Atukomane

"Let's be Happy"

Lazarus Hakalebula was born on 4th April 1989 at Chikankata Hospital, Zambia. Six months after Lazarus was born, his parents discovered that he was blind. Then his father rejected him and divorced his wife and left for Mumbwa because he was ashamed of having a disabled child.

Lazarus now lives with his mother, Loveness who took care of him, and visited many hospitals seeking healing, to no avail. When he was seven years old his mother asked for help to get him to school, but all the relatives refused to help saying that it would be a waste of money, since he was blind and would always need looking after.

Loveness struggled to get some money together and was able to secure a place for him at St. Mulumba's Special Needs School in 2002, where he started in Grade 1 and reached grade 4 by the end of that year.

While at St. Mulumba's he participated in a music concert conducted by the National Arts Council of Zambia, gaining 'best student in his category' and being awarded K 1.5 million (£189). This money was used to support him at school from grades 5 to 8. When the money ran out, he was transferred to the blind unit at Rusangu Secondary School, near Monze when his mother sought the help of Health Help International, and although he has had no one to sponsor him, HHI has tried to help where possible. The Llistech Studios were created with Lazarus very much in mind.

Whilst at St. Mulumba's he composed all the songs that the choir sang, and these are now released in an album of Zambian music, available via the on-line shop (in the Songs and Stories section) for £6.00 including p&p. It was recorded at the new Recording Studio which was part funded by the students of Lliswerry High School in Newport, South Wales. The sleeve notes detail Lazarus' reasons for recording each track.

Lazarus' writes: "This world of today has a lot of technology and with the help of Health Help International, I am able to operate a computer. Since there are a lot of people with different disabilities at HHI, I don't feel discriminated as I do when at home in my village".

Lazarus wants to be a musician and a social worker to help his fellow Zambians and hopes to achieve a doctorate by 2028.