Arise Newsletter - November 2015

As well as teaching Grade 2 here at Kapumpe Christian Primary School, I have also been involved in running Arise, the charity set up to support orphans, vulnerable children and their guardians here in Kaniki and the neighbouring areas. Next year when I return to Zambia for my second year, I will take on a different role, overseeing the school (rather than teaching a specific class) and leading the work of Arise.

Arise is a small charity, formerly known as Kaniki Orphans Project (KOP). Arise relies solely on donations to fund itself and this money is used to support people with school fees, food and provisions for families in need and run empowerment projects.

Quite a few people from back home in England have asked to hear more about the work of Arise and so I thought I would share our latest newsletter to update you on how the charity is supporting people in need and any challenges or difficulties that we would appreciate prayer for.

Click here for the latest Arise newsletter

This is the first Arise newsletter I have written, which I hope gives a good insight in to some of the work of the charity has been doing over the past year. If you wish to support Arise there are many ways in which you can do so, including prayer, financially, or even sponsoring a child.

I have seen firsthand what an amazing difference such a small charity can make to the people who live here, and I am really excited to take on the challenge of leading Arise over the next year. I will continue to post updates and newsletters and am really grateful for all of the support that we have received so far. 

If you would like to receive our newsletters regularly, let us know your email address so you can be added to our supporters' mailing list. Send us an email at kop@kaniki.dk or a message on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KanikiOrphansProject.

Arise Christmas Hamper Appeal

Life is tough for the families that we support through the Arise project. And now it is becoming even more difficult as Zambia is facing an economic crisis and so the cost of food is steeply rising.

As December approaches and people all around the world start to think about preparing for Christmas, we've been thinking about what we can do to make things a little easier for the people supported by Arise over the festive period. We have decided that we would like to bless our most vulnerable orphans and guardians with a Christmas food hamper - well, actually a bowl or bucket which is much more practical for them!

We're asking anyone who can, to consider buying an extra present this Christmas by donating £5 or £10 to buy a hamper full of food and household essentials for a needy family. We know that this will mean a huge deal to people who really don't have much and we hope it will put a smile on many of their faces.

Here is a copy of the Arise Christmas Hamper Appeal poster for you to download and share with anyone else who might like to support:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0By9IZ8Clh9lPaDZhbEM5WnM2N0E/view?usp=sharing

We delivered our first Christmas hampers to three guardians this week - a little early I know, but we wanted to reach them before the rains came! Their reactions were very touching. All three ladies had big smiles and were very thankful. One of the ladies even burst into song to praise God! 

Miriam singing and clapping

Mandalene with three children she looks after

Elina and the Arise team

I will be reporting back in a later post to share how many people we were able to bless with these gifts. Thank you in advance for any support you are able to give.

Bra Amnesty

You might remember that a few months ago Rosie and I decided to hold a bra amnesty here in Zambia. We appealed to our family and friends to donate any old or unwanted bras that we could distribute to women here who can’t afford them. I’m pleased to report that the bra amnesty was a huge success and so I wanted to update you on how it all went.

Firstly, thank you so much to everyone who donated bras. Amazingly, we received over 500 of them! They were in good condition, came in all shapes and sizes, and there were even some brand new ones. They included some Calvin Klein and Elle Macpherson bras…you’re obviously a very stylish bunch!

Thank you also to my sisters and Rosie’s family, who between them kindly fit all of these bras into their suitcases when they travelled over from the UK in August. My sister Rachel had a rather hilarious experience collecting her luggage whilst changing planes in Amsterdam. Her large holdall, full of almost 200 vacuum packed bras, had burst. There were a few brightly coloured lace bras on display as it sailed around the luggage reclaim for all to see!

Advertising the bra distribution here also brought some amusing moments. We put a poster up at the Bible College and tried to pass the message on to Arise guardians via word of mouth. During our weekly Arise visits in the two weeks leading up to the distribution, we tried to call in to see as many guardians as possible so that we could let them know. Talking about bras made a lot of them chuckle. I couldn’t understand the conversations they had between themselves in Bemba but there was some bosom grabbing going on and a couple of ladies even whipped theirs out whilst we were there! And when I phoned one of the local pastors we know to ask him to publicise the bra distribution to the ladies at his church, I decided to describe it as an underwear distribution for women, as I didn’t fancy trying to explain what a bra was if he didn’t understand my English!

We were also very grateful to Rosie’s mum, Kathy, who did a great job of sorting the bras in to all of the different sizes whilst Rosie and I were busy setting up our classrooms at the end of the August school holidays. We had arranged the distribution for the week beginning 7th September which was also our first week back at school after the break.

During the distribution, ladies gathered and waited in the nsaka (shelter with a straw roof) so we could invite a few of them in at a time. Having researched online about how to measure and fit bras, we attempted to measure the ladies and encourage them to try appropriate sized bras to check how well they fitted.

Non-wired bras proved particularly popular, probably because many of the women here aren’t used to wearing an underwire. Although we had an area for changing more privately, most of the ladies weren’t worried about that. People definitely don’t seem as body conscious here as we are in the UK! It was funny to see some of our older grannies leaving the distribution looking rather pleased with their new lacy little number.

We were able to give two bras to each of the guardians and older girls from Arise who came to the distribution. And we still had lots left. So we decided that we could help other women in the community by opening the distribution up to anyone living in the local area. We decided to charge a small amount per bra and this has helped raise additional money for the Arise project.

Thank you again for your generosity. I’d also like to give a special shout out to my friend Natalie Seddon and her colleagues at Astellas who between them collected over 100 bras! A bra can seem quite a simple thing in the UK, but most ladies in the communities we work in here simple can’t afford one so as with many things, they usually go without. This was a great way to give the local women a bit of support, in more ways than one!

  

A day in the life of a Kapumpe pupil

I thought I'd describe a typical day at Kapumpe Christian Primary School to give you an idea of how the school day unfolds here...

The children arrive before the teachers and make lots of noise playing outside the school buildings. Breakfast is maize porridge mixed with ground nuts for extra protein, and is served at 7:30am.  

We sound the tambourine at 8:00am or thereabouts (after all, we're in Africa so we're not such sticklers for time here as in the UK!) when the children line up to go into their classrooms. In Grade 2 we take the register before singing a song and getting one of the children to pray for the day ahead. What a great way to start the day! 

Phonics is taught first and the children in both classes are divided into three different groups depending on their ability. Twenty minutes later they head back to their classes for Bemba, the local language taught by my teaching assistant Fatima, or a foundation subject linked to our current topic such as geography or art.

This is followed by maths. A few bright sparks in Grade 2 are now pretty confident calculating with numbers up to 30, whilst some of the young ones in Grade 1 are still working on recognising numbers from 1 to 10.

Break time means half an hour for playing outside and the children enjoy a banana as a snack. It often also involves holding the teachers' hands, climbing on them or attempting to style their hair!

After break it's time for English. I think many of you would be impressed by some of the children's reading and writing skills, considering it's their second language and many of them have only been learning English for a year or two.

‘Plan, Do, Review’ is a session we run for both grades. A variety of activities are set up for the week inside and outside both classrooms. The children have to choose and plan two activities that they would like to do. They have to say, “First I’m going to… Next I’m going to…” and describe the activities. One of the most popular things that they like to do is riding bikes. Afterwards, the children review what they did by telling us, “I enjoyed… because…”.

  

Every school day we hold either an assembly or a session within classes called 'Time with God'. We read a Bible story or talk about something relevant to the children and then pray together. The children are always particularly keen to pray for anyone who is off school because they are ill.

Last but not least, we finish the day with a story and the children line up ready to go home after collecting any stickers they've earned during the day. Most of the children walk home on their own or with friends, although some are collected by their parents or guardians. A few of them usually try and hang around at school for as long as possible...rather different to my experience of teaching in the UK!

All in all, a busy day at Kapumpe!

Should I stay or should I go?

I am now in the eleventh month of my Zambian adventure. Although exploring new places and learning new things still makes it feel adventurous, life here feels quite normal to me now. It's totally different to the life I was used to at home, but it has become my new normal. I’ve got used to the heat, the beautiful sunsets, greeting everyone I see and the excitable children waving at me everywhere I go. Funnily enough, I’ve also got used to the bumpy roads, daily power cuts and even washing in a bucket at times!

A day out exploring a new place

Excitable schoolchildren greeting me in Kaniki!

I originally committed to come to Zambia and teach at the school for a year. I’m not usually someone who tends to plan very far ahead because I quite like the excitement of not knowing what will happen and I suppose I also like to keep my options open (although my family would rather say it's because I'm indecisive!). At the start of my time here I felt that a year was long enough to commit to living in a country that I’d never been to before.

However, it's amazing how quickly the time has gone. Apparently ‘time flies when you’re having fun’ and the last year has certainly been fun. It has given me a great opportunity to get to know lots of different kinds of people, make new friends, learn a huge amount about culture and life, and laugh a lot too (living with Rosie Loescher is one of the main reasons for so much laughter!). I think the lack of distinct seasons can also distract from time passing compared to how a year at home would feel. It really doesn’t seem like it's November when it’s so hot and sunny here!

Some of the team

Crazy Kaniki friends

Never a dull moment with this one!

Enjoying a taste of home

There have of course also been challenges during my time here. One of the hardest things to get my head around has been realising the scale of the problems and difficulties that people face. Sometimes it seems as if anything we do is just a drop in the ocean. Whilst it’s fantastic to see the progress children have made at school over the year, and the benefits it brings to them, I think it will take much longer to see the real impact on the things that they go on to do and the people that they become.

One of our Kapumpe children at his home

In three weeks' time I will return to the UK to catch up with lots of friends and spend Christmas with my family.  And...I AM SO EXCITED! I know the cold weather will be a shock and I might not be prepared for the busyness of life back home but I am really looking forward to seeing friends and family. I have missed England and all of you wonderful people.

Looking forward to seeing my family!

With that said, I've made a decision that I will return to Zambia in 2016 to continue volunteering here for another year, which I'm also excited about. When thinking things through, I found it helpful to chat to other people and pray about it as well. Sometimes it’s funny how clear things can suddenly become. One morning I woke up with a line in my head, ‘He will supply all your needs’ and realised it was a verse from the Bible (Philippians 4:19). Later that week Tim and Gemma, the couple who set up Kapumpe School, shared their ideas about the role I could take on next year which was right up my street. I felt like I’d begun to get my teeth stuck into things and realised there was lots more that I could do here.

I do sometimes find it quite strange being a volunteer because it means that I have to rely on other people’s generosity when I’m used to being independent. This decision means I won’t be earning any money or paying into my pension for another year and I am also taking more time out from a career that I had begun to successfully progress in at home. Yet there’s a real thrill in having the opportunity to do something I love and believe in, where my passion and skills can meet a real need. Honestly, it feels like a great privilege.

Some of the lovely children in my Grade 2 class!

Next year, my role here will change. I won’t be teaching a class, so that I can instead oversee both the school and the orphan project, Arise. If you pray, please do pray for me and the Kapumpe and Arise projects in 2016. I will be posting more soon about what I will be doing and how you can support me as I head back to Zambia for a second year. And for anyone who would like to hear more, I will gladly chat to you whilst I’m back in the UK! 

Thank you for following me in my adventure so far. I have been so encouraged and touched by people’s emails, messages, Skype conversations and your interest in my blog. I look forward to sharing my 2016 adventures with you!

Zambian Weather Watch

Many people from home have asked me what the weather is like here in Zambia. There are three seasons here; the wet season from December to April, the cold season from May to August, and the hot season from September to November. Now that I've experienced all three seasons, I feel I can tell you a bit more accurately what it's like.

The sun shines all year round

The general height of the land gives Zambia a more pleasant climate than most tropical countries. My favourite thing about the weather is that it's sunny here every day. I absolutely love the sunshine and also the beautiful sunsets that can be seen each evening.

Colourful sunsets

The wet season

The wet season is really important here, because as a country agriculture is so significant. Little or late rain leads to poor harvests and many people going hungry. Apart from the increase in mosquitoes, I quite enjoyed the rainy season. The days are warm and then in the afternoon, frequent heavy rain showers help to cool things down. However, when it rains here, it really pours! There's no such thing as drizzle.

When it rains, it pours!

It's still warm enough to wear flip flops in the rain in January!

The rain even came down the chimney!

Whilst those of us from the UK are rather used to being out in the rain, it seems that some Zambians are not as keen. I often see lots of people crowded under a shelter waiting for a long time while the rain subsides. However, I suppose this is because of the intensity of the rain and the fact that few people in the surrounding communities own raincoats or umbrellas.

The cold season

The cold season in Zambia is different to what we would describe as cold at home! The mornings and the evenings do get pretty chilly but it's more because the buildings aren't insulated like they are in the UK. I continued wearing flip flops throughout the cold season but was also told that this year didn't get as cold as previous years. I found it quite funny to see some of the Bible College students wearing gloves despite the fact that on most days it had usually warmed up to about 20 degrees by midday.

The cold season does require a jumper in the evening!

The hot season

Now we are approaching November, we are well into the hot season. It has certainly begun to get more sweaty! It would be more enjoyable if we didn't have as many power cuts so we could shower and use fans at any time of the day or night, or if we had air conditioning in our car. But I am surviving! The swimming pool at the compound we live in is wonderful and helps me to feel like I'm on holiday sometimes. The temperature is usually in the late 30s, although the heat is not particularly humid so it is more bearable than in some other countries I've been to. I'm amazed how even though it's so hot and dry here, the grass still grows and leaves still appear on the trees.

Checking out the view on a sunny day...

Another great thing about the consistent sunshine is that it means we spend more time outside. There is hardly ever a day of 'wet play' at school! Events can also be planned to run outside, like the annual Bible College graduation ceremony and a cinema evening we had with friends in the garden.

Playing outside in the sunshine at school

2015 Graduation Ceremony at KBUC

It is a bit strange not enduring all the changes in the seasons that we have at home, although I am pretty happy being in what feels like permanent sunshine.  I think it's going to be quite a shock to return to the UK in December for winter!

There's always a need for ice cream...

...and sunglasses!

Learning through play

At school in the UK, one of the different learning techniques we use is role play. Many educators, myself included, believe that children learn to think through doing and talking. It helps develop their social, emotional, physical and intellectual skills as well as promoting self-confidence.

Home Corner Role Play

This view is very different to what I have so far experienced of Zambian schools, where children largely learn 'by rote' and through copying. I have worked with some of the children who attend the local primary school and are supported by Arise, and I've been shocked at their lack of understanding and thinking skills.

Learning through play is something we at Kapumpe Christian Primary School have been keen to develop in the first few years that a child joins us. Opportunities to develop language have been particularly important as most of the children who entered Grade 1 this year spoke no English at all.

Farm Shop Role Play

This new approach has been quite a learning curve for our Zambian school staff. I think they probably thought we were a bit crazy at first! However, they have seen learning through play have a positive impact on the children's language, as well as their interest and understanding of what they are learning. The staff are beginning to ask the children some good questions and maybe even think we're slightly less crazy...

Kapumpe Newsroom Role Play

One of the key features of our classrooms is our role play area. Rosie and I have spent many evenings cutting and laminating displays in preparation! With some help from Gemma, who oversees the school, we've also found some props and resources in town that we can use to bring things to life for the children. It has been important to us that we choose themes that the children have some experience of, or can relate to in some way because it makes it easier for them to imagine and play.

Hairdressers Role Play

So far the role play areas we've set up for the children include a hairdressers, a farm shop, a home, a safari, a chef's kitchen, a newsroom, a carpenter's workshop and a hospital.

Carpenter's Workshop - inside and outside!

The difference in how the children in Grade 1 use the role play area now, compared to when they started school, is quite amazing. At the beginning of the year, their role play area was set up like a simple Zambian home with a few props like a brazier (a coal stove) and a brush for sweeping. They really struggled to use imagination and play. Rosie has done a fantastic job and has persevered in teaching the children and staff in how to use them. If anyone had visited the recent Grade 1 'hospital' that she set up, they would have been welcomed by the receptionist, shown to the waiting room and questioned by the little doctors and nurses! As they got into the swing of things the children even decided they wanted a wheelchair, so they created one by adding pretend wheels to one of the plastic chairs.

Grade 1 Hospital Role Play

This has been a great example of how Rosie and I have been able to use our teaching experience from back home to help the children at Kapumpe learn in a different way. The children have thoroughly embraced all of the role plays we have set up so far. We want to establish this way of learning as early as possible and so we are now in the process of opening a brand new pre-school for 3-5 year olds at Kapumpe.

Chef's Kitchen Role Play