Chabene Kein
Family Background
My full name is Chabene Tepula Kein and I was born on the 15th January 1990 in Mongu in the western part of Zambia. I am from the Kaonde/luvale tribe. I am the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Tepula Peter, both of who have passed away (my father in 1998 and my mother in 2000). My father and mother both had good jobs.
After my mother died, I was brought firstly up my uncle (who is a teacher at St John’s High School in Mongu) and aunt (who is a nurse in Liwanika).
I am now married to Susan Zimba Tepula, a teacher by profession holding a degree in Linguistics and African Languages. We have two children together, the first born being a boy by the name of Mark Chabene Tepula and then we had our daughter, Faith Mufuka Tepula.
Eduction and Work Experience
I started my schooling in 1997, at Limulunga Basic School. After my parents died, I moved to grade five at Mulambwa Basic School which I attended up to grade seven. I became the best student from that school and I later won a place at St John’s High School – the best school in the western region. I was at St John’s for grades eight and nine but after I had passed my grade nine exams I changed school when I went to stay with my other uncle (who is an accountant) in the Sesheke district in western province. I was there until I completed my secondary schooling in 2008. After I had passed my grade twelve exams I wanted to think about finding a job or going to college. I found a job with a private organization which monitored elections in Zambia. I did not enjoy this work, but I had no option other than to work.
Then in 2011, I came across Sister Cathy at Cheshire Homes in Mongu and I was told that they were looking for a bench worker. When I was told the kind of work that would mean, I became very interested in the job. I got more experience of this sort of work at Zambian Italian Orthopaedic Hospital where I was a bench worker for a year. I was then given a sponsorship by 500 miles to go on a one-year course in prosthetics at Tanzania Training Centre for Orthopaedic Technologist (TATCOT) in Moshi town in Tanzania.
I was the only Zambian in my class of 9 people, and since I knew the reason I was there I worked very hard in class and I became the best student in my class. School wasn’t easy but I was very happy that I had done well.
After finishing my one-year course at TATCOT, I came back to Zambia and to working at the Zambian Italian Orthopaedic Hospital and then 500 miles arranged for me to be moved to work for the Zambian government in the Prosthetics and Orthotics Department at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.
But then I knew that I needed to upgrade my qualification so 500 miles stepped in again to send me to Mobility India for two years to attain my diploma in Prosthetics and Orthotics. Again, I was the only Zambian in my class and in fact the only African – and my daughter, Faith, was born whilst I was away studying – so it was a challenging experience.
I was proud to graduate in June 2019.
About me
I am a hard-working young man with the capability of progressing as an individual using my knowledge and skills, whose interest is to do work for the mutual benefit of the society. I am now using my knowledge by offering the best to my fellow Zambians through my profession as a prosthetist and orthotist.
I like spending my time researching new things for my work, reading, congregating and, as I am a Christian, also listening to gospel music. But I also like to have fun with my friends.