AND GOD SAW IT WAS NOT YET GOOD

Zambia, located in Southern Africa, is a landlocked country with rugged, rugged terrain and impressive wildlife surrounded by numerous national parks and safari areas. On the border with Zimbabwe are the world-famous Victoria Falls, called Mosi-oa-Tunya or "Thundering Smoke" by the local people, which plunge majestically 108 meters into the narrow Batoka Gorge. The political and economic center of the country is Lusaka, which is linked to all provincial capitals and neighboring countries by a network of tarred trunk roads.

This rapidly growing city covers an area of 70 km² and is home to 3 million inhabitants. In the 1990s, Zambia had one of the highest per capita debt levels in the world. However, Zambia was not always a "poorhouse". As early as the 7th century, settlements of people who used iron as a tool existed in the northwest of the country and first settled the Zambezi headwaters and the area south of them. The Ingombe Ilede archaeological site, located at the mouth of the Lusitu River on the Zambezi near Siavonga, reveals various artifacts from different parts of the world. These include textiles believed to have come from India, bells made in West Africa, copper ingots, gold from Munhumutapa, pottery that gave the site its name, and pottery of unsurpassed quality made in Zambia before 1500.

There may have been flourishing trade relations along a north-south trade axis at the time. Although Zambia impresses with its beauty, such as the national parks and the famous Victoria Falls of the Zambezi River, there are also many problems that plague the country. An ailing education system, malnutrition and lack of access to clean water are just a few. It is particularly troubling that the country still struggles with water scarcity despite significant water resources. HIV/AIDS is a particularly large contributor to Zambia's problems. Zambia has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the world. This explains the dramatic decline in life expectancy from 60 years in 1990 to about 40 years in 2005. By 2006, there were already 750,000 AIDS orphans in Zambia, and by 2015, it was projected that there would be as many as one million orphans, representing 20 percent of the country's children.

Thanks to ART treatment, life expectancy for women and men is now well over 60 years again. The vast majority of orphans in Zambia remain without access to formal education. According to UNICEF, about 10 percent of orphans are homeless, while another 6 percent are considered so. Only 1 percent of orphans are fortunate enough to be placed in an orphanage.

The Reutter family decided not to sit idly by and watch these children suffer their sad fate. Instead, they wanted to actively influence the difficult situation. With great commitment, they searched for like-minded people, partners and supporters. Today, Chreso Ministries is an organization dedicated to helping the people of Zambia. It runs several schools, orphanages and implements HIV/AIDS programs as well as nutrition programs. In addition to treating sick people, it also runs HIV/AIDS prevention programs through mobile clinics and outreach programs. Young people have the opportunity to build an independent life perspective through a vocational training program. Chreso also has a TV studio and a print shop.