Check out our blog for in-depth information on our visit.
We (Inverness County Cares (ICC) members) are in our 4th week of our visit to Zambia. Our skills are being fully utilized by the administration of the two schools. Betty Jane is working with the music classes and imparting some medical advice. Charlotte is in the 3-4 classroom assisting the teacher and tutoring students and Winnie is attracting students to her Home Economics classes through the inviting cooking aromas drifting from her classroom. Colleen is assisting in the class of 5-year-olds and providing workshops for teachers after class. John and John are doing inventory of work which needs to be done and making good progress seeing to repairs and renovations.
The children have returned after the postponement of classes due to the cholera outbreak. It is a pleasure to get to know them and see in real time the atmosphere of the school. The sisters maintain a climate as close to family life as possible. It is remarkable to see how the children have such a close relationship with each other. They share without prompting and keep a close eye on each other.
The sisters of the Child Jesus are excellent guardians of the children. They know each child and know their story.
On January 22nd, 2024, six Inverness County Cares (ICC) members, Betty Jane Cameron, John Gillies, John MacInnis, Charlotte Rankin, Winnie Rankin and Colleen MacLeod will begin their journey to Zambia. Each member will personally pay for their transportation, accommodations and meals.
The purpose of the trip will be to visit the two Kawambwa Project Schools located in the North of Zambia, close to the Tanzanian and Democratic Republic of Congo borders. We will get to know the people we have worked so closely with for 4 years. The generosity of our supporters from far and near, has transformed the school environments tremendously. We will meet our Zambian friends in person, learn about the working of both schools and contribute our skills in any way that will be helpful.
Chalice (chalice.ca), a charity based in Bedford, NS, partners with ICC to provide an education, shelter and food for children attending the Kawambwa Schools, who are blind or have limited vision. Many of these children have albinism, an inherited disease which is characterized by a lack of melanin. This causes their skin and hair to have no colour and also causes deteriorating vision and blindness. The lack of melanin leaves them at risk for skin cancer and their eyes are very sensitive to light. ICC members are collecting gently used sunglasses and hats which will offer protection from the sun’s damaging rays.
The Kawambwa Project consists of two schools, St Mary and St Odilia both in Northern Zambia. They are administered by the sisters of the Child Jesus, a local Zambian order of sisters who are doing a remarkable job.
The ICC travelers will leave Halifax January 22nd and will arrive three days later in Kawambwa, the site of the first school. After two weeks ICC members will move on to St Odilia School in Mporokoso, 125 km to the North to spend two weeks there.
A blog of our daily experiences will be posted, if the internet available is powerful enough to allow our posts.
I am Lewis Chewe an albino pupil in grade ten at St Odilia Special School, Zambia.
I am from a family of four, two sisters and a brother. I am the only albino child in the family, our father is a polygamist and not very responsible. I have been brought up by my mother since my childhood. When I was born and my father knew that I was an albino, he refused to accept me and relocated himself. No one knew where he was. He only came back in 2020, because he wanted to sell the plot of land we lived on. That time my mother was sickly and later in April 2021, she passed on. At that moment, the colour of the world changed. Not one of my family members wanted to stay with me and my father was no-where to be seen. My old grandmother from my mother side opted to stay with me. Woo!! It is as if am the one taking care of her. I love my grandmother, even if she is old, she shares with me her wisdom stories and very is prayerful. It is through her prayers that I have accepted my albinism and I have challenged the community by my dedication to duty. I do all house chores and I study very hard. At grade nine I passed with good marks and today I am a school prefect. I do not mind what people say about albinism but many people thought, I would be a dependent, like a begger. That did not happen to me, my siblings and I, we sell small commodities just for our upkeep. Two of our uncles are there to help us with food stuffs.
I started school in 2013 and l did well at grade seven and nine examinations. I passed with good marks, then I started wondering where I will go because at St Odilia there was no space for grade tens.
When I learnt that I had passed and I received an acceptance letter indicating St Odilia, I started waiting for the miracle to happen about the classroom. One Monday my friend told me about the good news of the construction of a class room block, again I remained patient because I didn’t know to whom it will belong. Later I came to learn that it will be for the senior section. My heart was filled with joy, and I jumped and said really my dreams have come true.
My desire was for the classroom to finish in a shortest period of time, because even today we are learning in the recreation hall. The contractor and workers are ever on site doing the work.
I really want to be learning here in an environment where teachers can understand me and the conditions are favourable for me.
When I finish school, I want to be a social worker and advocate for the rights of the vulnerable students.
At school I feel more comfortable and secure, especially this time when we have a wall-fence (built with the support of Chalice and Inverness County Cares). That’s why I never wanted to join another school in the region. I love my school at St Odilia.
I am sure come 2024, I will be in the new block. Thanks donors and sponsors for this great help.
I wish you a Happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.
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: [email protected] or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided for USA and Canada.
