Last night I realised that the fan in my room didn't have a plug - so I went to reception and whilst debating with them the safety of placing the exposed wires direct int the wall socket I noticed that some rooms were 10,000 Kwacha more than mine -about one pound twenty - on enquiry these were superior rooms with a fridge - at which I practically squealed with excitement - my water is now cold at all times - and today I ahve bought 2 tupperware containers at the market so I could store food in the fridge.....I haven't as yet found any food to store - but am ready for when I do! What was humbling was the school staff coming to admire my fridge - I guess with the teachers paid 25 quid a month its well out of their league,
Anyway I sat last night with Donata and talked for hours - what is becoming obvious is that this is a powerful story of a lady's determination, strength, guts and grief.
I think I have said that Donata is 67 years old - she is disabled - and for a number of years she was a typist in the government. Aged 62, having lost two of her children, she decided that something needed to be done in this small town in Northern Zambia to support disable kids to independent living. There was nothing for these kids - and many were hidden by their parents for fear of stigma. Donata is an ordinary village person here, but she lobbied the white farmers on their estates locally and in partnership with the church she set up teh school.
The school now has 35 pupils; across grades 1-5 - and despite recieving no government funding recieves annual inspection. All the work is funded via one farming family - Mr and Mrs Hunt - who I am to meet later.
Anyway the Nuns now want their convent back - Donata has secured some land from the local Chief (whom I am to meet next week) - and is now setting about building a school. Donata's ambition is to build a school witha number of classrooms and boarding facilities. Boarding facilities will ensure better attendance (the young people, some with mobility issues walk miles) - and also allow pupils from a much wider area to attend. In addition she will commence education for the blind - there is already a unit here for the deaf - let's just put this in perspective this is a big dream when the school can't afford paper, and is saving at the moment to buy a ribbon for the typewriter.
Anyway the new schoool will support 200 pupils - Donata has funding for 50% of the Capital from a UK trust fund, the foundations are laid - and today I have applied to the Zambian government for 35 million Kwacha to build a further 2 classrooms. Foundations are laid - and this will happen - the village is also making it happen with the community helping to break and shift stones. Long term this will all be supported with teh development of a land based social enterprise / work based learning initiative.
Anyway I will fill you in more on that another time....today I went to the school for the first time -
Situated in a few small rooms in the back of the convent, surrounded by and smelling of chickens this was an amazing place. My first job was to present back exam papers to the younger kids who were doing maths - I'm guessing at about Entry 3 - 50% of the class got 100%. I then gave them the pens / pencils I bought over and they sang a 'Welcome Mr Newton' song that they wrote yesterday.
I then went into Donata's office to do the funding application that has to e in by the end of the week - Donata wanted me to have her desk - but I'm not having the headteachers desk - so have made a office in the Maize store - with frequent interuptions from the chickens.
I then went and had a Q and A session from the kids - it was fascinating - they were in awe of the fact that I had 2 parents both aged 69 - it was only on relection I realised that 80% of these kids are orphans - and the life expectancy here is 42 due to HIV and AIDS - I am an old man myself!
They were also fascinated by the cold in the UK - both pupils (via translation - sound and sign) - were astonished that we didn't die when the tempertaure dropped to zero - and the fact that I, notr most my friends go to church caused great interest.
Somehow I had to explain what a Cinema was - when the penny dropped as to the size of Cinema screens the kids sat opened mouthed....
Anyway I could go on - school finishes at lunchtime with an Ingera (maize) school meal - which I said to give my portion to the kids - and we played a game of football whilst this was cooked. My football skills are not great - Matt, Pubby, mr Longly you would have been proud - though one poor girl got a thudding great whack in her face from a ball I kicked - still she had full compensation from having one of the 'Big White Man's wet wipes' something she was clutching an hour later as she left school.
Anyway signing off now - more meetings about this new school...
R
No comments:
Post a Comment