In the quiet community of Syambabala village in Gwembe District, lives 47-year-old Benson Hakomena, a man whose story reminds us that resilience can rise even from life’s hardest moments.
Benson, a father of four, was once an energetic fisherman. His life changed drastically in 2019 when a crocodile attacked him during a fishing trip, leaving him without one hand. The incident not only affected him physically but also emotionally.
“It was a very difficult time,” Benson recalls. “I couldn’t accept what had happened to me. I stopped mixing with people because I thought they would laugh at me.”
For years, Benson lived in isolation until 2023, when the Disability Inclusive Disaster Risk Reduction (DIDRR) Project, implemented by ADRA Zambia with support from Christian Blind Mission (CBM), came to his community.
He was identified as one of the persons with disabilities to participate in training held in Munyumbwe, which focused on inclusion, resilience, and self-empowerment. Inspired by what he learned, Benson returned home and helped form a self-help group under the Chabbobboma zone, bringing together others to share knowledge and support one another.
“The trainings changed my life,” Benson says with a smile. “They helped me regain my confidence and freely interact with people without disabilities.”
In August 2025, Benson’s growing leadership was recognized when he was selected to be part of the Community-Based Inclusive Development (CBID) structure in Gwembe, under the Zambia Federation of Disability Organizations (ZAFOD).
Today, Benson is proud to be a role model in his community. He actively participates in community meetings, encourages others with disabilities to come forward, and helps challenge stereotypes.
“I’m very happy to be part of the DIDRR project,” Benson says. “It helped me get back my confidence and showed my community that disability does not mean inability.”
Through Benson’s story, Syambabala village is learning an important lesson — that true resilience is not just about recovery, but about empowerment, acceptance, and inclusion.
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