T.I.A This is Africa!

So week 2 in Meheba refugee settlement and we are slowly becoming used to the long drop toilets and our open air showers! The weather is slowly getting warmer and warmer and it is now 18.45 until it is dark, but we still struggle to stay up later than 9pm!! Life at camp has become the norm now and we are getting to know the schools, pupils and teachers.

(Full story and images after the jump)

The one community school we are able to visit is in block G which is at the far end of the camp. It is a 30 minute drive down a narrow terracotta earth track fringed on both sides by tall elephant grass only broken by the occasional mud brick and grass dwelling, where we always are greeted by kids running, waving and shouting. Block G is mostly home to Rwandans and People from Burundi. There is no basic school here and the community school only caters up to grade 5, so anyone wanting to continue their education must be prepared for a long daily walk to block D. The first day we visited was actually a public holiday but we were met by hoards of children, teachers and parents all interested in what we were doing. We had some fantastic lesson time with the grades 4 and 5 and then we adjourned to the field to entertain all and sundry! Have you ever tried making a big circle with 200+ kids? Its no mean feat, but it was a super morning, thoroughly enjoyed by all! The children here are some of the best readers that I have encountered so far in Zambia, and that despite their young age and lack of resources. I believe most of this can be put down to the enthusiasm and commitment of the teachers. Community schools are run by volunteers who themselves don’t have to be qualified teachers. One teacher in G, Pacific, is just 19 years old. He speaks over a dozen languages and although not yet a fully qualified teacher, he is loved by all his students and is a real inspiration to them and us! He originally comes from Rwanda, is an orphan and has lived most of his life in Meheba. He hopes one day to be able to attend college, but of course finance is ,as always, the issue.

At Basic school D we are also warmly welcomed by the teachers and pupils. We have decided to visit this school twice a week, one day for the grades 4,5 & 6 and one for grades 7, 8 & 9. We have found here that it is beneficial to work with the older students as well because they can relate stories about their lives and how it is to be a refugee, something which the younger ones are unable to do. I feel that living and working amongst the refugees t is important to listen to their stories and understand why there is still a need for these camps. In this way the volunteers get some kind of empathy with the students and can better understand the environment that they are immersed in.

At Basic school C this week we arrived to find the school closed because all the teachers were attending a funeral. However there was still a huge turnout of children of all ages, so the day was full of lessons. We have been reading the classic Hungry Caterpillar and making flying butterflies, reading Max and the Rainbow Rainhat and making super hats and with the older children we have been encouraging informal library sessions which are proving very popular. During the sessions at C this week we received a visit from the UNHCR convoy, they were very interested in our program and what we were doing with the small groups on our mats! Overall the project got a big thumbs up!

In the afternoons we have taken a walk down to the river, where many locals do their laundry and bathing. There were lots of young boys with cars made out of wire and bottles, but despite the primitive nature of the materials available the cars have steering and suspension and seem to keep the kids amused for hours! Some of us also took a bike ride to the market, were people sell the surplus fruit and vegetables that they grow. What is available varies greatly but it is good to support people who are trying to support their families in very difficult circumstances. Top tip - Deep fried sweet potato and doughnut-like “fritters” are a must during any trip to the market.

The weekend and the group voted for another night in a guesthouse in Solwezi! I think it’s the hot showers, proper toilets, chance to charge anything electrical and specifically the promise of a cold beer or two which are the deciding factors! However, this Sunday there was a day long power cut across the city so that is why this blog is posted a week late…but one thing we must all remember…TIA…this IS Africa, so just go with the flow!!

Kelly Geoghegan, Book Bus Leader