Sunday, July 10, 2011
Flight Information
We leave tomorrow morning at 8:25 Zambian time on British Airways. The flight from London to Boston is 239 British Airways and we should be arriving around 9:45 at night. We will have to gather our luggage and go through customs. This may take up to half an hour depending on how efficient they are! We all look forward to being home but will miss our many connections we have made in Zambia.
July 8th
July 8, 2011
A truly amazing day … off to Ng'Ombe this morning with Nina and Martha. Graduation was to be this morning and Dick had joined us to this ceremony and he told me to watch me teach. Nina began the morning and I let her and tried to support her as she had the children trace their hands and then write their names. Then in her kind gentle way, she looked at me and raised her hands as if to say it is your turn … so I did and of course it was the first day I did NOT really have a written out lesson plan but all went well with Read Alouds, songs, writing letters – all the lower case which is new for them & we did them all even though I was more than aware it was too much, it was my only and last chance … so we did them all and used the chalkboards we have brought through the years. It was amazing to see the children pick this up so quickly, it clearly speaks to what Nina has been doing with them, absolutely amazing to see the growth she has made in these last few years.
Graduation with all the ladies crammed in the back classroom and singing as we arrived. Agnus then dragged me forward and made me dance and sing with her and I did my best – it was wonderful. Dr. Dick then presented the certificates and I took pictures to send them. Unfortunately, only 2 showed up the rest were in school, but there were about 8 who had graduated. They shared their dreams of becoming engineers which please Tom tremendously. Please also note that as I was in the classroom,Tm was hanging a ABC chart in Martha's room and repairing a desk in Nina's while teaching one of the graduates to do so in the future. He is amazing.
Back to Nina's room and she said she had a surprise for me. She lead me outside and as we turned the corner of the school, she made me close my eyes, no peaking and when I opened them JULIETTE MAWELE was standing in front of me and we hugged as I cried. We hugged more and then she presented ME with a gift … a crocheted bag and change purse that she had made along with a letter to be read later. Once again, I was deeply touched. She is now in 9th grade and doing well but I learned later in her letter that she needs funding to take her exam and pass to the 10th Grade. I simply could not let go of her and am so very proud.
If this was not enough,Nina insisted she also had something for me and quickly returned to her home to bring both Dick and I a gift, pottery that she had made as she apologized for not having something for Lucia. Nina gave me a chicken that was hollow underneath, a place for three chicks that wentBwith it and that fit under the mother – I give one chick to Lucia and will also give one to Tom.
No, the day is not done yet … back to the Guest House and then off to Garden Compound to teacher the ladies how to knit. They really knew how, but I was able to take them some yarn, show them how to crochet a flower and the 'drop-knit' scarf that is so easy and they were so impressed. Quick stop at the Guest House and off to Mandevu to go to Kabangwe Farm which they work and are in the process of building a place to raise pigs as well. It is huge and we did a good bit of walking through the cinders – they burn the fields to get rid of the snakes and rats. Not much growing now, although the onions have just begun and more to come as they begin to replant later this month. They walk to this farm twice weekly and those are 16 hour days with no food. They grow peanuts for the peanut butter they make, maize for the nshma they grind it into and they also sew uniforms for several schools to make money for their children. They are amazing ladies. After the Farm, Mrs. Teressa Banda took us back to her home and presented me with a beautiful piece of cloth, finished edges for a chitange, skirt and again on this day I was deeply touched and it is truly lovely with the bonus that she taught me to tie it which I have never really understood. Her home was filled with lovely pieces of crocheted doilies and I will definitely bring her or get to her more of the string to do this. They are magnificent.
Finally back to the Guest house and I collapsed for a nap - an unbelievable day.
A truly amazing day … off to Ng'Ombe this morning with Nina and Martha. Graduation was to be this morning and Dick had joined us to this ceremony and he told me to watch me teach. Nina began the morning and I let her and tried to support her as she had the children trace their hands and then write their names. Then in her kind gentle way, she looked at me and raised her hands as if to say it is your turn … so I did and of course it was the first day I did NOT really have a written out lesson plan but all went well with Read Alouds, songs, writing letters – all the lower case which is new for them & we did them all even though I was more than aware it was too much, it was my only and last chance … so we did them all and used the chalkboards we have brought through the years. It was amazing to see the children pick this up so quickly, it clearly speaks to what Nina has been doing with them, absolutely amazing to see the growth she has made in these last few years.
Graduation with all the ladies crammed in the back classroom and singing as we arrived. Agnus then dragged me forward and made me dance and sing with her and I did my best – it was wonderful. Dr. Dick then presented the certificates and I took pictures to send them. Unfortunately, only 2 showed up the rest were in school, but there were about 8 who had graduated. They shared their dreams of becoming engineers which please Tom tremendously. Please also note that as I was in the classroom,Tm was hanging a ABC chart in Martha's room and repairing a desk in Nina's while teaching one of the graduates to do so in the future. He is amazing.
Back to Nina's room and she said she had a surprise for me. She lead me outside and as we turned the corner of the school, she made me close my eyes, no peaking and when I opened them JULIETTE MAWELE was standing in front of me and we hugged as I cried. We hugged more and then she presented ME with a gift … a crocheted bag and change purse that she had made along with a letter to be read later. Once again, I was deeply touched. She is now in 9th grade and doing well but I learned later in her letter that she needs funding to take her exam and pass to the 10th Grade. I simply could not let go of her and am so very proud.
If this was not enough,Nina insisted she also had something for me and quickly returned to her home to bring both Dick and I a gift, pottery that she had made as she apologized for not having something for Lucia. Nina gave me a chicken that was hollow underneath, a place for three chicks that wentBwith it and that fit under the mother – I give one chick to Lucia and will also give one to Tom.
No, the day is not done yet … back to the Guest House and then off to Garden Compound to teacher the ladies how to knit. They really knew how, but I was able to take them some yarn, show them how to crochet a flower and the 'drop-knit' scarf that is so easy and they were so impressed. Quick stop at the Guest House and off to Mandevu to go to Kabangwe Farm which they work and are in the process of building a place to raise pigs as well. It is huge and we did a good bit of walking through the cinders – they burn the fields to get rid of the snakes and rats. Not much growing now, although the onions have just begun and more to come as they begin to replant later this month. They walk to this farm twice weekly and those are 16 hour days with no food. They grow peanuts for the peanut butter they make, maize for the nshma they grind it into and they also sew uniforms for several schools to make money for their children. They are amazing ladies. After the Farm, Mrs. Teressa Banda took us back to her home and presented me with a beautiful piece of cloth, finished edges for a chitange, skirt and again on this day I was deeply touched and it is truly lovely with the bonus that she taught me to tie it which I have never really understood. Her home was filled with lovely pieces of crocheted doilies and I will definitely bring her or get to her more of the string to do this. They are magnificent.
Finally back to the Guest house and I collapsed for a nap - an unbelievable day.
Relaxation
Fifteen travelers went to Simakanka and Livingstone for the weekend. Five of us stayed behind (Lucia, Ruth, Danielle, Dick and myself) as we had other commitments. We have all enjoyed the slower pace that the weekend brought and enjoyed catching up on leisurely reading, and cups of coffee and tea. Friday afternoon, Danielle and Lucia had a Tree of Life workshop at Garden compound and it was very successful. They have found that the ideology behind the Tree of Life builds a lot of self confidence in the young people. Ruth and I went to a farm that SWAAZ started last year which supports many groups of women in the communities we support.
Saturday, Danielle and I were interviewed on the radio by Daniel Mwansa who is one of our liasons in Zambia. He hosts a show called Close Mates which is broadcast on Monday evenings throughout Zambia. Teenagers and young adults call in with questions that they have about their relationships. We were called upon numerous times to share our thoughts-Danielle and I can both say that they are much more open about asking personal questions. We were happy to add our thoughts and can only hope that shows like this will continue to help young people make safe choices about the relationships they enter.
We all went to the Fountain of Hope and Danielle and Lucia held another Tree of Life Workshop. They worked with some amazing men who volunteer at the Fountain of Hope which is an organization that supports the street children in Lusaka. There are 24 boys who are living at the Fountain of Hope that Vasco and Kenny oversee and they are so compassionate and selflessly dedicated to the well being of many young children with no other options.
We ended our night with a treat-we were welcomed into Dr. Muka Chiluba's home for dinner. The 5 students from Bowdoin College joined us and we were fascinated with all the answers she was able to provide about AIDS/HIV. Dick has known her for a number of years as she was working at one of the hospitals in Boston for about 10 years. She is currently working for USAID and is hopeful that as a nation, Zambia is winning the fight against AIDS/HIV. There is still a lot of work to do, but she is on the frontier of making a difference. She also introduced us to Simakanka a number of years ago. It was a wonderful treat!
Saturday, Danielle and I were interviewed on the radio by Daniel Mwansa who is one of our liasons in Zambia. He hosts a show called Close Mates which is broadcast on Monday evenings throughout Zambia. Teenagers and young adults call in with questions that they have about their relationships. We were called upon numerous times to share our thoughts-Danielle and I can both say that they are much more open about asking personal questions. We were happy to add our thoughts and can only hope that shows like this will continue to help young people make safe choices about the relationships they enter.
We all went to the Fountain of Hope and Danielle and Lucia held another Tree of Life Workshop. They worked with some amazing men who volunteer at the Fountain of Hope which is an organization that supports the street children in Lusaka. There are 24 boys who are living at the Fountain of Hope that Vasco and Kenny oversee and they are so compassionate and selflessly dedicated to the well being of many young children with no other options.
We ended our night with a treat-we were welcomed into Dr. Muka Chiluba's home for dinner. The 5 students from Bowdoin College joined us and we were fascinated with all the answers she was able to provide about AIDS/HIV. Dick has known her for a number of years as she was working at one of the hospitals in Boston for about 10 years. She is currently working for USAID and is hopeful that as a nation, Zambia is winning the fight against AIDS/HIV. There is still a lot of work to do, but she is on the frontier of making a difference. She also introduced us to Simakanka a number of years ago. It was a wonderful treat!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Pilgrims in Zambia
July 6, 2011
Finally access to the internet a week after our arrival, it has been an amazing week and so much accomplished.
We have all traveled to all the communities and Tom, Lucia and I have spent most of our time in Ng'Ombe with Nina. It is amazing how far she has come in the four years I have known her both in teaching skills as well as personally in her self-confidence. She is a flower who has bloomed and done so beautifully. We are so proud of her and of course as usual she made Ruth cry.
We have also been to Mandevu, Pilgrim's new community where we have been repeatedly welcomed by the women with singing and dancing. We have learned about the things they do such as making the uniforms and maize to be made into nshima, their staple starch. There are two wonderful teachers there, one the longest in-system teacher, Eletina, and Oyna the younger and very able teacher. When we visited Wednesday afternoon they had their graduation for their 7th and 9th Graders and there were SEVENTEEN of them. They were amazing, all wanting to be doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, policemen, soldiers and on the list goes. We have many pictures and it was truly wonderful. Just to walk into this community and see this number of graduates brought tears to my eyes once again.
Teachers were all involved in a teacher training session over the weekend which was well attended and well received. Each community left with a backpack full of materials. It was wonderful to see and be part of all this. We also were able to get each community a copy of the letter from Fiske along with their book. It was well received by everyone and pictures we taken as well.
We went to Kassi Orphanage yesterday and gave out the knit dolls from everyone. It was amazing and we learned they have 200 orphans. Everyone was amazed once again at how clean the orphanage was and the wonderful care given to the orphans by the Polish nuns. This is the best place one could ever hope for these children ... and on top of the care the wonderful grounds and flowers, garden and planting are amazing beginning with the huge poinsettia TREE at their entrance.
One last wonderful thought for everyone. We were able to get the tennis balls from Dex Whittinghill to three communities and the joy expressed by everyone was amazing. We have many pictures and it was wonderful. Again we took many pictures at all three communities that will bring a smile to many.
We thank you all for all your support and care - you have given an amazing gift to SOOOOOOOOOOO many. Blessings to all, Ruth
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Teacher Workshop-July 2nd
Dedicated, hardworking, joyful, committed, patient, resilent, persistent, lifelong learners...the list could go on and on to describe the 20 Zambian teachers that attended the teacher workshop on Saturday. Seven communities were represented at the workshop including Garden, Chawama, N'gombe, Mutendere, Mandevu, Fumbelo, and Bauleni. These teachers are working at the community schools around Lusaka that are supported by Communities Without Borders/SWAAZ/ZANCOB. These remarkable individuals can typically be in charge of students that range in numbers from 50 to 120 with limited supplies, space, and compensation. For those of us who have been to Zambia before, we have seen these teachers at previous workshops as well as when we have had certificate ceremoniesfor those students who passed their 7th grade and 9th grade exams. Being able to reconnect and have time with these Zambian teachers is certainly one of the highlights of every trip I have been on and a big part of why I keep coming back.
Concepts that were taught during the workshop included:
-receptive language
-expressive language
-preschool frameworks
-alphabetic principle
-guided reading
-phonemic awareness
-literacy games
-songs
-basic math concepts with visuals and manipulatives
- answering wh questions
-multiple ways of learning
One of the highlights for me during the workshop happened after I taught the teachers the song Tooty-ta which is an American song I teach my students in Billerica. After teaching them this song, this teacher named Reagan said he had a song that he wanted to share with us. He proceeded to get us all belting out this song called A-PayPay Ta. It was an active song (which we have found is almost every Zambian song we have heard). A-PayPay Ta works on english words and will help improve young children's language abilities. I can't wait to teach this song to my students back home. I think the most important thing for me to take away from that little exchance was that teachable moments can happen in the most unique situations and provide learning on both sides. I certainly learn new things every time I see these special educators.
The teachers visited with us through the evening. All 20 US visitors got opportunities in the afternoon to talk with the Zambian teachers. We learned lots of interesting facts about their challenges that they overcome within their schools as well as connect to them on a personal level by sharing songs, dances, free style rapping, politics and much much more! We were a bit disappointed to hear that some of the communities have not been getting a meal during the day and we plan to figure out a way to solve this problem.
Before dinner we had a special performance by the Mtdendere Theatre Group. Their performance focused on HIV/AIDS the prevalance and complexity of the disease and related social issues. They told a story that seemed very common in this country but did so in a way that a light and humorous way. The group's goal is to educate communities of young adults and teenagers about the high risk of HIV/AIDS and the importance of being tested and knowing your status.
Chawama Painting
Chawama
Today, those of us that were not involved in the Teacher Workshop, went to Chawama to help them re-paint their school. Tom went ahead of us, very early, to get the supplies in order. When the larger group arrived to the school, a lot of prep work had to be done, including patching up some of the outside walls with cement and sanding the inside walls. We were helped by David, one of the teachers, Lennon, Kennedy and Sengue. During downtime throughout the morning, we were all able to engage and play soccer with the many children around us and high five and shake hands with the children outside of the school who were so excited to see us that they were literally climbing the walls to try to get inside.
Comments from the group included how eventhough painting was not so successful we connected with the kids. We were able to play soccer with the children and it ended up being an exciting day.The children's level of excitement is amazing in comparison to those in America. Gideon was a 14 year old who taught us nyanja phrases and helped control the children from the community and kept others out because the space was so small. Others felt that it was a group bonding experience for the Chawama group because they worked together.
We did eventually begin painting, and although there is still a lot of work to be done, some of the group will be returning on Monday and Tuesday to finish.
Today, those of us that were not involved in the Teacher Workshop, went to Chawama to help them re-paint their school. Tom went ahead of us, very early, to get the supplies in order. When the larger group arrived to the school, a lot of prep work had to be done, including patching up some of the outside walls with cement and sanding the inside walls. We were helped by David, one of the teachers, Lennon, Kennedy and Sengue. During downtime throughout the morning, we were all able to engage and play soccer with the many children around us and high five and shake hands with the children outside of the school who were so excited to see us that they were literally climbing the walls to try to get inside.
Comments from the group included how eventhough painting was not so successful we connected with the kids. We were able to play soccer with the children and it ended up being an exciting day.The children's level of excitement is amazing in comparison to those in America. Gideon was a 14 year old who taught us nyanja phrases and helped control the children from the community and kept others out because the space was so small. Others felt that it was a group bonding experience for the Chawama group because they worked together.
We did eventually begin painting, and although there is still a lot of work to be done, some of the group will be returning on Monday and Tuesday to finish.
Zambia IS Music
The travelers joined our Zambian partners at 2 churches for Sunday services today. Some of us attended a Baptist church in Chawama. It was surreal; the service was filled with new experiences and vibrant music. We were blown away by the enthusiasm and passion of every member of the church, and how welcoming they were. Their spirit was manifested in the two special songs the entire congregation sang for us and the enthusiastic blessing they bestowed on us. No fewer than 5 choirs sang during the course of the service, each more wonderful than the last with amazing rhythms and harmonies.
Our afternoon, on the other hand, was just plain fun and frivolous as we bargained for souvenirs at the weekly craft market.
We continue to be in awe of the warmth extended to us at every turn. Another unbelievable day in Zambia!
Our afternoon, on the other hand, was just plain fun and frivolous as we bargained for souvenirs at the weekly craft market.
We continue to be in awe of the warmth extended to us at every turn. Another unbelievable day in Zambia!
Friday, July 1, 2011
First Day of Teaching: Written by Stacy
I am typing this up from the lunchroom of the guest house where we are staying. We have all returned from our first morning of teaching in the schools and the room is a buzz, full of stories. Julia, Anne, Brita and I went to M'tendere, the school that our church, the Union Church in Waban, supports. The minibus winded its way through narrow dirt streets lined with vendors selling a variety of things, some that I could recognize, many that I could not. We stopped a few times in the maze of the twisting streets to ask for direction. Finally we pulled up outside a huge metal gate. As we piled out of the minivan into the hot sun and dusty road, we could hear the sound of children singing. Gwen, the teacher, and Mary a leader in the women's group SWAAZ (our on the ground partner) met us with a wide smiles and heart felt embraces and ushered through the gate and directly us into the classroom building. Sixty or so children spanning the ages of four to thirteen greeted us with bright eyes and a rousing song.
And so it began. For the next three hours we sang songs, told stories, played games but more than anything else, at least for me,even if just for a few hours, we closed the gulf of difference between our two worlds.
The purpose of these schools supported through local church's partnership with Communities without Borders and SWAAZ is to help prepare some of the Zambian capital's most disadvantaged children for entry into the government sponsored primary schools. Without these schools and the exposure to reading, writing, and math that they provide, these children may very well not be able to enter into the educational system that truly is the gateway to opportunity.
As I held Margaret on my lap as Anne read a story to the children, as I worked with Issac as he meticulously wrote his ABC's, as I led the children in the song "if you are happy and you know it" I was content. I do not know what the future will hold for these children. I do not know who will and who will not find their way out of such crushing poverty. I do not know if these children will even remember the strange lady whose name was so hard to pronounce. But I do know that for those hours, we were in the world together. Sharing in the moment. Enjoying each other and learning from each other and I for me, at least right now, that is enough. Peace -- Stacy
And so it began. For the next three hours we sang songs, told stories, played games but more than anything else, at least for me,even if just for a few hours, we closed the gulf of difference between our two worlds.
The purpose of these schools supported through local church's partnership with Communities without Borders and SWAAZ is to help prepare some of the Zambian capital's most disadvantaged children for entry into the government sponsored primary schools. Without these schools and the exposure to reading, writing, and math that they provide, these children may very well not be able to enter into the educational system that truly is the gateway to opportunity.
As I held Margaret on my lap as Anne read a story to the children, as I worked with Issac as he meticulously wrote his ABC's, as I led the children in the song "if you are happy and you know it" I was content. I do not know what the future will hold for these children. I do not know who will and who will not find their way out of such crushing poverty. I do not know if these children will even remember the strange lady whose name was so hard to pronounce. But I do know that for those hours, we were in the world together. Sharing in the moment. Enjoying each other and learning from each other and I for me, at least right now, that is enough. Peace -- Stacy
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Welcome to Zambia-1st day
We made it! We have settled into the Olympic Lodge and are on our way to getting acquainted with the time difference and jet-lag. London provided us all with a day's worth of distractions. The group split up after we arrived in London with the understanding that we needed to be back to Heathrow at 5:00. Our many different interests led us to various destinations: the London Zoo, Covent Gardens, the Eye, museums, walking tours and lots of coffee and caffeine to keep us awake.
The plane ride from England to Lusaka, Zambia went smoothly with many of us catching up on the sleep we had missed. Customs was EXTREMELY quick and easy-we owe a big thank you to Dr. Lua who met us at the airport. With her VIP pass, we were able to get through customs without a hassle which had been one of our fears because the Wellsley group had so much trouble a week ago.
The entire group could not stop commented on how much we were able to pack in the suitcases. We are SO appreciative of every partners efforts in collecting supplies as well as all the elementary schools that helped gather donations. We are going to make such a difference is so many communities. These supplies will definitely help teachers implement lessons and assist with advancing the community aged children's academics and others who we support. I can not believe how many soccer balls, cleats and uniforms were collected from the FUSN crew. The soccer equipment will be used by many!
We spent a good portion of the afternoon sorting supplies and seperating them to make it easier to find specific items. Many of us also unpacked our lesson plans in preparation for tomorrow's first day of teaching.
Many of us went on a tour to visit N'Gombe and Mendevu and we stopped by the Kaliyangile Guest House, which is the place we have stayed the past few years. They are putting on an addition and the walls were all freshly painted.
As I am finishing this blog, it is 6:30 at night and we are looking forward to a hearty dinner filled with nshima, fish, and lots of vegetables and rice. We are all so excited about getting our teaching underway and look forward to our first full night of sleep in Zambia. Internet access is not available at the guest house we are staying at so we will visit the internet cafes as much as possible to keep the blog up to date. Emails may not be checked as often as we would like but want you to know that we will answer them as soon as we can. Please pass along the blog to anyone you feel would be interested.
The plane ride from England to Lusaka, Zambia went smoothly with many of us catching up on the sleep we had missed. Customs was EXTREMELY quick and easy-we owe a big thank you to Dr. Lua who met us at the airport. With her VIP pass, we were able to get through customs without a hassle which had been one of our fears because the Wellsley group had so much trouble a week ago.
The entire group could not stop commented on how much we were able to pack in the suitcases. We are SO appreciative of every partners efforts in collecting supplies as well as all the elementary schools that helped gather donations. We are going to make such a difference is so many communities. These supplies will definitely help teachers implement lessons and assist with advancing the community aged children's academics and others who we support. I can not believe how many soccer balls, cleats and uniforms were collected from the FUSN crew. The soccer equipment will be used by many!
We spent a good portion of the afternoon sorting supplies and seperating them to make it easier to find specific items. Many of us also unpacked our lesson plans in preparation for tomorrow's first day of teaching.
Many of us went on a tour to visit N'Gombe and Mendevu and we stopped by the Kaliyangile Guest House, which is the place we have stayed the past few years. They are putting on an addition and the walls were all freshly painted.
As I am finishing this blog, it is 6:30 at night and we are looking forward to a hearty dinner filled with nshima, fish, and lots of vegetables and rice. We are all so excited about getting our teaching underway and look forward to our first full night of sleep in Zambia. Internet access is not available at the guest house we are staying at so we will visit the internet cafes as much as possible to keep the blog up to date. Emails may not be checked as often as we would like but want you to know that we will answer them as soon as we can. Please pass along the blog to anyone you feel would be interested.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Departure day
Well, today is the day we are leaving on our trip to Zambia. I suppose I should be packing but I'll get around to that later.
So, overnight to London Heathrow, then about a 12 hour layover so we'll probably venture into the city, then another overnight to Lusaka Zambia. No time for sleepy-heads as we unpack and resort our school supplies then head off in the afternoon for tours of the some compounds affiliated with our CWB partners SWAAZ and Zancomb.
OK, what's up with all of the acronyms and funny names. Over the course of this trip we will introduce you to all of the new terminology. Today we'll start with the bacics. For those of you that might not be familiar with Communities Without Borders (CWB) you might like to view their web site at:
http://www.communitieswithoutborders.org/
This site has a great video showcasing the highlights of last year's trip.You will have a better idea of the activities we will be describing in this blog if you view the video. (Norm, thanks for all of your hard work putting this video together.)
Lusaka is the capital of Zambia, wikipedia site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lusaka
Within the city limits are the squatters compounds where we will be teaching, namely Chawama, Mtendere, Garden, Mandevu, Linda, and N'gombe. You probably won't find those on a map but I'll annotate a map in a future post.
In the year 2003 Mrs. Bernadette Sikanyika founded Zambia Nsunga Communities Without Borders (ZANCOB) to support the children of Garden Compound. “Nsunga” is a Nyanja word meaning caring. ZANCOB is unique as it represents the first formally affiliated foreign organization of Communities Without Borders in Massachusetts. ZANCOB is a fully registered non-governmental organization in Zambia.
Enough procrastination ... got my money, got my passport, gotta go ...
tjm
So, overnight to London Heathrow, then about a 12 hour layover so we'll probably venture into the city, then another overnight to Lusaka Zambia. No time for sleepy-heads as we unpack and resort our school supplies then head off in the afternoon for tours of the some compounds affiliated with our CWB partners SWAAZ and Zancomb.
OK, what's up with all of the acronyms and funny names. Over the course of this trip we will introduce you to all of the new terminology. Today we'll start with the bacics. For those of you that might not be familiar with Communities Without Borders (CWB) you might like to view their web site at:
http://www.communitieswithoutborders.org/
This site has a great video showcasing the highlights of last year's trip.You will have a better idea of the activities we will be describing in this blog if you view the video. (Norm, thanks for all of your hard work putting this video together.)
Lusaka is the capital of Zambia, wikipedia site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lusaka
Within the city limits are the squatters compounds where we will be teaching, namely Chawama, Mtendere, Garden, Mandevu, Linda, and N'gombe. You probably won't find those on a map but I'll annotate a map in a future post.
Here's a brief intro to SWAAZ:
Society for Women and AIDS in Zambia (SWAAZ)
SWAAZ was founded in 1989 to promote grassroots participation in response to the challenges of HIV/AIDS and its related issues. The organization provides capacity building and funds to its 64 branches throughout Zambia, raising awareness among communities on STDs, HIV/AIDS, sex and sexuality, reproductive health and poverty alleviation.
Here the Zancob intro:In the year 2003 Mrs. Bernadette Sikanyika founded Zambia Nsunga Communities Without Borders (ZANCOB) to support the children of Garden Compound. “Nsunga” is a Nyanja word meaning caring. ZANCOB is unique as it represents the first formally affiliated foreign organization of Communities Without Borders in Massachusetts. ZANCOB is a fully registered non-governmental organization in Zambia.
Enough procrastination ... got my money, got my passport, gotta go ...
tjm
Thursday, June 16, 2011
First post introduction
Welcome to our blog. This will be a collaborative effort of the Communities Without Borders group traveling to Zambia during Jun/Jul 2011. We hope to keep you informed about our activities on a somewhat daily basis when we have access to the internet (and power!) Please feel free to share the blog address with anyone who might be interested in keeping tabs with our group. Having done this in previous years, we really like to hear back from you -- the readers -- with questions, comments or newsy items we can share with the group.
Amy will be the primary blog-keeper and will find other blogsters to"volunteer" to write about their experiences. I'll (Tom) assist with the technical details and fill in as needed.
Amy has invited her elementary school class to follow our blog. If anyone else has a group that is interested in following us, please let us know so that we can welcome them.
Perhaps Sharon can make a link to this site on one of the CWB pages so that we can reach out to interested parties who might be out there.
Today Ruth and I will be amassing books from Lexington schools and delivering them to FUSN in preparation for packing day -- 20 Jun. We are departing on the 28th and hope to have our first in-country post on 30 Jun.
Amy will be the primary blog-keeper and will find other blogsters to"volunteer" to write about their experiences. I'll (Tom) assist with the technical details and fill in as needed.
Amy has invited her elementary school class to follow our blog. If anyone else has a group that is interested in following us, please let us know so that we can welcome them.
Perhaps Sharon can make a link to this site on one of the CWB pages so that we can reach out to interested parties who might be out there.
Today Ruth and I will be amassing books from Lexington schools and delivering them to FUSN in preparation for packing day -- 20 Jun. We are departing on the 28th and hope to have our first in-country post on 30 Jun.
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