Sunday 22 March 2015

Zedupads

Could Zedupads be the answer to the challenges which our Friends at Chitambo face, in relation to their children's education?: Zedupad

This versatile touchpad tablet computer contains the entire Zambian primary school curriculum, presented it in a very engaging, interactive way.  HIFA-Zambia Network (HIFA-Zambia Network) colleagues tell us that these have made all the differnece to their children's school grades.

Happy Birthday to our Honorary President

Our Honorary President, Mrs. Janet Knox, celebrated her birthday in style with a Friends of Chitambo Mayo (Mother) lunch at Giovanis Italian restaurant in Penicuik, Scotland Read about Giovani's  Bistro here


 
Birthday Girl, Janet (left), with Penicuik Mayo, Margaret (right)

Giovani's have been generous donors to our Penicuik Street Fair raffle prizes. 

They are currently running a photo competition for the most exotic photo location of one of their Giovani Teddy Bears.  N'Kundalila Falls, near Chitambo, perhaps?  Or could we have a photo in Giovani's Bistro itself, with our 2 Zambian Friends of Chitambo who will be  travelling to Scotland in June 2015, for Scottish Government Small Grant business?  These Friends are Mr. Levi Chifwaila, Senior Nurse Tutor at Chitambo, and Mr. Consider Mudenda, Technical Lead. 

Mr. Mudenda has been to Italy and sampled Italian cuisine, when he undertook a short computer networking course in Trieste (2013).  Jo Vallis, Friends of Chitambo Coordinator met him there and, together, they witnessed the inauguration of Pope Francis, the world's first Southern Pope, on a vast TV screen in the restaurant where they dined.  

Thursday 19 March 2015

Strategic planning workshops

A huge thank you to Tim Lewis-Nicholson for leading UK Friends in clarifying our Vision, Mission, Values, Aim and Objectives.  This is proving extremely valuable.  Here is our Vision, agreed by some Friends at Chitambo:

"A healthy Chitambo District"

This is deliberately wide, to encompass health in all its senses, and not just 'healthcare'. 

We have drafted our Values an Mission Statement and will post all these on this site in due course.

Tim is just the man for the job to help us develop these aspects.  You will see why from his profile below:
· Worked for the International Red Cross Movement for 7 years across Australia and the Pacific region
· Specialised in the area of disaster management and logistics before, during and after disasters
· Lived and worked for two years in many small Pacific island nations
· Has also work extensively in training, exercising and organisational development across the Red Cross world as well
· Currently works for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in their Response & Resilience Directorate
· Is a Civil Contingencies Officer which focuses on emergency planning, risk mapping & multi-agency coordination across the East of Scotland



View of Edinburgh Castle, from the meeting room window

 
 Strategic planning workship in progress

Friends of Chitambo Ambassadors

Great things are afoot!

Firstly, UK-based Friends of Chitambo Trustee, Mr. Chola Mwelwa, is travelling to his home village of Chitambo in March 2015.  He will meet with Friends of Chitambo Trustees:
  • Dr. Mmamulatelo Siame (Resident Medical Officer in Charge),
  • Mr. Kasoka (Principal Tutor),
  • Mr. Levi Chifwaila (Senior Nurse Tutor),
  • and Reverend Banda (Minister of the United Church of Zambia at Chitambo),
to discuss various issues, including arrangements for our Scottish Government Small Grant award for 'strengthening emergency care communications'  at Chitambo, and selection of 2 students for Friends of Chitambo nurse training scholarships. 
 
Mr. Mwlewa will also be able to advise two Zambian Friends of Chitambo Ambassadors, Mr. Levi Chifwaila and Mr. Consider Mudenda, on what to expect when they come to Scotland in June 2015, on grant-related business.  Mr. Mwelwa has kindly offered to give  day of his tight schedule for such a meeting an also to take lots of photos to update us on any changes at Chitambo.  These will be very beneficial for posting on this blogsite.

Levi and Consider will make history by travelling to Scotland to meet Friends of Chitambo over here.  Their visa applications are underway and a visit programme drafted.  We expect that they will participate in joint project planning, visit a range of Scottish emergency care facilities, and hopefully co-present a  poster at a Scottish health conference.  Such exchange will be mutually enriching and beneficial to our grant-funded project.

We wish all the travellers very well in their journey plans and thank them for their efforts in advancing Friends of Chitambo business.