Day 19 - Dambwa Clinic

Rabeccah had arranged for us to spend a morning in Mahatma Gandhi Dambwa Clinic. Split into 4 groups we targeted the outpatient and HIV departments, and the antenatal and under 5s clinics. We educated them on malaria, HIV and sanitation. The majority were attentive but the layout and setting was limiting for others; with the group in the antenatal clinic finding themselves wedged in a corridor attempting to teach. Knowledgeable questions were raised, particularly by those in the outpatient and HIV departments. Volunteers were relieved that a doctor was close at hand to answer detailed queries regarding CD4 levels. Following a meeting with the Sister in charge, information was gained on the services and outreach programmes provided by the clinic. Great to hear all of the services and medicines are free of charge!

This afternoon saw Beth and Kate being called back to Linda Farm to sign the visitor’s book. Another quick meeting regarding the Farm’s expenditure ensued. They made their way straight to Victoria Falls where the other volunteers had reserved 2 tickets for them at the local’s rate of K7 (approx. 90p). Elea, Jack and Ben took a dip in the ‘Boiling Pot’ before joining everyone for one last view of this natural wonder of the world. On the way out clothes, books and pens were traded for last minute souvenirs; Rachel T acquiring another armful of bracelets.

Tonight we will see off Jeff with a classic night in Fez Bar. 

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela

Day 18 - Linda Farm

Sex. ed.

Last day at Linda Farm! Jack and Rachel Y headed into the compound to finish collecting research from the final few houses. Meanwhile, volunteers decided it would be of use to do a HIV teaching session with the adults and a sexual education session with the teenagers. The HIV focus group ran smoothly, with some interesting questions from the adults. Unfortunately the teenagers were preoccupied; however the adults were keen to have the sexual education lesson instead. The volunteers never thought they would find themselves demonstrating the application of condoms on bananas and femidoms in the middle of Africa! With no time for embarrassment, the locals soon stepped up to give it a try. An educational morning for all.

Photo shoot on route home

Beth returned to her taxi duties; ferrying volunteers, interpreters and Thomas around town. Due to this Kate, Mel, Elea and Rachel T volunteered to begin the walk home, optimistically hoping Beth would pick them up on the way saving them from the African heat. 1 hour and several muzungu photo shoots later Beth rocked up, giving them a lift for the last 100m . . . thanks!

Ben, Jack and Jeff headed to Martine’s (one of the Malota guys) house where they were treated with nshima and a, slightly bizarre, Nigerian comedy. Others relaxed at the Lodge, whilst Kate and Beth narrowly missed a £200 printing bill. The evening saw the volunteers heading off for the Sunset Cruise. The cloud cover meant the night was more focused on the unlimited alcohol and food, though their musical tones on the return home assured us they had a great time!

"There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning." Louis L'Amour

Day 17 - Linda Farm

In the distance: volunteers on the edge of the Falls

For some of the volunteers it was a morning spent in heaven. For anyone that travels to Zambia we highly recommend Devil's Pool as an activity. The excursion involves you placing your trust (literally) in the hands of your guide when he holds onto your ankles as you peer over the edge of Victoria Falls. With water cascading around you, this birdseye perspective truly is an exhilarating experience. You are then treated to a "magical" breakfast on Livingstone Island. 

The boat took the volunteers back to Royal Livingstone Hotel where staff were busy preparing for the arrival of the President. The existing divide of the rich and poor was once again highlighted when returning in the late morning to Linda. Upon arrival, the 4 other volunteers were making progress with the teenagers from the Farm. They had successfully held a mixed focus group on STIs, HIV and preventative measures. Armed with more volunteers, the decision was made to separate boys and girls so as to discuss gender-related issues. For the volunteers it was another surreal moment as some of the traditional customs were brought forward by the teenagers and some interesting discussions arose . . . there was no room for our prudish British ways. Biology GCSE teachers, we thank you! Regardless the focus groups produced some fascinating research and it was unanimous amongst volunteers that this age group showed huge potential for an intervention.

As requested by Thomas, we headed into the wider compound to continue our sanitation and household research. This enabled us to reach the farm workers with disabilities who, due to capacity, don't live on the Farm. By splitting into groups we managed to cover 8 (.5) houses, gathering a lot of information. 

Volunteers headed off in different directions in the afternoon. Elea, Ben and Jeff escaped the African sun in a local pool while others chose the more cutural option of Livingstone museum. Beth and Kate tracked down the Public Health Officer for the Livingstone area. Her information was invaluable: providing statistics on the prevalance of various health conditions and details of current outreach programmes. It was uplifting to hear of the dramatic differences they have made in the past decade. The data will be highly useful when we analyse our research and identify an intervention.

"Let us rather run the risk of wearing out than rusting out." Theodore Roosevelt

Day 16 - Linda Farm

6:30 am start for Beth, Jack and Kate as they had arranged to wave Thomas off at the start line of a 10.5 km run organised by the UNWTO. Thomas is one of the visually impaired adults from Linda Farm and was one of the twelve participants with a disability. Within half an hour (in true African style) Beth and Jack found themselves lining up at the start, each partnered with a totally blind local. Kate was quickly appointed the role of chauffeur for members of the UNWTO in a car full of wheelchairs, sticks and crutches. After a quick stop off back at the Lodge to check on the volunteers, she headed to the finish line where she was berated by participants for being late. Apparently Kate was also meant to be the paralympic official photographer! Beth and Jack arrived at the finish line in one piece; though the African heat and inappropriate dress took its toll. The race saw Beth's pace being put to the test as the "slower" runner she was guiding soon sprinted past Jack's. Our healthcare training was subsequently put into practice, and the first aid kit used once again, when Jack's back muscles went into spasm and Beth's blisters needed popping. Parents be reassured: full health has been restored.

Meanwhile, back at Linda, the remaining volunteers continued with their hard work. Rachel Y and Jo submerged themselves into the chaos of the classroom. Their hope to teach the children 1-20 soon dissipated when few were able to grasp the concept of numbers despite them attempting as many teaching styles as they could devise. We commend them for their perseverance! Mel, Sophie, Elea and Rachel T continued with their exploration of health topics; today focusing on sanitation. Simultaneously Ben's bewilderment of the use of electrical appliances, in particular fridges, grew into its own as his study of residents' households continued. Joking aside, some invaluable data was collected. Thanks again to all of you!

This afternoon, 3 volunteers braved the Crocodile Farm. Summoning their courage each of them took it in turns to step inside an enclosure, home to 20 crocodiles who have a history of human attack! Again, fear not parents: no volunteers were harmed in the making of this blog!

"Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." Helen Keller

Day 15 - Linda Farm

And the research at Linda Farm commences! Volunteers split into 3 groups to start gathering data on 3 identified areas: health, education and building projects. At debrief everyone filled each other in on their findings from the day. On the health front, volunteers were surprised at the level of questions asked by the adults e.g. “What are the names of the different strains of malaria?” Mel impressively provided appropriate answers to this impromptu quiz and all were encouraged by how interactive the adults were. Education was a different story. Volunteers were shocked to find the older class’ science lesson to be comprised of copying a diagram of a tree; while in the younger class the school day was spent repeatedly copying the number ‘1’ in the name of mathematics. Credit to the 1 volunteer teacher though, who had the task of controlling 3 different classes simultaneously. When it came to the buildings, the volunteers were left pondering as to why nearly every household had a fridge and satellite TV when acquiring the necessities appeared to be a struggle.

Following a wild goose chase this morning, involving meetings with various members of the Livingstone police force and public health centre, Beth and Clement managed to secure a permit for an afternoon ‘step out programme’. The ‘step out programme’ began with the ‘Barefeet’ theatre group enticing a crowd at Malota market through the means of music, dance and acrobatics. Within minutes a sizeable group of approximately 200 locals had gathered. Once captivated, a drama on HIV was performed to educate the locals and attempt to dispel stigmas. The ‘step out programme’ worked as a great research tool; allowing us to observe how a potential collaboration with ‘Barefeet’ could work when trying to educate the wider communities in future years.

This evening saw the first of our goodbyes. At Livingstone train station we bid a fond farewell to the 28 members of the ‘Barefeet’ theatre group. This weekend they will perform at the Lusaka festival to help raise health awareness and celebrate Zambian culture. Good luck guys . . . we miss you already!

"The truest expression of a people is in its dance and its music. Bodies never lie." Agnes de Mille

Day 14 - Sunday Sightseeing

This morning 4 of the volunteers opted to experience a Zambian church service. They arrived at the Village of Hope Catholic church in time for the children’s mass. As always the locals welcomed muzungus with open arms, giving them a mention at the beginning. The quick 30 minute service was a nice introduction and the volunteers were all left commenting on how evident their faith is here, even from such a young age. 

An energy boost at Wonderbake was sought and the volunteers sat there as delegates for the UNWTO, alongside their police escorts, sped through town with sirens blaring. They certainly know how to make an entrance! Inevitably, another stopover at Mtonga Art Centre was irresistible and yet more art was purchased . . . we are still to figure out how we’re going to transport all of it home! With a minor detour, it was off to Victoria Falls to meet the rest of the volunteers. Upon arrival we were informed that there was no entry charge today due to the UNWTO. The celebratory buzz and the presence of some of the delegates made our visit even more special. As expected, the volunteers were all blown away by the spectacular sight of the Falls and memory cards were filled as photos were taken from every possible angle.

 

Ben, Jack and Jo decided to make their day even more memorable by partaking in some of the more adventurous activities Livingstone has to offer. Jo thoroughly enjoyed whizzing across the gorge from Zambia to Zimbabwe on the zip wire; while the guys were left with their adrenaline pumping from their triple thrill of the zip wire, gorge swing and a 111m bungee jump!

All volunteers came away from the Mukuni curio market satisfied that their bartering skills had secured them so good deals. The exploration of what Zambia has to offer continued into the evening as the volunteers headed to a local restaurant (Zig Zag Café) to sample some game meat.

"Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn." C. S. Lewis

Day 13 - Saturday Rafting

Eight volunteers headed to the Zambezi early this morning to tackle the rapids with white water rafting. Meanwhile, Kate and Beth had a typical African day. The morning began with a 20 minute photo shoot outside the Lodge; instructed into numerous poses with various members of a Zambian choir. Our muzungu skin gives us celebrity status round here . . . very bizarre!  Once the modelling was over they spent the rest of day at the tailors and Mtonga Art Gallery before heading to Malota Community School for a “chat”. This quickly turned into a 2 hour long acrobatic lesson where they were taught the “simple” moves of standing on each other’s shoulders, headstands and juggling. Several head bangs later it became apparent work was required on upper body strength and coordination.

Returning to the Lodge they met the other volunteers and were filled in on their epic tales from the Zambezi. There were some highs and lows; Sophie and Jo cutting their day short after one too many flips out of the raft. Their adventures did not stop there, when their only route home was a near vertical path out of the gorge.

Slow motion video footage reveals Rachel T jolting Jo from the raft - Rachel remains adamant it was an accident; however this move puts her at risk of being awarded the first 'Poncho Plonker' of the trip. Ben now owes his life to Elea, and Rachel T and Mel owe theirs to Ben . . . team building at its' best!

You’ll all be pleased to know we still have 10 volunteers with all 4 limbs intact! Heading out for a meal tonight to see off Ilja (one of the Dutch volunteers) and to soak up more of the UN celebrations.

One final message: Happy 21^st Charlotte Lewis!!

"The wave succumbs in an ear deafening roar, leaving your ears ringing. A smile on your face, the hardest part is over." Alexander Andorff

Day 12 - Libuyu HIV Women's Group

Another emotional day for all! Friday morning we visited Libuyu compound. Due to a large proportion of residents being HIV positive a self-help women’s group was initiated here in 2008. Twenty women, all HIV positive, are currently enrolled on the programme.  Many of the women are single parents and can have up to 6 children. They offer each other support and receive education on the potential dangers of breastfeeding after their babies develop teeth (approximately 6 months old) - the virus can be passed through the blood when the babies’ suckling causes damage to the tissues. As the alternative of supplements are too dear, the women are often faced with the impossible decision of whether to breastfeed their child and risk the transmission of HIV or leave their child to go hungry. Consequently, there are young children and babies that are HIV positive.

Piggery

This self-help group are aware of their predicament and striving to improve their situation. The women work on a farm, overseen by a manager, growing their own crops and keeping chickens for meat. The profits of these ventures are to help support the women; funding supplements and meeting their daily needs. Unfortunately, due to a number of challenges which seem to rear their head again and again, the group is currently failing to self-sustain. They have a piggery half built with no pigs; a fish pond with no water; 100 chickens in a chicken run with a capacity for 1000; and farm land with no crops.

One of the women and her 4 children have lived in this 'house' for 4 months

Donors are needed to help with the completion of their half-finished projects. Alongside those already started, other ideas to help prevent the transmission of HIV and the unsustainable purchase of supplements have included the purchasing of milk express pumps. Ideally the programme aims for women to graduate within 2 years of enrollment  having acquired the necessary skills to self-sustain. Understandably this is currently not possible. The programme is at its’ capacity and there are HIV positive women waiting to enrol.

In contrast the afternoon saw celebrations for the UNWTO commence.  We headed to the golf club where an arts and cultural festival was being held. There were dances, music and acrobats from 10 provinces within Zambia. The first Zambian president since independence was the guest of honour. Every one of us was blown away with the evident patriotism, and our senses were left buzzing with the sights and sounds of Zambian culture.

Arts and cultural festival

Today highlighted the vast divide that exists within countries like Zambia.

"No person, I think, ever saw a herd of buffalo, of which a few were fat and the great majority lean. No person ever saw a flock of birds, of which 2 or 3 were swimming in grease, and the others all skin and bone." Henry George

Day 11 - Linda Farm

With no Kennedy around, it has fallen upon Beth to chauffeur half of the volunteers to and from project in Dream Livingstone’s automatic Toyota. You’ll all be pleased to know she drove brilliantly and welcomed the challenge of the Zambian Highway Code. For SKIPees and parents: Beth is insured, has an international driving licence and has 4 weeks’ worth of driving experience in Africa . . . it made sense for this group leader to stand in as driver since Kate failed to look after herself on a 2 wheeled push-bike!

Back to the more serious topic of project: today was our first day at Linda Farm and a reality check for all. A bit of history for you: in the 1970s Linda Farm was donated to local people with disabilities by a Norwegian farmer as a means to keep them and their families from begging on the streets. Each family was given a small plot of land to farm vegetables in order to become self-sustaining. In recent years they have encountered a number of challenges. Elephants and crocodiles are a real threat, trampling their crops/buildings and posing a risk when collecting water from the neighbouring river. At peak harvest families will make approximately $5 a day. At present, with no crops growing, families are struggling to meet their daily needs. Through Dream Livingstone, and thanks to Dutch well-wishers, the funds have been raised and the construction of an electric fence around the Farm will soon commence.

The residents’ homes are the original farm workers’ homes from the 1960s. There are currently 19 families, of approximately 7 members each, residing at the Farm in crowded living spaces. Sanitation is poor with 3 pit latrines and 2 “bathrooms” available.

In Zambia there are 3 types of schools: private schools and government schools have tuition fees and require children to wear uniform, whereas community schools are run on donations and by voluntary teachers (not always qualified). Due to a lack of funds and no nearby community schools, many children from Linda Farm have never been to school and you can find children of 11 unable to read the alphabet. This, factored in with the natural priority of money for food, often results in children sacrificing their studies so to assist their disabled parents with begging. As you can imagine, this is a catalyst for an untold number of problems. These issues struck a chord with Rabeccah and Kennedy who, motivated by the power of education, decided to initiate the running of a preschool within Linda Farm. When first established, the preschool was attended by less than 20 children but this quickly expanded to 80 (and counting) when neighbouring compounds caught wind of it. With currently 1 teacher and no grade distinction she has her work cut out!

With such a harrowing experience for volunteers and so much to discuss for the coming week, we sat down to an epic debrief. Although a tough day it has definitely reinforced why we are all in Zambia!

A final thanks to Thomas and Bernard for taking the time to introduce us to their community. Rachel Y is now thinking of putting forward the motion of SKEPIP (Students for Kids and Elderly People International Projects)!

"We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count." Neil A. Maxwell

Day 10 - Midweek Rest

Two of the volunteers accompanied our Dutch friend, Jeff, to the clinic to see what he has been up to since volunteering with Dream Livingstone. There they took vital signs, weighed babies and tested for malaria before going to a local diner for a great mound of the local dish - nshima. 

Others took the opportunity to catch up on sleep as our planned visit to the HIV women's group has been rearranged for Friday. Two volunteers cycled to town to collect the custom-made trousers from the tailor. They had to navigate many closed roads as the town busily prepares for the coming weekend's UNWTO (United Nations World Tourist Organisation) general assembly. Excitement is building in the lead up to the celebrations. 

We attempted to spend the afternoon with the children in Malota but upon arriving we were greeted with an empty schoolyard. With a quick adjustment to our plans we took a stroll around Maramba market, soaking in the various wonderful sights and smells, before purchasing some more African fabric.



As Livingstone's night sky is currently being blessed with a full moon we spent the evening at Victoria Falls admiring the wonder of the lunar rainbow. The moon's bright shine and the reflected white bow were truly incredible sights and not ones we will forget easily! Our cameras failed to capture the moment, however, quick thinking on a couple of the volunteers' part led to us inserting our memory card into a fellow viewer's £3000 slow-exposure camera (see below). 




Jack Titley put his newly learnt acting skills into practice when he jumped from a tree as a 'baboon', terrifying the volunteers in the darkness. 

On the route back to the Lodge our journey was halted by a stray elephant walking along the road towards town. No offence Wales but this beats the sheep hands down! 

"The world is the true classroom. The most rewarding and important type of learning is through experience, seeing something with our own eyes." Jack Hanna