After many requests from the staff at Ng’andu school we paid a visit to the school. Dallas
our Facilitator and I set out walking across country to visit the school which is 8 kilometres east of Mukuni. On our way we saw evidence of much forest degradation especially for exotic hardwoods like Ebony and teak for carving. The school is located beside the village  of Ng’andu on a hill overlooking the vast area of small fields and scrub forest. The school although funded by the Zambian government showed signs of years of neglect. The school
has been on this site since 1939. There are 552 students at the school and 101 of them are vulnerable. They are taught in 5 classrooms with morning and afternoon classes. The staff consists of 9 teachers who live beside the school in staff housing of  some are just grass
huts. As we had approached the school we passed 2 abandoned boreholes and the third one; still proudly displaying a sign that said it was given by the Japanese people lay idle. We found out from the teachers that this too no longer produced water. After introductions I gave a talk to the teachers on the environment and the conditions they suffered through; caused greatly from the continual cutting of trees for new fields, firewood and the production of charcoal. And what they could do as their part to slow this process down.

We then went on a walk around the school and saw first hand  the condition of the school. The school is badly ran down but worse of all was
the condition of the 5 blackboards and the fact they had no chalk. (The next  day I brought 10 boxes of chalk to Mukuni and one of the teachers rode his bike  in and got the chalk.) Because they have little water to spare it was agreed that  they would start small just growing trees around the school. Dallas our  facilitator will go and teach them how to start a small tree nursery at the  school and one in the nearby village. They will start with Flamboyant and other  shade trees. Later on they can grow other species for firewood, carving and  fruit trees. Again as I looked around the bleak landscape and the many goats continually  eating anything they found. I knew this would be a challenge to keep the goats  away from the trees but what is new!

Anyone wanting to help can buy a blackboard at 100.00  dollars for the material and ACP will build and install. You can donate right  here on this website.