Sunday Jan 20th, 9pm

Victoria Falls (Mosi-au-tunya) was certainly worth the rough bus trip
to and from. We spent all of Friday travelling to Livingstone, spent
Saturday morning at Vic Falls, then the rest of Saturday travelling
back to Lusaka. We got a good lesson about 'Africa time' Friday - when
we boarded the bus at 9:30am, we were told it would leave at 10:30am.
We eventually pulled out of the bus station at approx. 12:30pm. Vic
Falls was quite spectacular - definitely meets the hype. It is
amazing, but equally amazing is how close they let you get to the
crashing falls, with little barriers / guard rails. I will post some
photos of Vic Falls once I return.

Sunday (Today) was spent relaxing at our lodge, reading. Everyone else
had other work to do, so I actually took an entire day relaxing!!

Dinner tonight was at Danny's - the great indian restaurant that we
went to on our first night. Gary, Angela and I strategized on our next
steps for PCF and Kondwa as well as debating African politics and what
is needed to move things forward here in Zambia and beyond.

Tomorrow is my last day in Zambia, so I will have only one more
porridge breakfast with the kids. It will be quite difficult to leave
on Tuesday. In 8 short days I have grown quite fond of everyone here,
and will miss them all.

I am leaving Africa with a slightly different perspective than when I
arrived. I now realize, more than before, how important this work is,
how amazing these people are and how attainable change and impact are
(for a relatively small effort).

I am looking forward to the coming months and years knowing firsthand
the real impact we are going to be able make in these children's
lives. This is very cool.

-D

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Drew - Friday Jan 18th 9:30am

Wednesday we visited the Kondwa Garden. The Garden is a 4 acre farm
owned by Angela that has recently been cultivated and they are now
farming corn, bananas and mangoes. Joining us were a couple of NGO
workers from Mozambique that have helped Angela in the past.

This afternoon we met with the Chairman of the Kondwa board, Mr.
Yambayamba. He is a University of Zambia professor who received both
his Masters and Doctorate at the University of Alberta (Edmonton). Mr.
Yambayamba is the co-agent for PCF at Kondwa, and has been working
with Angela for many years now.

Thursday was a wonderful day, we completed our t-shirt exchange
exercise with the Kondwa kids. Before we left, Paula McCrory, an art
teacher for three schools in downtown Toronto, had a great idea for us
to exchange decorated t-shirts between some of her students in Toronto
and the kids at Kondwa. We brought 30 t-shirts with us and yesterday
the kids from Kondwa had a chance to decorate their own. This program
was a huge success!! The kids were very excited to paint the t-shirts
and even more excited to receive a unique one in return. We got loads
of photos and the kids all left the centre very happy and proud of
their new shirts. I look forward to delivering the newly painted ones
to the kids in Toronto and completing this great program. Paula -
thank you so much.

This morning (Friday), we are currently at the Lusaka bus stn waiting
for our bus to Victoria Falls. Before Dr. Livingstone 'discovered' the
falls and named them after Queen Victoria, the falls were called
"Mosi-au-tunya" which means the "Smoke that thunders". I think that's
a much more interesting name. Our bus ride is approx. 8 hours - better
get comfortable....

-d

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Drew - Wednesday Jan 14th 6:30pm

Yesterday was a very difficult day. Gary and I tagged along with two
members of the Home-based care centre (HBC). 1-3 times per week, each
HBC care worker walks through NG'ombe to visit a portion of their
client base. Each patient/client is to be visited at least once per
month. NG'ombe is approx. 90,000 people /w approx. 20,000 children.
All the homes in NG'ombe are made of clay brick, with most being only
1-2 room homes /w no plumbing or electricty. Astonishingly, some of
these homes are shared by extended families of 15-20!! people.

We arrived in the first woman's home and all at once I immediately
felt disrespectful, angry, lucky (and guilty) for all that I have, as
well as so sad. We learned that she has cancer and will not be treated
for it, she cares for 8 children and also has HIV. She is receiving
ARV's (anti-retrovirals) for the HIV, but she cannot work and
therefore cannot buy food to eat. The ARV's hardly work at all without
a basic diet (eating more than one small meal of cornmeal a day).

This trend continued, HIV+, receiving ARV's from HBC, but no money for
food... After 3 or 4 homes, I could hardly bear it. The weight and
gravity of these people's situation made me so sad and uncomfortable,
I almost nearly had them take me back - I truly couldn't handle it.
Before we began we were asked to give a little of our money so that
the HBC worker could give it out on a selective basis to the most in
need for food etc. By the 3rd house I had given them all the Zambian
money I had in my pocket, and continued to feel unbelievably guilty
for not doing more. Consider this - 30,000 Zambian Kwatchas (approx.
$8 CAD) can buy a bag of cornmeal that can feed a family of four for 3
weeks. This is certainly not all they should be eating (of course),
but it can provide the basics. It seems insane to me that the
government will provide the ARV's without providing food to allow the
drugs to actually work. Stupid politics.

However, almost unfailingly, these people are soo nice! They all live
in conditions that would be considered illegal in Canada, and yet they
invite you into their homes and treat you so well. They ask for
nothing (probably b/c most visitors don't give them anything anyway),
and welcome you into their home openly.

I have been overwhlemded by this experience. In one way, so happy and
proud to see what the PCF donations have been able to do, but also sad
and unfulfilled at how much more can and must be done.

Today was a much lighter and less depressing day. We went to visit the
Kondwa "Garden" and met some interesting new people. I will highlight
in tomorow's post.

-d

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Drew - Monday Jan 14th, 9:30pm

These kids are incredible! We arrived in Kondwa this morning to
singing - lots of singing. The kids (aged 3 - 7 years old) sang
several songs as well as danced and put on quite a show for us this
morning. We even had a poem called "lonely child" performed for us by
three of the kids.

It is a little overwhelming to see how happy and wonderful these
children are, especially given the conditions in which they live in
the slums (I will be seeing this in more detail tomorrow). Kondwa
means "Be happy", and they all are certainly very happy. This is quite
shocking when you learn that most of the kids have lost one or both
parents to AIDS, live in a very small hut/house (some are 7-8 people
in a two-room house), and one-third of them are HIV+.

After our amazing welcome, we all had breakfast together; a very tasty
soy bean porridge.

I will share what a typical day at Kondwa consists of:

8am - assembly, singing and dancing
8:30am - breakfast: normally a corn-based porridge
9am - school classes (all morning /w a recess)
12:30pm - lunch (nachima + some kind of sauce, beans etc.)
2pm - kids leave to go back home.
- btw: nachima is a thick, heavy 'mashed potato-like' paste made of
maize (corn) meal.

The staff here are great - all of them dedicated volunteers (they do
receive a small stipend - the equivalent of approx. $75 CAD per
month). There are 4 pre-school teachers (Sheila, Pritchard, Jennifer
and Fanwel), a care-taker and security guard (Knox), as well as a
house-mother (Veradiana) who takes care of the cooking. They all live
in N'gombe and most of them grew up here.

I have learned that the next huge endeavour here will be to build a
school. Angela has some other land that is available and is currently
being used for farming. Her vision is to have several classrooms, up
to 20 teachers, and supporting facilities (library, bathrooms,
kitchens etc..). The cost associated with this project would be quite
significant and, as such, will need to be implemented in phases over
several years. It is ambitious but worthwhile. The central issue is
that Kondwa "graduates" many kids every year. These children start
grade 1 (Grade 1 here is typically age 7-8), and attend one of several
schools in the area. However, Kondwa is paying all their school fees.
The number of graduates that require school fees to be paid for is
increasing every year, and putting increasing financial pressure on
Kondwa. Also, Angela feels that if the kids stayed under the guidance
of Kondwa until they were older (approx. 14 or Grade 7), these kids
would have much better chance of success.

Overall, a great day today.....

When I get a chance I will attempt to load a picture or two to the blog.

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Lusaka, Zambia

January 14, 2008 - Lusaka, Zambia

Just a few moments of internet time to post, but as Drew had noted earlier, our albeit too brief meeting with Joe, and his wife Joyce, in Nairobi, was remarkable and inspiring. Joe, our Project Director for our project in Kisumu, Kenya (KIACOB), is hard-working, diligent, and courageous beyond description. KIACOB is now helping more than 200 children in the slums of Kaloleni, and Joe has developed the project into 5 different and distinct programs which provides psychosocial support and counselling to HIV/AIDS orphans, vulnerable children, and guardians within Kaloleni, and runs a children's club for HIV+ children, a food feeding program, several football teams for young boys and girls, among a number of other programs, services and supports that seeks to help the children of the slums of Kaloleni. Joe's intense and committed hard work, and unprecedented progress with such limited resources provides comfort, support and hope for so many. PCF's confidence in and support for Joe's work remains stronger and more determined and committed than ever. I shall once again briefly meet with Joe on my way back home through Nairobi.

Drew (and I) continue to be overwhelmed with joy and respect and affection for Angela, and her work in Lusaka through Kondwa and the community of N'gombe. We attended Sunday morning mass yesterday, and today we spentthe entire day at Kondwa with the children. The scope and development and progress of Kondwa just in the past 18 month since my last visit here in July, 2006, has left Drew and I speechless and in awe. Now, Drew truly and fully understands and appreciates my commitment, confidence and affection for Joe and Angela, and their respective projects.

Things here continue to be full of life and crisis and suffering - the political turmoil and violence in Kenya, the floods in Mozambique, the slums everywhere ...

Drew is very much amused by the torrential rain and flooding here in Zambia, and he has fallen in love with the Zambian flora and air ... and the children of Kondwa has filled his heart with love and affection, and his mind with hope and committment ...

Must run for now ... taking lots of photos ... life is tough, and sometimes awful over here, but we are happy and feel privileged to be here to work and help and give our much-needed support - G.

Drew - Sunday Jan 13th, 11pm

We arrived yesterday in Lusaka to find our bags had successfully made
the long trip. After a much needed nap, we met Angela (Angela Gondwe
Malik - Director for Kondwa Project) and went for a great meal at a
local Indian restaurant.

Today was a very full day: 8:00am Catholic Mass at the local church,
shrewd negotiation in the local market, and a very interesting
community meeting that Angela brought us to. The chairman of the
community organization (a former Air Force general, that they simply
call "The General") ran the most disciplined meeting I have ever
seen. I was able to get a good sense for the people and the community.

Tomorrow we visit Kondwa for the first time. Tuesday our plan is to
walk through NG'ombe with someone from the Home-Based care group to
meet the people of NG'ombe. Wednesday the plan is to visit the Kondwa
Garden (a small farm that supplies food and revenue for the Centre),
as well as the proposed site for a new school.

-D

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Drew - Saturday January 12th, 8:25am (Nairobi time)

Gary and I are on our way to Lusaka, Zambia.

The flights to Amsterdam and Nairobi were long and tiring, but
essentially uneventful. We arrived in Nairobi to a small luggage
adventure; we were under the impression that we would be picking up
our bags, but upon arrival we found out that they would not be
released to us until Lusaka. So, we are crossing our fingers that
between our four flights (Toronto - Amsterdam - Nairobi - Lilongwe -
Lusaka) we will still have our luggage - stay tuned.

Meeting us at the airport was Joseph Thuku (Director of the Kaloleni
project), his wife Joyce and a recent addidtion to the Kaloleni
volunteer crew - Tiffany Stewart. Tiffany is a Bramptonian working
here in Kenya for the CDC (Centre for Disease Control), and has been
working in Kisumu since October.

We had a great meeting with Joe, Joyce and Tiff (as well as fellow PCF
Board members Amanda and Ben who joined us later at dinner). We
learned of some great new developments at the centre (called KIACOB):

- A fifth program has been added to the Centre - a daily feeding
program. Joe and others determined that a lack of basic and consistent
nutrition has been seriously impeding the progress of many of their
kids. So, the centre is now serving lunch to 43 kids every tuesday and
thursday. With more funding for this program, they hope to increase
that to everyday and significantly increase the number of kids in this
program. This specific program is also teaching these kids
responsibility, ownership and discipline. Every member of the feeding
program is given a membership card that they must show every lunch. As
well they are expected to display the upmost of manners and
discipline. This is clearly an essential and beneficial service for
these children, it was really great to hear about.

- The Kaloleni United soccer (sorry football) team has seen much
success of late. The program has grown to include 5 teams (U10, U12,
U14 and U16 boys + 1 newly formed girls team). The U12 and U16 boys
teams have seen particular success, playing and defeating many other
teams in a few tournaments that Joe and Ahmed (Soccer coach) have
entered them in.

- The number of kids enrolled in the Centre has grown from 43 (when
Gary visited 18 months ago) to over 200 today. Joe, Robert (Project
Coordinator), Joyce and the many volunteers have been able to increase
programming for all the kids. Children's club (Sunday morning arts and
crafts program for HIV+ kids) is in full swing.

Regarding the violence and recent political situation in Kisumu: Very
luckily, the KIACOB office is still standing and no one has been hurt.
Joe and his family are Kikuyu (tribe dominant in Eastern Kenya), which
puts them at risk in Kisumu. Joe, Joyce and their family have left
Kisumu and will be living in Nairobi for a while until things settle.
However, almost all the students and all the volunteers are Luo,
meaning Kisumu is a much safer place for them. Robert, the program
coordinator and heart and soul of day-to-day operations, will attempt
to re-open the centre on Monday (depending how the weekend plays out
in Kisumu). Apparently many of the boys have been itching to resume
soccer practise!!

Overall, the centre is doing really well, especially given current
circumstances. While it was certainly the right decision to skip
Kisumu, it is still disappointing to me that we will miss seeing
Kisumu, Kaloleni and the all the kids. It was, however, great to meet
everyone (if only for a short dinner); it is clear how dedicated they
are to the kids of the centre and kaloleni.

We are on our way to Lusaka, and Kondwa, where we will be spending the
majority of the remainder of our trip.

-D

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January 9th, 2008 - The night before

Just a quick timeline for our trip:

Thursday 10th, leave Pearson for Amsterdam, then to Nairobi, Kenya
Friday 11th, dinner (in the Nairobi airport) with Joe Thuku, Director of the Kaloleni Centre in Kisumu.
Saturday 12th, fly to Lusaka, Zambia

Duration of the trip will be based out of Lusaka, Zambia where the Kondwa day centre is located. We are also planning a short trip to Victoria Falls while we are in Zambia.

My departure date: January 22nd (arrive back in Toronto on the 23rd)

Gary is staying a few extra days, arriving back in Toronto on Sunday January 27th.


-D