The Bridge Walk this year will support a number of exciting, new projects underway in Kantolomba. You are welcome to use the photos and write-ups below in your fundraiser.
Right-click a photo to download it.
Solar
“Load shedding” refers to turning off electricity to certain areas to deal with a demand larger than supply. Kantolomba has electricity from 1:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m. each day; that’s 22 hours with no power.
After much research, we found a local company that will be installing solar at the property. The system will support daily operations and run a refrigerator needed by our bakery microbusiness.
Water tank:
In 2007, the first well was dug to bring clean water to Kantolomba. It remains the only source of clean water even today, a precious lifeline for a community suffering a severe drought and an outbreak of cholera.
Lack of electricity means we cannot pump water during the day and the two tanks on the property cannot serve the community. We need a third tank which we are in the process of acquiring.
The tanks will be moved to a higher location, increasing water pressure and allowing more people to be served faster, alleviating long wait times in the water queue. With the third tank and the placement of the tanks on higher ground, the well can once more serve the community with the lifesaving resource of clean water.
Charcoal/stoves:
Almost everyone uses charcoal for cooking in Zambia. As a result, there are no forests left and no charcoal. How do we cook and feed 1000 children without fuel for the stoves?
Fortunately, life put us in touch with a local entrepreneur making alternative “charcoal” using by-products of agriculture. We’ve ordered some of the stoves to see if the alternate charcoal will work as fuel for cooking.
Here is what the new briquettes look like.
And the new stoves.
Tree seedlings:
Meanwhile, right in sync with our new efforts towards sustainability, we discovered a very fun, new endeavor!
A local government agency is encouraging young people to learn about and steward the planting of new trees but has put the initiative on hold because of the drought. But our entrepreneurs have come up with a solution of using grey water to water the seedlings. As an experiment, we have purchased 5 seedlings from a nearby nursery. Four of our Girls Program graduates will be trained by the nursery to steward these trees.
Our young college graduates and entrepreneurs are another important focus.
Our nurses Esther and Miriam, who offer healthcare support to the community, and our resident tailor Bertha show off their colorful chitenge on Chitenge day.
A mother from the community buying veggies from our garden micro-business.
One dress done, two to go, Bertha is excited to dress the community.
There is great progress in the sewing room. Bertha and her team receive new fabric from customers. Here she is cutting out bright, beautiful Chitenge to make a skirt and top.
The Salon is coming along, too. Hair stylist Joyce Makina smiles as she makes magic with a client’s hair.
And, of course, most of what the team does every day continues to be providing nutrition, education, clean water, and love to their community.
So excited to take lunch home!
Silly with friends!
Cute faces pose for a photo after lunch.
Six year old Samantha Chileshe is in Malila’s class and is preparing to attend government school in Kantolomba.
Cute smiles from Emmanuel and John in Beatrice’s class as they write their numbers.
Our co-op members are the beating heart of the project.
Gifted teacher Charles helps around the property after class lets out for the day.
Ruth is a new member of the cooperative having taken the place of her mother who died of HIV. In addition to taking care of her four siblings, she also takes care of her younger daughter, Martha, and the 1000 kids that come to the property daily.
Florence, one of the caretakers on the team, makes sure the little ones get home safely with their food.
Ann, our wonderful librarian, loves to make sure the children read and borrow a book.
A very important part of what donations have funded this year is supplemental food for the co-op members each month. Every team member receives an extra bag of mealie meal to help make ends meet in the current economic challenges.
And, of course, none of it would be possible without the wonderful Theresa!
These are the many activities and people supported by the funds raised from Monthly Donors and the Bridge Walk campaign.