World Malaria Day

The majority of us will only think about malaria if we are fortunate  enough to be booking a holiday to somewhere exotic and check to see if  we need to get some anti-malaria medication from the doctor before we  go.

“On April 25th people across the globe will take part in a wide range of  activities to mark World Malaria Day. For half the world every day is malaria day - a day to keep up the fight against this killer disease.”  -  worldmalariaday.org

Despite being both preventable and treatable, malaria still kills around  660,000 people each year. The most frequent victims are poor women  and children in Africa. Malaria continues to take a child's life every minute.

Here are some startling facts about malaria:

Cases, 2013:

• Globally: 198 million

Deaths, 2013:

• Globally: 584 000
• 90% of all malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa.
• 78% occur in children under five.

Population at risk:

• 3.2 billion (half of the world population), of whom 1.2 billion are at  high risk.

Affected countries:

• In 2014, 97 countries had on-going malaria transmission.
• 80% of estimated malaria deaths occur in 18 most affected countries.
• About 40% of malaria deaths occur in just two countries: Nigeria and The Democratic Republic of the Congo.

World Malaria Day gives us all the opportunity to invest in the future to  defeat malaria. There is still much to be done to prevent, diagnose and treat malaria worldwide. It will take time but it is possible.

But right now, you can help us to make a difference to those fighting malaria every day.  Buy a mosquito net from our shop and we can give a family the gift of better protection from this killer disease.

Join the change that is happening:

Progress:

• The malaria mortality rate was reduced in 2000 – 2013
• Globally: by 47%
• in WHO African Region: by 54 %
• 55 countries are on track to reduce their malaria case incidence rates. 
• by 75%, in line with World Health Assembly and Roll Back Malaria.

targets for 2015:

• These 55 countries only account for 4% (8 million) of the total estimated malaria cases.
• 64 countries are on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal target of reversing the incidence of malaria (between 2000 and 2015).

Impact:

• Between 2001 and 2013, an estimated 4.2 million lives were saved as a result of a scale-up of malaria interventions.
• 97%, or 4.1 million, of these lives saved are in the under-five age group, in sub-Saharan Africa.

(Key facts from worldmalariaday.org)

My first term with BOZ - By Emily Pearse

My first term has flown by and that is a good thing – as the saying goes time flies when you’re having fun. I have a great job – being on the ground and seeing first hand who gets the alternative gift or watching the children eating their free lunch every day because of the food programme – it is amazing.

Most of my role so far has been supporting and advising teachers through lesson observations, lesson feedback, modelling and staff training meetings. There is nothing like learning the school culture than just sitting back and watching a lesson. Every time I see the same things and every time I have a revelation of something new.  Like many visitors before me I was full of ideas for improvements, but have realised asking those ‘why’ questions goes a long way to understanding. Questions I bombarded Dan with like:

• ‘Why are the children writing out whole chunks of text book pages in their exercise books?’ 
• “Why do the teachers add all the answers to questions on the other side of the board?” 
• “Why are they sweeping their classrooms twice day?” 

The answers were simple…

• There are no text books at home or in the school/local library to choose from. The work in the children’s books will be the only thing they have to revise and study from. 
• The children’s first language is not English – so most lessons I observe are more like language lessons – imagine having to learn all of your subjects in a foreign language? 
• Imagine 2 cupfuls of dust. That is how much dust comes out of the classrooms twice a day – it really is amazing how the dirt and dust accumulate. Every class has a dust monitor rota for sweeping. 

I still have many questions, but love learning small but important parts of the Zambian culture and the schools all the time.

Other highlights of my first term…

• I have come to appreciate many things – like a Chitenge wrap when you are teaching using a blackboard. I learnt this the hard way by coming away from school with chalk handprints on my bottom. 
• I now have fireproof hands from rolling balls of nshima (maize porridge). 
• Victoria falls is the most incredible natural beauty I have ever seen! 
• Early years changes at Janna – seeing teacher Matildah excited about trying out new things.
• Going on long drives around Kitwe with visitors (i.e getting lost) 
• Distributing school shoes 
• My Mum and Auntie Lynnie mending school uniform for a week. 

Just to mention a few – can’t wait for the next term.

#JustOneFundraiser

There comes a time in a charity's blog history when you have to mention the dreaded word 'fundraising'! And I am the one to bring that word today!

However, we at Beyond Ourselves, have the best supporters a charity could have. We were so amazed when we released our shoe appeal at Christmas at the speed with which you all sent in gifts to cover all the shoes we needed. We are so fortunate that you engage so much with what is happening in Zambia.

It is much easier to raise money for a specific project as we feel we are making a real difference to that particular area. But we do also need ongoing financial support for the more routine things that we need. We are truly blessed to have very few overhead costs, thanks to the generosity of Stephen James, as we have no rent, utility bills and many other little perks!

Many of you sponsor a child or more which is making such a difference to the children at the schools we partner with - well none of it would be happening without you actually - but can you think of any other fundraising activities you could take on this year?

• Cake sales/coffee mornings 
• Wine tasting evening - (a friend held one of those - most successful) 
• Sponsored walk/bike ride 
• Company dress down days 
• Corporate 'charity of the year' 

Putting on a fundraising event can be really fun and satisfying to know that the funds you raise are going to be wisely spent, so have a think. If you want any ideas or help, then give me a call on 020 8345 8302 - always happy to help.

Let us and the world know what you are doing by using #JustOneFundraiser! THANK YOU again for all that you do to support Beyond Ourselves. To quote a line in a song ‘You are the wind beneath our wings’!

Karen x

Interview with Janna school’s Reception teacher – Matildah Chalwe

Early Years at Janna Christian Community School has had a facelift over the last few months. The new, bigger and brighter classroom block was finished just in time for the start of the school year.  We had a visit from an Early Years specialist (Dawn Breeze) and teacher Matildah visited an international nursery school where the learning is mainly child initiated and teaching is done in small groups. Teacher Matildah teaches in Reception class and has 44 children from ages 4-7 years old. This week we interviewed her to find out exactly what’s been happening…

The new Early Years block was finished in time for the new school year – how has it changed teaching for you?

The new classroom is good for the children and me – there is enough space to sit, to play, to display charts and there is also lots of air. There was not enough air in the classroom before.  Even the floor is easier to sweep and we can now polish it.  I can display more charts to help the children learn. I have a science corner, an English corner and shapes and numbers on the walls to help the children’s learning. We use one Alphabet chart for decoration and one chart to help with the sounds. We have a new globe to hang from our ceiling and even the teacher’s notice board is good. I plan to put up more information next term.

When Dawn came to visit, how did she help you?

The visit was so helpful. We changed the arrangement of the tables to allow for more play. She taught us how to use our resources and even brought new resources for us.  Since she introduced the name cards (laminated handwriting cards with children’s names on) they are all learning to write their name. Some children can now write their names and will now start to copy from their cards. Some children are writing the first letter of their name and some are still struggling so they will get more support. The cards really helped us, when we used to dot all the names it took so long. Now it’s done in a minute.
The new (role-play) resources really helped. The children like to pretend they are a family. The boys like to be Dad and the girls pretend to be Mum cooking dinner at the brazier. Then they all sit down and pretend to eat together. Some of the children pretend to be engineers and fix things around the classroom.
Although they can’t all read yet, they love to sit and look at the books.

Tell us about your visit to a different nursery:

It was so nice – I learnt a lot. How they arrange their groups and work before they start teaching. We mainly teach all the children altogether but they choose a certain number of children to start in a group. The other children played with toys and learn on their own with bricks and play dough until it is their turn to learn with the teacher.
The staff were very nice and friendly and it had a beautiful playground and great displays.

What are the children gaining from all of this?

A lot! Physically getting used to a big space, learning how to be a father and mother. Things they enjoy can turn into a hobby. They can write their own names and sit comfortably so they are getting on with their work much better.

Do you have more plans for the future?

I am going to have a mirror on my wall for the children to use and I will change my charts for next term’s learning.
I am going to help my group struggling to find their name by adding a picture with the same initial sound. 
I want to use the Outdoor Learning Area more and be able to do some of the things that Dawn taught us.
I am also going to make a birthday train display. At the moment I am collecting birthday dates from parents.