October 2021
- Our new fundraiser, “Walking to Nakonde”, has the support of walkers not only in Italy, Ireland and the UK, but there is also a team in Canada and one in the US. We are very grateful to both our walkers and sponsors for their wonderful support. For anyone who is interested, Tom and Caitriona have set up a “go fund me” page: https://www.gofundme.com/f/primary-school-equipment-nakonde-zambia
- School desks – so far 60 double school desks have been completed by the local carpenters, see photos.
- Building work continues at St Margaret’s and the security wall is finished, see photos.
- The children at the CCC centre at St Mary’s are attending school regularly.
- New Bishop – the Mpika diocese has a new Bishop, Fr Edwin Mulandu. He has declared the centre of St Margaret’s, (previously part of St Mary’s parish), a new parish and appointed its first parish priest, Fr Chimpali. So now there are two parishes in Nakonde, St Mary’s where our CCC two year preschool is based and St Margaret’s where we are building the new primary school, kitchen, and office.
September 2021
- NEW LAND – thanks to Tom and Caitriona we have been able to purchase 2,730 square metres of land directly behind the new classrooms at St Margaret’s. This area will be developed and used for sports activities.
- NEW FUNDRAISER – “WALKING TO NAKONDE”
We have decided to do a “virtual walk” from Lusaka, the capital of Zambia, to Nakonde, a total of 1,016 kms. (see map below). The objective of this fundraiser is to furnish and equip the new school, office and kitchen at St Margaret’s.
We are looking for volunteers to join us in this challenge OR people to sponsor the volunteers!
The distances:
- Lusaka – Kapiri Mposhi 201 kms
- Kapiri Mposhi – Serenji 209 kms
- Serenji – Mpika 247 kms
- Mpika – Chinsali 182 kms
- Chinsali – Isoka 91 kms
- Isoka – Nakonde 86 kms
Total 1016 kms
Participants can choose to commit to a number of kms (from 10 kms to 1,016 kms!). They find people to sponsor them and do their kms when and where it’s convenient for them.
For example, someone chooses to walk from Lusaka to Kapiri Mposhi, that’s 201 kms. So if you start on 1st October, by doing 7 kms per week by the end of April (29 weeks) you will have accomplished your goal.
We are organising to go back to Nakonde at the end of May 2022 so we have 7/8 months to reach our goal.
A team could also share the walk. Sponsors decide how much they want to contribute for each km – 10p/50p/£1 – 50 cents/€1 – whatever. There are plenty of apps (for example SportsTracker) which record distance and time.
Funds collected in the UK can be sent to Tom and Caitriona’s account, funds in the EU can be sent to Elizabeth. You can also contact us through the website.
At the same time you will get wonderfully fit!
August 2021
- Construction work – building continues and we are finalising the last part of the security wall including 2 large gates and one small gate.
- Covid 19 and schools – unfortunately Zambia has experienced a third wave of covid 19 infections and all schools were closed again mid June. However, examination classes were allowed to take their exams at the beginning of August. Reopening has also been delayed because of Presidential elections which were held on 12th August. The opposition candidate, Hakainde Hichilema, has been declared the new President of Zambia.
- Tableware and utensils – due to a weak Kwacha (the local currency), prices are increasing at an alarming rate so we have already purchased the tableware and utensils for the kitchen at the new school. They will be stored at the CCC centre at St Mary’s in the meanwhile.
- Furniture for classrooms – we have enough funds to furnish 2 classrooms. Each classroom has 20 double desks and benches plus the teacher’s desk and chair. We have 5 more classrooms to furnish. Local carpenters will carry out the work.
- Vegetable garden – cabbage, onions and tomatoes have been planted, some of which will be sold. The fish ponds continue to be productive.
Recent photos
June 2021
⦁ Construction work – The Lwanga construction company started work at St Margaret’s in May. They make the blocks on site and so far the foundations for the new school and admin block have been laid. The total area of land at St Margaret’s is one hectare (10,000 m2 / two and a half acres). We are responsible for building the security wall (475 metres long) and most of it has been accomplished.
⦁ Fundraising – so far we have managed to secure enough funds to furnish 2 classrooms and purchase the tableware and kitchen utensils.
⦁ Container for St Mary’s – the Bridge of Friendship send a container to the Mpika diocese every 2 years. We have been allocated enough space for 20 boxes, each box weighs between 20 – 25 kgs. This is a wonderful opportunity for us as we will be able to send clothes and shoes for the children as well as material for the school. The container will leave the south of Germany in early spring 2022.
⦁ The Sisters – Sister Opportuna Kampamba has been transferred back to Tanzania so we are waiting for her replacement. We are very grateful for her hard work in these past years, especially regarding the food production. Nakonde borders with Tanzania and there’s a good relationship between the two countries. At the moment we have 4 Sisters at the convent at St Mary’s. Sister Florence, the accountant, is in charge and oversees the construction work along with Patrick. They keep us updated regularly.
Recent photos
April 2021
The New Catholic Primary School
We have always said that the ideal situation would be to provide primary school education from grade one to grade seven. A solid primary school education together with regular meals would be of enormous benefit to the orphans and vulnerable children.
Thanks to very generous donations from the Bridge of Friendship and two other German charities we now have sufficient funds to build not only our new primary school at St Margaret’s centre, which is part of St Mary’s parish, but also other facilities which are listed below.
The new school will be a grant aided Catholic Primary School, owned by the Mpika Diocese and run by the managing agency – the Sisters of Our Lady Queen of Africa. The Mpika construction company, Lwanga, will carry out the work.
There will be:
- one building with 3 classrooms and a second building with 4 classrooms.
- an admin block with an office, teachers’ room, storeroom, strong room and toilets
- separate outside toilets for the boys and girls
- a kitchen and storeroom including a dining area
- a well
- a water kiosk
- a house for the farmer at the new farm IWULA
- a well at the new farm
When the new school is up and running there will be a new school board which will oversee both the primary school and pre school.
By the end of 2022 the new Catholic Primary School at St Margaret’s should be completed, ready for the new academic year which starts in January 2023.
At the CCC centre at St Mary’s there will be 2 preschool classes (5 and 6 year olds) and 7 classes (from 7 to 14 years old) at the primary school at St Margaret’s.
Providing the orphans and vulnerable children with a daily meal and free education up to the age of 14 years old will be enormously beneficial. They will also receive healthcare.
Furniture and Equipment
Our future requests for funds will be related to purchasing furniture and equipment for:
The 7 school classrooms and office.
We will need approximately €6,800 to purchase:
- 140 double desks (20 for each classroom) – each desk costs about €33;
- tables and chairs for the staff;
- a desktop PC and a laptop;
- a printer;
- a cabinet for documents.
Most of the furniture will be made by local carpenters
The kitchen and dining area.
Kitchen appliances: it will cost approximately €1,220 to purchase:
- a fridge;
- a freezer;
- a cooking stove;
- a gas stove.
Tableware and kitchen utensils – €550 will buy:
- 264 plates;
- 24 mugs;
- 264 cups;
- 264 tablespoons;
- 1 kettle;
- 4 flasks;
- 12 small pots;
- 4 big pots.
Sewing projects.
The sewing machines will be used to make the children’s uniforms, for our new Sanitary Protection Kits Project and future sewing projects involving the widows in the community.
We have just bought one industrial sewing machine and we will buy others when we can.
If you would like to give us a hand, just send us a message on our Contact page and we will explain how. Thanks!
Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) Project
Making Sanitary Protection Kits
Girls in rural schools face many challenges in practicing menstrual hygiene.
The main consequences of girls inadequately prepared to handle menstrual hygiene are absenteeism during the menstrual period, with some girls even dropping out of school altogether when they start menstruating. This can then lead to early marriages and unwanted pregnancies.
The principal aim of the project is to teach girls how to make their own sanitary protection kits. At the same time, however, the girls should be provided with the correct information regarding menstruation, the risks of pregnancy and general hygiene.
Each sanitary protection kit is in a bag and includes reusable cloth menstrual pads made up of colorful shields and liners, underwear, a washcloth and soap, plastic bags and other items. The kit allows the girls to take care of their own hygiene needs.
Caitriona and the Parish women’s group in Magheralin have been working on the project for some time. Originally we had hoped to implement this activity in 2021, but because of COVID-19 our trip has been postponed to 2022. 80 kits have been prepared so far to take to Nakonde.
In collaboration with a group of girls and women in the parish of St Mary’s, a workshop will be held to demonstrate how to prepare the kits. This know-how can then be passed on to other groups.
There are also economic opportunities for girls and women who have been trained to make washable and reusable menstrual pads. An excellent example is the case of Kozo Girls, in Zambia.
The toilets at the new school will include a specific area for girls who are menstruating.
For more in depth information – Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM):