Fundraising and finances

We have two pre-Christmas fundraising event in the offing here in Scotland:

Saturday 6th December, Penicuik Christmas Street Fair:  The Penicuk Mayos (Margaret, Gillian and Jo) will be doing their usual stuff, selling various produce in support of Chitambo.  They will be glad of any help they can get with fetching, carrying and hosting 3 stalls.

Sunday 7th December, Christmas Charity Festival:  Our Trustee, Nicola, has proposed this excellent event, which includes sponsored runs and walks: http://www.christmascharityfestival.com/

Nicola has signed up for the run, Jo for the walk (her knees won't permit running these days I'm afraid!).  We hope others will join us.

We are setting up a Just Giving line in the hopes of attracting support towards further projects at Chitambo Hospital and Nurse Training School, including 2 further Nurse Training Scholarships for the 2nd intake, starting in January 2015.

Our Treasurer, Fiona, has created an online accounting system for us, making future transactions and reporting all the easier.  This is despite working around the clock on her day job, and travelling widely. Thank you very much Fiona, for this valuable contribution.  We  are indebted and feel very lucky to have someone of your financial calibre at the helm.

Good news from Chitambo

Despite the sad national news in Zambia, there is good news from Chitambo.  The funds which Friends of Chitambo raised at the Golden Jubilee celebrations here in Scotland, and transferred to Chitambo for maintenance of the Chitambo Centenary Ambulance, have arrived safely.

Dr. Mmamulatelo Siame, or Telo as she kindly invites us to call her, is Chitambo's first ever Zambian lady doctor.  She is, by all accounts, proving popular with the community, and is also a great source of local news to inform our activities.  For example, she has mentioned a recent visit by Christiaan van der Hoeven, son of Dr. Frits van der Hoeven, who served as a doctor at Chitambo from 1972-79 and is a signed up member of Friends of Chitambo.

Christiaan spent his early years at Chitambo and was about 6 years old when the family left.

Apparently he is very willing to join us in Friends of Chitambo and, assuming so, we welcome him with open arms.  What a small and wonderful world we inhabit!

Friends of Chitambo join hands with Zambia in mourning today

Today, Tuesday 11th Novermber 2014 Zambians bury their esteemed, President Michael Chilufya Sata, who died in office in London on Tuesday 28th October 2014.

Here at Friends of Chitambo, we are flying the flag at half mast, as a mark of respect.  Our hearts go out to First Lady Dr. Christine Kaseba Sata and to all her family as well as to all Zambians and Friends of Zambia.

Mutende mukwai, Peace be with you 

Team NZ fly the flag for Zambia at 50!

Our Friend of Chitambo, Dr. Marion Currie/Taylor, pictured in the Scottish/Zambian tartan waistcoat, reports on the flag flying ceremony which she organised in Wanganui, North Island New Zealand:

"Here in little Wanganui, on 24th, we had a Zambian flag-raising ceremony at dawn,  at the District Council chambers,with a saxophonist playing the  Zambian national anthem. The small crowd of people with Zambian connections was invited back to our place for dinner last night and we had a most exuberant evening of swapping stories. One Peter Frost is the son of the DC from Luapula province before independence. Peter went to Lusaka Boys and Kabulonga. He's an ecologist and ornithologist and goes back to Zambia on wildlife trips. He's an amazing fount of knowledge. He insisted on making the nsima and  did it to perfection. The saxophonist, Ken Chernoff has lived in the Borders until recently and is a friend of Norman Chipakupaku's. He and his wife met in Kenya, and Ken played in the Zambian bands, MosiOTunya and Shakarongo. Doug Davidson was born in Mwinilungu of Bretheren missionaries and is the (atheistic!) editor of one of our local papers. Robin Smith, one of the nurses I work with at the hospice, has travelled through Zambia, and worked in Sudan with the peace corps.

With our nsima we had Zambian chicken stew, ifisashi, bobootie and roast pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Dessert was fruit salad  and 'melk tart' with ice cream. It all seemed to go down well.

Afterwards we watched the DVD of our 2008  return trip. Ken had a DVD of his band playing in Scotland but  sadly it wouldn't work on our machine. We talked about having an African festival in Wanganui and there was  great enthusiasm for this. Let's see where this leads."

Zambian Independence Jubilee Scotland Celebrations: A stunning success

The celebrations were indeed the party of the year.  They lived up to expectations and were a stunning success.

The day began early with around 18 exhibitors setting up their stalls before the opening ceremony at 10.30.  Stalls included both commercial companies and charities/NGOs supporting a mixture of causes: health, education, enterprise etc.

 Friends of Chitambo SCIO had a good vantage point, close to the entrance to the venue and we attracted a steady amount of interest, including generous donations to meet Chitambo's request for help with servicing the Centenary Ambulance.

Our Patron, Julie Davidson, was present at the event and sold copies of her book 'Looking for Mrs. Livingstone' on our stall.  We also had copies of Marion Currie's book, 'Livingstone's Hospital: the Story of Chitambo', on sale alongside a variety of other items.

The Chitambo stall was 'manned' by a team of 7 Friends of Chitambo including Jo Vallis, Margaret Coull, Bea Chitambo (visiting from Leicester), Charlotte Mitchell, Nicola Boyle, Agnes Ngulube Holmes, and Mr. Chola Mwelwa (visiting from Chesterfield) (See photo of Team Chitambo below).  All these volunteers gave their time willingly, selling items and encouraging donations.  In addition, Mr. Mwelwa 'worked' the crowd with our donations bucket and the ultimate result was well over £300 pounds towards the requested ambulance maintenance.

L-R: Julie Davidson (Patron), Margaret Coull, Jo Vallis, Charlotte Mitchell, Bea Chitambo,
Nicola Boyle, Agnes Hgulube Holmes, Chola Mwelwa

We have been in direct contact with Dr. Siame, Chitambo's new (lady) Doctor-in-Charge and have passed on the good news that we are able to forward the requested amount for the ambulance repairs (£1,250) in full.

Alongside the exhibitions, were samples of the 30 Memorial scarves designed by Heriot-Watt textile students (Pictured).

The designer of the winning scarf and the 2 runners up were present to receive their awards (see photo) at the Opening Ceremony.

This took place at 10.30,  in the main Auditorium for the Opening Ceremony, and  included keynote speeches by key Zambian and Scottish political figures.  Please see the following YouTube links.   Friends of Chitambo even gets a mention in Dr. Kaunda's speech:

DR GUY SCOTT - Message To Zambia's Independence Celebrations in Scotland

Dr Kenneth Kaunda: Dr Kenneth Kaunda - Message To Zambia's Independence Celebrations in Scotland

Humza Yousaf MSP: Humza Yousaf MSP - Message To Zambia's Independence Celebrations in Scotland

After a truly Zambian lunch of nshima and many great delicacies, there were Workshops on Health, Education and Enterprise.  The  Health Workshop was also a success, with 7 specific suggestions raised for contributing to improving Zambia's health at 50.  These included, for example, exploring ways to:

• Improve coordination between external health groups and the Zambian Government
• Strengthen relationships between the Zambian Diaspora in Scotland and elsewhere and health contacts in Zambia
• Make mobile health (mHealth) technologies more readily available an affordable to Zambian health workers

A more detailed summary will be posted in due course.

After a very stimulating day, we retreated to ready ourselves for the evening Dinner.  This was a wonderful event, heralded by both African drummers and Scottish pipers.  However, the greatest highlight was the  Mthunzi Culture Group, a youth group visiting from Zambia, which provided a stunning display of music and dancing (see photos).  They really stole the show. 

Scotland Celebrates Zambia at 50!

Friends, it's almost upon us....Zambia's Tartan Big 50!:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zambian-Independence-Celebrations-Scotland-2014/700402376671073?fref=ts

We are ready for you and it's not too late to book your place: 

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/zambian-independence-celebrating-50-years-of-a-nation-tickets-11839104079?utm_campaign=new_eventv2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eb_email&utm_term=eventurl_text

There's a packed programme, including a health Workshop 
featuring top Zambian doctors talking on challenges and opportunities in Zambian healthcare at 50.  This is followed by an Indaba (discussion) about what the Zambian Diaspora 

and Friends of Zambia could usefully contribute.  We hope to come up with one or two specific initiatives to follow up.

Questions for you:

1) How can external Development groups better coordinate 
with the Zambian Government on healthcare delivery on the ground?
2) Is a health insurance system the best way forward in terms of funding Zambian healthcare?  What would that mean for the poorest elements of society, such as in remote Chitambo District villages? Please comment.  We'd love to hear from you.

Health Workshop Programme
Official Opening Running Order
Official Dinner Running Order

Chitambo's Centernery Ambulance is in urgent need of help

The Toyota Landcruiser ambulance donated to Chitambo as a Centenary gift, in 2008, is said to have made a real difference  in terms of getting people to hospital more quickly, in case of emergency, and saving lives.  However, 'she' is not getting any younger and our Chitambo partners report that 'she' is now in need of repairs amounting to 12,500 Kwachas or around £1,250.  This more than the hospital can afford.  The ambulance has been lovingly nurtured by the local driver mechanics, who have kept her going despite the  long distances and rugged terrain involved.  They would like to keep her going as long as possible but, although the Zambian Government contributes a certain amount  to ambulance servicing, it is never enough.

One of our stated goals, within Friends of Chitambo, is to help to support  maintenance of this ambulance.  Reasons for this are not hard to see if  you watch this short Vimeo video from Pulse, an organisation which supports better access to maternal and child healthcare in Uganda and Zambia (http://pulsevillagetransport.com/): https://vimeo.com/101495779

Village Ambulances, pulled by bicycles or motor bikes, are certainly valuable and, as the video shows, they can save lives.  However, how much more so a 'healthy' motor vehicle which can transport an expectant mother, sick child, trauma victim or other emergency case rapidly to hospital?

Dr. Siame, Medical Officer in Charge at Chitambo, has forwarded the following breakdown of costs:

• Servicing of Injector Pumps..............................................£650
• Fuel to the capital and back..............................................£180
• Labour..............................................................................£76
• Driver's allowance (3 days)...............................................£135

Full Servicing, including:

• Oil change.......................................................................£54
• New diesel filter/air cleaner...........................................£40
• New oil filter...................................................................£40
• Stabiliser Rubbers...........................................................£50

TOTAL: …................................................................................£2,500

Friends of Chitambo is covering the top 4 (£1,041)

We need your help to raise the remaining £184

PLEASE HELP US TO HELP CHITAMBO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

To make a donation, please see our Donations Page on this site, under Support Us.  

Thank you in anticipation of your help.

Chitambo has new doctors

News just in from Chitambo is that, there are 2 new doctors.  It will be the first time in many years that the hospital has 2 doctors.  They are a dynamic young husband and wife couple, by all accounts, who have recently re-located from the capital.  They will undoubtedly have many up-to-date skills to share with Chitambo's rual community and we wish them very well in this lap of their careers.  Contributing to improvement of rural health care is a very worthy cause, especially when it is our special Chitambo.

We will, of course, miss Dr. Jean-Paul Kandolo Nzinga, who has dedicated himself to rural healthcare at Chitambo for the past 6 or 8 years.  However, we wish him very well in his new post in Kabwe, where he will undoubtedly be just as much of an asset.

1st AGM - Chair's Report and Presentation

Many thanks to Dr Jo Vallis, our Chair, who led us through our very first AGM on Sunday 7th September 2014.  

She started with a wonderfully personalised presentation, outlining the Friends of Chitambo's journey from David Livingstone, through her childhood at Chitambo, to Penicuik for Africa, up til today.  Then we spent time looking forward to discuss where we go from here and how best we might direct our efforts to support those at Chitambo itself. 

You can click below to view the presentation and read the Chair's Report here. (The Treasurer's report is available on application).

 

Zambia Independen​ce Jubilee Celebratio​ns Scotland, 2014: Celebratio​n Scarf

Zambia Independen​ce Jubilee Celebratio​ns Scotland, 2014: Celebratio​n Scarf

Created by a student (pictured) at Heriot-Watt University, Scotland, to honour Zambia's 50th birthday.  The scarf will be on sale at the Independence celebrations (Sat 18th October 2014).