Inverness County Cares (ICC) has undertaken several extra projects at the Kawambwa Schools in addition to our yearly $30,000 commitment. It is with tremendous gratitude that we thank our supporters for their generous donations to the Zambian schools. We thank you for donating your bottles and cans for our recycle project. Thank you also for your donations and for supporting our fundraisers.
The St Mary’s school complex, built in in 1961 was beginning to show signs of wear. The children’s dormitories needed new floor tiles, paint, stable bed frames, mattresses and bed linens. In 2022 Inverness County Cares was able to provide funds to tile the floors, make new bunk beds, provide mattresses and new bedding.
This month the St Mary’s girls’ dormitory renovations have been completed, with the exception of one of the boys’ dormitories at St Mary’s (because of insufficient funding). The total delight on the faces of the children with their new beds and bed linens makes our work incredibly rewarding.
Since their inception children at both schools were in constant danger of abductions. In addition, at St Odilia their meagre belongings were often stolen, since the public freely used the school grounds as a short cut to other areas of the community. Inverness County Cares in partnership with Chalice.ca completed a partially constructed wall fence at St Mary’s School. ICC and Chalice.ca also built a wall fence at St Odilia which totally encloses the school compound. This wall fence was completed in September 2022.
This joy experienced at St Odilia over the new wall fence is in contrast to the devasting windstorm which blew the roof of the newly renovated dining hall at St Mary’s School.
A distraught Sr Agnes, the administrator of both schools sent us this message.
“A blown off roof at the newly renovated dining hall at ST MARY’S SPECIAL SCHOOL in Kawambwa.
No one could believe the strong winds we experienced in the month of September. Strong winds are usually experienced during the rainy season, not in September, but it now has happened.
It was on Saturday 24th September 2022 around 12:30 hours when the children were getting ready for lunch and the cook was about to sound the bell. The blowing wind was felt by everyone and in the short period of time, it became so strong that, everyone again was alert and afraid and the sound of the iron sheets from the dining rooms was heard. Children started running all over the place and members of staff were giving direction by shouting aloud and mentioning the podium. Most of the children ran towards the podium and those who were near the hostels entered the hostels. The strong sound was heard and in less than a second the roof was blown off.
“What has happened? What has happened?”, was the question for everyone!! Immediately! The answer was the roof of the dining rooms has blown off!! Even today it is the answer we are giving.Later, pupils gathered and an explanation was given to them, all were disappointed upon hearing that, “From today all meals will be taken from the outside”. The totally blind pupils and staff felt the impact. One totally blind boy by the name of Gershom cried out ,”Lord, help us”. Yes! the cry of Gershom is true and real. LORD HEIP US!!! For how long will the Children eat from outside? Lord Help us!! Rains are about to come! Lord help us!!!?
Inverness County Cares hopes to be able to send funds to repair the roof before the rain come. Thank you so much for your generous support. We and the children appreciate your generosity.
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 us 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.
