It is now 25th August how
time flies!
I have been in very regular contact
with my friends from Zambia.
On 11th August the Zambian
nation went to the polls to elect another president. Edgar Lungu the
incumbant president was declared the winner, but the opposition party
has gone to court challenging the result. We are currently awaiting
the court verdict. Durings the weeks immediately around the elections
there has been a lot of political violence. This is not the usual way
for Zambia and the signs are worrying. A newspaper, a TV station and
two radio stations have been shut down. It might be coincidence that
all of these media outlets have been critical of the government –
but it is worrying! A lot of prayers are needed at this time to
conteract the violence and bring calm and peace back to the country.
Jennipher continues to be busy. She
attended a conference in Namibia and is planning to go to a similar
one in Zimbabwe where she will again be asked to speak. The third
conference will be hosted by Jennipher in Zambia.
Best has also been out of the Country
researching laws in Namibia compared with Zambia. He is due to sit
his final exams in September.
The violence has hit Monze and shops
have been damaged. Diven was doing ok keeping away from trouble, but
last week when he was moving goods for safe-keeping he was arrested,
because the police thought he was looting. He was freed after a night
in jail – for which they charged him 50 kwacha! His goods however
have not yet been released and he is struggling to do any business.
I am busy trying to find funds for PIZZ
School. I realised this year just what a wonderful project we have,
but also the size of the challenge. We need to ensure that the
children reach their potential and are not given hope, only to have
it dashed.
I have sent letters to all of those who
sponsor children at the school and felt that I should provide a few
more details about the background for the school and what I have
learnt. I think it is worth repeating those notes here:
PIZZ School update and background
In the past year a new classroom block
has been erected for PIZZ School and the younger children hope to
move in September - the beginning of the next term.Mrs. Sianga
intends to create a pre-school in the original building. However PIZZ
is not just a school. I think it is worth reflecting on the history.
When Mrs. Sianga started PIZZ School
her main concern was the safety the children she had come to know
from her work. She worked as a nurse caring for people dying from
HIV/AIDS. At that time AntiRetroViral drugs were not available. All
her patients died - Mrs. Sianga could only provide a few paracetemol
tablets and some words of comfort. Many children were left without
parents. These children are very vulnerable. In Zambia relatives
will usually take the children into their homes, but pressures on the
families often result in the children being sent onto the streets to
try to raise some money for food for the family, with all the dangers
associated with this activity.
The school was therefore born to keep
the children off the streets. However, much more than a school is
needed to enable these children to gain an education. Most of the
children would very soon leave school without constant care and
attention. Children at PIZZ School are regularly monitored, in a
caring and non-judgemental way. If they miss lessons, or their
performance deteriorates, care-givers will visit the homes and check
whether there are particular issues. Sometimes the guardian are found
to be ill – on occasions the school will arrange to take the
guardian to hospital for treatment. This is all part of the work
undertaken by the school.
The school has become a community
formed from the children, their parents and guardians, the
care-givers, the teachers and other staff at PIZZ School. It works
because this community works together and every child is treated
individually and their needs addressed.
Hands Around the World was invited to
participate in this community in the relatively early stages. We were
able to enable the school to develop. It was recognised that,
although buildings were important, without quailfied teachers and
funds to cover electricity, water and such mundane things as
photocopying and buying chalk, the school would be inadequate.
I have just spent two months in Zambia
and now appreciate what a wonderful job has been done by Mrs. Sianga
and her staff – with our assistance. We now have a school in which
we can be justly proud.
I have had the privilege of meeting a
lot of children this year. Some I recognise from previous years. It
is the children's development that impresses me most. When some of
the children come to the school they are very quiet and timid. A few
years later these children have developed a marvellous spark of life
– they seem happy and some will be confident to perform in front of
the school. Many come up to me in town greeting me with smiles and
laughter.
Between us we have a school that not
only keeps the children safe but also has an excellent academic
record – much better than most schools in Monze. Hands Around the
World tries to support the children throughout their education. We
currently pay the school fees for about 60 children who have
progressed to secondary school and one young woman who is in her
second year at university. It is important that the children can see
that there really is hope for them to escape from a life of poverty.
It is essential that we continue to play our part in the complex
process which makes the project work so well.
We have enormous challenges ahead. The
school's success means that the costs are constantly increasing. We
will probably need at least twice our current budget to meet the
needs in the coming years!! Anything you can do to spread the word
about this project would be most welcome. You can find a recent
report on the school at PIZZ
School Global Giving Report .
My immediate challenge is to raise
£1,500 in the next week to enable 100 students from PIZZ School to
visit Livingstone and Victoria Falls. For children who never get away
from Monze this is an exciting experience of a lifetime. It is part
of the business of motivating the students – showing them that
there is another world out there and if they work hard they can be
part of it.
Last Year Janes was one of the students
who benefitted from the trip. Janes has been the face of Hands Around
the World for many years, like the other children in the school there
have been many challenges for her and her family to overcome. She is
much older than the girl with the frizzy hair seen on the website –
in fact I hardly recognised her when we met this year. She did well
in her exams at the end of last year and is now in secondary school.
I am hoping that people will think about sponsoring a child for the
trip to Livingstone. It will cost about £15 each – we need about
84 sponsors to cover the remaining cost! If you would like to help
you can use the following link to donate - perhaps you will spread
the word.
I am very aware that my fundraising
capability is small and that I need a lot of help. I also believe
that there is a lot of goodwill around and I am sure some people
would welcome the opportunity to be directly involved in a project
which is so worthwhile.
Please pray for the people of Zambia at
this time, with love and prayers,
Chris
