Blind man helped by USAID's Agriculture program records music CD

Printeremail

Clement Maimbolwa fondly called “Mr. Chairman” by the blind community of Linda and Mapenzi villages of Livingstone Zambia, next to the famous Victoria Fall “Mosi-wa-Thunya (in the Zambian local language).

Clement once a blind beggar in the streets of Livingstone Zambia is launching a CD with the students of Stellenbosch University Saturday June 4, 2011 under the Stellenbosch University Music Certificate Programme. Clement is one of the blind communities whom USAID assisted under a PPP with Sun International Hotel to produce high quality fruits and vegetables for the Five Star Hotel situated at the foot of the famous Victoria Falls in Livingstone Zambia. Whenever visitors came to see their project, Clement would entertain them with his guitar and melodious voice.

The students of Stellenbosch University visited the project, and as usual with visitors around, Clement played his music entertaining the guests, which (project) removed this blind community from being beggars to decent small-scale farmers who now earn their living through production and sale of fruits and vegetables to the hospitality industry and supermarkets in Livingstone and surrounding areas.

One of the students from Stellenbosch University donated a decent new Guitar to Clement, (replacing Clément’s old guitar). Back at the University, the students and faculty mobilized and raised funds to bring Clement to Stellenbosch to practice music tunes with them and this later resulted in a CD being cut by the students and Clement. The CD will be launched Saturday June 4th, 2011.