Jennipher

I would like to introduce Jennipher.

I first met Jennipher in 2004. I was staying at the guest house of Monze Mission Hospital and this lady came to the door with one of the student doctors. She used him to interpret and tell me basically that she was a poor lady in need of support.

I had realised early that handing out money was not a good idea, so I gently refused to help.

Over the next few months - I stayed for 4 months in 2004, but that's another story!! - I met Jennipher quite often around the hospital,and she always looked sad and rather pathetic. Surprisingly her English was very good! She told me that she was one of the first people in Zambia to openly disclose her status as HIV+ and was coming to the hospital to collect drugs and check how the antivirals were controlling the disease.

One day she told me that her house would collapse when the rains came unless she could re-roof it with elephant grass. I was in a good mood and gave her £5 or £10 for her house. The next time I saw her she was laughing and seemed to be a different woman. To see her smile was well worth a few pounds, however she used the money!

Over the years we became good friends. She was at first considered a nuisance at the hospital – demanding food for her AIDS support groups. When I was asked by a doctor if she was bothering me I told him that she was my friend. Eventually she became a respected member of the community, invited to partake in important events as well as regularly talking on the local radio.

Jennipher was very astute and soon found how to make the most of charities and local NGOs. On more than one occasion Jennipher rang me to say that there was a lorry at her house full of goods, 50 kg bags of maize, cooking oil, groundnuts, salt, sugar, charcoal etc. She said that it was all free - however nothing comes completely free. The lorry driver needed to be paid! For £100-£150 the groups would receive goods worth perhaps £2,000 - £3,000. Of course I found the cash and the food was provided.

In this way Jennipher greatly multiplied my donations.

There has been no one who has given me the opportunities that Jennipher provided. She was a remarkable woman and taught me so much.

The photo at the top shows the Jennipher I knew in 2004/2005.

On another occasion I was talking to Jennipher from Cheltenham. She told me that she could get a borehole and handpump installed for the equivalent of about £200, which she would site near one of her support groups. I was a bit sceptical. I understood that at that time a handpump alone would cost about £450. A borehole would be a further £2,000 - £3,000 at least.

I decided that is was worth the risk and provided the money.

Next year Jennipher showed me the new hand pump installation which was designed to enable wheelchair users to collect water without help. It even provided a plinth to avoid pregnant women having to use their “bump” as a staging post for the full water container. One of her groups now had a source of clean water and a supply that could be used to water land and grow vegetables.

Of course £200 would have been far beyond anything the group could raise itself.

Jennipher also showed me the water source they previously used.

Please support PIZZ school for orphaned and vulnerable children - find out more at Transformation Through Education 

 

Presents

In Zambia maize forms the staple diet. Food means nshima, which has something of the consistency of mashed potato and is made by boiling maize flour in water.

Most families will have access to a little bit of land where they will grow maize. Many rely on this maize for food – without it they go hungry.

Over the years I have tried to help by paying for a bag or two of maize seed for friends or small groups.

One day I was meeting with an AIDS support group that my friend Jennipher had set up. They told me that they have been offered the use of some land to grow some maize. I thought that I could help and offered to pay for a bag or two of maize seed. When they sat there with glum faces I was somewhat amazed. They then explained that unless they had more food they wouldn't have the energy to plant the seed.

This wasn't the first time that I had been told that the energy expended with work was more than the calories a person obtained from their food. It is hard to realise just how close to the edge some people in Zambia live.

Climate change means that maize crops have failed more often than not in recent years, however for a Zambian it is still important to grow some maize each year.

Often I find it difficult to know what to give people to mark Birthdays, Christmas or other occasions.

Spending time in Zambia has given me opportunities to give alternative presents.

As I mentioned most people seem to have access to a bit of land where they can grow maize.

For a few years I did some work at Monze Mission Hospital developing their computer systems. O who worked in the office wanted to grow some maize. So I took the opportunity to give him money to buy maize seed instead of buying my dad a Christmas present.

I am sure that this present was the one my dad remembered and probably appreciated more than any other.

I sent my dad this photo of O's crop later in the year.

 

My dad was fortunate to celebrate two silver wedding anniversaries. He was married to my mother for more than 30 years. When he was about to celebrate his second 25 years I was in Zambia. Friends of mine C & R ran a small project. This involved growing a variety of vegetabes, as well as some maize.

The small farm they used was about 10 km to the west of Monze, not far from Hichanga Dam which supplies water to Monze. They needed something to transport their goods into town. As they had a couple of oxen so an ox-cart would be very suitable.

R had a friend who was an artist and we decided that a small inscription on the cart would be appropriate. In the event Rs artist didn't appear – so R picked up a paitbrush and with some paint wrote the inscription himself.

My Dad and Stepmother's silver wedding anniversary present was the oxcart shown below!

 Please support PIZZ a project lifting families out of poverty. Check out this website Tr
ansformation Through Education

 

Outstations

 Many communities in Zambia live quite a long way from a church. Most people in these communities won't have a car and therefore rely on the priest to come to them to celebrate services. The priests often travel many miles on a Sunday to serve these “outstations”.

I have come to know many priests in Monze over the past twenty years and sometimes I get the opportunity to visit an outstation.

When building in Zambia an important component is often broken stones, used to make concrete. These are often produced by women using hammers. The photo below shows this process taken place at an outstation probably for a local project.

By making friends in Zambia I have had the chance to get a glimpse of the reality of life in this extremely poor part of the world. I have also enjoyed the fun and laughter that the people embrace. I cannot walk far before being greeted and being engaged in some lively banter.

My experience of the out station chapels is that, like this one, they are very simple and somehow this makes the services even more special.

 

 

 

 

 

The journey to these places sometimes also brings an unexpected delight.

 Transformation Through Education

 

 

Chris 

A guided tour through the bush

 

One of my joys is to wander in the bush around Monze. I just like to wander along the narrow paths and see where they lead me! I might take a book with me, but I always have my binoculars and usually a camera..

On this occasion I had sat down on a fallen tree trunk and looked forward to relaxing with my book when these three lads appeared.

One took my binoculars and wondered how he could take a picture with them. I explained what they were and showed him how you could see distant objects. I then told the boys that I did have a camera to take pictures - “you snap me”. So I snapped them.

One boy took my binoculars, another my camera and I was led further into the bush.

My new friends spent the next two hours showing me around their village.

Costern my new cameraman insisted that his friends and neighbours came out of their homes to greet me and pose for photos.

This was one of so many experiences that I have had in Zambia which wouldn't have been possible without a local 'guide' stepping up and showing me around. 

This was a marvellous and memorable experience early during my visits to Zambia and Costern's

pictures allow me to recall that wonderful day.

My memorable tour ended with a visit to Chief Monze's Palace. Not perhaps palatial by our standards, but I considered it a great honour. I was led to a chair with an awning over it.

I wasn't aware of the protocol and, when a man appeared, I got up to greet him. He told me that he wasn't the chief, but just one of the villagers. He asked me where I was from and I said England, he said “what part of England” . When I told him that I was from Cheltenham he said that he was familiar with the area. His son went to Hartpury College in Gloucestershire and he had visited.

This was another lesson for me! I hadn't expected to come across someone during a walk in the bush who was perhaps more familiar with my part of the world than I was with theirs.

The chief did appear and we were introduced. Chief Monze is, as you might imagine, an important person in this area and one of the major chiefs of the Tonga people.

 

 Chiefs and headmen are important in Zambia and fulfil important roles in relation to disputes and the distribution of land. 

 

 

 

 

Please visit Transformation Through Education 

 Chris Barrell 

John's Well

If you live a little way from the town in Monze a well provides a reliable water source for growing crops and drinking.

John told me that all he needed to dig his well was a pickaxe and a shovel. I was a little sceptical, but a friend offered to fund the project (about £15 if I remember correctly).

After a week or so J appeared again! He had dug down about 6 foot. Now at this depth you hit an issue – getting out of the hole.

There is however a solution. You need a windlass, which is a device with a wheel and handle. If you think of the top of a mine you will get the idea.You pass a rope over this wheel and attach a bucket. The bucket is used to take the soil to the surface. Oh, and to lower and raise J so he can continue digging!

It just happened that this was not my first well digging project and Jennipher had a windlass that John could use. So sorted!

The windlass is hand operated, so now we needed someone to operate it. John had a friend who was willing to do this work. He would just need to be fed.

So onwards and upwards – or more accurately dowmwards!!

All went well (no pun intended) for a while. Then John came to me to say he was worried, he had dug down to 50 or 60 feet. During this time the equipment had been well tested and the rope was showing it! John said that it was fraying and he was worried.

At this point I began to wonder whether I should be involved! Anyway we obtained a new rope and John continued to dig.

Eventually John hit water. The test is that when you are lowered (perhaps 100 feet) into the hole you bail out enough water to fill two large barrels. At this point you can stop digging and you have your well.

However we now have a very deep hole. It is towards the end of the dry season, but the sides could still fall in – when the rains arrive the well will be in trouble!

The solution is to line the well with concrete rings or bricks. We decided therefore to buy 2,000 bricks to line the well – oh and a bit of sand and cement to make the mortar.

Before John's well I had a very bad experience when a little girl fell down a well. It was very important therefore that John's well was capped.

The usual way of getting water is by dropping a bucket into the water. However this allows the water to become contaminated. Each year in Monze they have a show which gives various organisations to exhibit their products. Many years ago I was impressed by a “rope pump”. This goes over a well and produces a sealed system which prevents contamination.

I decided to get John a rope pump to complete his project.

The moral of this tale is that when someone tells you they only need a pick-axe and a shovel to build a well be wary.

Schedule of items for building a well:

pick

shovel

windlass

rope

bucket

food for man 2

second rope

2,000 bricks

sand

cement

pump

The well was built just before John decided to move. I never found out what happened to the pump! Unfortunately I haven't got a picture of the well so this is a different well!

Please help us complete the science block at PIZZ School  PIZZ Science Lab 

 

Chris

 

 

Around Monze

When in Monze I choose to walk. This allows me to take in everything around me and to meet the local people. I attend church at Our Lady of the Wayside which is about 1 ½ miles along the Livingstone Road.

Returning into town I sometimes use the railway line – in Zambia this is treated as a footpath!! The area around Monze is flat. When walking outside the town I can usually see the water tower and the mobile phone towers giving me confidence that I can find my way home.

I meet animals along the main road as well as the side dust roads. Donkeys, as well as oxen, are used to pull carts. This one shows a clear cross - sometimes claimed to be a sign that a donkey carried Jesus on its back.

One of my favourite places is a small lake a couple of miles to the west of Monze. I enjoy sitting and observing all the activity. There is a good range of birds – pied kingfishers which hover before diving for fish, african jacanas which dive in and out of the light scrub, there are wide-billed storks which look prehistoric, plenty of cattle egrets and the occasional snake eagle which can stop still and hold their position using the wind.

Cattle and goats come to drink, sometimes brought by local children.

Children often come to see what I am doing. They take my binoculars and hand them around, but they are always handed back when they have finished looking through them.

In recent years the lake has become virtually dry before the fresh rains arrive.

Looking through some of my many pictures from Zambia helps me recall events, that because of my aphantasia might not come to mind. There are many special memories.

It is quite difficult to know how to relate some of the stories. My friends in Zambia are generally very poor. There challenges are big and some are no longer with us.

The photo below shows me with John. This was in fact the first ever photo that my friend Diven took. (Diven wants to help me write his book – we have had a lot of adventures over the years!)

It was 2006 and I was doing some work at the hospital (At this time I had a work permit – another story!). I had collected a number of computers with issues! I think I sorted some of them!

John lived not far from the lake and wanted a well.

Chris

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A Fishing Village

I remember coming across the African Toyota Ox-cart on a dusty road leaving Monze. I was being driven by Fr. Kenan - a priest friend of mine.

Just a little way further along the road we came across these young boys herding cattle. It is very unlikely that these children went to school. Their families will have owned cattle for generations. The cattle provide their employment and income.

So where are we heading?

This is Lochinvar. It is about 35km from Monze. Lochinvar is known as a National Park where there are antelopes such as Impala and the local Lechwe – there are also Buffalo, Zebra and other animals that pass through – and beware of hippos and crocodiles! It is well known for its abundance of birds. I remember seeing a Secretary Bird which walks in a very haughty fashion as well as a Maribou Stork, Fish Eagle, Hornbills, Vultures and many more beautiful birds.

But we weren't here on safari!

These boys are part of a fishing community. The families live in these straw huts while they fish the Kafue river.

When the rains arrive each year this area is flooded and the straw huts are all washed away!! 

I had come to Lochinvar to join the fishing community in the celebration of mass.

During the dry season access to the church is by car, but during the rainy season you need to find a canoe! The fishing community have permanent houses which are much further from the river however these house as well as the church need to be on ground that has been built up above the level of the flood water. Sunday mass is an occasional rather than a weekly occurrence because of the remoteness of the village.

I have been very fortunate to have had so many wonderful experiences in Zambia over the past 20+ years. The photos I took allow me to remember these events, despite my Aphantasia.

I will share some more stories if you are interested.

Chris

Please visit Transformation Through Education

 

Stories from Zambia

Stories from Zambia

Last year I realised that I have a condition called Aphantasia. This means that I cannot picture anything or anyone in my mind. I am realising that this has a significant impact. In particular I have a very limited recollection of many of the events in my life.

I have been reflecting on the past 23 years since I first went to Zambia. Because of Aphantasia I realise I need some help to remember. I am therefore going through the hundreds of photos I have taken (I wish that I had taken more!). These trigger my memory. I have shared my memories on Facebook, but have also decided to record them here.

 

I will admit from the outset that I am also trying to promote my charity Transformation ThroughEducation www.transformationthrougheducation.org.uk which currently has a crisis! We need to raise £30,000 to complete the building of a Science Laboratory for PIZZ school by the end of this year or the project could be put in doubt.

Somehow I need to reach out to people who can help us secure the future of the children of Monze, Zambia. Lifting them and there families out of poverty is a lasting legacy for those that help this project succeed. A legacy that will continue through genrations to come.

@transformationthrougheducation.orh.uk

 

Isn't Technology wonderful!

This afternoon I had a video call with my son Andy using WhatsApp.

I took him for a tour along the main road and behind some of the shops. Scenes familiar to me were less usual for him. At first he didn't recognise the wheelbarrows. Here wheelbarrows take many shapes and sizes depending on what goods are to be carried. In the UK they are used in gardens and are generally the same shape.

Lorries are longer here, often including a trailer, Bicycles in the uk are for one person with a helmet, there are not usually makeshift stalls at the side of the road and trucks are not usually filled with people.

Let's just say that Andy was able to get a good picture of life here – one that, without the technology, would not have been possible.

I have offered friends and family the offer of a video call. Obviously this can't be an entirely open invitation, but for friends reading this blog please get in touch if you would like a tour!

Of course another thing that technology can offer is a very simple way to donate money for a bag of cement to complete the foundations of the Science Lab at PIZZ school. All you need to do is click the link below.

https://checkout.justgiving.com/

Thanks,

Chris

 

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

Social Media Weekend

This weekend I am trying to wake up my social media connections.

I often wake up to a relatively cool but beautifully sunny day and think how lucky I am. This place is wonderful! But for many children life is a struggle.

I thought that the Jacaranda trees were about finished flowering, but WOW there are some immense trees in the garden full of their blue flowers – some falling to the ground covering it like confetti.

During the week I had another surprise visit. This time from Nancy and her mother. I had feared that I wouldn't see her this year because she was no where to be seen. So it was a great joy to meet up. I remember meeting Nancy when she was at a small pre-school on the edge of Monze – many years back! She had a special sparkle in her eye that caught my attention. The potential I spotted then has proved well founded. She knows what she wants and is determined to get there. She had problems at her last school which was some distance from Monze so she decided to come back home. she sold a few items she had to buy a new school uniform and some books and enrolled at a local school. She now wants to go to a boarding school not far away where she can study more! She is unhappy that she only has three hours of school at present “it's not enough”. She says she will become a nurse – no she doesn't want to be a doctor “I want to be a nurse”.

This weekend I am trying to GO VIRAL and help other children like Nancy achieve their dreams. This is our charity Facebook page Transformation Through Education

I will give brief updates throughout the day.

Chris

We're Building a Science Lab

As usual time is passing very quickly here in Monze.

We have had large swarms of moths over the past few days. At night they find a way into my house and thanks to my mosquito killer they cover the floor by the morning. The weather is getting hot – low to mid 30s with the occasional cloud, but still mainly cloudless skies. We have also had a couple of windy days.

The bird life has perked up recently. I had wondered why the flocks of sparrows contained only males. The reason is that they are not sparrows but Bronze Mannequins. However there are some house sparrows – today enjoying bathing in the bird bath. The mannequins along with a couple of Blue Waxbills were having great fun playing in the spray from a sprinkler in the garden. The Fork Tailed Drongos (the first birds I identified in Zambia many years ago) are around as in an African Pied Wagtail. There is also a bird I cannot identify – the nearest I can see is an Oxpecker – it has a very distinctive yellow stripe under its eye. The Pied Crows and Common Bulbils are ever present. The flowers are coming into bloom heralding the coming rains but the mangoes are all but invisible. Whether I will taste a fresh mango before I leave is doubtful.

I have shown a few people around via WhatApp video. The garden is a nice view, but it is on the Great North Road at the bottom of my drive that you start to get a feel for Africa. Appropriate since I am told that the road stretches from Cape Town in the south to Cairo in the North!

Today I was invited for lunch with Obert and his family. They killed a village chicken for me – happily not in my presence. The village chickens are special in that they peck around finding their own food and wander some distance. As a result they are particularly tasty. I enjoyed mine with some nshima and 'soup' contained onions, tomatoes and other vegetables. My friends make a lot of effort to prepare special food for me – I am very privileged.

I came across Alec – Sampson's brother during the week. He told me that he now has his licence to drive lorries. He needs to get approval to carry goods and he will then try to get work. He then wants his dangerous goods licence!

Our campaign to get funds to buy 250 bags of cement in 50 days for the Science Lab foundations is now live on JustGiving you can check out the campaign and buy a bag of cement by following this link

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

 

Best wishes,

 

Chris

Catching up with Friends

Yesterday was particularly busy at home with visitors. I was delighted to see Solomon looking well and cheerful. He makes some very nice bags with his wife and sells them to a variety of people including the museum in Livingstone.

Solomon looks after Jennipher's children Obadia and Emmanuel with his wife. Jennipher's death left Solomon and the children traumatised, but it seems that they are gradually moving forward positively. Solomon told me that he had some ducks – though some were stolen. They produce large eggs. He also has a number of goats and aims to increase the numbers. He also managed to produce a few bags of maize last year and hopes to grow a bigger crop this year.

After lunch I had a surprise visit from Sampson. This was another delight. Sampson had heard that I was back in town and decided to find me.

Sampson and his brother were orphaned a young age and supported each other as a family without an adult. Mrs Sianga offered them some support and they were provided with a small house. They were enrolled at PIZZ School and Mrs Sianga continued to keep a caring eye on them.

Sampson now has a small stall and told me he was doing well. He can put food on the table and he even has a smartphone! He intends to increase his stock and grow the business. I passed his stall this morning on my way to PIZZ School and it looks good.

I wonder what would have become of Sampson and many like him without the compassion of Mrs Sianga and the support of PIZZ.

Transformation Through Education wants to ensure that every child from PIZZ School leaves with the best opportunity to achieve their potential, providing all the education and training necessary – even paying university fees for children with the capability to progress that far. We need a lot of help to achieve this. If you want to find out more about the charity and how to donate please check out our website. Transformation Through Education

Chris Barrell

A Blood Moon

What a privilege it is to be able to spend time here in Zambia. I haven't seen a single cloud since I arrived almost two weeks ago.

Clear skies and a moon that rises very quickly in the sky are ideal conditions to observe a lunar eclipse. Yesterday Raymond joined me for supper and we then went into the garden to observe the eclipse. I don't think that it was possible to have a better view. We watched as the moon was covered by the earth's shadow and became a small red ball – a Blood Moon. A beautiful sight, which photos cannot fully describe.

It puts our efforts in perspective when God plays games with the stars and planets!

I continue to work with Mrs Sianga to make PIZZ the dream we have for all the children attending the school. We need more supporters, please consider joining us – you can find out more at Transforamtion Through Education .

In the UK one of my recreations is playing pool. Here it is a great delight to play against the local people. A few years back a small pool room was opened in Monze with four tables. On Saturday I put my head through the curtain and asked if I could have a game. The practice here is that the winner stays at the table and plays the next in the queue. I waited my turn.

Usually I am regarded with interest and a little confusion. Who is this elderly white man wanting to play pool with Zambian men. Does he know which way to hold the cue?

My first shot was not impressive – the ball bounced on the cloth and flew off the table. No doubt confirming the view that I didn't know what I was doing! I blame it on the different size of cues!! Anyway things got better and I stayed on the table, finally losing my fourth game. So at my first outing this year, 3-1 to me. I don't expect to keep up this record, but at least I think I established myself as a worthy opponent.

The wonderful thing about pool in Zambia is that the differences – culture, history, lifestyle etc. - mean nothing. On the pool table we play as equals.

Best wishes,

Chris

Safely back in Monze

It is wonderful to be back in Monze, Zambia again.

I was blessed by a good journey – 3 seats to stretch out on from London to Nairobi, plus a large gin and tonic and bottle of wine ( I actually returned a second bottle, which was a first for me). I was able to avoid waiting at Lusaka intercity bus station because I was picked up from a nearby petrol station instead. As a result I arrived in Monze at 15.30 – another record!!

Everything is very familiar and little has changed in the past 20 years. Ladies still carry goods on their heads, lads transport goods on wheelbarrows and the rear of pick-up trucks are filled with church groups en route to a Christian camp or other gathering. I feel very comfortable in this environment, but it's a pity more progress hasn't been made.

I have a lot to sort out this year to ensure the ongoing success of PIZZ School and the students that attend. However I must still find time for my friends.

A number have popped around for a chat and a drink, or supper. Raymond, Diven, Brian and Mr. and Mrs Musika have visited and Mrs and Mr Sianga have met to start our discussions. Others have greeted me along the main road, which I meet at the end of my drive.

Yesterday I attended church at Our Lady of the Wayside and enjoyed the lively service with plenty of singing, some dancing and applause. A number of parishioners that I know greeted me and we will catch up over the coming days.

I was amazed to find power without interruption. So when it vanished on Sunday night I was caught out a little and even more so yesterday when there was no power in the morning when I woke and it only returned at 16.55 – just in time for me to cook supper!!

It is quiet in my bungalow – apart from the cockerel who keeps his brood of chickens outside my entrance. The past couple of years it has vibrated to the sound of a night club less than 100 metres away. I am told that new tenants will move in – hopefully not as loud!

I have started cooking, but for lunch I have some sandwiches. Marmalade or peanut butter sandwiches were boring me, so I went for my favourites – banana or cornflake and mayonnaise sandwiches. If you haven't tried them you haven't lived!!

Best wishes,

Chris