ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) — As Texans, we are used to the differing customs and cultures that make up our great state, but today, two visitors from foreign lands are getting a taste of the Texas experience and hospitality. Andrew and Albina Loryman live in the UK and are visiting the state of Texas for the first time. They came to Abilene for a charity event to benefit their school in Zambia, which is located in a small village called Chama. Albina is originally from this village and spoke of her days as a young child.

“When I was young, (it) was about five miles, and the whole road to get to the school was a forest. As you are going, we are meeting these big snakes on the way to school and all that. And this was the life,” Albina recalled.

Albina met her future husband Andrew when he was in the region, teaching for various schools. Andrew is from the UK and met Albina through her brother. They were work colleagues before finally marrying. The two eventually settled in Cambridgeshire, England, but they frequently visited Zambia.

After some years, the two noticed that the education situation surrounding Chama Village was still the same as when Albina had lived there decades ago, and the pair decided to do something about it. They eventually built the TURM Primary School in the village, which serves about 137 children in the area.

“It’s a human response to something that, in a small way, we can help to alleviate, to rectify. I think other people will see that as well. It’s a question of if everybody chips in, you can make a difference. When you see a need, you can’t just walk by, can you?” Andrew shared.

During their years of visiting Chama Village, they saw fit to adopt children from the area. One of those children is Mulenga Lokonobei. After her adoption, she lived and received an education in England. While there, she met and married a man in the United States Air Force stationed in England.

Since then, Mulenga and her husband have been stationed at Dyess Air Force Base, allowing Mulenga to connect profoundly with the local Christian Business Women’s Network. With the network, Mulenga coordinated a trip for her parents’ first visit to Texas and organized a fundraiser to help out the school.

“I was born in Zambia. When I look at the kids, I see myself in those kids because I was one of the kids who didn’t have access to a great education and really didn’t have something to work towards and to dream for and to reach for,” Mulenga recalled.

Because of Mulenga’s connection, the Christian Business Women’s Network now offers a percentage of its monthly membership fees to the school in addition to an upcoming fundraiser. Melissa Vinson, the network’s founder and president, outlined the organization’s goals for this school.

“It costs $72 American dollars to send a child through school for an entire year. That will pay for their lunch and for their uniforms. Our goal is that no child has to pay the tuition someday,” Vinson said.

The Fundraiser for the school is called “High Tea Fundraiser” benefitting TURM Primary School in Zambia Africa, and will be held Saturday, November 1, 2025, at the Abilene Country Club at 5:00PM. They will have guest speakers and a silent auction with all proceeds going to the TURM Primary School in Zambia.

High Tea Fundraiser benefitting TURM Primary School in Zambia

High Tea Fundraiser