingly experienced neglect. Although they remained under the same roof, the warmth, support, and stability he once knew disappeared.
Feeling unwanted and without hope for continuing school, Joseph made the difficult decision to leave home. He began working as a cleaner on long-distance buses, hoping to survive and possibly create a better future for himself. During one of these journeys, he travelled with buses that came to Lusaka but he was eventually left behind at Intercity Bus Terminus in Lusaka, when the bus he was working on continued south. Joseph remained there waiting, hoping the buses would return for him.
While at the terminus, he met another young person who introduced him to Chisomo Drop-in Centre, explaining the support and activities available and the possibility of returning to school. This became a turning point in Joseph’s life.
When asked about his future, Joseph spoke with remarkable determination despite his circumstances. His greatest wish is simple yet powerful:
“I want to go back to school. I just want an education by whatever means possible.”
Joseph dreams of remaining in Lusaka with the hope that a compassionate well-wisher or sponsor may help him return to school and rebuild his life.
At Chisomo Drop-in Centre, Joseph has begun participating in various psychosocial support activities designed to help children heal from trauma, neglect, and life on the streets. One of the interventions includes Drug Arts Therapy Sessions, where children use drawing, storytelling, creative expression, and guided discussions to explore the dangers of substance abuse, process emotions, build resilience, and develop positive life skills.
Although Joseph admits to occasionally taking alcohol, he reports that he does not use inhalants such as bostik. Through counselling, mentorship, life-skills activities, and Drug Arts Therapy, efforts are being made to support him toward healthier choices and a more hopeful future.
Today, Joseph is not just a vulnerable child seeking shelter. He is a young boy carrying the burden of loss, abandonment, interrupted education, and survival at an age when he should be in school dreaming about his future.
With educational sponsorship, psychosocial support, and a caring hand, Joseph has the potential to rewrite his story.
He is not asking for luxury. He is asking for a chance — a chance to learn, grow, and become somebody.
