The Story of PIZZ School – A Fantastic Project

The beginning

When I first met Mrs. Sianga in 2003 she was a full time nurse providing Home Based Care. One memorable afternoon she took me out to meet some of her patients. I was invited into the homes of women who were dying because of AIDS. The houses were invariably single roomed properties built mainly of mud bricks and thatched with elephant grass. Mrs. Sianga had a few paracetemol tablets to dispense to these ladies, but nothing that would prevent their imminent death. I felt very privileged to be welcomed and very humbled.

These women died, together with many more of Mrs. Sianga's patients. Having come to know the families, Mrs. Sianga was keen to support the orphaned children. In particular she wanted to keep the children from going onto the streets – with all the associated dangers.

Some volunteers from Italy wanted to help. Mrs Sianga set up a small local charity “Maluba Orphans and Vulnerable Children” - Muluba being a Zambian word meaning “flowers” . With the volunteers help, Mrs. Sianga started providing some extra food for the orphaned children and with assistance from her family she started a small school which became known as PIZZ School.

 

Growing the school

Soon the children had outgrown the small school buildings. Thanks to a wealthy benefactor, introduced through Hands Around the World, the school buildings were improved to provide more security and shelter from the rain. Another benefactor agreed to buy land for the purpose of building extra classrooms etc. for a school for orphaned and vulnerable children. The local chief agreed to sell some land specifically to be used for a school for orphaned and vulnerable children. It is important to know that the aim has always been very clear. The school was to provide a safe space for the most vulnerable children and to give them an opportunity to gain an education that could remove them and their families from poverty and also provide benefits for the wider community.

I have had the pleasure of working alongside Mrs Sianga to help develop the project. It was obvious to me that the buildings were
of little use unless there were teachers – and they needed to be paid. The school would need maintaining and stationery, books etc. needed to be bought. I persuaded the benefactor to pay the teacher's salaries and persuaded Hands Around the World to cover the other costs.

There are some projects which enable a community to generate income and therfore become more self - sufficient. A school for vulnerable children is not one of them. When I visited those ladies in 2003 I remember that a young girl (probably 8 or 9 years old) went out to see if a neighbour would give a little sugar to make her mother's nshima porridge a little more tasty. To expect families who have difficulty providing sufficent food for their children to raise funds to pay for education is unrealistic to say the least.

I have battled over many years to obtain sufficient funding for the school – always wanting to be able to do more, despite being told that money could not be raised. However, over the years the children at the school have flourished and there has always been money in the bank.

 

The need for a school specifically for orphaned and vulnerable Children

PIZZ was established as a Basic School.

At that time the Government schools were split into Basic Schools which taught grades 1 to 9 and were “free” and Secondary Schools which taught from grade 10 to 12 and charged school fees. Although “free”, government schools required school uniforms, shoes, notebooks etc.

Even these costs made government schools too expensive for the familes of the orphaned children, but the main reason that a school specifically for orphaned and vulnerable children was needed was the need for a system of pastoral care which PIZZ could provide. The children at the school have suffered the trauma of the loss of one or both parents – sometimes followed by other bereavements and disturbances to their lives. Problems regularly happen at home which result in the children not attending school. At PIZZ these issues are addressed, the family homes are visited and invariably a way is found to enable the children to continue with their education. There are few children who drop out.

 

A Success Story

Eventually the first children at the school reached grade 9. They took exams to qualify for secondary school. The results were good and some passed. I have always thought that if children have potential we should do whatever we can to help them reach that potential. Hands Around the World funded some children to attend secondary school.

The success of the project means there is a tremendous story to tell. The successes have continued. Many children have passed grade 9 exams and some have been funded at secondary school. Children have passed their grade 12 exams. 2 or three have been funded at university and more have been funded to train as nurses.

I met Mawini when I visited in October last year. She told me that she never expected to have a chance of any education, coming from such a poor family. She was delighted to be given a place at PIZZ School and even more delighted when she was given a new school uniform. She told me that she was about 8 years old when she first met me. Mawini is now a veterinary surgeon at the University of Zambia in Lusaka. After I returned to the UK, Mawini went to Kenya to attend a conference - her first flight and trip outside of Zambia. She is hoping to do a master's degree in Japan!

Not all the children have achieved academic success, but when I visit I see lively, happy, healthy and well behaved girls and boys. Many of whom I have watched grow up over a number of years. I see the change from the traumatised, timid, frightened children who enter the school.

PIZZ is a truly amazing project which has transformed the lives of many children and their families. It has given hope to the most vulnerable in an impoverished country. I believe that it will be very hard to find another project anywhere which provides a better return for relatively small donations.

I last visited the project in October 2022 and, despite the huge challenges presented by COVID, found the school and the children looking great. I will return very soon to support Mrs. Sianga through these difficult times.

Withdrawal of funding by Hands Around the World

In June last year two representatives from Hands Around the World visited the project and told Mrs. Sianga that, unless she changed the status of the school to a Community School – effectively handing the school to the Government – Hands Around the World would stop providing funds.

The PIZZ project has always been much more than just a school. The reasons for setting up a school specifically for orphaned and vulnerable children still apply. Mrs. Sianga believes that the suggested change of status would mean the end of the project. In addition the land was given only on the basis that it would be used for a school for orphans and vulnerable children. To hand the school to the government would be contrary to this agreement.

The current position

Mrs Sianga has refused to transfer the school to the Zambian Government and Hands Around the World has carried out its threat, stopped sending funds for the project at the end of December and says it will not send any more money.

The project has been highly successful in producing wonderful outcomes for the children. This success has resulted in plenty of support which has generated considerable income for Hands Around the World.

At the end of 2021 Hands Around the World reported that they has restricted funds specifically reserved for PIZZ School amounting to £39K, in addition there was a lot more money reserved for specific activities in connection with the project. There are currently more than 70 children at PIZZ School being sponsored by donors through Hands Around the World – paying £15 each month to support children at the school, I am sure that these sponsors would want to continue to support the schoolchildren. This money is not currently being passed on to the school.

HATW is currently refusing to release any of the money they have been given for the project, but the teachers need to be paid, the school needs to be maintained and the children need school meals to allow them to learn without constantly being hungry.

I will do all I can to keep the school from closing. If HATW released the money they are holding, there could be time to establish new funding streams.

I want the project to succeed because I don't want to see the children, to whom I have promised a better life, ending up on the streets. I believe this project can provide even better outcomes for the children than in the past. I will need a lot of help, but with your support we can make lots of dreams come true.

Chris Barrell

 

A family Death

 

Selina Shakele 2001 - 2020

In 2004 I met Jennipher. She came to the hospital guest house where I was staying and was looking for some support. At this time Jennipher had just started taking ARVs (antiretrovirol drugs) to control AIDs. Jennipher had two children of her own, one was stillborn and the other died very young.

The rate of HIV infection was, and still is, very high in Zambia. Many young people die from the

disease. Jennipher lost a number of siblings in the 90s and early 2000s and took in their children as her own. Selina became part of Jennipher's family when she was a baby.

When I returned to Zambia in 2005 Jennipher introduced me to her family. At this time Selina was a small toddler. There are two reactions to me from very young children in Zambia. They are either frightened and scream every time they see me or they smile and we make friends. Selina was of the latter temperament. I have always enjoying playing with my children and grandchildren and Selina would easily burst into laughter as she bounced on my knee and we played some games.

It wasn't very long before Jennipher's family became an extended part of my family. Each year I make several visits to Jennipher's home and she regularly comes around to wherever I am staying in Monze, Zambia. Sometimes she visits with some of her family. In 2014 she came to the UK and stayed at our home.

Over the years I would be greeted by smiles as Selina ran into my arms. Jennipher always has plenty of children around - some of whom she unofficially adopted. Selina had plenty of playmates and as she got older she would help look after some of the younger children.

As with all children life has it's events and challenges. Life in Pemba means being close to the land and animals. Vegetables are grown in the garden, chickens provide eggs and meat, goats give milk and are killed on special occasions.

In 2008 Selina broke an arm and spent several weeks in Monze Mission Hospital under traction - a great burden for an active child. I happened to be in Monze at the time and made several visits to see her in the hospital.

She went to the local school and in time passed her grade 9 exams and progressed to secondary school. She was a boarder at Pemba Secondary School. Boarding in Zambia is very different to what we are familiar with in the UK - for instance you need to bring your own mattress, soap etc! It meant that in recent years she was not aways able to egt to meet me.

A couple of years back Selina became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl - who was named Maria after a friend of mine who Jennipher came to know when she visited the UK and who died last year from cancer. Maria has been brought up by Jennipher while Selina continued her studies.

Last year Selina improved her grade 12 results and started an agricultural course at an institute near the capital Lusaka.

In June I was told that Selina tested positive for COVID 19. Apparently she had to go into quarantine, but didn't require any treatment. During this month (August) she became ill and was taken to hospital where I understand the doctors recommended treatment with insulin. I discussed the issue with Jennipher. It is always very difficult to try to assess medical issues and relevant treatment in Zambia. My medical knowledge is extremely limited, medical facilities in Zambia are very poor and obtaining good advice is not easy. Jennipher suggested that Selina returned with her to Pemba where she thought she could get the relevant treatment and I agreed that would seem to be a sensible approach.

Selina spent a couple of days in the clinic, where I understand she was given a course of insulin treatment.

She returned home with Jennipher but awoke early the next morning, was sick and soon passed away.

Selina was a very part of my Zambian family and I will miss her a lot. Like so many she was taken too soon and never reached her potential.

May she rest in peace.

Chris

Meeting Friends

Wednesday 24^th May

The garden is great for birds! A couple of Black Herons took up residence in a tree yesterday morning, a Cattle Egret perched on top of another today. Flocks of birds – canaries and other species pass by, alighting on bushes as they go, and Black Breasted Snake Eagles are seen regularly in the sky above.

Yesterday afternoon while I sorted a few things out with Mrs. Sianga, Ben went out with Killian to see some of the families with children at PIZZ School.

If you stay on the main roads you can be forgiven for thinking that everyone in Monze has a proper brick built house with a corrigated iron roof, most with electricity and many with a satellite dish. In the compounds, where the children attending PIZZ school reside, the situation is very different. Most houses are built of mud bricks and use a variety of materials to act as a roof – often with concrete blocks holding down plastic sheeting. There is no electricity and water needs to be fetched. The poverty is clear to see.

It was something of an eye-opener for Ben who remarked that unless you see for yourself it is almost impossible to imagine the conditions of aily life for these people.

It was in 2003 when I first visited such areas. I have recalled this many times but it s worth repeating. Mrs. Sianga took me around one afternoon to meet some of her patients. At the time she was a nurse working in the community with people who had AIDS. No anti-retroviral drugs were available, just a couple of paracetemol tablets and some kind words. All of her patients died! I was privileged to be welcomed into this very precious world, where the people I met were weeks or some just days from death. I remember one lady was being cared for by her daughter – no more than 11 or 12 years old, probably younger. The daughter had gone out to beg for a little sugar to make the maize porridge a little bit tastier. That afternoon change my life!

When Ben returned we went to the new school to plan the installation of the solar lighting.

I have borrowed a dongle from Mrs. Sianga to connect to the Internet. When I put my flash drive into the computer at the school it was immediately infected with viruses. I have loaded the dongle with 3Gb of data capacity and will download anti-virus and try to establish a process to keep the computers virus free.

Here at the Curia we have been given access to the Internet through the office system.

Today I have been busy on my computer and made a few additional notes about what I need to do in the coming weeks. Jennipher came along after lunch and I escorted her back into town. We both met friends on the way. Ireen was around and gave me a friendly hug. I will get some material and she will make me some more shirts. Best was playing pool down the road and I took over and hit a few balls. We will meet up during the next day or two. At last I found some Frisco coffee – as advised Mandies Supermarket stocks it!

Back home Fr. Clement made a breif visit to see how we are settling in. He has spent a couple of days with his family who live just outside Siavonga – a town on Lake Kariba. We made tentative arrangments for a vist to the church farm and a session of pool!

I apologise for the lack of photos, but have no fear - they will soon follow.

With love and prayers,

Chris

A Short Spell in Prison

Thursday 11th November

Most of today has been spent converting a few spreadsheets into ACCESS tables – I think I counted 62! That is a start – however I have a long way to go before the data is ready for me to use – perhaps 20 – 30 hours was correct! Sorry about the computer speak!

Another lie in today – even though I had an early night (about 23hrs). So after arising a bit before 7 a.m and enjoying a bowl of cornflakes, I set about rinsing my clothes and hanging them on the line I bought yesterday. Washing machines are uncommon here, so like most other people I use a bowl and some Boom – which is a detergent paste.

At about 11 am I was taken to the police station for an hour or so.

Perhaps I should explain that Jennipher recognised the need of prisoners who were HIV+ to be supported. She is therefore in the process of setting up an HIV/AIDS support group at the prison and she thought it would be good for me to become involved.

Prison in Zambia is not a place where you would want to be! Cells are quite large – at least this is the case at Monze – but each can hold perhaps 20 or more prisoners. At Monze prison there is just a concrete floor for the men to sleep on. They rely on relatives to provide them with food and if they have no relatives they rely on persuading others to share there food – and naturally it isn't without a cost.

For prisoners with AIDS the issues are many. The drugs can be harmful without food. The people need to take the drugs regularly – so drugs must be accessible etc. There is also the need for the men and women to understand the way that AIDS is spread. People who have spent time in prison often spread AIDS both inside prison and when they return to their communities.

Jennipher wants to try to educate both the police officers and the prisoners, and hopes to be able to provide food for those without relatives. They also hope to provide testing and counselling services. In this project Jennipher is working closely with the Victim Support Office within the prison. This team deals with all the abuse cases in addition to other issues.

Unfortunately, because Jennipher needed to look after Mike last night and this morning, we were late for our appointment – Mike is much better today and is able to stay at home in Pemba. The ladies who are intending to prepare meals had left to feed their husbands!

I did meet the Victim Support Tam and one of the police officers involved in the project. I was careful to stress that they mustn't expect me to be able to provide funds, however I was willing to tell people about the problems faced by the prisoners. I hope that eventually I will find a few people in the UK willing to become involved in Jenniphers work. As long as I continue to come out to Zambia I can provide a direct link, providing feedback to all concerned.

Today I was able to provide some funds for 15 of Jennipher's most vulnerable clients. This will provide some extra food and some seed, for those fit enough to plant it (with extra energy from the food). Fortunately when I am in England I am often given money to use here. So this particular donation will be well spent and I can provide feedback for the donor. Last year I was able to do the same for a small number of clients. Most of them are now doing OK – without that little extra, at a critical point, the outcome could have been different. I can't emphasise too much what a difference can be made by what seems to us to be so little.

I met briefly with Mrs. Sianga who, after several hours waiting, told me she was no 6 in the queue at the bank. (someone was guarding her spot) Fortunately there wasn't a queue at the ATM so, between us, the teachers will be paid and the equipment needed for the exams can be purchased.

At about 4 pm I headed for the Hospital. Outside I met Chriscola who was the first at the hospital to give me a big hug on Tuesday. Yesterday she told me she was suffering with her tooth – so I brought some oil of cloves in today, together with a few cotton buds. A few years ago I needed some work done on my tooth, but didn't have time before I left the UK. The dentist told me to take oil of cloves with me and, if it caused problems, the treatment would sort it out until I returned – in three months! Fortunately I didn't need to use it, but I came across a friend who did! I am told it works very well. Chriscola was the second person to get a magic bottle since I arrived in Monze on Monday evening! I was met on Tuesday by Robert who was in a lot of pain and had been told to see me by Jennipher who knows that I usually have a bottle or three – though rarely enough!

Dental treatment here usually means an extraction – if you can afford it!

I went to mass at 17 hrs to find that mass at the chapel was at 7hrs today. Fr Rogers apologised and gave communion to myself and the two nuns who also turned up for mass.

I made appointments with three people for 18hrs this evening. I didn't really expect everyone to turn up – and if they did it would be chance if they arrived at the same time. In the event only Reymond came around – at about 19.30. We caught up a little and I showed him photos of Dilys' birthday celebration in July when all our children and grandchildren were present – including our 'Burmese son', Fr. Tino.

I expect another relaxing day tomorrow when no doubt I will again put my feet up and soak up the sun by the pool – perhaps in my dreams!

With love and prayers

Chris