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
Friday, October 16, 2009
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.
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.
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
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 :)
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
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Again we have had a very hot day, by 1400 it was over 30 degrees. Some of the group were finding it hard going because of the heat.
The wood poles for the roof had not arrived by the time we left the site today, but we have had local people out all day cutting the poles, so hopefully they will be on site when we get on site tomorrow morning. We were able to start plastering of the walls in the small classroom,the whole group were taking turns mixing mortar and plastering.
Its 9.30pm and the roofing sheets have just arrived, that means tomorrow we should be able to fix some of the roof tomorrow which will be the last day we will be working School.
Thursday we will be handing the classrooms over to the School.
The second group have returned from Buffalo camp having had a great time.
At the School,with the help of the Mikpa scout, we have being able to get the rest of the roof truss's in place today,20 in total. We still need to paint these before we can start putting the the roof sheets onto the truss's. We still need about 200m of wood poles to enable us to attach the roof sheets which some of the group may need to help cut tomorrow.
Greetings to you all in Zambia.....
We have been so overwhelmed by all the photos of your building work. The classrooms look amazing. To see the roof going on today is a real achievement!!!! Buffalo Camp must have been a real treat. The sunsets and pictures of the wildlife are picture postcard.. We are certainly missing you, Sunday lunch today was ... (mince and mealies). Hope that you are all well. Keep up the fantastic work. All our love Gran (Mum) and Lois xxxxoooooxxxx
Sunday, August 2, 2009
A number of the young people attended church with the Mipka scouts this morning. We all were on site by 11.45. Process was a little slow today as we ran out of a number of items, (B & Q is about 150 km away) we needed to install more of the roof truss's, We were able to locate the truss's we installed yesterday on the right centre lines, so will be now hopefully be able to fix the roof sheets to the small classroom when they are delivered on Tuesday.
The second group will be returning from Buffalo Camp tomorrow night, we will be having a big push to get at least the small class room finished before start our return trip to the UK on Friday.
I have also uploaded a few more photos of the first groups visit to Buffalo Camp.
Today we were joined by a group of local scouts from mipka, who are staying over the weekend. With they help we have be able to make good progress on the school. By the time we returned to camp tonight we had 6 of the roof truss's installed.
After dinner we had a camp fire with the whole group taking part, which was great fun, not a bit like a UK camp fire.
Tomorrow will be trying to finish building the rest of the truss's we need as we now have a good supply of poles on on site, as well as installing more truss's. I think most of the group are hoping it is not as hot as most found the work hard today
Over the last few days, more brick laying has being done by the group remaining back at the School, the whole school is now up to roof level which is great. We also have a number of the roof truss finished.
The main work from now is starting the roof of the school, we intend to work on the smaller of the classrooms first, this is being started by the group which have just returned to camp tomorrow morning.
We have returned from Buffalo Camp, wow what an experience we have seen some amazing animals; elephants, lions, honey badger, "crocadillia", wild dogs, hippos and many many more. The weather was fantastic and we all had a fab time. Back to work for us now on the school. The other group have managed to get the brick work up to roof, now we have to make the roof trellis and paint them with termite solution which isn't fun if it gets on your skin!!
Today entailed a rather fun ride on 4x4 cars and safari trucks with a trailer attached. After saying farewell to groups 2 a very squashed wagon ride for another 2 hours before back to camp. The evening meal had a Zambian "themed" meal involving sausages, mash and custard :-p
After involved a long session in the hot springs before a trip to the lodge this blog can be written and a drink to help us recover from the day.
Hope everyone really enjoys the safari and makes the most of the well earned break. Alex hope you have a fantastic 16th birthday on Saturday we will all be thinking of you. We are going to have a party in your honour so make a wish when we blow the candles out.
Lots of love mum dad aidan adam & abigail x x x x x
i am was on catering today and accidently fell asleep for 2 hours. but not as good as my lie in yesterday I LOVE THE DAY OF REST plus rafting was mental (:
haha we made pasta bolonase (Lotti says bolognase) haha (: were all good and a little homesick i cant wait to be home i miss you mummy
its hard doing cooking but i have mastered the cleaning my clothes
i need to go but we go on safari tomorrow (: talk 4 days! love Laura xxxxxx
Hi everyone, especially to those whose parents havn't quite managed to send a message on this site yet. This is my first attempt at using this technology so here goes.
Iv'e read your all your info and looked at all the pictures, everyone looked very happy, no homesick faces. Its an amazing way to keep in touch and see the project grow. looking forward to the next instalments.
Lauren I'm glad to know that your legs are in one piece this time, although you still have two more weeks for those little monsters to attack. Michael said keep on having fun see yu soon.
Sharon Greenwood (Laurens Mum) xx
Today we worked in the school we are building at, teaching all the children about healthy living - washing hands, cleaning teeth and healthy eating. They are all so enthusiastic to learn, you can see from the photos that the facilities they have are a lot different from ours. The young people enjoyed working with the children and did some very good games sessions. Each child was given a pack containing the toothpaste, toothbrush and soap to take home to their families they also got a selection of stationary. A lot of children use a stick to clean their teeth and this stuff we have given them for some is the first they have ever used.
Liz
The first half of the group are going to Buffalo camp tomorrow for a 4 day safari, Buffalo has no internet access as its 100km into the bush, therefore I will not be able to upload any photos until I return. The blog will still be up dated from Hot Springs by members who are still in camp.
Today we had a rest day, well if that what you call it. It has also being very cold today, all most no sun, with most of us having to put coats on, it was 23 degrees, it just felt cold. Some of the group went to Church this morning, Church in Zambia starts at about 10.00am and finish about 3.00pm, our members only attend for about 2hrs today to enable them to do some of the other things going on.
After lunch, 12 young people went rafting on the river, we only let them do the short run today which lasted about 1.5hrs, all returned wet having had a good time. We are having a quiz night for even one at present. The Hot Springs has also being well used today
Its back to work tomorrow, more bricks to move and brick laying to do, we are hoping the wood for the roof truss's will arrive so we can start putting them together.
Today we seem to have reached as far as possible for now and yet finished quite early. Three of the walls are up to the top of the window frames -(damn metal bits that stick out from the frames, forcing you to cut the bricks to fit!) - and the other wall is up to the bottom of the windows. Most of the bricks have come up from the kiln across to the school- but again we didn't have the tractor this afternoon so we could only sort them into piles. there can only be one more trailer load to go. :p We had a weird kind of dinner tonight.. a bit of everything was on the menu. the main item being fish, with the head, tails and fins still attached. Barney served it asking, "heads or tails??" After I got over the look of it, it was actually very nice. Anyway everyone seemed to eat it - everyone is hungry and tired now at this point in the week. Most people who have been ill are getting better now, so that's good news, yet everyday someone has some reason to go visit Doreen. She will probably be the most appreciated member of the team by the end of the trip. Tomorrow we are splitting into two groups- one to go to the Church for the Sunday service and one to go rafting. Looking forward to all that could bring. All in all, everyone is fine and really enjoying their time (not too homesick) Over and out... Rosie
Most of the window frames have being fitted today, we are hoping to start building the roof trusses tomorrow as the locals have started to cut the trees that are needed for this part of the project , we are also hoping getting the walls at one end of the building up to roof level by the end of work. After a big effort by ever one most of the bricks have being moved onto site as well today.
The African heat returned this week, most of the group are having to take more rest time mid day as its was over 30 degrees this afternoon, lots of the spare time the young people have, is being spend in the Hot Springs
