Chawama shelves

Some of the followers have asked for blogs concerning the work we are doing at Chawama. As an appetizer, I'll offer the following. Copying last year's example of an inexpensive, utilitarian, and "gotta get it done today"
storage solution, the Chawama group provided funding for two sets of "Murphy" shelving units. One set is in the storage room and the other set is in one of the classrooms The group has been busy keeping up with the children's needs and will soon post a more detailed blog celebrating all of their accomplishments.

Health checkup day

BLOG - July 2, 2010

What a wonderful day ... not that we accomplished much in terms of teaching, but today other things were more important. We arrived early due to this being the Health Screening day in Ng'Ombe and yet we were able to begin and accomplish the first part of our planned lesson. Nina had also had the children learn a song for us which they sang and swayed to and fro as they sang "Enjoy life" with huge smiles. We were all very touched. Nina also had hung the Church School Banner from Pilgrim.

The screening group began to get set up and then people began to arrive, at one point we counted over 70 children. They ranged in age from 2 & 3 to middle school students. We sang songs and continued to read stories aloud to try to help pass the time. Finally one of the old students from last year wanted a book and we then passed all the board books around and will get you pictures soon. Erica was one of the students who arrived from last year, our major translator from last year, and I was thrilled to see her. We hugged and she read for me and additionally did some translating as she did last summer. When she left she came to me to give me a sucker and one more hug, once again, I was deeply touched.

The greatest thrill for me came as I was going outside to get a breath of fresh air and to see what was happening with the digging for the wall ... and I walked into Juliet Mawele from two summers ago. We hugged and talked and I made sure I got information to continue the contact. She was also met by two folks from SWAAZ who additionally took her information and she became scared and cried while I wiped her tears with my skirt. We hugged and I kept telling her it was OK, this was a good day for her. We took deep breaths together and hugged more. As we began to talk she asked me for a Geography and a Science 8th Grade book which we will get to her. I gave her my Kleenex packet and almonds before leaving for she was hungry, along with a book HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. Before I left she had calmed a bit and pulled out some knitting. She was knitting with two pieces of wire and I pulled out some needles and cast on 22 stitches as she requested. Fortunately I had an extra pair of needles and ball of yarn I had brought at the last minute. She seemed very pleased.

In all the craziness of the morning, dear Cheryl Crowder and Lucia Gates also arranged to have the electricity turned on in Ng'Ombe and a meter put up sort of a pay-as-you-go system so no one goes into debt. This was a $200.00 contribution by these dear ladies of Lexington Public Schools.

We left silly bands for every child as well and some special ones to some children as Juliet and Erica and Teacher Nina.

Thank you all for your continued support and interest ... blessings, ruth.

Pictures

Pictures have been somewhat challenging to get on the blog. It might be because I am technologically challenged!

This is a picture from last week's certificate ceremony at Garden. I was very excited to see so many faces from last year, but had been disappointed that I did not see Musa. The ceremony started, and before I knew it Musa was standing up next to Dick receiving his certificate. It was the greatest feeling to know that he has passed his exams and he is a remarkable adolescent. I felt so proud of him, so this picture is my "proud mom" moment.

Wednesday, June 30th

Busy busy busy! We are working quite hard and typically only spend meal times taking a break. Working on side projects, blogging, preparing lesson plans for teaching, sorting materials, meetings with different agencies and ceremonies are very much worth working hard. Today's adventures started off by teaching at all different schools. Many of us have created "lightbulb" moments where children finally get a specific concept. It is particularly special when we have a small part in creating that moment. Children here are so happy and always have a beautiful smile which is contagious.

We visited the Kalingalingli Hospice which was anticipated as being a challenging trip but many were still eager to go and learn about the program. A few different nurses showed us around the hospice and it was very clean and the facility had a church area, cooking/kitchen, and a few different wards. All patients in the ward are HIV positive, and there is also an outpatient clinic where other services are provided. It was interesting to learn that people do not die from AIDS/HIV, but because the virus weakens the immune system, they will die from other infections and diseases. Typically people who are HIV positive or have AIDS die from diseases like malaria, TB, parasites, cholera, pneumonia and meningitis. We also learned more about antiretroviral treatment (ART) which if taken correctly extends life expectancy and boosts immunity to diseases. One of the biggest challenges in Zambia has been getting people to continue taking their drugs/medicine when they start to feel better. AIDS treatment needs to be for life. Very rewarding trip!

Tuesday, June 29th

What a life changing experience today! Many of us were able to go to CIDRZ which is an AIDS research company and visited the Kamyama Health Care Center. We were all so touched by a woman who recounted her path to seek out her status and is now living a healthy life. Although she has tested positive for HIV, she has gained great strength by being open and sharing her story with others and joining a support group. She has found true happiness by helping others. Her happy ending is that she is married to a man who also has AIDS/HIV and has a healthy baby who has tested negative. It is remarkable how knowledge and openness about one's status can help make many people live a healthy life.

The major goals of this organization are to decrease the stigma against AIDS and to make treatment more readily available. The support group spends countless hours sharing their stories and publicly speaking about the importance of knowing one's HIV status. Younger to middle aged adults are most affected by HIV/AIDS. This puts a great deal of stress on the family structure in Zambia. One of my hopes, is that support groups like this can continue gaining popularity and that in turn, will decrease the amount of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).

Monday, June 28th

Where to begin? The morning started off by us all departing for our respective schools-Ng'ombe, Chawama and Garden. We were all greeted with happy faces and an eagerness for what was being taught. Some of us went to meet with the PeaceCorp in the afternoon about what services they are working on in Zambia. Those who went last year on the trip, recognized one of the ladies who spoke-her name was Mary Lou Switzer. She met with us last year at the US Embassy, It was a very helpful meeting as we were all allowed to ask different questions, and they were happy to learn about the work we were doing in the community schools. Interesting facts we learned: for every post or job that PeaceCorp has, they set it up into three stages. Each volunteer spends two years at their post, and then two other volunteers will consecutively follow, so that each job will have help for six years. There are many different programs that they offer including fishery, health, education, agriculture, and many others. There are 150 PeaceCorps volunteers in Zambia and the administration of PeaceCorps anticipates that they will reach 250 volunteers in the next two years.

Ng'Ombe

What an amazing trip even the third time around ... even more amazing. I have spent most of my time in Ng'ombe with Nina and Elizabeth and am brought to tears often with the wonderful work they are doing. Three years ago on my first visit to Ng'Ombe the children were able to do very little and there were about 40 of them. We met in the home of one of the ladies of the community in a room that has no floor, no windows, no water, no electricity and where Nina had no materials except one chalk board. Nina's school now consists of a building with three rooms (two for a care taker to live in and secure the building) and a large front room that serves as the classroom with one large window, a level floor, desks that have all been repaired and the possibility of electricity when the billing is figured out. Additionally there is a front porch that now serves as their kitchen.



Nina actually has a grand wooden desk with three chairs and a wooden bookcase along with the bookcases we built for her of cinder blocks last year. However, now she has also earned her Certificate and is an even more amazing teacher. Her room in now filled with educational charts that she uses and had made for the children. Everything has a purpose and reason for being there and they are all things she has made, she is quite an artist. Her children are at a level far beyond those she had three years ago and I have had to up my lessons to challenge the children. I have been told by the folks at SWAAZ that she is their "BEST" teacher and I have no doubt this is true. I whispered this to her and she also proudly shared that her children do not go to the First Grade, but instead to the Second when they leave her. I spoke with her about advancing to the "Diploma" program and she as thrilled and told me how "grateful" she would be. We will support her with this and I personally am determined to take her further as she also told me how committed she was to the children in Ng'Ombe and SWAAZ. I will be putting together an article for the CWB site on Nina soon.

We have begun the work on the perimeter wall and even managed to work through the dispute on the boundary which stopped the work for several days. We do not have surveyed plots, but instead one owner to the next using mango trees as points of property line, so you will begin to understand the challenges. However, with Tom Murphy's work and SWAAZ things are settled and work resumed which is most exciting. I am not sure how much we will actually see in terms of it being done, but we will certainly have photos of ditches for you all.

I would also like to share the possibilty of actually seeing Juliette this summer, the young girl I met and was only able to come for one day three years ago. I am hoping to connect with her for I have heard that she is now doing well in Gov't school and we would like to support her. This is really very exciting and I hope to share more with you soon about this wonderful young girl to include pictures. Cross your fingers!!!

Tomorrow is our last day in Ng'Ombe this year and it will be very sad as well as very exciting for we have been able to arrange for all the childeren to have a Health Screening. This will include screening and medications for ring worm, a parasite - Schistosomiasis determined by a urine sample, an eye exam, measles vacine and medications to include bronchitis, pneumonia, maleria all done by a clinical assistant, "Physicians Assistant". Additionally they will be given Vitamin A to boost their immunity.

Additionally, we will be getting crochetted bags for First Parish, we have 'silly bands' for each of the children and have left many things throughout the week for Nina that she is absolutely thrilled with. Say a prayer and know that you, each and everyone one are part of a great thing for many children and many are smiling and thanking you.

Blessings, Ruth

PS I of course have more to share in terms of afternoon visits to the Peace Corp. USAIDS, community graduations, church with Bernadette, walks before dark and on the list goes. However, we do have pictures of all.