Newton does Mkushi!

This is the tale of my journey on my International Leadership Opportunity supported by the Welsh Assembly Government and of course my employer Rathbone.

As part of a personal development programme I am going to Mkushi a small town north of Lusaka to work for four weeks with the volunteer team at Donata School. The school supports 35 disabled pupils but has received funding to build to purpose built facilities - allowing them to take on more staff and pupils.

My role is to help them to build their capacity to make this move, and to project plan with them how they achieve long term sustainability......not much in four weeks huh?

I hope to keep you all updated with writing, pictures and video of the takes of the trip; and the scrapes that I am bound to get into!

All this will of course be electricity and internet connection allowing!

Hope you enjoy

Richard

Sunday, 21 November 2010

A fan to blow Grace Jones' clothes off!

After blogging last night I returned to the hotel in a taxi passing 2 car crashed in about 4 minutes - my driver was at odds to tell me how many bad drivers there were in Zambia - taking several red lights as he did so!

Anyway bit of a chill day today - did some shopping for the bits I've decided I needed - and got some cash from the ATM - ironically turning round to see the guy from the plane 'there are no ATM's in this town' in the queue behind me - I just smiled and said 'found one' - but it's made me chuckle all day!

Went to the market with a feast of sounds and smells; and they seemed determined to sell me an axe, sledgehammer or machete - I escaped with nothing and then managed to smuggle myself into the local 5 start hotel for an afternoon by the pool - all went to plan until a huge electrical storm meant that outdoor activities were off!

Just for Nicola the animal count stands at Lizards - lots, Rats -2 (but big enough to be re-classified as 4)!

Anyway tomorrow the job starts so to speak - feel a bit like the new boy - I still know very little. A few of you have asked if I am nervous - not really - but I am just hoping that I will live up to the school's expectation's and be able to do the task that has been set - whatever that may be!

Otherwise all good - hoping to get some decent sleep tonight - it was very hot in my room. I do have a fan in there - and it's very string - in fact I was reminded of year's ago when working with Grace Jones and her rider requestd a fan strong enough to blow her clothes off - well this is it! However for sleeping is feels like being in the sound and slip steam of an Airbus 360....

Oh I did speak to Donata from the school today - she will meet be in Mkushi tomorrow outside the post office....she seems very nice on the phone - all I know about her is she will be wearing a suit - and she missed my first call today as she was in Church.......so far the common ground is limiting!

Well speak soon and tell you about my new home for the next 4 weeks - once I find it

Rich
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