On the ground In Zambia - Changes for the better

Being a part of the UK based Beyond Ourselves team means that there are sometimes moments when I can feel disconnected from the work on the ground in Zambia. In the midst of administrative tasks, raising awareness, raising funds, and nurturing relationships with schools and businesses which support us, it can be surprisingly easy to forget the ‘why’ of Beyond Ourselves and get stuck in the day to day ‘what’ of the work.

An amazing part of my role is that I get to visit Zambia three times a year and what’s even more incredible to me is that these trips always come at the perfect time.  Times when I need to remember ‘why,’ when I need to reconnect with our friends and partners in Zambia face to face rather than over email, when I need to get re-inspired by the vision and re-energised for the days ahead.

Now is one of those times.

So today, on my first day back in Zambia, I visited Janna School and was encouraged to see some of the recent developments there; a repaired and completed boundary fence, two new classrooms that now have a roof and are being plastered, the Early Years outdoor learning area making progress, and plans being made for the ‘ntemba’ shop that will be set up as an income generating activity for the school. 

But the moment that encouraged me the most, the moment that (as my friend would say) made my heart sing, was when I walked past the Grade 7 classroom and looked in at them through the window.  Sat in that classroom, well-fed, healthy and concentrating on their studies, were children who I first met back in 2009 when they were in Grade 2. Children who started at Janna School when it had no classrooms but was one of the few schools in the area offering education to those in the community who wouldn’t otherwise have access to school.

These children have seen great changes at Janna over the past few years and as I looked at them today I realised they are both the reason for and the beautiful product of that change.

They are our ‘why.’

Observations of a Janna Student

The three Mzungus[1] have been digging holes and planting poles for quite some time now. They’ve been working here once a week for about a month and a half now – I reckon a Zambian could have finished the job in two weeks. To be fair to them, they’re also busy at two other schools in Kitwe during the week, and they do work hard here. You should see these guys dripping with sweat in the midday sun, it’s great fun watching them shovelling dirt, lugging around tyres and nailing wood together. My mates and I love to help out during break, fetching water and rocks and checking out the toolkit, although for some reason, Alex and Charlie don’t let us play with the saw.

It’s been slow progress, but I have to admit it’s all looking pretty awesome. Dan seems to be the mastermind behind the Outdoor Learning Area (OLA), although I have seen him digging alongside Alex and Charlie now and then, getting his suit trousers dirty. They’ve finished the pretend ntemba[2], made sand and water play areas, dug in tyres for us to jump around on, and have also created a pipe telephone which means we can whisper to each other from across the OLA. At the moment they’re finishing off a wooden hopscotch, and planting some balance beams. Soon there will be a mural with phonetics, numbers and the alphabet too – the teachers tell us that all of this is going to be great for early learning, particularly for Baby Class, Reception and Grade 1 & 2.

The boys try to speak Bemba with us, which we find pretty hilarious. They appear to love the nshima at lunchtime though, and are actually alright at football – for Mzungus. Alex even scored two goals in a 3-1 victory. Now we’re just waiting for the Outdoor Learning Area to be completely finished. Maybe there will be an opening ceremony… if the boys could get a special guest along like Wayne Rooney that would be cool.

[1] Bemba for “white person”

[2] Wooden roadside shop, often selling snacks

The meaning behind the Zambian flag

Looking at the various timelines and news feeds on my social media this week I’ve noticed an increase in England flags being paraded around, in anticipation of cheering on our team in the World Cup!

Us English love our St George’s cross and the Zambians are no different with their national flag.

This year Zambia will be celebrating 50 years of independence, and their flag tells their story. The colours used are rich in symbolism. Green stands for the nation’s lush flora (land), red for the nation’s struggle for freedom (blood), black for the Zambian people, and orange for the land’s natural resources and mineral wealth (copper).

Additionally, the eagle flying about the coloured stripes is intended to represent the people’s ability to rise above the nation’s problem.

So there you have it, a few facts about the Zambia flag, not that you’ll see it waving in Brazil this month! Maybe one day…!

Exciting times at Janna School!

Janna School has been a hive of activity in recent weeks with the school fence being repaired, the Early Years outdoor learning area being developed and the two new classrooms being finished! It’s been all hands on deck, even the Bishop has been rolling up his shirtsleeves and using his carpentry skills!

It’s amazing to look back over the past few years and see the physical changes at Janna school; first the main classroom block, then the toilet block, the kitchen, the boundary fence, and now the two new classrooms.

The thing to remember is that as great as all the new buildings are, and as excited as we have been (and are!) about new structures, it’s not about the bricks at all. More buildings don’t show progress or success. It’s what we do with them that matters!

These two new classrooms will be a brand new space for the Early Years, providing lots of room for the younger children to play, explore and learn. They will move from the small classroom they are currently in, to a lovely space much more suited to their needs.

We know how important the early years are and so we are sure that all that happens in these new classrooms and their outdoor learning are will make a big impact on the children at Janna School and their future learning!