Chita, our Out Reach Coordinator, and the Community Committee standing on the bottom half of a new double latrine at Makumba Community School maybe we can find funding for a second one. More cement is on its way!
Well time sure flies when you are having fun. It is almost 3 weeks and I have shifted from Lusaka to Livingstone. My time in Lusaka was very busy pushing the project forward at Government level. So now I am in Livingstone working at the 2 projects we have here. Our new one at a community close to Zimba is starting to take shape. The community is working on new latrines at the school and preparing 3 tree nursery sites at the 3 boreholes. Their health clinic has been abandoned because of no funding so we will help get it back on track. I will make the 3 new blackboards here in Livingstone and transport them to Makumba Community School. Along with those 3 I will make more to be given to a school located outside of Mukuni Village. We are starting a tree nursery at this school.
Out in Mukuni we have finished the final site plan and the bricklayers will start work soon on a latrine/bathhouse and a caretaker’s house. The tree nursery will also be planted with the Moringa needed in the Orchard.
I think I will take a day off and go white water rafting on the Zambezi on Sunday.
I have packed all I can take to Zambia, two bags full and I am ready to go. Oh! Yes I will have forgotten things I know that but I can work around that. It is too bad the Canadian Dollar is down a bit. As always I have lots to do and the key will be to stay healthy. First stop is a few days in Lusaka doing business then on to Livingstone for a meeting.
Time is ticking away and so is summer fading in Victoria and it is time to start planning my trip back to Zambia. As always I will have lots to do when I get there. I have speaking engagements until the end of September so as soon as the last one is done; I will be going. Also the election for President takes part on September the 20th and by the time I get there things should be back to normal. I keep out of religion and politics thus avoiding lots of hassles. May the better man win! My funding is tight as usual but we seem to get by, although the bigger the budget the more that can get done. My Zambian colleagues who are volunteers deserve all the credit for the success of the project. Zikomo kwambiri my friends.
Well I have been home in Canada for a few weeks now and getting used to life here. My trip was very successful getting almost everything done that I had set out to do. Actually more because of other things that cropped up: unexpected meetings have open more doors: meaning more projects are coming on line. All was done within the budget that was set before I left. I was very fortunate to have my wife, Maria, tag along for three weeks.
The trees that have been planted over the years have certainly grown. The Leucaena, Jatropha and Moringa around Mumbi Village are now producing seeds that will be used for planting this year. Some are already been planted in the new tree nursery that has the capacity of 25,000 seedlings. We have even been able to get enough pine seeds for the nurseries especially inNorthern Province. Lots to do; proposals to write, talks to give and fund raising! Our biggest hold back is the limited funding and it will get harder and harder as the world suffers from natural and monetary hardships.
