Every home has a story. In the shade of a big fig tree a truly remarkable one can be told. It Is the story of one mans journey. The name of this man is the late Dixon Kelvin Chimuka Sikabota, who passed away on July 31st 2014.

He lived here with his wife Kotutu and their children. On these pages, that story unfolds. The past is revealed. The lessons are learned.

Right here though, it is a window to the current status of a typical Zambian family. Typical as in majority of the population. Majority as in less priviliged. Less priviliged as in death being closer to life. Zambia is experiencing accelerating development. But right now, the typical Zambian family is still struggling. See the film from our last visit here.

For Kotutu, now being the widow of Dixon, the struggle is even harder. Dixons adult son Andromeda is now in charge of the Fig Tree plot.

Shelter

Bedroom huts intact. Main house damaged by rainfall.

The plot belongs to Andromeda, being the head of the family after the death of his father, and he has the authority as to who lives there.

Household

Plot size: 1200 m2.
Kotutu has moved to Nalube, Mapanza with the girls to stay with the late Dixon Sikabotas elder brother Geophrey.

Education

The girls attend primary school at Nalube
Andromeda is a certified carpenter
and teacher. He works at two local schools.

Health

Dixon was in treatment for TB and would soon have been in treatment for HIV/AIDS of which he was diagnosed a few years back.
It is suspected that aids had kicked in since his immunesystem was very weak, and he responded badly to other treatment against i.e. malaria and TB.

The rest of the family is healthy and does not have HIV.

The last days of Dixons life in memoriam here.

May his soul rest in peace.