Meet ZamZam - Our Second Special Bike With a Purpose
Zamzam’s Journey: A Story of Strength, Survival, and Motherly Love
Zamzam came into the Silver Star Lamu Donkey Care family about three years ago, bought from another owner in Lamu. From the very beginning, she was special, strong, healthy, and full of quiet determination. She wasn’t just any donkey, she was part of the family, working hard alongside the others and earning everyone’s respect.But then, about a year and a half ago, everything changed.
The Night Zamzam Went Missing
It was a normal morning when Faiadhi got the worrying news. The banda, where the donkeys lived safely, had been broken into overnight. Some donkeys had wandered off but were found quickly. Zamzam was nowhere to be seen.The thought of her being taken terrified everyone. Around here, it’s sadly common for donkeys to be stolen and sold for their skins, which are exported far away, often to China. Zamzam was strong and healthy, exactly the kind of donkey someone might want for work or worse.Faiadhi didn’t waste a moment. He shared Zamzam’s photo with the whole village and searched all the possible ways she could have been taken off the island, by boat or by road. Everyone was looking for her.
A Ray of Hope in Kashmir
After days of worry, Faiadhi decided to take matters into his own hands. Early one morning, after morning prayers, he went searching in Kashmir, a rougher part of Lamu known for trouble.There, under a lonely tree, he found Zamzam. She was standing quietly, exhausted and scared, with no food or water nearby. When she heard Faiadhi call her name, she slowly lifted her head. The relief in her eyes was clear, like she recognized a friend who had come to save her.Despite her tiredness, she walked straight to him. He wrapped his arms around her neck, and together they made the journey back home. When they returned to the banda, the other donkeys sniffed her curiously, as if asking where she had been.
Healing and New Beginnings
Zamzam was given time to rest, but soon she showed signs of illness, diarrhea caused by sand colic, a common problem when donkeys eat too much sandy grass. The team quickly treated her with psyllium husk powder, gently helping her body clear out the sand.Day by day, Zamzam grew stronger. Her bright eyes returned, and her spirit lifted. Then, a wonderful surprise, she was pregnant.Months later, she gave birth to a beautiful little foal named Kanga. The proud father was Boule, another donkey in the Silver Star family.
A Mother’s Heart
Early this year, another foal named Luna was born to Mama Bilou and General, a black donkey who was not part of Faiadhi’s family but belonged to a friend. Sadly, Bilou passed away just months later.In a touching act of kindness, Zamzam took Luna under her wing. She nursed both Kanga and Luna, showing a tenderness and strength that goes beyond what you might expect from a donkey.
Zamzam’s Name and Legacy
Zamzam’s name holds deep meaning. In Arabic, it refers to the sacred Zamzam well in Mecca, known as a source of pure, life-giving water. Just like the well, Zamzam has become a source of life and comfort to her little ones.Her story reminds us of the incredible bonds between humans and animals, and the resilience found in even the hardest moments. Zamzam has faced loss, fear, and hardship, yet she stands strong, a loving mother and a symbol of hope for all who know her.
