We have a little over a month more here before we set off for Jordan. I've quite enjoyed our time thus far in Zambia. Zambians, in generaly are quite lively. They love to tell jokes and laugh throughout the day.
Working with the kids in the school has been a highlight thus far. In Zambia having twins indicates that you are quite a man, so I've nicknamed myself Vashi Impundo, which means father of twins. My other nickname is Mu'kalamba which means big man, most of the kids at the school don't my name is Stephen, I just hear "VASHI IMPUNDO VASHI IMPUNDO, MUKALAMBA" shouted over and over. The kids here are well behaved, they can be a bit loud and don't raise their hands very well but they aren't spoiled and show respect to their teachers unlike many kids in the US. We have alot of fun playing games and roughhousing.
The new school is shaping up for the grand opening in two months time. We've completed building all of the desks, which was the last main task for us to accomplish but I'm sure they will find more.
The maize mill project is progressing, we finalized an interior design of the mill and have started building the internal brick walls. I've tried my hand at bricklaying but it's a bit difficult because the exterior walls of the building, the internal supporting structures, and the bricks are all nowhere near straight already. In the end I think we just slow the professional brick layers down by asking them questions, and trying to ensure the walls are as straight as possible.
The little brits are leaving in two weeks, then we have the place all to ourselves.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Halfway point
5/31/10
From Molly:
So we are about half way done here in Zambia, hard to believe it has been 6 weeks already! These past two weeks, Paula, my friend who is also a nurse, came to volunteer. She and I did health assessments for 95 children! It was a busy time. About 75% of the childrens' guardians came along in support of the children. Some had only one parent left, and some neither and were living with either grandmother, aunt or another relative. Only a very small handful of the kids (maybe only about 5-8 kids?) had both parents alive. Apparantly, preventative health is not something that Zambian children are accustomed to, so parents were pretty excited about the event. Common findlings among the children included recent malaria, ringworm, other skin rashes and infections, scabies, abdominal protrusion (maybe due to diet, worms, or malaria), abdominal pain, frequent diarrhea, lack of breakfast or sometimes dinner, lack of good shoes or shoes at all, and tartar or dental cavities. So I've been told that some of the follow up will happen at the local clinic. It is a very basic run clinic with not too much more than medications for various things such as malaria, HIV or other infections, blood testing for malaria and HIV, and some mother/baby health. Not 100% sure how all of the follow up is going to happen at this point and what resources are available. So pray that follow up and resources are more than adequate.
From Molly:
So we are about half way done here in Zambia, hard to believe it has been 6 weeks already! These past two weeks, Paula, my friend who is also a nurse, came to volunteer. She and I did health assessments for 95 children! It was a busy time. About 75% of the childrens' guardians came along in support of the children. Some had only one parent left, and some neither and were living with either grandmother, aunt or another relative. Only a very small handful of the kids (maybe only about 5-8 kids?) had both parents alive. Apparantly, preventative health is not something that Zambian children are accustomed to, so parents were pretty excited about the event. Common findlings among the children included recent malaria, ringworm, other skin rashes and infections, scabies, abdominal protrusion (maybe due to diet, worms, or malaria), abdominal pain, frequent diarrhea, lack of breakfast or sometimes dinner, lack of good shoes or shoes at all, and tartar or dental cavities. So I've been told that some of the follow up will happen at the local clinic. It is a very basic run clinic with not too much more than medications for various things such as malaria, HIV or other infections, blood testing for malaria and HIV, and some mother/baby health. Not 100% sure how all of the follow up is going to happen at this point and what resources are available. So pray that follow up and resources are more than adequate.
More More More
6/1/10
From Molly:
There have been other projects that we have been working on, mostly having to do with the children and their school. We have been sorting hundreds of school uniforms that were donated from the UK. School uniforms are important here because it easily identifies the school children. Children are desperate to go to school here and might try to slip in. Wearing uniforms also gives the children a lot of pride since some of their clothes are not in great shape. Also, all Zambian children wear school uniforms, so it makes sense that they would at this school as well.
We have been teacher assisants for the various grades of the school as well as the preschool. This involves helping the students with the teachers lesson for the day. All three teachers are Zambian, as well as the head teacher and overseer of the school.
We have helped with various construction projects for the new school building that will officially open in September. Some activities for this include: painting, varnishing, removing grout from tiles, removing paint from windows, helping saw wood for desks, planing desk tops, helping assembling desks, putting on toilet seats, sanding desks, etc.
They also have a group of kids that are underpriveldged that are waiting to be part of the school who are provided with a play time a few days a week. Real toys here are a real treat for kids.
We have also started to work on a few other things that I will be excited to be more involved with. These include home visits to those same underpriveledged kids and to adults with HIV.
Also, hopefully getting more involved with a group of volunteers, mostly who are HIV +, reaching out to others in the community who are HIV +. This group does a lot of health education to clients. I have learned from going to one of their meetings that they educated on topics such as HIV progression to AIDS, HIV and Tuberculosis, HIV medication basics, drug and food interactions, drug side effects, nutrition and drugs, reduction of HIV from mother to child in pregnancy, and stigma of family members when diagnosed with HIV. I am going to help with some of the education of these volunteers.
From Molly:
There have been other projects that we have been working on, mostly having to do with the children and their school. We have been sorting hundreds of school uniforms that were donated from the UK. School uniforms are important here because it easily identifies the school children. Children are desperate to go to school here and might try to slip in. Wearing uniforms also gives the children a lot of pride since some of their clothes are not in great shape. Also, all Zambian children wear school uniforms, so it makes sense that they would at this school as well.
We have been teacher assisants for the various grades of the school as well as the preschool. This involves helping the students with the teachers lesson for the day. All three teachers are Zambian, as well as the head teacher and overseer of the school.
We have helped with various construction projects for the new school building that will officially open in September. Some activities for this include: painting, varnishing, removing grout from tiles, removing paint from windows, helping saw wood for desks, planing desk tops, helping assembling desks, putting on toilet seats, sanding desks, etc.
They also have a group of kids that are underpriveldged that are waiting to be part of the school who are provided with a play time a few days a week. Real toys here are a real treat for kids.
We have also started to work on a few other things that I will be excited to be more involved with. These include home visits to those same underpriveledged kids and to adults with HIV.
Also, hopefully getting more involved with a group of volunteers, mostly who are HIV +, reaching out to others in the community who are HIV +. This group does a lot of health education to clients. I have learned from going to one of their meetings that they educated on topics such as HIV progression to AIDS, HIV and Tuberculosis, HIV medication basics, drug and food interactions, drug side effects, nutrition and drugs, reduction of HIV from mother to child in pregnancy, and stigma of family members when diagnosed with HIV. I am going to help with some of the education of these volunteers.
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