Help Christina Make it to the Hospital Safely

Hello, my name is Jessica Pollard, and I'm raising funds for my friends, the Mwamba family in Zambia. Christina Mwamba has insulin-dependent diabetes and has come close to death at times because she does not have a way to quickly get to the hospital. There are no ambulances to take her there, so it's been up to her husband Martin or daughter Clency to get her to the hospital when her blood sugar becomes extremely low or high. Often, they have to walk for 2 miles when they can't afford a taxi. They do not have a car.

On January 24th, 2023, Christina almost didn't make it. Martin was at work and she was home with only their two littlest kids. Her blood sugar dropped to dangerously low levels, and she passed out. It took a full hour for Martin to walk home from work so that he could take her to the hospital. Because of this incident, one of their friends offered to sell them his own car for only $2,500 (when converted to US dollars). My purpose here is to raise the money for them to buy this car so that this kind of thing won't happen to them again.

Some background on the Mwamba family. I have been close friends with Martin Mwamba since 2012. In 2016, I visited him at his home in Mbala, and there I got to see firsthand how long it takes to walk from place to place. Martin married Christina in 2017, and they had two children, Rachel and Amram. They also adopted an older girl named Clency.

Martin and his family are powerful forces for good in their community. Martin is a pastor and radio editor, and he and his family give all their time, energy, and resources to help the people around them. They're generous, caring, positive people and are well-loved by everyone.

Since 2021, I have been personally sponsoring the Mwamba family by sending them $20-$60 a month via Western Union. This has helped cover Christina's insulin expenses as well as other basic living expenses.

In December 2022, after years of planning and saving, I paid for Martin to come visit me in the United States. It was a beautiful visit and one of the best times of my life. During that time, I became much more aware of how Christina's type I diabetes affects her, and what a challenge it is to survive in Zambia with this condition, where medical resources are more scarce compared to developed countries. Before Martin went home, my family got together some funds to send him with a glucometer and test strips for Christina.

I hope to help the Mwamba family even more by raising the funds to buy them this vehicle. It will give them the peace of mind that Christina will be able to make it to the hospital safely when her blood sugars get out of control, and they will also be able to use it to more effectively help those around them.

I will send all donations directly to the Mwamba family via Western Union, like I have been doing with their monthly sponsorship. I will cover all transfer fees, so whatever amount you give will be the amount they receive. If we're able to raise even more than the goal, that money will go towards buying Christina insulin and test strips.

Thank you so much for your attention and care.