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John Hunt
John Hunt
With retirement in sight, and plans being made, John was more than surprised one morning in church to be given a very alternative plan to ‘go and care for orphans in Zambia!’ So, in July 2012, with Nino and Debbie Moscardini’s blessing (the Pastors of Wokingham Vineyard Church), he set out on a ‘reconnaissance mission’, returning after more than 40 years away to the country he had been brought up in, and in whose Army he had served. After driving over 2000 miles, looking at many different orphan-care programmes, the African custom John had learned so long ago won through: keep the children within the extended family.
Zoe Zambia was born: the ‘how’ established, now there was the ‘where’.
A second visit followed promptly where fellow ex-Zambian Army officer Panje Kaunda (son of Zambia’s first President) introduced John to Chief M’nukwa. His tribal lands are situated 20 miles from Chipata, capital of the Eastern Province, where John’s family home was for most of his childhood. The Chief had recently inherited the land whereupon he had done a thorough audit of its needs. It was quickly apparent that Zoe Zambia and the Chief could be mutually beneficial and thus the ‘where’ was established.
Since that time John has travelled to Zambia for approximately 3 weeks every May/June and November/December taking visitors and workers with him. He is the England-based worker for the charity.
He is married to Suzie and they have one daughter, their son having died in 2018.
Stephen Ngwira
Stephen Ngwira
We thank God for John’s “chance” encounter with Stephen, our Zambia-based ‘man on the ground’. He was as surprised as John to find himself involved with Zoe but from the very beginning he has proved himself to be invaluable. He is kind, wise, clever and honest, not only in overseeing our orphan families but also the many other projects that we have become involved in along the way.
As a young man he trained to be a Roman Catholic priest but having decided against final ordination he worked for large NGOs, instituting plans that encouraged and cared for the displaced and the distressed. In this work he also gained expertise in best agricultural practices that have been invaluable in our work.
He is married to Rachael and has 3 daughters and a son.
Notables
Notables
Chief M’nukwa has continued to host Zoe Zambia and encourage our endeavours within his Chiefdom, including granting the land on which John Hunt Primary School (JHP) was built.
Chris Taylor was John’s much appreciated, wise travelling companion on the initial reconnaissance trips to Zambia, and later returned several times with his wife and family. Being Head of Education Capital and Property with Bracknell Forest Council at the time (commissioning and maintaining schools) he was able to adapt Zambian Government school plans to draw up a costed and extremely detailed version for the building of JHP. It was invaluable.
Mr Khunga. Little did Mr Khunga know that the young boy whose golf clubs he had carried (earning him enough money to go to school), and the young man who had recruited him into the Zambian Army, would come to Makhasa village so many years later to sink a well! As the village Headman, volunteering with Zoe Zambia, he was an example within the Chiefdom from starting a small market garden, assisting with the labour needed when Mercers’ Kindergarten and JHP were being built, to trialling non-native goats and bees, ETC!
Mrs Khunga was the first teacher at Mercers’ Kindergarten and although she was not trained, when starting school, her pupils were soon bypassing Grade 1 and going straight into Grade 2.
Michael Brady whose talents as an engineer and builder contributed to many of Zoe Zambia’s early projects.
Edmund Cudlipp joined John for a few weeks at the beginning of his gap year in 2021 and produced the film we use as the beginning of our website. We hope you like it as much as we do!
Tuti Brady set up our website and maintained it for many years.
Victoria Butters, the Finance Manager for Vineyard 25 church, who, since its inception, has kept a strict hold over our accounts, presenting them annually to the auditors.
John Hunt's early days in Zambia
Chief M'nukwa
Chris Taylor, family and friend
Headman and Mrs Khunga
Michael Brady with old timer guardians
Edmund Cudlipp and Headman Khunga
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