School is Finished

We have eventually finished the school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The other good news is that the Minister of Energy was here yesterday for the launch of the hydro project and we took him round the school. He has now pledged Government support with a number of things like toilets and desks etc!

So a really big thank you to you and all your team for the big effort in making it happen. I am hoping to have the official hand over in the next few week and will send you the photos

Thank you again

Mark and Mell

The glass is complete in the rear windows, The veranda roof sheets are on. The painting will be finished I hope by Saturday and then we will clean up. We hopefully have the President (Rupiah Banda) coming here on the 27th Oct for the Hydro project and am hoping he will open the new block as well but will let you know if it happens.

Cheers for now

Mark

News from Kapishya

We have just received these photography's from Mark, taken about 10 days ago of the School. The painting was being started the next day so by now this should also be finished.

Selby's Pics

I've made a little album of my own nature/wildlife photos from the trip. For now it's full of ants, spiders and minibeasts. You can find it here:

IX09 Wildlife

And here's my final shot of the trip, of Jonny at Lusaka Airport:



- David Selby

Home Again

Hi All

For those of who have being looking at the blog who did not have young people involved in IX09.

After the Bus turned up at the Hot Springs 6 hrs late, we started on our return to the UK at midday Friday, because of the late start we did not arrive at Eureka campsite until 11.30pm Friday night after spending 11hrs in the Bus. Driving in the dark in Zambia is not what I would say is fun. A few of the leaders did not get to bed until 3.00am, after sorting out the last of the problems that were still outstanding before the group were able to go to the airport Saturday morning.

After the flight and the bus trip north , most were home by 5.00pm, after what was a very long trip.

IX09 has come to a end, but what a trip it has being. two years in the planing, training weekends, friendships made, classrooms build, young people able to stay at they local school in Zambia, young leaders for both Scouting and GB developed,

were next ! what next ! have we meet objectives - I think so.

All the members of IX09 will now move on, some into gap years, others to collage and university , the thought of returning to Zambia at some stage in the minds of many, taking part in other GB and Scouting events the goal for all.

That's what IX09 was all about. until the next time

Dave

HEY ITS ME...IM ALIVE!!! :)

Hey guys!

Hope you had a good drive from camp, i heard you left late :( i bet it is some much more exciting on the roads in the dark!

I'm sorry I can't meet you at Eureka to travel home with you I'm absolutly gutted that im in South Africa! :'( I am ok though, i have been thourily prodded and stabbed here in Joberg and have some great new bruises to show you guys! ;) Hopefully I will be allowed home soon!

You will have to take lots of photos so i don't miss too much!

Katie I am sorry I cant sit next to you on the flight home, but i am sure someone will be nice and not tell you the reality of flying in a glorified tin can, although max and nobby have some interesting views on that! :P

Laura don't forget to be nice on the way home no matter how little sleep you get! Bad times that I can't come home with you! :(

Steph, Max and Barney I will see you when I get back, which hopefully will be soon (fingers crossed) (although i could get used to the chocolate brownies they keep feeding me :D)

Thank you Doreen and Dave you are both awesome, i miss being able to look at dave when they stab me with needles but i do think of you when they do so it makes me laugh :D , and i think i finally understand your logic behind you sending me here, dont get me wrong i still wish you hadn't but atleast now I understand! Maybe if you have a long enough stop over you could come visit me! (I think i am driving Sue crazy :S)

However to be honest all the leaders have been great, i am sorry for being such a pain :(

I will see everyone else when we have our IX09 reunion! (Hint hint leaders)

Missing you all already! Hope to see you soon!

Love Lotti xxxx

P.S. On a brighter note i have another stamp in my passport! YEY! :D And i have a postcard from another country on my list!

P.P.S. Steph please can you get me a postcard from Zambia and Kenya! Pretty please with a cherry on top :)

Last post from Zambia

This will be the last post from Zambia as we leave the Hot springs at 6.00am tomorrow morning to start the return trip to the UK and will not have any access to the internet after tonight.

The last two days have be very hot, at one point yesterday it was 36 degree's to hot for most members to work in this hot sun, but with the help of the local builders, who have being working with us the job is done. The roof is on the small classroom, which is were we hoped to be before we left Kapisha school.







The young people of IX09 will be leaving more than we said we would do 18 months ago at the start of this project. We have a building 27m long, its has two classrooms, both up to roof level and the truss's in place, the smaller of the two also has a roof on it today.

By the end of August everything will be finished. The 8 and 9 years will be therefore using our building when the new school year starts in September. With out IX09 all of them would have needed to travel 22km to school.

This morning we handed the new classrooms over to the school, the whole event lasted over 3hrs, at least most of this time we were in the shade, so the sun was not to much of a problem today.

We have being able to drop the camp this afternoon, as Mark has given us the use of lodges to in sleeping tonight. So the tents are packed away, the last dinner finished. The 11hr bus journey to look forward to.

Goodbye from Zambia

Dave