We've Done It!!!!!

It's time to celebrate! We have reached our $15,000NZ target. All the hard work has paid off and we have made a real difference for teachers and students in rural Zambia. This has been an incredible year and an amazing journey.
Next year, we will be looking at how we can continue to provide resources and infrastructure for the schools. So... watch this space!

Warner and Mervis Wilder

While we were in Zambia, one of our group, Rev Warner Wilder, met and (unbeknown to us!) fell in love with Mervis. Mervis was a manager at Suwilanji Gardens, our hotel in Lusaka. Two weeks ago, Mervis arrived in NZ and Warner popped the question! On Friday 27th November, they were married. We are all sooooo happy for them. They are both beautiful people who deserve the very best - and they've got it! Congratulations guys, you're "tremendous."



To read a newspaper article, follow this link http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/3107105/Priest-finds-love-with-bride-half-his-age

A Book to Celebrate the Project

I had a wonderful time during the last school holidays, learning how to use "Blurb". Blurb is an online publishing company who makes it really easy to put together a very professional looking book. Try it for yourself at www.blurb.com

NEARLY THERE!!

This is very exciting news. Thanks to the incredible generosity of many, many people we only have a few hundred dollars to go to reach our $15,000NZ target. We have a sausage sizzle coming up in a few weeks time that will most certainly see us achieve our goal.

Chibunda teaching at Red Beach

Chibunda relished the opportunity to get involved with teaching while in NZ. Here, she is working with a Reading group learning inference skills.

Planet FM 104.6

If you're from Zambia or have a love for the country and miss the sounds, try tuning in to Zambia Botswana Airwaves at 3.35pm every Saturday. There's music, news and comments all presented by Jackie and Agnes Phiri.

Here's a link to Saturday's recorded programme http://www.planetaudio.org.nz/player/player_livecapture.php?id=61448

New Zealand Bush - fantastic!

If you haven't yet visited NZ then you've been missing out. We took Chibunda for a walk through a local bush reserve and you can see the obvious joy of experiencing this unique environment.

Zambian schools benefit from NZ exchange

Follow this link to watch an article that appeared on TV1 news on Saturday 19th Sept. It features Chibunda, Sonia (from Glenfield Intermediate) and Sally (from ChildFund). http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/zambian-schools-benefit-nz-exchange-2999414/video

Chibunda's visit to NZ

Here are a couple of photos of Chibunda enjoying some very new experiences in NZ. She's been having a great time at Red Hill Primary, Papakura and Red Beach Primary on the Hibiscus Coast.

Not Long Now!!

Chibunda (top) and Patricia (below) are two of the four Zambian teachers arriving in NZ in just 4 days time. We are all getting very excited about seeing them again and having the opportunity to return their incredible hospitality and friendship, both in our schools and our homes.

Disco Success!

The Zambia Discos last Friday raised just over $2,000NZ. What an amazing school Red Beach is and what incredibly generous parents.

La Hacienda, Mumbwa

This is a Google Earth pic of the hotel where we stayed in Mumbwa. We travelled about an hour and a half to our schools in the morning and then back again in the afternoon. There wasn't any water in the pool when we were there! It was a bit too chilly to swim anyway.

Grade 6 at Kawama Basic School singing the Zambian National Anthem

Grade 6 at Kawama Basic School singing the Zambian national anthem.

Shila reporting from Kawama Basic School

Shila attends Kawama Basic School, where I was based. Her ambition is to become a lawyer or journalist. This short video clip was done on the spur of the moment without any time for preparation and she did a great job. Watch out for her in the future!

More pics from Zambia

Life Changing

The question I get asked more than any other - "How was your trip?"

And my answer has to be "Life Changing"

I'm going to learn how to use Slideshare so that I can show you lots of photos but, in the meantime, I'm going to upload some here for you to see.

Follow our trip in Zambia

Click on this link to follow our day-to-day news from Zambia. www.childfundglobalschools.blogspot.com/

Wacky Hair Day

On Wednesday 1st July it was "Wacky Hair Day" at Red Beach School and even Ms Martin, the Principal went "Wacky". Children all around the school modelled crazy hair styles and brought in their gold coin donations. At luchtime, the children were treated to the first ever live performance of "Best of the Worst" featuring, Josh, Max, Euan, Scott & Ryan.

Hot Chocolate Day

Room 14 at Red Beach School are just AMAZING! These difference-makers set up business selling hot chocolate during school lunchtime. Can you believe, the queue stretched right around the school and the last children were being served as the bell went to go back to class!!!