We have Power!

 

At least the sun is shining. In fact it is still unusual to see any clouds here.

The power came back just long enough for me to boil water for my second cup of tea, but not long enough to reboil water for my flask. Still the water is now warm enough for a cup of coffee or two.

The internet came back – still no power!

I sat down in the garden at Truckers. It is relaxing with a variety of trees planted as well as a variety of birds – though I saw only saw Pied Crows and House Sparrows this morning. Unless you count the chickens.

Now we have power and possibly internet as well.

These and many other difficulties face everyone here. Teaching under these conditions also has its challenges.

Today is to try to publicise Transformation through education and raise funds for the school. You can find out about our 50 day challenge here.

https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/buildingasciencelab

Chris

Chickens, Eggs - shirt 17

 

 

This shirt is covered with chickens and eggs! Chickens are amusing animals, always bobbing and running around! My daughter Helen enjoys having them around, as well as having benefitting from lovely free range eggs. In Zambia I have become involved in numerous small chicken projects – sometimes for egg production and sometimes for rearing chickens. Some of these prove more profitable than others. Often profit is confused with income!!

I have enjoyed many walks in the bush over the years. Sometimes I hear a russle in the undergrowth and hope to see a monkey or other interesting animal – invariably it is a chicken scratching at the soil! Chickens in Zambia can be very free-range, wandering considerable distances from their homes.

At the moment PIZZ doesn't keep chickens – it has a couple of fish ponds where talapia are grown to supplement the children's diet and for sale.

Please use this link to find out more about Transformation Through Education which provides funding for PIZZ School.

Thank you,

Chris

 

Catching up

25^th May 2018

Since I left Monze last July there have been two notable new lives that have come into the world. Delia gave birth to a girl – and I must confess both her Zambian and English names elude me at the moment. The other is birth is a girl to Selina – Jennipher's daughter - named Maria. Selina tried to keep the pregnancy secret and was very concerned about letting me know. Anyway I spoke to her and assured her that she continued to have my love and full support. Jennipher is looking after Maria while Selina continues her education. Both children are doing well.

Teddy suffered a break-in at his home, where it seems he was drugged while they stole his possessions – he is gradually putting things back in place. Best passed his bar exams, but his certificate is being withheld until he finds money claimed to be outstanding! Raymond is still trying to support some elderly and disabled people without any funds! They struggle to find enough food just to survive.

The rains this year started well, but for a month or so, when the rain should have been the heaviest the rain ceased. It then rained heavier than normal. The result is generally a poor harvest. I remember some years back doing work with the Diocesan Projects Office. They wanted to record the assets of poorer households in the diocese. I was surprised to come up with what I thought was an average income of about £100 per month – this was higher than I expected. I then looked more closely - it was £100 per year! Some families received less than £20 per year! However, most people had a spade or a hoe. Some had a few chickens or even a goat or two. It was then that I realised how essential it was to have decent rain and the opportunity to grow enough food for the family. You cannot buy enough food to live on with £20 a year!

Fr Clement finds himself alone in his new parish – Fr Raphael having been moved. Our church in Cheltenham provided funds for some pigs to start the piggery – these are now developing and soon the project will be in full flow. We were also able to help with funds for a toilet block at the church. Fr. Clement has been practising pool in readiness for my visit – I too have had a few games here with Roger, my brother-in-law. Whether it will make any difference I doubt – but I sure that the competition will be intense!!

Luke is trying to start a small poultry business to supplement his income. He still struggles to support his nieces and nephews through school and college and is trying to get additional qualifications himself.

Most people in Zambia live on the edge. For those who have enough food the next aim is to try to send their children to school and perhaps end the cycle of poverty. PIZZ School takes children whose parents/guardians have difficulty in feeding their children and would never be able to fund their education themselves. PIZZ School gives the children the possibility of a different future and while at the school the children have a stable environment and they know that they are really valued.

Ketty is a girl who has developed with the care of PIZZ School. In December she passed her grade 9 exams and this year started at Kaumba Secondary School in Monze. Thanks to Helen's efforts last Saturday £700 has been raised towards Ketty's education. Another £200 will cover her costs until she completes her secondary education. If you would like to help us pay for Ketty's education you can donate at Helen's 50 Miler

In August a number of HATW volunteers will visit PIZZ School to help run a Holiday Club. At the moment there is some doubt as to whether I will be there at that time. I am looking forward to returning to my second home before long. There is a lot to catch up with and I can't wait to enjoy some of the local produce with my friends.

Chris

Bundles of fluff

Thursday 18^th July

Yesterday I arose at 5.30am. It was just after six when I left my flat – I decided that was not a good time – just before six is good, because there are some buses that head off for Lusaka promptly at 6 hrs. Anyway I walked past the bus stop and headed for the 'tarmac'. On the way I was accosted by a lad who enquired whether I was heading to Lusaka. He directed me to a bus – possibly a little bigger than a Rosa and not in the usual Zambia blue. He told me is was a time bus and that it was setting off at 6 hrs. Since it was half empty I said I doubted that it would go for an hour or so. Anyway I asked the price, 55 kwacha I was told, and I decided to board - expecting a long wait. Almost immediately it made its way slowly along the Lusaka road. It stopped by the showground – a popular picking up place. I was surprised that instead of turning around it continued towards Lusaka – still there was still plenty of opportunity and many empty seats. We reached the Golden Pillow and tried to persuade a few more passengers on board. A little way along the road the bus pulled over and the conductor said prayers for the journey. Still half empty we picked up speed in the direction of Lusaka – maybe its true it is a “time bus”!! I paid my 55 kwacha but a little later the conductor came to me and gave me10 kwacha back, saying that Monze to Lusaka was only 45 kwacha! Miracles do happen!!

I had been worried that it would be late by the time I hit Chisamba (at least late afternoon or early evening). The bus driver made good progress at a sensible speed. We made a detour at the Munali Hills, going closer to the quarries than I have been before. There was a short section of roadworks after Kafue but I am beginning to wonder whether I was hallucinating the other day. The massive roadworks near Chilanga had evaporated! So at 9hrs I disembarked and headed for the next bus. I have always made a long trip via Cairo Road in the past, but seeing a road named Lumumba Road and wanting Lumumba Bus station I thought I would take the chance. Sure enough my destination was a kilometre or so straight along the road. A bus was waiting – as usual and after no more than ½ hour I was once more on the road.

Other than walking there is little option but to take a taxi from the crossroads. Again it wasn't unusual for a taxi to be waiting - in fact it would be extraordinary if one wasn't. What was incredible was that the taxi was waiting for two passengers and since another guy on my bus was heading that way, we set off immediately.

I always hope to see a troupe of monkeys running across the Chisamba Road, but this time I was disappointed. However I was well compensated by seeing a zebra and a large flock of Marabou Storks in a field of cows! I had heard of the zebra before – I believe some wild animals found themselves fenced in by commercial farmers, this zebra seems to have made his (or maybe her ) home with the cows.

I was keen to catch up with the project - “Kaliyangile”, a vocational training centre. There is a lot of activity taking place – they even had some small fish delivered to a tank yesterday – unfortunately due apparently to the transfer taking around 8 hours – the fish didn't survive. Moses who has a large pond offered to try again if they would promise a more rapid transfer. A course in bee-keeping is about to start. The tailoring students have been involved in making bee-suits and they planted some nachas (a citrus fruit like a Clementine or Satsuma). These will become an orchard providing food for the bees. I had a tour of the grounds and also looked at the accounts – still, to my amazement, being prepared using my accounting system devised for Kaliyangile a few years back.

This morning we had a power cut and had to revert to my laptop, the Centre machine having no battery power. This seemed to be an unscheduled outage, as opposed to last Sunday when the power in Monze was off between 8 am and 8 pm! Persis heard today that the father of a cousin staying with her had been killed in a road traffic accident. There is a terrible toll taken on the roads in Zambia and so another family is left grieving as a result of this tragedy.

Walking to and from the Centre I pass over a railway line. On the way to the Guest House for lunch I encountered a goods train on the move. It was moving slowly but these beasts are very intimidating close up – I was walking along the side of the track. I trusted that some metal doors that were clipped back wouldn't open and take me with them. Fortunately the train passed without incident, I received a cheery wave from the driver as he passed.

This evening after talking to the trainers I sought Davison and the new delivery – 500 'day old' chicks! Wonderful fluffy bundles. Each was picked from the box and given a quick feed before being deposited in her new home - they are meant to be layers, so we hope that are all female!!

Cheers

Chris