Second mounth report by Magda at DAPP Child Aid Serenje

(I am again late with me report! Very sorry!! By now I should have written 3 reports instead of 2! But I’ll still write about everything, no worries!)

Since last time I have been in a village called Kashishi twice, about 3 hours with bicycle from Boma. The first time I went with Lucie, Jafet(ino) and Mebin. Then we slept there 2 nights. We arrived around 19.00 in the evening and the next day Lucie had another work shop with corn leaves and I was assisting her. She was teaching how to wave baskets, and me how to wave mats (which is a lot easier). The work shop went well and I really enjoyed it! She is this Friday having the exhibition, will be interesting! She has really worked for it and I will be helping her.

Afterwards I organized some activities with the Youth Club. First I made some Value Exercises and the one exercise and discussion about Self confidence. The reason for me doing this was that I wanted them to start thinking more by themselves, understand that there is not always any right and wrong, that they have the right to their own opinion and instead of just accepting things think of if they really think it is okay. It went okay, but it was difficult. They are not used to this kind of things so it was hard to make them try and probably they didn’t really understand what I wanted. During the Value Exercises they didn’t really thought of their opinion before they made their decision, they were not really able to explain why they thought like they did and mostly they just made the same decision like most of their friends. It was mostly 2-3 guys who explained, but they started thinking of why when I asked them, not before they made the decision. Evan though I made the questions quit easy, they were about parents. I want to try this again, but I am not yet sure of how I can improve and adjust the exercises to them.

Next morning Jafet and Mebin had a meeting, I organized a Picture Club with the children were they again were animals and this time it went better! They had fun! Lucie was assisting me with painting their faces and keeping the other children away from the pictures!!!

After this we started the journey back to Boma! The next time I went to Kashishi was quit reasently and then I went by myself and about one weak later then I planned because my teacher Gordon from Norway came to visit which I found out only the day before! Because of this, when I arrived they hadn’t received the information of that I was coming, instead they had been prepared last time. It was a pity!
On my way there Lucie escorted me halfway to Nganswa school were we talked to the teachers and discussed more about when we can organize lessons there. I also got some help with my stupid bicycle!! I hate my “Red Star”, which I named it in the beginning, and I will burn it before I leave!!
I kept going in the strong sun and while there I started to prepare a painting lesson with the children. I gave a letter from Lucie concerning the Exhibition, the next day I had the painting lesson and gave the pictures on posters to them from last time. They really enjoyed it and was of course very curious in the pictures. I was also planning to organize a picture club with the Youths there but I didn’t manage because of that they didn’t know I was coming. I finished later then I thought was a bit stressed when leaving. About halfway to Nganswa happens what I feared! My tire on my Red Star breaks again!! NOOOOOOO!!! I was soo angry but refused to go back to Kashishi. I kept going by fot without a plan, but I thought I will solve it somehow. So… I was walking…and walking… and again walking…until I pretty late reached Nganswa school in the dark! I was then prepared to spend the night with Tobie outside and in the morning I could get some help with the bicycle. But then I say some light in a house next to the school. I went there and asked if they had any place were I could sleep. Mr. Kosa, my angel and a teacher at the school welcomed me and took me to another house were the girls sleeps. There they gave me a warm cup of chocolate, I was in heaven!! The girls were very nice and in the morning when I came out to the school they were already fixing my bicycle! Talk about service! So I thanked everybody for the 100 time before I again started of to Boma! On the way I meet my project leader on motorcycle who Lucie had sent in her worry. He kept going to work in Area 5, and when I finally reached Boma I was very tired!!

When Gordon came to visit I was very happy to see him! With him he had Viveca (the coordinator over all DI:s). We had first a meeting at the office and the we went to Kebumba to visit a school. The performed a dance and theater for us and the people there presented what kind of work they do in their community through DAPP. Then me and Lucie invited Gordon and Viveca for dinner, but first only Gordon came so we had a meeting with him. We had a nice talk and discussed a lot about what we have done and will do. Then Lucie (my wife) made the traditional Zambian food, Nshima with beans, Chinese cabbage, tomatoes and Soya pieces (she is practically also a vegetarian now because of me!). They left already the next day.

I have now started working more with the Youth Club in Kankoso (15 min from Boma), I have organized a Picture Club with them and I will continue, games and I bought them 4 more different kinds of seeds (Chinese cabbage, watermelon, cucumber and carrots) + garlic for their fundraising garden (earlier they only got for onions and tomatoes) that we were planting together. The Picture Club went quit well, they didn’t do it the way I wanted, to plan together how they wanted to make their picture, it was more spontaneous. But many pictures came out very nice! The pictures will be but up in the school were most of them study when they have put up a door so that they wont be taken. Next time I will be harder on the planning but try to make it easier for them. Last time I was there I also were talking to the leader about what is not working in the Club. Because I have seen it is not very organized and the youths are not very committed. We decided together that next time I come he will bring their secretary of the club and I will bring the Area leader (who apparently has not been visiting much) so that we can sit down and discuss what needs to be done to improve, after that we will organize a meeting with all the youths and their parents.

One week ago there was an Agriculture Show here in Boma which DAPP Child Aid participated in. My task was to present the 10 lines so I made a nice poster and I braught some pictures. It was fun, very interesting and different! We got second price!

Lucie and me are now starting to plan a Sex/HIV- Campaigne. This program will take up almost a hole day and we will go around to different schools.

I am also now slowly starting to think about next Hip Hop Party for the youths, this time I will succeed!!! Last time I was more focused on HIV, and next time I will focus on Drugs and Alcohol. I think I the party will take place in about 1,5 or 2 months.

Soon I will also go alone to Area 2 again, there in a pre-school I meet a girl that could not speak, so I want to work with her, on a school that we saw had very bad lessons and with their Youth Club that I worked with once before with Lucie. After that I arranged a meeting with the Club leader and my project leader Kenny. They will now get money for Chicken aloens after finished building a chicken house. This Youth Club seams more serious.

Yesterday I arrived with Lucie back from Lusaka were we now got our Work Permit, last mounths we were able to fix the Visa here at the Immigration in Boma. Paul helped us but he really had to work for it, first they just said that they didn’t have it. It took us about one hour. It is really good that we have him helping, for others it is a lot more difficult! In Lusaka I also went to The Ministry of Health to get permit to work in the Hospital here in Serenje. I will first spend three days there for research that I will make in my Vacation week. After that I will probably keep working on my free time. They said that they will send me the permit so now I am just hoping they actually will.

I am still loving Africa and I always will! Thanks, Magda