The Good Samaritan Association is located at Assumption Parish in the heart of the Mazabuka community. The association is comprised of a group of committed Zambians and international volunteers working tirelessly to better the situation in Mazabuka by providing those in our community, particularly the youth, with basic human needs.

Mazabuka is located in the Southern Province of Zambia, almost 200 kilometres southwest of Lusaka, the capital of the country. Almost 50.000 people live in 17 compounds in Mazabuka. Like most Zambian cities, Mazabuka is divided into different areas called compounds, which develop around the city centre. Around Mazabuka there are many commercial farms and plantations, the largest of which is the sugar cane plantation. Zambia Sugar distributes their products in both the domestic and international markets. Mazabuka has become known as the the sweetest place in Zambia. Plantations provide work for many people but most are seasonal migrant workers. Most people live on subsistence agriculture, growing and consuming maize, beans, cabbage and tomatoes. There is a large central market where locals do most of their shopping.

Therefore, many people are involved in retail trade, an activity that hardly allows people to survive. There are also professional workers including government employees, teachers, doctors and nurses. The average salary is between 250.000 and 300.000 Kwacha per month (about 70-80 USD), enough to supply food for a family of six without considering the cost of rent or school fees. However, most of the population is actually surviving on far less.

Unfortunately, the situation in Mazabuka is less than optimal. Many people are struggling with poverty and illness and cannot manage to feed their families. The greatest cause of death in Mazabuka is AIDS, with an HIV prevalence rate of 17% (a little more than compared to the Zambian average). The average life expectancy in Zambia is thirty seven years old. Such a low life expectancy results in an increased number of orphans. Many orphans end up living on the street. Others are cared for by relatives or "friends". However, caretakers are often neglectful and/or take advantage of them, forcing them to face the difficulties of life alone. Many children do not have the opportunity to receive an education. Their situation often leads to alcoholism, drugs and prostitution which also lead to a higher risk of HIV infection.

Currently there are two main projects Assumption Parish runs in order to support the community and in particular the youth. These projects target orphans and underprivileged children. The first is Luyobolola Community School and the second is entitled The Ark Project which comprises five houses for orphaned teens. One of our main goals is for our projects to attain self-sustainability. Currently, our projects are supported by outside funding. Our upcoming projects include the Bakery and Guesthouse which will help us to achieve this goal.