October 11, 2010

This was my first real full weekend here in Ndola. Although I actually arrived last Friday, I spent most of last weekend in a jet-lag haze and can’t remember anything we actually did. To back up a little bit, I came home on Thursday and wanted to play with Chester and Spot, the outside dogs. I got a basketball that was in my room and took it outside, intending to kick it around with them. Instead, I ended up passing it around with the boy who sweeps the lawn. He doesn’t really speak English, and I don’t really speak Bemba, so we just passed back and forth without really talking, except to laugh at each other’s bad shots and say “sorry” when one was really far off. As it turns out, the dogs are scared of the ball. After a while my feet (in flip flops) started to get sore from kicking the kind of flat basketball, so we called it quits. At that point, the boy left. I thought he was having fun, but now I am a little worried that he was just playing out of a sense of obligation and maybe really wanted to go home the whole time. Oops!

On Friday I had an excellent meeting with Bishop Enocent Silwamba, the Executive Director of Prison Fellowship Zambia. He had been in Lusaka since I arrived, and it was our first meeting. I told him that I had already finished most of what he had left for me to do, including reviewing and critiquing the recently written Strategic Plan and revising the handbooks PFZ has created for the Board of Governors, Volunteers and Staff. We talked a lot about my questions and feedback on the strategic plan and Enocent will be taking my report to their review meeting this week in Lusaka. He is also eager to have me out in the field working with PFZ clients and learning more about the microfinance program. This is exactly what I want to be doing, and I am hoping to start going out with the vocational training program as soon as Thursday, and then to see the remaining programs next week.

On Tuesday I will be visiting the Maurigrace School, in the nearby Chifubu township. Maurigrace is another SpanAfrica partner in the Ndola region of Zambia. Maurigrace School provides the community with education on HIV/AIDS, child abuse, women’s rights, and family health to improve the lives of women and children, including orphans. I spoke to the Executive Director on Friday, and we are both excited for my visit.

On Saturday, I slept late for the first time since I arrived. I think I am finally over my jet lag. I went into town to do the shopping with Catherine, which is a process. We first go to a little produce shop and load up on cucumbers, lettuce and garlic. Then we carry these things to the supermarket, Shoprite. Shoprite is a South African store, and has nice selection (though not of produce) but is fairly expensive. We are able to leave the things we have already bought at the bag-check counter, thankfully. Here we get some staple things like pasta, yoghurt, vinegar (so I can eat the produce) and rice. Then, once we pay, we collect all our bags, which are now extremely heavy and go out to the parking lot, where taxi drivers are waiting in droves. Catherine picks one, and we put all our shopping bags into his car, and then we go outside to the outdoor produce market. The selection and quality are excellent. We get peas, carrots, eggplants, Chinese cabbage, spinach, green peppers and tomatoes. Finally, we carry everything back to the car and go home. Once home, we make a big salad and eat with Hannah.

Catherine is always looking for business opportunities, and works very hard at everything that she does. She and Kenneth are instrumental in orchestrating the visa process for many Zambian students who want to study in the Ukraine. Zambian University is very good, but there are only three and it is practically impossible to gain admission unless you are the child of a government minister. The Zambian universities are also incredibly expensive. As a result, even with the transport, tuition and visa costs, it is more viable for most people to send their children to university in the Ukraine. The closest Ukrainian Embassy is in South Africa, and they have asked Kenneth to manage all of the incoming student visas from the Ndola region of Zambia. They are always busy helping kids and their parents sort through the complicated process, and Kenneth is often working late into the night on visas. Catherine also sells second-hand clothing that is imported from the US and Europe, primarily men’s shirts. On Friday, Catherine returned from Lusaka with a large parcel of shirts, and when she cut the parcel open, the shirts un-vacuumed themselves and practically filled the whole living room. We sat for a few hours and sorted the shirts by quality and sleeve length. Catherine takes the nicest ones and washes and presses them so that she can sell them to business men by bringing the shirts directly to them, as they do not like to go to the second-hand market. The rest she will sell from our front yard.

On Sunday I skipped church (again) to work on my grad school essays. I got up, tried to exercise, bathed, and then sat down on my bed to get to work. About two hours later, I woke up. It was about 10 million degrees in my room because I forgot to ever open the windows (it is really hot here, but there is always a nice breeze). I ended up making myself a yummy cucumber salad and settling in to work. I ended up finishing a rough, rough draft very quickly, and then went out for a walk with Hannah and her friend. By the time we got home I was limping because my shin hurt, so Hannah made popcorn and we just watched Slumdog Millionaire until dinner, which is an awesome movie!

Today I spent SIX hours at the Ndola airport trying to change my return flight so that I can leave with Mom and Hayley when they come to visit. I am so excited, but it was a really frustrating day. Eventually we got it done, but the whole thing was so confusing and drawn out that I nearly gave up. I am heading home soon, so it’s time to sign off. Off to Maurigrace tomorrow!

October 11, 2010

After running the loop in Philadelphia, I started having intense shin pain. Despite not running for nearly two weeks before leaving for Zambia, and getting new shoes (for the first time in about two years -mine had holes worn down to the frame in the heels), the pain continued in Zambia. After a consult with Dr. Cobb, we determined I have yet another stress fracture. Being grounded in Africa is hard, as walking is an integral part of life. Still, I am trying to limit my walking. As a result, Dan and Greg came up with some no-impact exercises that I can do at home. They include lots of circuits, crunches, and other such painful activities. I absolutely hate this kind of exercise, and after just a few days my muscles hurt. However, these exercises have been a big point of bonding with the women in the house. As I started the first time, Catherine and Hanna joined me. We each grabbed a bathmat for crunches and lay down in a space on my floor. I tried my best to explain the different crunches, and we did ok, except with the sculling crunches (looks like a rowing stroke, and requires a lot of balance) and the bicycles. I love bicycle crunches, and could do them all day, but Catherine and Hannah couldn’t get the hang of it. I think the first day we got a better ab exercise from laughing than from the workout.

We are also working on an exercise that looks like it should be easy, but is actually really hard that required you to hold your body in a push-up position and then lift each limb for 10 seconds in succession. This led to lots of falling over and rolling around on the floor. By the time we were done, we all needed a bath, so we started heading pots of water on the stove. My arms were barely able to carry the pot from the kitchen to my bathroom!

We are going to keep trying, and hoping it will get easier. The women love the idea of “reducing”, as they call it, and we are having a lot of fun, and I enjoy the good-hearted company.

October 5, 2010

I am now getting accustomed to life in Zambia, although my jet lag is still terrible. I wake up really early, so at least I have had time to go running around our neighborhood before work, but I am getting into a routine and hopefully that will help soon!

On Sunday I walked into Ndola town with Hannah and John. Nothing was open, but it was interesting to see the town so quiet. I also discovered that in Zambia, traffic lights are called robots, which I find hilarious. When I saw a sign that said “Robot Ahead” I couldn’t believe my eyes!

There are flowers and blooming trees here that are absolutely stunning. I am totally obsessed with trees, and as we walked I couldn’t stop taking pictures of trees. I think Hannah thought I was a little crazy at first, but eventually got into it with me and would point out cool ones if she noticed them first. Some of them are beautiful with flowers, or are in crazy shapes (lots of what I like to call Dr. Seuss trees) and the just some huge majestic ones, with trunks thicker than I am tall.

After my morning run, I typically leave with Kenneth around 7:45am. I have met most of the team and they are all very helpful and kind. I know everyone’s names, and look forward to getting to know everyone even better. At the end of the day, the driver takes most of us home together, which gives us a nice time to talk. I have gotten to be friends with Swensi, who shares the office where I work with Kenneth. She is not much older than me, and has been really helpful in my failed attempts to connect my laptop to the internet. She even arranged to have the head of network administration from a university in town come to help, unfortunately it was unsuccessful, so I am at the mercy of internet cafes, other peoples’ computers and my blackberry (thanks to Sydney!). Swensi and I have gone into town together a few times during lunch hour, but it is incredibly hot at that time of day. I much prefer walking around in the evening after work.

The office is about a 5 minute drive from town, and the driver is available should anyone need a ride. The office is situated around a beautiful courtyard with lawns and lots of flowers and interesting plants. One of the things I found interesting was the homemade sprinkler that the groundskeeper created to water the plants. He took an empty plastic water bottle, poked holes in one side of it and taped it to the end of the hose, causing water to shoot out the holes, just like a sprinkler. It wasn’t until I got quite close that I realized what that it wasn’t a manufactured sprinkler after all! The offices border the courtyard and are clean and comfortable. I have been into town a few times, but it is very hot in the middle of the day, so it isn’t exactly the best time to go. There is also a nice grocery store around the corner to get lunch, and it also has a wireless café.

Currently, I am still familiarizing myself with the strategic plan for Prison Fellowship Zambia (PFZ). I also helped Kenneth with a proposal for a micro credit program that was due on Monday. I am going to be working on refining and evaluating the strategic plan for PFZ, as well as working with some clients on their own business plans.

I am also setting up times to meet with the other SpanAfrica partners in Ndola, to go over the Organizational Management Manual and Workbook that SpanAfrica Director of African Operations, Cameron, and I created over the summer in Kenya. It will definitely be helpful to see where all of our partners are, and better evaluate the potential for offering additional services and directing new volunteers.

On Tuesday night I walked over to the Technical College with Hannah to visit Martha, who is there training to be a census worker. Martha is also 26, and will be returning home on Saturday to live with us, but will be traveling around to collect census data.

On Wednesday, the PFZ staff gathers to discuss the bible and pray in the morning at a meeting called Devotion. At my first Devotion this morning, I was a little nervous that I would not fit in at all, not coming from a religious background. Kenneth and Catherine know that I am not religious, but I know that it is considered peculiar here. There was a lively discussion, and I felt included and even participated in some of the discussion. At the end, several people prayed, both in Bemba (the local language) and in English for PFZ and other family members and friends in need. It was interesting to see the different way that PFZ operates, compared to my corporate job in the US.

Some of you have asked about what I am doing here. I am primarily working with an organization called Prison Fellowship Zambia, but I will also be working with the other SpanAfrica partners in Ndola once I am settled.

Prison Fellowship Zambia (PFZ) works to rehabilitate prisoners and support ex-prisoners and their families. Essentially this is done though vocational and entrepreneurship training, by means of micro credit (very small loans that are given to groups of people working together). I am going ot be working on PFZ’s own strategic planning, as well as working with their clients directly on business planning and development as well as entrepreneurship and introducing them to the facets of microfinance. It is really interesting! I never actually have to go to prison, as the clients come to our offices in Ndola. Even some of the inmates are able to attend with a guard. In fact, I am not able to due to government restrictions on foreigners entering prisons. I imagne this is because the state of the prisons is so poor and generally do not meet UN Health Regulations for prisons. There is a terrible stigma here associated with prisoners, so that is a huge issue for many ex-prisoners and their families, because even being associated with a prisoner is a marr on your reputation. PFZ has a very interesting support model to give people the tools to live in society legally, and one of the main focuses is to reduce recidivism rates for the 45 prisons where the operate across Zambia. PFZ also works extensively with the families of prisoners (especially women whose husbands are in prison and suddenly are responsible for providing for their families) in entrepreneurship as well. It is very interesting, and provides a lot to the clients. 
 
Essentially I am doing business development and strategic planning, which is what I really enjoy!

October 2, 2010

As I brushed my teeth getting ready for bed, a cockroach came scurrying out of a crack between some tiles in my bathroom. I braced myself, took off my flip flop and smacked him dead. I didn’t feel like dealing with it right away, so I left his little body on the floor and went back to sitting in my bed. About 45 minutes later, I went back in and there was a smarm of tiny ants having a frenzy around him. I felt kind of bad, so I was going to flush him, but then I realized that the tiny ants were working together to actually carry him away! The roach was huge in comparison, and then I felt bad squashing their dreams of a big roach feast after all the effort of carrying him around, so I left them carry on. I wasn’t sure where they’d ever take him, but I didn’t really care.

About 25 minutes later, curiosity got the best of me and I went to check on them again. They had carried him all the way over to the corner of the bathroom (it is a pretty big bathroom) and it seemed like they had realized he wasn’t going to fit through their little ant hole, so I think they were just eating him up right there. I left them too it, and then when I went back about another 25 minutes later, all evidence of the incident had vanished! I guess it saved me the trouble of picking up a dead cockroach. I feel like I have watched tons of discovery channel shows about ants having super strength and being able to tackle prey much larger than themselves, and now this is happening right under my nose. Fascinating!

October 2, 2010

I finally arrived in Ndola, Zambia yesterday, and have so far been extremely happy with my experience here.  I am staying with Kenneth Kasweshi, the SpanAfrica Regional Director for Zambia. I flew into the capitol city of Lusaka on October 1st, and was met by Kenneth’s wife Catherine as soon as I cleared customs. Lusaka is a 4 hour bus ride from Ndola, so it was very nice of Catherine to come so far to meet me at my plane! After going to get some food at one of the nicest supermarkets I have been to in Africa, Shoprite (a South African market), we decided to spend the night in Lusaka and travel to Ndola in the morning. We spent the night in the flat of Catherine’s cousin, Mayana. I was so tired from nearly 35 straight hours of travel (not to mention the 4 sleeping pills that kept me sedated enough to tolerate the first 16 hour plane ride) that I fell asleep on the couch at about 7pm!

The next morning Mayana took us to the intercity bus terminal in Lusaka, where we boarded what I can describe as nothing less than the nicest bus I have ever been on in Africa, and possibly ever. After spending more hours than I wish to recall traveling by bus across East Africa in July (I can only estimate that it was over 60 hours on a bus in one month), I was not exactly thrilled with the prospect of ever boarding a bus again. However, this bus was different. I received a luggage tag from the very friendly conductor who stowed my bag in the boot. He turns to me and says, “Your bag, it is extremely heavy!”. “If I can carry it, you certainly can. You look very strong.” I replied. He laughed and shook my hand as he handed me my tag. “You board now. It will be safe here” he said. Catherine confirmed and we boarded the bus and took our seats in very comfortable cushioned seats! I noticed as we boarded that there was actually a bathroom on the bus, marked “for urine only”. I smiled to myself, thinking of the pained hours on unpaved roads just praying for a “choo” (Kiswahili for bathroom) on my East Africa trip. Then, as the bus left the station, promptly ON TIME, air conditioning started on and I was actually cold! Then, to top it off, a kung fu movie came on to the functional screens at a pleasant volume. I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. Then I fell asleep.

Two hours into the trip, we stopped at a real rest stop, with a ladies room with clean flushing toilets and toilet paper! As we took off, a very pointed movie began about the coming of age of a girl in a family of Jehovah’s Witnesses. It was clearly a production of the church, and had an extreme message about Christians, and how non-Christians (even non-Jehovah’s Witnesses) were not to be trusted. It was then that Catherine asked me which church my family attends. I am not religious, and explained that while my family does not attend church, we believe that it is important to love others and live good and honest lives. This seemed to satisfy her, and she responded, “God loves all people”. I told her I would like to attend her Pentecostal church one for the cultural experience, but that I would not attend each week, and she seemed to understand.

Catherine is ever concerned that I feel at home and that I have things that will ensure I do not miss home. She took me again to Shoprite in Ndola, and was very concerned that I do not eat much meat and avoid too much cooking oil in my daily meals. She laughs when I talk about how I eat, and says she wants me to teach her how I cook. For those of you who know me, you must be laughing by now. I am not a good cook, at all! I got some yoghurt, instant soup, bread and spicy looking powder stuff. Then we went to the outdoor market and stocked up on tons of veggies.

Only later after we were home did I realize that there is actually not a refrigerator here, so I have a weird system of moving the yoghurt back and forth from the big freezer to the cupboard.

When we got home I began to meet the family. Catherine and Kenneth have 5 children. Martha is the oldest, and she is currently working on the Zambian census and is in training nearby at a technical college in Ndola. She came by to help cook dinner, but then left to go back to her training. Job is the eldest son and is studying medicine in the Ukraine. Hannah is 21 and was enrolled in pharmacy in the Ukraine, but had a visa issue and is currently still in Ndola running a small general shop across the street from the house with a friend. John is also 21 and wants to study medicine in the Ukraine. He went with Hannah, but also had to come back due to a mix-up with his visa. Emmanuel is the youngest, and is graduating from high school in two months. He loves music and plays the guitar and the keyboard. He wants to go to university to study law, and said he loves debating. In the African tradition, people were in and out of the house all day, and I couldn’t keep track of everyone who I met. Catherine’s sister came, and her aunt, and a friend of Emmanuel’s named Blessing. Blessing immediately started asking me about what music I like, and we immediately bonded over our slight obsession with all versions of a certain Gyptian song that I am know to listen to on repeat for longer than is probably healthy.

One of my favorite parts about this house is that hey have four dogs, and one looks like a miniature scrappy version of Lyla! Although I nearly burst into tears (I have dog-separation anxiety issues apparently) upon seeing him, he is really fun and cute. There are two awesome dogs who are really friendly and playful who live outside. The one who looks like Lyla except about ¼ the size, a boy and not nearly as elegant is called Chester.  Spot is a bit bigger than Chester and is extra loving. They will jump up and vie for attention, and are both super cute. They sit at the kitchen door just waiting to play. There are two little fluffy dogs who live inside, but they are very timid and I their names haven’t stuck yet (they are Bemba names, the language spoken in Ndola). They are brother and sister and also very cute, but I am always a sucker for a scrappy dog.

I helped Catherine prepare lunch, and made grilled eggplant, which I think was only slightly tolerated by the rest of the family. Catherine made boiled cabbage with carrots and green peppers, which was very good. After lunch I spent some time unpacking, and then decided it was time to venture out to see where I live. Hannah took me on a long walk up to the shopping center and then to the army barracks, and now I should have a good starting route for running this morning.

Catherine and Martha cooked while I talked to Kenneth about Prison Fellowship Zambia (PFZ), the organization I will be spending most of my time working with here.  PFZ works with an array of populations effected by incarceration. PFZ works in close partnership with the Zambian government, and is a part of the intake process for prisoners in 45 of the 54 prisons in Zambia. It is PFZ’s belief that all people are able to reform their lifestyle, and need support to do so, regardless of their crime. As the Zambian government underfunds reform activities, it is often necessary for prisoners to receive additional food and other items (such as toiletries) from the outside. PFZ works with the families of prisoners to assist them with entrepreneurship training so that they can support their families, and help provide for their incarcerated family member. They also work directly with inmates and ex-inmates, teaching them skills that they can use to earn income honestly once released from prison. One of the major programs that they are currently teaching is in tailoring. I will be working directly with many of PFZs Ndola clients on business planning, as well as with PFZ on their own strategic planning and creating policy directives. Kenneth is the head of the microfinance activities for PFZ, and I will be working on establishing that program and determining the best way to invest the limited resources available to the vast number of potential recipients.

Towards the end of our conversation, the power went out. We scrambled for candles, and as we sat in the dim candlelight waiting for the power to return so we could finish cooking, I fought the pangs of tiredness that were making it nearly impossible to stay awake. After about 30 minute (and not a minute too soon) the electricity returned and we had dinner. Catherine prepared a boiled vegetable medley that was really good, especially with my spicy powder. It had eggplant, pepper, carrots and onions. There was also some leftover boiled cabbage, boiled spinach, rice, the Zambian version of ugali (name to come in a later post) and chicken. Everything was excellent! After dinner, at about 9:30, I headed to bed, but got distracted in my excitement to run again tomorrow making a good new running playlist, thanks to Dan for lending me his ipod and giving me all his music!!

Finally, I fell asleep at midnight, only to wake up at about 3am completely awake. So here I am, writing my blog in my bedroom, waiting for the sun to come up. Oh, and I have a very nice big room with my own bathroom. Life is good in Zambia!