Meet Peter and Henny,
ambassadors of Dalitso Skills Centre.
We are Peter and Henny Ophorst and as parents and in-laws of Suzanne and Morris we were asked to be ambassadors for their project in the region of Nyawa village in the Southern Province of Zambia.
Peter Ophorst
After working in IT for 44 years and in recent years as a Network Operations Manager I took early retirement in 2020 and now work as a volunteer at 'Friends of Dorcas Woudenberg'. It is wonderful to generate money that can be made available to those who need it.
During our visit to Zambia in October 2023, Morris and I went to the Nyawa district, and I was able to experience how the people live and I could see their needs. Three things play the leading role here: water, healthcare, and education. There is an enormous need for water wells, but also for a hospital and a school. We hope to contribute to these matters.
Henny Ophorst
I was trained as a nurse but I have been working as a Research Nurse at University Medical Center Utrecht for many years, and I enjoy it. My motivation to go into healthcare was to be of service to people who need help.
Africa has always intrigued me from an early age, and I have long dreamed of working in development work in Africa. It never got to that point because, as it usually happens, other things come along and you take a different path. Yet empathy for people in difficult circumstances has always remained.
The fact that our daughter has now taken this path to dedicate herself to people and communities where life is very difficult makes me happy and proud. The fact that she met Morris and that he has the same voice in his heart makes it even more special.
The Project
It will be clear why we wholeheartedly support the work of Morris and Suzanne. But the strength of their projects lies in the fact that Morris knows the local situation very well. He has direct contact with the administrators of the area where Nyawa is located and therefore knows where the greatest need is. He also receives a lot of support from the administrators of this region. This means that connections are short. His personal knowledge of the local culture is of great importance as well.
We are committed to facilitating and supporting their work in Zambia from the place where we are. Hardly anyone can make the choice to change their life in such a way that they start over in a completely different place in the world. Very few have a mission so dear to their heart that they are willing to dedicate their lives to it. But almost everyone will understand how important it is that people living in difficult circumstances can build a life where they are.
When there is no prospect of improving their miserable existence, it makes people desperate and they start looking for other places in the world where they expect to have more opportunities. This makes it clear how important a project like Morris and Suzanne's is to being successful.
Of course, all this is not possible without support. In addition to prayer, financial support is needed. If we cannot go to other parts of the world where the need is great, but others can, let us facilitate them with our support in donations and prayer
