We all have a first time. Right. This is my first blog entry on our new web pages. When I am in Zambia it sometimes hard to get on the internet let alone adding a new blog. So I need some practice. Perhaps I will try other things on the site.
In Zambia we have reverted back to using the good old ‘physically mailing a letter’. This has its good points: I get my reports first hand, my facilitators also get to improve their writing communications and it is reliable. It takes 20 days at least to get a letter or send one. Felix has just received 2 disposable cameras I sent 3 weeks ago. Not bad. When relying on email there were problems. Sometimes the facilitator would travel (up to 8 hours) to an internet outlet just to find there was no electricity in the town or that the internet was down. And most of the facilitators have no idea how to work a computer let alone send an email; that will come.
Browsing Posts in Communications
You must know by now this is a new web page. I am very proud of Reed and his efforts to create it. What would we do without volunteers! The site will still be in construction for some time but be adventuresome and surf through it. Any ideas or complaints please feel free to tell us. You will notice a new feature here, the Donation page. It is provided by PayPal give it a try lets see if it works! ACP is always in need of funds especially now because after planting millions of trees over the past few years the demand for trees, how to grow them, their uses and environmental education has become staggering. We now have full time Zambian workers caring for our nurseries.
Well it has been awhile since I got to this blog! I don’t know where the time goes. There is a lot of work to keeping ACP afloat. The work at the Moringa Orchard is taking off. Our trees across Zambia are all growing well. Water levels are dropping so work can know start on the promised wells. Reports from some facilitators are rather slow. But we are working around that. The slowest but most reliable and cheapest way of getting reports is through the Post Office. The internet is fine but not all facilitators are computer smart. Also they may arrive in town after traveling some distance to find the internet down. We have not got a country office as of yet so all reports come to Canada. The postage costs are paid from the sale of returnable bottles given by my fellow owners at our condominium here in Victoria. And yes, I have become a “dumpster diver”; I wonder if I should add that skill to my resume? I have lots of competition but “sorry fellow divers but I have needs too!”
Also a new web page is in the works!
I did not think that being away would create so much work when I returned home to Victoria. Perhaps it is because things are moving along very nicely. We have decided on using the fax machine more to shuffle documents back and for since not everyone is close to the internet. It also gives the facilitators practice in writing reports and managing budgets. We are starting to expand into Northwest Province with Jackson leading the way. Bicycles are no longer an option for transport for the crew. The distances are getting further and further. We need motor bikes. I used a Honda 125 when I was with VSO and have found it the best; so the next thing is to source the money for them. Like I said I am busy, perhaps I should change that to very busy.
It is Monday afternoon here in Lusaka and things are moving along. Lots of small curves like my phone is giving me trouble on the communications side. I am waiting for the facilitators to come for a small workshop. It is good to get them in so they can visit and be brought up to speed on things. Yesterday we visited our Demonstration Forest and admired the progress of the seedlings. The nursery there will be upgraded and slashing will continue to prevent wild fires later in the dry season. In the photo I am with Geoff and behind 2 Jatropha that we planted just a short year ago when we first started got the land.
