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

Wednesday, 1 December 2010

Another great day in the dust

Hey

Well a really good 24 hours - after blogging yesterday we went into the small township over the bridge to get soft drinks for today's Parent's meeting - it seems that bribery of a imitation coca cola will be enough to egt them to show up! The township was the first real time that I have had a bit of tension about being  the white man - what was great however was that I am obviously known in this town - after a bit of verbal grief from some guys in a bar - the others in the street were sticking up for me saying - no he is our friend, he is helping us.

Anyway I battelled back with 2 trays of soft drinks - feeling rather inadequate against the women who had sacks of maize on their heads and babies on their backs.

Anyway then the Aids day vigil - it started with a procession with bands, majorettes, the police and many council members - with many joining in traditional and singing - and we were joined by nuns, priests, teh old and the young - then we spent a while of the village football pitch with prayers and songs and candles - after which they moved onto church - it was emotive - I confess to a lump in the throat - I think the African singing, the chanting, the electric storm in the distance and the drumming were really quite haunting

Anyway up really early today for the parents mornning - I was a bit nervous as I called this meeting to introduce the new terms of reference for the PTA and to get the parents views for the self assessment process. I say parents but obviously with as many orphans as the school has pupils were represented by older brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles.

50% of the kids were represented and teh meeting was amazing - some had walked 8 miles each way to join us - and we sat under the Mango trees - with 2 of the teachers acting as translators as we had to translate into two different tribal languages. The 'parents' really participated - singing, laughing, praying and breastfeeding through the meeting whilst giving really valuable data about the school.

We then met mrs Hunt the main donor for the school, I went through all that I had done to date - she seems pleased - and we also discussed the use of sustainable energy at the new school site - I am going to have a longer discussion with her at her farm next week. However I met her at her Butcher's shop and realised the issue - the average black can't afford to buy decent beef here - despite a huge national cattle herd. however teh Chef at the Harvest Inn is tonight going to cook a perfect steak and chips - as I have bought direct from the farm - and I am going in the kitchen with him to cook Western style! It will probably the first time I get any form of food poisoning this trip.

This afternoon Donata wanted me to meet the Priest who she holds in high esteem - I'm not saying much - just what a big house, big satelitte dish and the first DVD player I ahve seen here

Anyway we also then had a trek as we had a power cut and we had to print a letter for Mr LuLu the head of education - the internet cafe had lent their generator to teh hardware store - we went there and they had lent it to someone else - after 90 minutes of searching for the generator we were saved by the power comming back

Thats about it - just a funny anecdote - just walking here a young girl about 6 was pointing at me - shrieking with laughter at teh white man and walking backwards - until she went head first into a ditch causing much laugher across teh amrket.

Tomorrow I go back to lusaka - as I need to use a good internet connection to get resources for the school - Im on the local bus again - and have to be at teh North Road Junction at 5.30am - tomorrow I am meting two other Welsh people on teh same programme for dinner in Lusaka - then I have my learning review on Friday with Christine my assigned leadership coach - hopefully we will get some kind of connection in Lusaka

I am shattered its been long days and constant for 2 weeks - so I spending teh weekend away from Mkushi - in one of Zambia's best Game Reserves - camping next to the river with the hippos and crocs

I know I'm coming back on Monday - but I'm going to miss this place - but I have to go to Lusaka - I have promised the school an end of term party next Wednesday and i have to get supplies - only one pupil in teh school has ever tasted chocolate

Take care - and speak to all you guys tomorrow from lusaka!

R
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