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Zambian Community Project

One of the very first visions the Poultney family had was to be able to totally (re) develop a community in Africa.  They knew, from their years of living there and hearing how things have been going there in the years since they moved to Canada, that there are many needs.  While their former homeland, Zimbabwe, was foremost in their minds they knew that working there would be difficult in the present political and economic circumstances.  They had a strong feeling that Zambia would be a good place to start as Jenny's brother had recently moved there to start farming again, after having been thrown off his farm by the Zimbabwe government in 2001, and was reporting great success and a lot more stability.  The Poultney/Eidick group therefore travelled to Zambia to visit him.

During their stay on his farm in the Kapiri Mposhi district of Central Zambia, (see Map of Zambia) they were explaining the idea of the SPF doing a community development project in Africa starting with a focus on children, the next generation of leaders and amongst them now many orphans due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and then encompassing all aspects of a community – health care, economic development, churches etc. He suggested that they investigate the community neighboring his farm and known as the Kakulu district (For Google Earth view of the area enter 14° 4'20.49"S, 28°35'6.34"E). This they did and when they returned to Canada they recommended that the SPF focus its attention on that place.

Following the report back of the group Gordon also visited the area for two weeks in January 2006. During this time he did extensive on the ground research and information gathering.

The whole focus of the project will be based on the community itself accepting participation in the project through sweat equity and a willingness to continue striving to improve themselves to attain self-sustainability in a very short time frame. Thus meetings and discussions were held with the community stake-holders – Government ministries, tribal leaders, parents etc – in order to establish the expectations of the project. We want to be there to provide the initial seed capital and management expertise and not be a provider of money forever.

Meetings were held with (L-R) School PTA, local Ministry of Education officials and Health Care workers
 

It is our intention that any buildings and other related development will be designed with the local culture and climate in mind and constructed with materials produced locally. Everything will be done with environmental sensitivity for waste management, use of local labour and skills and optimum use of alternative sources of energy for power – wind, methane, solar etc.

Scope of the Zambian Community Project – (Draft)

School

The Sungula Basic School (K to Grade 12) is funded by the Zambian Government but there are additional funding needs improve the operating of the school and supporting its infrastructure.

Scenes from around the school

The school has 700 students, 7 classrooms and 18 teachers so classes are done in three sessions spanning the entire day. Some of the students – who come from up to 20km away  – stay at the school for the week. They have to bring their own bedding and food and are housed in very small buildings where they have to sleep on the bare floor. The water supply for the entire community comes from one well which only has a hand-pump on it. There are only two long drop toilets – one male and one female – for the entire school community ! The school was built in 1973 and has had very little maintenance on it since then. It is difficult to attract more teachers because of the lack of suitable housing for them.

School toilets and the community water well

The SPF therefore wishes to raise funds and resources to :

- provide a reticulated water system for basic human and cultivation needs
- renovate existing and build new classrooms including desks and equipment
- renovate existing and build new teacher housing
- build new toilet facilities : not waterborne, just basic soak-away system
- build cooking and eating facility which uses a good source of heat and also includes washing up
- build new student housing
- establish a school vegetable garden, orchard and woodlot
- develop good sports fields to provide for play and games
- provide teaching resources and supplies for the teachers and school supplies for the students

Longer term : teacher training and development using Canadian schools and universities as supporters; teacher exchanges; student exchanges; school uniform program

For an interesting and informative report prepared by the Global Campaign for Education about the problems facing the Zambian education system, which clearly confirms why we need to be helping this school, click here. (PDF format 344kb)

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Clinic

- help to complete a new clinic already under way
- provide necessary medical equipment and supplies
- develop appropriate health programs to educate the local community

Longer term : nurse and medical staff training and development; staff and student exchanges with Parkland medical and dental facilities/businesses and other post-secondary institutions

New clinic building (left) and the "consulting" room in the existing old facility

Orphans

- develop a community-based strategy to take care of the many HIV/AIDS orphans in the community
- orphans would be assisted to go to school and become self-sufficient members of the community

Churches

- build/renovate
- provide pastoral leadership training
- develop outreach programs to sick and needy in the community
- develop youth programs

Some of the existing local churches

Economic Sustainability

These are some of the ideas that have come to our attention as we have consulted with people in the community :

Develop skills training programs : building, carpentry, welding, art, craft, textiles, sewing/tailoring etc. Develop a market for any resulting products – either locally or overseas.

Encourage the establishment of individual vegetable gardens and orchards for better personal nutrition and food security. Any excess produce could be marketed locally or in the nearest city to generate cash.

Encourage the growing of appropriate crops for own food and cash crops for sale in larger markets or export.

Encourage animal husbandry appropriate to the area – cattle, goats, pigs, sheep, poultry, bees, fish

Develop a community woodlot to provide fuel for cooking and timber for construction and carpentry. Build a simple saw-mill.

Establish a local market place where goods and services can be traded. (Bakery, dairy, butchery.)


 

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