Inverness County Cares

By Colleen MacDonald MacLeod

When six members of Inverness County Cares (ICC) travelled to Zambia last February and March of 2026, every suitcase carried more than clothes and supplies. Tucked among the luggage were decks of cards, dominoes, chess boards, checkers, dice and other familiar games that many Canadians remember from their childhood. At first glance they seemed like simple games. Before long they became some of the most valuable teaching tools in two schools serving children who are blind, visually impaired or living with albinism.

Each member of the ICC team contributed different skills. Betty Jane Cameron shared her experience as a nurse, midwife and music teacher. Charlotte worked with classroom teachers. Winnie shared her talents as a chef. John MacInnis tackled electrical repairs and maintenance projects. John Gillies brought his experience as a teacher and guidance counsellor, while Colleen MacDonald MacLeod focused on elementary education and teacher training.

Having worked in Zambia before, the team already understood many of the challenges facing the schools. The classrooms are beyond basic. Teaching materials are scarce and assistive learning resources are almost nonexistent. Schools simply do not have the funds to purchase the educational materials that Canadian teachers use every day. Lessons are often taught through lectures, repetition and memorization because there are few resources to make learning interactive.

One thing became obvious during an earlier visit. When classes ended and the children returned to their dormitories, there were very few indoor activities to occupy their spare time. Most recreation centred around outdoor ball games. It seemed like an opportunity waiting to happen. Before leaving Canada, ICC appealed for donations of games and playing cards. Regular visits to Value Village produced checkers, Chinese checkers, chess, Snakes and Ladders, dominoes, dice and many of the games that once filled cupboards in Canadian homes before electronic entertainment became part of everyday life. A handbook explaining the rules of every game was also prepared so teachers and students could continue using them long after the Canadian volunteers returned home.

The first stop was St. Mary’s School in Kawambwa. Six senior middle school students, chosen for their leadership abilities, became game mentors. Each morning they gathered to learn another game. Go Fish, Crazy Eights and Uno quickly became favourites. Dominoes, dice games and Scrabble followed close behind. It didn’t take long before something remarkable happened. Within days, the student mentors were teaching their classmates and younger children. Those students, in turn, passed the games along to others. Learning spread naturally throughout the school. By the end of the three weeks, school administrator Sr. Agnes organized an afternoon where the student mentors taught the games to teachers, school staff and members of the school board. Watching the students confidently explain the rules and coach the adults was a proud moment. Their confidence had grown with every lesson they taught.

The same approach was introduced at St. Odilia School. This time 12 Grade Ten students became the mentors. Their maturity and leadership skills allowed them to master the games quickly. Before the second week was over, they had taken over the teaching themselves. The Canadian volunteers were no longer needed at the game tables because the students had become the teachers. Although many of the children are blind or visually impaired, very few games were beyond their reach. Braille playing cards, Braille Scrabble, raised dot dice and tactile dominoes allowed students to play entirely by touch. Other games were easily adapted so everyone could participate. Sometimes the games moved a little more slowly, but no one seemed to notice. The laughter around the tables said it all. Students who are blind also benefited from innovative teaching materials produced by a generous ICC supporter using a Bambu 3D printer. Braille manipulatives gave students another opportunity to learn by touch, making lessons more personal, practical and engaging.

To ensure the program continued after the Canadians returned home, Sr. Agnes took responsibility for the games at St. Mary’s while Mr. Miller coordinated the program at St. Odilia. The games were carefully stored, organized and regularly brought out for students to enjoy. Since returning to Canada, ICC has continued to receive photographs and updates showing that the games remain an important part of school life. Anyone walking past a classroom during those weeks would likely have stopped to listen. The sounds coming through the windows were not of children repeating lessons in unison, but of laughter, cheering and excited conversations. The classrooms were filled with enthusiasm. There were no discipline problems because every student wanted to participate. The excitement didn’t end with the students. Evenings at the convent often became spirited competitions as sisters and ICC members challenged one another to games of cards, Chinese Checkers and Scrabble. It quickly became clear that these timeless games appealed to every generation.

These games are much more than entertainment. Every game encourages children to think, solve problems, recognize patterns, count, remember strategies and make decisions. Card and dice games strengthen early numeracy and memory. Dominoes improve pattern recognition and spatial reasoning. Scrabble builds vocabulary and language skills. At the same time, children learn patience, cooperation, communication and how to accept both winning and losing with grace. Perhaps most importantly, these games bring people together. Around one table sit children with different abilities, teachers, sisters and visitors, all laughing together and learning from one another. A simple deck of cards or a game of dominoes becomes a bridge between cultures, generations and abilities.

Months later, the games are still being played. Students continue teaching younger students. Teachers continue using them in their classrooms. Families have joined in as well. The games have become part of everyday life in both schools. Sometimes the greatest gifts are not the most expensive or the most complicated. Sometimes they come packed in a small cardboard box filled with playing cards or dominoes, bringing learning, laughter and friendships that continue long after the visitors have gone home. Inverness County Cares is deeply grateful to the many Canadians who donated games, playing cards and financial support. Every single donation, made this project a reality.

Inverness County Cares (ICC) is a local charitable organization, founded in 2012 and based in Inverness County, NS, Canada. ICC works in partnership with Chalice.ca, a Canadian charity, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Chalice provides guidance and assistance to help ICC provide a better life for the children at the Kawambwa schools. The Kawambwa Project involves supporting two schools for albino and visually impaired students, in Northern Zambia. Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website   https://invernesscountycares.com When using E-transfer, please include your mailing address for CRA tax receipts and a thank you message.   E-transfer address:  invernesscountycares@gmail.com or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided.

 

John Gillies and John MacInnis

St. Mary and St. Odilia schools were established in the 1950’s by Dutch missionaries in Zambia to cater to the needs of students who were blind, visually impaired or dealing with albinism. The buildings were solidly built on good foundations. Eventually both schools were placed in the hands of a Zambian indigenous order, the Sisters of the Child Jesus. They have continued to operate the schools in an efficient manner.

 Zambia is a country with an average annual income of slightly more than $400 Canadian. Money is not readily available for the continued maintenance of the school buildings so upkeep is not regularly attended to. Priority is given to the purchase of food and clothing and necessary educational textbooks.

In the recent Inverness County Cares (ICC) trip to Zambia, John MacInnis and John Gillies did an inventory of maintenance needs for classroom, dormitory and institutional buildings. Priorities were established by the administrators of both schools in consultation with staff and students. With funds supplied by the supporters of ICC in Inverness County and beyond, work then began to renovate and improve both schools.

The work was carried out by local trades people from the villages of Kawambwa and Mporokoso. All the materials needed for repairs were bought at local businesses in both villages or in the nearest larger towns. Both these measures serve to help the trades people and local business economies of Zambia. More work was able to be accomplished with our budget, as both wages and material costs are considerably lower in Zambia than in Canada.

Glaziers were hired to replace broken and cracked window panes. 170 panes were installed thus improving classroom conditions. At St. Odilia School the glazier replaced outdated and broken window hardware to keep the window frames anchored in place on windy days.

Painters were employed to re-do six classrooms, three kitchen rooms and a four-room henhouse as well as some newly installed ceiling panels and classroom cupboards. A number of black boards were painted.

Carpenters were engaged to build shelves and cupboards in four classrooms and replaced rotting fascia on two buildings. Wooden doors were repaired and one new door constructed for the henhouse. New ceiling panels were put in place where needed, and door locks replaced. Doors were planed so as to shut properly. A ceiling was put in a convent dining area. A sagging carport was refurbished. Eighteen picture frames were made to hold photos of historical persons important to the two schools. Lumber and materials were provided.

Welders were hired to repair broken metal security doors for two rooms. A new metal security gate was created for the henhouse yard. Five large window frames were created and installed in buildings. Angle iron was welded to create a tower to hold two 5,000-liter tanks to provide gravity fed water to St. Mary’s School buildings. A welder is currently constructing metal bunk beds for dormitories at St. Odilia and ICC funds have been used to purchase thirty 6” thick foam mattresses.

Masons were employed to do major work at the Central Square of St. Odilia school which is surrounded by all the classroom blocks. They increased the height of the curbs in the six sections making up the Square, by adding one additional brick and mortared over their new construction. Painters then painted the curbs in a two-colour alternating pattern. These curbs are important to provide directional guidance for the blind students. This work also improved the general appearance where school assemblies, celebrations and events take place. A room was re-modelled in St. Odilia convent to provide for an elderly Sister with an enclosed bathroom and washroom.

Electricians replaced one hundred fifty light bulbs and repaired an electric cooking pot. Switches, sockets and electric stove plates were replaced where needed. Electricity was brought from the main administration building to the henhouse where ICC had provided funding for the purchase of 200 broiler chicks (meat hens) and six weeks of feed. ICC provided all the materials.

Plumbers replaced valves, taps, drain caps, flush handles, shower heads, toilet bowls and tanks in the bathrooms and wash rooms of student dormitories. Leaks were fixed and drainage systems were cleared. A new eight-foot-deep septic system was installed at St. Mary’s School for the teacher and girls’ washroom/bathroom buildings. Materials were supplied by ICC funds.

A professional well driller dug a three hundred foot well at St. Mary’s School to supplement a previous well to increase water pressure to buildings. Water will now be brought to the Multi-Purpose-Hall where all main student indoor gatherings are held. An electric pump was purchased to pump the water from the new well to the two 5,000 litre tanks and some new distribution piping has been installed.

Much was accomplished at both schools to improve the facilities available for the students. The children, school administrators, and community members continually expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the upgrades to their living conditions, made possible by the generosity of people from Inverness County, Nova Scotia, and across Canada.

All this work achieved during this trip was directly funded by monetary contributions from Canadians and your local donations of refundable bottles and cans. While we are well aware of how much more work remains to be done, it was with great satisfaction for what was accomplished, that we said our goodbyes to our friends in Zambia. 

Inverness County Cares (ICC), founded in 2012 in Inverness County, Nova Scotia, works in partnership with Chalice.ca to support these two schools for blind, visually impaired, and albino students in northern Zambia. ICC welcomes new members and donors. Contributions can be made through the ICC website, by e‑transfer to invernesscountycares@gmail.com with a mailing address for tax receipts, or by mailing a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, B0E 1P0.

 

The Mabou bottle and can collection trailer has officially moved to a new temporary home and Inverness County Cares (ICC) wants the community to know where to find it. With the Freshmart expansion now underway, the long-standing trailer location beside the store could no longer be used. Thanks to quick cooperation and community support, the trailer is now parked on Back Street in Mabou, directly across from the Mabou hall parking lot, where it will remain until a permanent site is secured. This move ensures that residents can continue dropping off their refundable bottles and cans without interruption, keeping ICC’s most important fundraiser running smoothly.

The bottle and can collection program has become a vital part of ICC’s work, but it began modestly in 2018 when Ted Van Zutphen suggested collecting refundables as a way to raise money. He donated three retired box trailers to launch the effort. Two were placed at the end of his driveway in Port Hood, and the third found its first home at the Mabou Freshmart thanks to Wayne and Karen Beaton. When the store changed hands, Alan and Lucy MacMaster generously allowed the trailer to stay. The recent construction plans prompted the move, but the community’s willingness to help has kept the operation thriving.

Today, donors can drop off their bottles and cans at the newly relocated Mabou trailer on Back Street, the Port Hood trailers, or at the Strait Bottle Exchange at 12 Paint Street in Port Hawkesbury, where ICC maintains an account. Behind these simple drop‑off points is a tremendous amount of work. Volunteers regularly reorganize the trailers to maximize space, and when the Mabou trailer fills up, a heavy‑duty truck is needed to haul it safely to the Enviro Depot in Port Hood or Port Hawkesbury. After unloading, the team transfers the contents of the Port Hood trailers into the road‑ready Mabou trailer and returns to Port Hawkesbury for sorting. It is a full day’s job every time.

ICC extends heartfelt thanks to the approximately twenty volunteers who keep this operation running. The organization is grateful to the Van Zutphen family, who continue to provide the trailers along with their maintenance, registration, and inspections. Most of all, ICC thanks every community member who takes the time to drop off their recyclables. Each December the whole monthly revenue from the Mabou and Port Hood collection sites is donated to our local food banks. The other 11 months all income raised from these bottles and cans directly supports two schools for the blind in Zambia, where the average yearly income for a farmer is only $400. Without the generosity of donors here at home, the essential infrastructure these students rely on would be impossible to build. Your bottles and cans provided the funds to build the 8-foot-high wall fences which surround the 1-kilometer perimeter of each school. This ensures the children are protected from kidnappers who in the past have abducted 2 albino students, to sell on the black market to witch doctors. Your support truly makes a world of difference, one can at a time.Inverness County Cares (ICC), founded in 2012 in Inverness County, Nova Scotia, works in partnership with Chalice.ca to support these two schools for blind, visually impaired, and albino students in northern Zambia. ICC welcomes new members and donors. Contributions can be made through the ICC website, by e‑transfer to invernesscountycares@gmail.com with a mailing address for tax receipts, or by mailing a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, B0E 1P0.

invernesscountycares.com

icczambia.blogspot.com

 By Winnie Rankin

What surprises me most about the children in Zambia is not how different their lives are from ours in Canada, but how similar they are. When I first travelled there in 2024, one of the very first things the students asked me was if I would make pizza.

They had never actually eaten it before, but they heard about it on the internet through shared phones or the occasional computer. I bet they first saw it in music videos, since that is what they watch the most.

I quickly tried to explain the massive hurdles we would face. Many of them do not have an oven at home because they lack electricity. Luckily, we did have an oven at the school. The real problem was sourcing the ingredients.

Zambia does not really have a dairy industry, though they do raise some cattle for meat. Without traditional refrigeration to store cream or milk, no one ever got into the habit of using them. Today, those who have fridges and want milk use long life milk that does not require keeping it cold. That is what we used at the convents where we stayed.

Unlike other hot countries where people preserved cheese by drying it or storing it in caves, the practice never took hold in Zambia. They did not make butter either. Everyone uses margarine made with vegetable oil. There is even a brand of margarine called Butter, which was super confusing for us at first! We would ask for butter and local residents would kindly pass us a container of margarine. We quickly learned that there was no real butter in the villages.

Eventually, we discovered that real butter was available in the larger cities at a supermarket called Shop Rite. Local people do not shop there, but the sisters would buy things there to feed us, including jams, instant coffee, and processed cheese slices. We found real butter there, imported from Botswana or Zimbabwe. I looked for mozzarella cheese back in 2024 but came up empty.

This time, after more requests for pizza from the kids and even the sisters, I searched the shelves at Shop Rite again and finally found it!  I only bought two packages and quickly realized I should have bought more. I also found pureed canned tomatoes, which was the closest thing to pizza sauce available. I bought another bottle labeled tomato sauce that turned out to be ketchup! I did mix some of that in with the canned tomatoes, along with spices I brought from home like oregano, thyme, and garlic powder.

People do not usually make bread since they have no ovens, but the kids at the schools are getting used to commercial sliced bread and really like it.

We had no pizza pans but found some others that worked, though they were a bit dark on the bottom. We made the crust, told the students the story of how yeast works, and showed them how to cut vegetables like onions, green peppers, and fresh tomatoes. Then we grated the cheese. I mixed the sauce, put it on the two crusts, and showed them how to sprinkle the toppings evenly.

We were finally ready for the oven! Then, disaster struck. The school oven did not work. I had to take the pizzas over to the convent and use their oven instead, but only one pan would fit at a time. I cooked one and sent it over while putting the other in. I rushed back to the school to find the kids waiting for me, they had not even started eating yet! I quickly cut it up and passed it out on small pieces of paper, then rushed back to take out the other one.

To be honest, the pizzas were not great. They did not have enough cheese or vegetables, and their local flour made the crust harder than usual. But the students were absolutely thrilled! There were even kids outside the door hoping for a taste of this exotic food. They licked their fingers and enjoyed every single bite.

I heard later that some went to the Assistant Head Mistress’s office just to brag that they had made and eaten pizza. They were just like children everywhere else in the world, wanting to do and have what all their peers have. I ended what felt like a very frustrating day with a product I was not thrilled with, but they were so incredibly happy that I let the rest go.

They also requested chocolate cake. This time I had the butter, the milk from the convent, and the cocoa I brought from home. The cocoa did the trick with a bit of vinegar to sour the milk. Again, they were very happy with the results, even if it was not perfect. They just wanted to taste chocolate cake since the traditional cake there is a white pound cake.

I found that I learned more about their food, their culture, and why they ate the way they did than I could have ever imagined. It was so much better than going on a typical tourist trip where you just look in from the outside. This was truly looking from the inside.

icczambia.blogspot.com  Check out our blog documenting Inverness County Cares’ trip to Zambia.

Inverness County Cares will conduct community presentations on their six-week visit to schools for the blind and visually impaired, in Zambia. Come and learn about their life, the challenges they face, their resilience and how donations from Canada have changed their lives. Free admission.  

Tuesday April 28/26	St. Peter’s Parish Hall Port Hood	7:00
Wednesday May 6/26	Judique Community Center	7:00
Change of date, TBA	Margaree Forks Fire Hall	TBA
Thursday, May 14/26	St. Mary’s Parish Hall, Mabou	7:00
Wednesday, May 20 /26	Creignish Community Center	7:00
Monday, May 25/26	Skye Glen Community Hall	7:00
Monday, June 1/26	Inverness Legion	7:00

Inverness County Cares (ICC) is a local charitable organization supporting two schools for albino and visually impaired students, in Zambia. If using E-transfer, please include your mailing address for CRA tax receipts and a thank you message.   E-transfer address:  invernesscountycares@gmail.com or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided.