Author: Inverness County Cares Page 1 of 7

Inverness County Cares (ICC) is a registered charity, established in 2012 and based in Inverness County, NS, Canada. ICC was created by a group of local people who wanted to bring a better life to those in desperate need, with a focus on children in developing countries. Our first project was working with a school for street children, in Nairobi, Kenya for six years. The next project was the development of a water collection system for Ngeza village in Uganda. The current project is the Kawambwa project in Zambia, two schools which cater to albino, blind and visually impaired children as well as those with other physical and intellectual disabilities.

ICC members meet monthly and we work toward providing funds for our projects. Covid 19 restrictions have impacted our usual methods of fundraising but we are still encouraged by the generosity of our supporters. Our most successful project involves collection of refundable beverage containers. Two box trailers are available for people to drop off these items. One location is in Mabou at the Freshmart parking lot and the other is located at the corner in Port Hood at 209 Main Street (Ted and Hermina Van Zutphen’s lane). We thank the many generous people who drop off their containers and also extend our gratitude to Ted Van Zutphen, Stanley Beaton and Raymond DeBont for managing the containers and taking them to the depot to be counted. We thank Wayne and Karen Beaton and Ted and Hermina Van Zutphen for providing the space to park the collection vehicles. Each Christmas season ICC donates the December proceeds from our two collection sites to the local food bank to serve those in need in our local area.

This past summer, ICC members, John and Theresa MacInnis, and Bill Murphy planted a large field with assorted varieties of potatoes. Good weather, fertile soil, lots of hoeing and irrigation equipment from Marlanda Strawberry Fields (Joanie and Angus MacDonell) resulted in a beautiful bumper crop of diverse species of potatoes. In October ICC members gathered to harvest the bountiful crop and in one weekend they were sold at a substantial profit, all of which went to benefit the vulnerable students at the two Zambian schools.

Each Christmas season ICC sends out an appeal letter to ask assistance for our project. This Christmas season our supporters responded very generously and we thank them so much. Our local business community and faith-based organizations have also provided tremendous support, which we greatly appreciate.

ICC works in partnership with Chalice.ca. This is a very beneficial relationship as Chalice provides ICC with accounting services, CRA income tax receipts and very importantly supplies auditing and onsite supervision of our projects. We consider ourselves very fortunate to have access to the guidance and support provided by Chalice personnel at their Halifax head office and their field staff in East Africa.

We also want to give very sincere thanks to our own membership of ICC, who meet at least once a month and spend much more additional time and effort on outreach and support of initiatives to bring a better life to the students. We are always available share the Kawambwa story with our community (following safety protocols or by Zoom) and provide first-hand accounts of life at the Kawambwa Schools.

Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members.

Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website https://invernesscountycares.com

E-transfer address: invernesscountycares@gmail.com Please include mailing address for CRA tax receipts and thank you, when using E-transfer.

or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares Box 99, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided for USA and Canada.

January: Elizabeth, an Albino Child Tells her Story

By Inverness County Cares

On January 6, 2021

In Uncategorized

Elizabeth an Albino Child, Tells her Story

By: Elizabeth Mulenga, Sr Agnes Bwalya and Mr. Telesphore

Albinism is a hereditary condition, resulting in the absence of melanin pigment causing an individual being born with the white skin, light hair and vision problems. There are two types of albinism. Oculocutaneous albinism involves the eyes, hair and skin and Ocular albinism which is less common involving only the eyes, while skin and hair may appear similar or slightly lighter than that of the other family members.

I am Elizabeth born from two parents with very light skin, (Ocular Albinism). We are seven in the family, 5 are black but with light skin and 2 (*John and myself) are Oculocutaneous, with very light skin and hair. My eyes are not stable the eyeballs move and sometimes even my head shakes involuntarily.

My family surname is Mulenga but now my nickname is my surname…”Manda”, in English it means grave, meaning my brother *John and I are already dead, in other words we are not human beings. People in society continued calling us this, at first secretly but as days went by, it became a famous surname.

When I was born my parents were separated but my father could visit my mother, however when my youngest brother was born, my father ran away and he told my mother that,” I will go now forever”. My mother was disturbed and she dumped us. My widowed grandmother from my father’s side came to our rescue, she took us and we stayed with her for some years, where the care was not up to date. When I was ten years old my grandmother died and we went back to our mother who couldn’t manage because she was sickly and she died when I was 13yrs old. I started staying with my aunty to my mother’s side.

People in the village where we were living didn’t accept us and we were considered as “Ghosts”, because only “Ghosts” are found in the grave. When we were passing, especially a pregnant woman she would spit saliva on her chest “pupuu”, which they believed prevented them from having an albino child, even elderly women and young girls did the same.

As an albino we can’t share plates with others, I should eat alone and my plate should not be mixed with other plates. My bedding (an old coat of my grandmother) was kept outside the house and it was a bad experience with no shelter in the rainy season. I was denied family socialization and no one will touch any object that I touched or eat the food or drink I have prepared, because they believed Albinism is contagious.

I will never forget this day: I went to the river to draw water, and as I was coming back a middle-aged woman called me and said “Elizabeth from today onwards do not pass here or touch my children because when you pass here, they dream of you and hallucinate at night”, I didn’t say anything, I cried the whole night, and said to my God, “God why create me as a Ghost! Why?” That was how I vowed not to visit any home in the village, I was living in isolation, I felt lonely, unloved, useless and unworthy to live.

When I entered the classroom in our village, the female teacher never accepted me, she never talked to me or give me any work. That time I had sores on my body and one day I heard her telling others that, she cannot stand the situation it’s better she teaches other classes, her negativity made me more passive and I decided to stop school.

One day the light shone, I was called by an old lady in the village and she asked me to help her wash plates, at the river side. She held me by the hand and whispered in my ears “Elizabeth, one day your problems will flow away like the waters in the river and they will never come back again. Look at this water as it flows it will never turn back and flow in a different direction, this is how life is, once you understand life, you will not be the same and the solution is education. This old woman made me feel loved, comforted, accepted and fully human.

A few days later, she decided to take me to St. Mary’s Special School (Sponsored by Chalice.ca) with the help of St Vincent de Paul Movement. When I reached school, I saw my friends wearing shoes, sleeping on beds, eating while sitting on a bench/chair, within myself I couldn’t believe it.

I was happy, in fact more than happy, especially when I saw other Albino children. To be sincere it is St. Mary’s Special School that introduced me to the wearing of shoes and sandals, I really felt uncomfortable, since eating while sitting on the chair was something I never thought of and many other traits that makes a human being feel human and comfortable.

Today I am so positive about my life, I am in grade 9 and just finished writing my junior secondary final examination. I promise the world that I will pass. * John has also found peace at the St Mary’s school and is in grade 3. I remain a good dancer, I live healthy with no sores on my body, I wear decent clothes, I have Braille and Braillo paper for my education.

An albino child is fully human, fully alive, we send thanks to you so many people.

Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website https://invernesscountycares.com

Please include mailing address for CRA tax receipts and thank you, when using E-transfer. E-transfer address: invernesscountycares@gmail.com

or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares Box 99, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided for USA and Canada.

Christmas at the Kawambwa schools

By Inverness County Cares

On December 13, 2020

In Uncategorized

Kawambwa site sends Christmas and New year greetings to the Inverness County Cares team, donors, sponsors, and volunteers. May the New Born Christ give you all the graces you need in your lives. We love you all. Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. Sr Agnes and Kawambwa team.

THE HIDDEN JOY OF CHRISTMAS.

By: Sr Agnes Bwalya, Kawambwa, Zambia

Christmas is a season that everyone waits for and is the Hidden Joy of Christmas that we long for!

Christmas is celebrated with a lot of symbols and its celebration starts with a lot of preparations. In the village and at every home, parents start by preparing what to eat and what their children will wear. The children, they think of what they will receive from their parents and what they will give to others. Village chickens, goats, cow, dried fish, local beer and local drinks are set aside just for Christmas. Everyone thinks of what will be shared with others.

The asking of a gift is done in a symbolic way, very early in the morning, one will move with branches and visit a home, knock and shout “Christmas” and leave a branch at the door. The owner of the house comes out, gives the one who brought the branch anything she/he has. If one doesn’t have any food to give, he/she will come out with a cup of water, the other person receives it and drinks, and the games continue.

On the very day of Christmas, families, friends will visit and eat together during the family meal. It is the responsibility of an elderly person to explain to others about the importance of sharing. Food is served and visiting of grandparents is commonly done. The old grandparent will prepare something for whoever visits them, if they do not have anything to give at the end of their visit, they will bless their children by touching their forehead and saying, “Be disciplined and grow old as I am.” It is now that grand children get wrappers and bracelets from their grandmothers, who has been receiving but not wearing. Grandparents feel happy for the visits by young ones. During the visit what is avoided, is to recall any conflict that occurred before, to individuals or among family members. Each one makes sure that joy of Christmas is maintained. It is very common that a dress, shirt, wrapper, shoes, is kept in a suitcase for so many months, just waiting to be put on at Christmas. It is a long preparation which calls for patience as well.

In some areas like Kawambwa and in other parts of Zambia there is a flower which is named ‘Christmas flower’ because it grows and blossoms during the early rains. This is a precious flower that young adults look for and gives to their loved ones as an engagement for marriage. It is commonly done in our village during Christmas and New Year time. When a young girl is given a Christmas flower by a young boy, the girl takes it to her grandparents or aunties. It is self-explanatory that the boy wants to marry their daughter.

The celebration of the New Year starts at Christmas, parents bless their children by word of mouth and by exchange of gifts. The size of the gift does not matter, what matters is the exchange and the eating of food together.

At our two schools, the traditional way of celebrating Christmas and New Year is practiced, and it is a long preparation for everyone. On the last day of the term, each child has to look for something good to do to the other child, or to a friend. Exchanging of branches is done (it must be a branch from a tree that gives us food; such as from a mango tree or a guava tree.) It means a sign of taking care of my friend, giving him/her fruit that can sustain one’s life. Each person finds time to help a friend in some way by washing clothes, sweeping, helping with lessons, but without someone asking for help. Members of staff teach students the importance of sharing. Sometimes elder children on behalf of small children go out to help old parents in the nearby village, visiting the hospital and other charitable works. In the evening they come together for social recreation, sharing of water is commonly done and everyone longs for this time. Small actions are performed to one another silently the main aim of doing these actions is to tell another person that I can help with my free will.

At church, the traditional way of making a kraal (a traditional African village of huts, typically enclosed by a fence) is done as we do at home. Banana leaves and plants surrounds the kraal and model of Jesus, Joseph and Mary and the stars are inserted. It is a sacred and holy place for us, because it reminds us of the place where Jesus was born. During Mass a basket of assorted fruits and seeds covered by branches is offered. It is a good sign of sharing the togetherness and oneness as we worship, EMMANUEL meaning GOD IS WITH US AND AMONG US FULL OF LIFE.

Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website https://invernesscountycares.com

e-transfer to invernesscountycares@gmail.com

or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares Box 99, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided for USA and Canada.

Front: Joseph, Child Jesus and Mary. In back angels and Father Christmas

November 2020, Sister Agnes’ Story

By Inverness County Cares

On November 8, 2020

In Uncategorized

By: Sr Agnes Bwalya

Kawambwa Site is a project under Chalice, which works with, two schools, catering to visually impaired children. St Mary’s is in the Luapula Province and St. Odilia is in the Northern Provence of Zambia. The two schools have one site director (Sr Agnes) who co-ordinates all the activities of the sites.

Dealing with disabled children or those with visual impairment, one should have a smiling face, though totally blind pupils cannot see you, one’s facial smile picks what is in the heart, it is something that one needs to learn. At first, my smile was not even felt by the parents, and society, because of their negative attitude. Whenever an albino child or teacher was passing, they would create a distance, and once asked, they could openly say, and I quote, “I’m afraid of having a disabled child.” My heart was filled with sorrow, and I could cry the whole night, my eyes always were full of tears. However, when I’m with the blind children we could laugh, dance and sing, the laughing, the dancing and the singing was from deep my heart and children’s heart.

One day, I fainted when an albino child was kidnapped during the evening study and taken to the witchdoctor (very possibly to be murdered). An old woman was coming from the river, where she went to fetch water and she saw a huge man with a sisal sack with something inside. She saw the head of a person. The watchman reported and the police were alerted, luckily enough, the police officers passed through her home and got the news, and she also narrated and helped in locating the house of the huge man. The police officers used their skills and an albino child was found behind the house. The man was arrested and jailed for 4 years. (The child is fine and still a student at a Kawambwa school). My heart and mind could not believe and be convinced that a normal person can do such a thing. It came into my mind that, “A child protection policy should be formulated and followed in the two schools.” It was created and learnt in a hurry and under a critical situation.

Outreach programmes were made and we asked the congregation and the diocese to help us provide a safe method of conveyance as transporting the children safely is a critical challenge. St. Mary’s needs a bigger bus for moving children. (Albino children are always in danger of kidnapping, so security is very important as they travel to and from school.) We started in our local environment district and provincial level and we also made use of our local radio station. We advocate for the importance of life of disabled children and also for an increased awareness of the Zambian disability Act of 2012.

As a site director, the issue of raising the wall fence at St. Mary’s Special School, and the construction of a wall fence at St. Odilia Special School are of great importance in the prevention of student kidnapping. We hope the fulfillment of this idea will be made possible by many people of good will. (Note: the walls are under construction, completion depending on funds available.)

Travelling from Kawambwa to Mporokoso is not easy, the road (144 km total) is not tarred and full of pot holes, when I start off, for my monthly monitoring of the site, it often takes me 5-6 hours to reach Mporokoso on a good day and if public transport is used and the vehicle is not in good condition, one must stop to sleep on the way and arrive the following day. I reach the place very tired and when it comes to outreach in Mporokoso (family visits), it is not also easy, the land is very mountainous and sloppy. I walk, ride a bicycle and I do not mind where I sleep, what is in me is to see that, parents appreciate the education of their disabled children. Long distances for me is part of my prayer for people with good will who are trying to help the two schools that I sacrifice myself, so that God can soften their heart and help these disabled children.

How will a smile be on the faces of the albino and blind children? The answer is that, “a shared smile lies in your heart and in my heart.” Let us all stand up and join hands. I need your smile. God bless.

Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website https://invernesscountycares.com or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares Box 99, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided.

Remembering Alex McKinnon

By Inverness County Cares

On October 27, 2020

In Uncategorized

Duine uasal ioraiseal

(Scottish Gaelic – A noble and humble man)

Alex McKinnon was loved and respected by many. We are proud to have had his endorsement of Inverness County Cares, as an honorary board member. He will be greatly missed but his legacy of hospitality, friendship and pride of his heritage will live on.

On Friday, October 9, Alex McKinnon passed away peacefully at home at the age of 90, spending his last days as he lived his life – surrounded by family, friends, love and music. Alex’s life was guided by faith, integrity and generosity. He loved music, story-telling and was a voracious reader with a keen interest in military history, politics and the Bible. He had a lifelong passion for politics and he was the unofficial president of the Angus L. MacDonald fan club. Above all Alex loved his family, and throughout his life they were his number one priority. He adored his wife, Geraldine who was his best friend and the love of his life, and who patiently cared for him during his decline due to Alzheimer’s. Alex spent his early years on the shores of Melville Cove and enjoyed his summers with the extended McKinnon and Jamieson clans in Inverness. A gifted story-teller, Alex regaled family and friends with his youthful exploits during the Second World War working as a bellhop at the Carleton Hotel and his many adventures in war-time Halifax. Alex launched his career with Red Rose Tea, introducing the tea bag to Cape Breton. He later became Vice President of Sales and Marketing with MacCulloch Building Products. In 1978 he fulfilled his dream to open his own business and moved the family from Halifax to Port Hawkesbury, where he successfully built McKinnon Home Hardware with his wife Geraldine working by his side. Community service was a guiding force in Alex’s life. He dedicated countless hours to many boards and volunteer activities. An advocate for music education, Alex worked to ensure opportunities for his own children as well as the broader Nova Scotia community through his involvement with the Halifax School Board in the 1970s and the Board of the Gaelic College in Cape Breton in the 1980s. In retirement, Alex was an active and beloved member of two communities: Fleming Heights, Halifax and Broad Cove, Cape Breton. He and Geraldine enjoyed walking the trails of the Dingle and Frog Pond, the Inverness Boardwalk and the Broad Cove Road, often stopping to strike up conversations with friends and strangers alike. Summer evenings were spent side by side watching the spectacular sunset from their cottage deck in beautiful Broad Cove. Alex’s love for his family is his lasting legacy. He is survived by his best friend and wife of 60 years, Geraldine (Nellis); children, Margaret (John Gray), Ian (Catherine Craig), MaryAnne (Andre Levesque), Christine (Paul MacDonald), Catherine (Alex Rhinelander) as well as his adored grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Alex is also survived by his brother, Murray McKinnon. He was predeceased by his parents, MaryAnn (Jamieson) and Murdoch McKinnon; his brothers, Hugh, Rupert and Neil; his sister, Christina Martin and brother, Francis who died in infancy. Halifax visitation will take place Tuesday, October 20th, 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. in J.A. Snow Funeral Home. Inverness visitation will take place Friday, October 23rd, 2-6 p.m. in Inverness Funeral Home. Funeral and burial will take place Saturday, October 24th, at 11 a.m. in St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Broad Cove. Due to COVID-19 restrictions the funeral is for family and close friends only. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia or Chalice.

October 2020, Geshom Mwansa’s Story

By Inverness County Cares

On October 9, 2020

In Uncategorized

Inverness County Cares (ICC) works in partnership with Chalice Canada, an international aid organization based in Halifax, to support the two schools under the name of the Kawambwa Project. The schools St. Mary and St. Odilia are located in Zambia where they educate and care for albino, blind, visually impaired and other vulnerable students.

This is the life story of one of the students at the Kawambwa school.

My names are Geshom Mwansa. I was born on 11th of December 2004. I am the last born in a family of five. My mother was incapacitated immediately after my delivery due to the complications she went through. Also, when I was born, I had a sixth finger which was cut immediately. I was kept in the hospital for almost four months and thereafter my father’s first cousin took care of me. When I was one year old, I suffered from measles and became totally blind. Life now went from bad to worse since my father who was a fisherman, could not go fishing because of my blindness. Well-wishers came on board to help me with clothes, food and other basic needs. I started school when I was 10 years old at St Mary’s Special School. There the teachers started to teach me mobility, how to eat and especially toilet training. Writing at first was a big problem. I had to learn to use a stylus. It is pen used by the blind person to form embossed (raised) dots on a paper. A Braille slate consists of multiple cells of six dots each. The slate is positioned/secured to a piece of paper with the cells forming a template to punch in the dots uniformly. The dots in each cell are arranged in one of the 26 unique combinations to form a letter of the alphabet. Here in Zambia, these two tools are very cardinal in the teaching and education of a blind child. Braille writing equipment and other teaching and learning materials are always needed to assist me and other blind pupils at school.

Today, my father who previously ran away from me, together with his cousin have come back, because now I live an independent life. My speech has improved and I am skilled at reciting poems, beating drums and playing music on a piano. I also sing well and am very intelligent in class. This year I will be writing my grade seven examinations, and I will pass and continue with my education. I would like to thank my teachers, care-takers (house parents) and many others who are helping me by providing and promoting my education to the fullest. My education depends on those mentioned above.

May God bless you all. Geshom Mwansa.

ICC always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website https://invernesscountycares.com or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares Box 99, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided.

This is the Braille slate, it is the template for all Braille writing. Each rectangular cell has the configuration for one of the 26 letters of the alphabet. Letters are formed by punching the correct pattern of the 6

Braille stylus; This is the tool used to punch indentations in the paper.

Part 2: Inverness County Cares (ICC) provides Ugandan village with a water collection system.

By Inverness County Cares

On September 5, 2020

In Uncategorized

Ngeza village lies in Kakumiro District in Western Uganda near the volatile Democratic Republic of Congo. Until recently this area was uninhabited, but recently discovered oil in the area has led to evictions and these displaced people have settled in a remote area of Kakumiro, which has very few roads or social services. Since there were no latrines or sanitary ways of disposing of sewage, the ground water has become contaminated by feces and human activity.

Transform a Village; an organization with the goal of helping poor rural villages is working with Sr. Justine to improve living conditions by providing schools, health care and sanitation to the Ngeza community. Because of the contaminated water the people of the village were plagued by water borne diseases and parasites. In 2018 Sister Justine, a resident of the village and a graduate of the Coady International Institute, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada, heard of Wishing Wells Society (WWS) and sent an application to Mary van den Heuvel of WWS in St. Andrews, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada. At that time Wishing Wells didn’t have the resources for a water collection system, but in June she applied again just at the time Inverness County Cares (ICC) became aware of the project and offered funding. This project would supply the village with four 10,000 litre cistern tanks for collecting rain water from the roofs of the village through a system of gutters.

The process began in June 2019 under the management of Transform a Village, Sr. Justine and Wishing Wells. This was not an easy process and was fraught with obstacles and anxiety.

The first obstacle was sending the money to Ngeza. In July 2019 the Canadian government initially refused to allow the money to go to Uganda because of ‘unstable government situation’. Finally after much negotiation the money was sent to Uganda, but because of incorrect bank information it was returned to WWS. With corrections made, the money was sent again, but with the delays causing the Ngeza people much anxiety, fearing the money was lost to fraudsters. Finally in late September 2019 the money arrived but by then the Canadian dollar had fallen and less than anticipated arrived.

Now it was time to go shopping for the equipment needed, but before this could begin torrential rains came and destroyed roads and swept away bridges. By the end of December the rains ceased and procurement of the four 10,000 litre tanks began. They were required to be custom made and the four needed to be transported by a very long vehicle. This made it necessary for the road to the village to be rebuilt and widened and bridges built to accommodate this large truck. The tanks were installed February 2020 and then Covid 19 hit the area and lockdown was imposed. Then the last disaster, a fierce windstorm blew one of the water collection tanks 275 meters into the valley below. It was irreparably damaged and could not be used for the water collection system. It will be used to hold water for crop irrigation.

In order to ensure the system will be a long term solution, the village council will collect a small fee from villagers for repair and maintenance and Transform a Village will continue to carry out a supervisory role ensuring the objective of the project is maintained.

The clean water in the three tanks is available to the families and they are smiling and giving thanks, “God has remembered us”. They now have clean clear water as opposed to the yellow contaminated water which was all they previously had to drink. The people of Ngeza hold in great admiration the donors who cared for them, even though they have never met.

President of ICC, Ted Van Zutphen says “This is a story that warms our hearts. We are so privileged to have the opportunity to make such a huge improvement in the lives of the Ngeza villagers. We want to thank each and every one of our donors for being part of this beautiful venture.”

Part 1-Inverness County Cares provides Ugandan Village with Water Collection System

By Inverness County Cares

On September 5, 2020

In Uncategorized

Wishing Wells Society (WWS) is a registered Canadian charity founded in 2000 and based in St Andrews, Antigonish, NS, Canada. WWS is dedicated to building wells and irrigation ponds in small, rural villages. The projects began in India and have since spread to help communities in Haiti and Africa, providing clean drinking water and ensuring better health. The irrigation ponds enable the growing of crops and food which relieves extreme poverty found in these regions. Since 2000, a total of 108 village water or irrigation pond projects have been provided. These projects have a tremendous positive impact on the health of the people, the women and children who carry the water and their ability to grow a second crop in the dry season. This year WWS has reached the final year of their organization. The Ngeza water system, on which planning and work began in 2018, will be one of their last projects.

In the interim between their Kenyan and Zambian projects, ICC began a partnership in 2018 with Wishing Wells to provide the funds to install a rainwater collection and distribution system to benefit 350 families in Ngeza village, a very poor area, even by Ugandan standards. Mary van den Heuvel, chair of Wishing Wells Society states, “The project was applied for by Transform a Village in Africa (TVA), and although we liked the project very much and TVA had excellent references, we just didn’t have the funds for it. We are so pleased that ICC has agreed to provide the $10,000 funding which is so desperately needed, for this water project.”

The project will provide four 10,000 litre storage tanks which will connect to collection centers in the community through pipes and taps. The new water system will serve the refugees, immigrants and displaced persons who recently settled in the area of Ngeza, without any government support. The project will improve the health and livelihoods of the people by providing them with a source of clean water. According to ICC member John Gillies “ICC is honoured to be a contributor to the water project in Ngeza village, Uganda”.

Inverness County Cares was founded in 2012 to address the wants of a needy school in Nairobi, Kenya. Throughout the journey with this school, ICC worked to help them develop agricultural skills, with the aim of providing a means to develop sustainable garden practices and self-reliance. In 2015 ICC began a three-year partnership with Chalice, an aid organization based in Bedford Nova Scotia. With the combined efforts of the two associations ICC was able to provide the Kenyan school with a foundation upon which the school is now able to continue to move ahead independently. With the wrap up of the Kenyan project ICC researched to find a new mission on which to focus its energies. The Ugandan project fit the bill as a short term, one-time commitment as ICC transitioned from working with the school in Kenya to the Kawambwa project schools in Zambia.

“We were familiar with the work and story of Wishing Wells and know the stresses of water poverty, so the WWS project was a very good fit for the ICC mission statement,” said ICC member Ted van Zutphen. “ICC is especially pleased to be involved, for in 2014, ICC was the recipient of a similar gift, when Living Water Africa provided our sponsored school (St Charles Lwanga) with a water collection system. We are well aware of the positive impact a source of water can be to a community.”

Next month in Part 2, we will share with you what it took to install and complete the Ngeza, Uganda project…not an easy task!

Inverness County Cares (ICC) always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate can use the donate button on our website https://invernesscountycares.com or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, Box 99, Judique, NS, B0E1P0. Tax receipts provided.

Joyful children who will have better health because of clean water.

July 2020- Gardens

By Inverness County Cares

On July 18, 2020

In Uncategorized

The Kawambwa school in Northern Zambia is situated in an area of Africa with distinct wet and dry seasons. During the wet season crops grow abundantly and in the dry season crops are planted and irrigated, producing three crops a year.

Inverness county Cares visitors to the Kawambwa School — Betty Jane Cameron, Charlotte Rankin and John MacInnis — were impressed by the school gardens which cover 5000 square meters of fertile loam soil. These gardens are part of an ambitious sustainability plan. They ensure the school always has ample high-quality food for staff and students. The gardens are also a source of revenue and produce is sold in local markets.

The gardens are tended by staff member Mr Victor Nkandu, school gardener John Mpundu, as well as students, including those who are visually impaired. Despite the fact many have limited vision they maneuver nimbly among the plants as they work in the garden. Betty Jane remarked, “The children are industrious workers and help cultivating and carrying pails to water the plants when needed”.

The soil is enriched by applications of compost and fertilizers. The cultivation and tilling of the garden are carried out totally by hand without any mechanical tools or livestock involved. People of all ages toil daily at this very strenuous and arduous type of work. Charlotte Rankin noted, “Every morning, a work force of men and women set out carrying their large, heavy grub hoes to work in the fields of maize (very tall white corn). The gardens are enclosed by skillfully woven bamboo poles which keep out human and animal poachers”.

John MacInnis stated, “The wide variety of vegetables grown make for a colourful looking garden as well as allowing for diversity in the students’ daily meals”. The main school garden crops include maize, cassava (tapioca), cabbage, rape, Chinese cabbage, carrots, eggplant, green peppers, pumpkin, peanuts and tomatoes. ‘Greens’ are an important part of the Zambian diet. Young leaves of the pumpkins, rape leaves (part of cabbage family but similar to swiss chard) and sweet potatoes leaves are used in many flavourful recipes. These vegetables are usually cooked with tomato and onion, and sometimes in a groundnut (peanut) stew. In Nova Scotia our main starch food is potato. Nshima is the staple food of Zambia. It is basically a very thick porridge made from finely ground white corn (maize) meal. It is served in semi-solid form and eaten with the hands. The students also enjoy the bounty from lemon, mango and avocado trees and pineapples are also a special favourite.

In addition to the plant menu options Zambians enjoy a special treat… termites. They are harvested at a particular time of year and roasted crisp… a good source of protein and according to Betty Jane Cameron, John MacInnis and Charlotte Rankin, quite tasty too.

Groundnut (peanut) field with termite mound in the center background.

June 2020- Fancy’s Story

By Inverness County Cares

On June 5, 2020

In Uncategorized

Inverness County Cares (ICC) members met many remarkable people at the Kawambwa School in Zambia. This month we have chosen Fancy, an albino teacher at the St Mary’s School. His autobiography gives a sense of the challenges of living as an albino in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Many people in Africa still believe that giving birth to a child with albinism is a curse and that the child can only be used for sacrificial ritual purposes. Hence the parents will be blamed, condemned and isolated from the rest of the family and community which makes many parents of children with albinism neglect them.

I was a firstborn son in a family of five girls and the only child born with albinism. My birth in a northern province of Zambia, brought confusion and conflict to my family, for some members on both sides did not welcome me (because of my albinism) and later made my father and mother separate for some years.

I began my schooling but sadly due to my poor sight and how badly some of my peers treated me, my parents were forced to look for a school that would suit my condition. I moved to Saint Odilia Special School for the Visually Impaired (SOSS) in Mporokoso. I and my four younger sisters started living a difficult life as children of a single mother, whose only income at that time was selling tomatoes and vegetables at the market.

Grade 8, was a wonderful and memorable year, for I was adopted by Chalice (chalice.ca), it was a life changing experience and that same year my parents decided to live together and we celebrated the birth of our last-born sister.

I moved on to Mporokosa Secondary School and completed my senior secondary education. I was accepted to study for a three-year teaching course of information and communication technology and visual impairment in special education, at Zambia Institute of Special Education in Lusaka. I am now in my third and final year of completing my course. Financially it has been difficult for me to pay college fees in full, but I have survived.

My education at SOSS, made me realize the importance of choosing a career so that I can help my fellow brothers and sisters with visual impairment have equal opportunities. Eventually my dream of being a teacher did come true and I went for my first teaching experience at SOSS. Teaching learners with visual impairments is very satisfying and I am enjoying my work. I wish to thank everyone who has contributed positively to my life, despite all the negative attitudes towards children with albinism and visual impairment. My special thanks to you the reader of my story, thank you for taking your precious time to read this.

Betty Jane Cameron (ICC) adds, “The first time I saw Fancy was at a football/soccer game where he coached and ran effortlessly the length of the field. I had no idea he was visually impaired. Fancy talked about the difficulties of travel by bus and transferring or waiting in unfamiliar places; of walking on the streets and fearing someone would attack him, or taunt him as if he were worthless; and the ever-present anxiety, worrying every night that he may be attacked in his home and kidnapped or killed for body parts. He told us he has never felt safe except at SOSS. He wondered how albino folks were treated in Canada.

ICC always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate can use the donate button on our website https://invernesscountycares.com or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, Box 99, Judique, NS, B0E1P0. Tax receipts provided.