Dwankhozi day #2, what a day!

After an early breakfast this morning, we got our stuff together, hopped in the van, and headed into downtown Chipata to buy supplies for the school. After thirty minutes and five different shops, we had what we needed: a bag of fabric, two rolls of chart paper, medicine, colored pencils, copy paper for the project, chalk, and a few other necessary items.

 

The ladies at the shop were so gracious, which made supporting local Zambian shops that much more rewarding. After talking with them and buying what we needed we realize now that for future trips we can buy local rather than attempting to bring so much checked baggage (since we know how well that works). What a wonderful way to start the day.

 

Once we got to school, it was pretty much straight to work. The first item on the agenda was a teacher meeting where our teachers have the Dwankhozi teachers about Project Based Learning (PBL). Joe led the meeting as the Dwankhozi teachers listened attentively. Each of the QAE teachers was able to chime in and give examples of PBL in their individual classes, which gave the Dwankhozi teachers much more context. Near the end of the meeting, Moses addressed the teachers in order to explain, quite eloquently, how PBL is important because it helps children look at complex, real-life problems and come up with meaningful solutions.

 

As the meeting wrapped up, our teachers discussed the project that we want to do in order to follow up from the QAE project that we attempted to bring for the kids of Dwankhozi. For this project each child gets one sheet of paper that are separated into quadrants of their family, their house, their favorite food, and their favorite activity. The sheet has their name on the top, a picture of them in the middle, and each child draws the different aspects of their lives in the quadrants. By doing this, we will be able to show Dwankhozi children what life is like in Seattle and vice versa – helping to build the QAE pillar of being a global citizen.

 

We spent the next two or so hours with two classes that were in session – a 5^th grade and 6^th grade class. Rene and Joe were with the 5^th grade class and Rachel and Ciara were with the 6^th grade class. After the students filled the classroom and sat in their desks, the teachers explained the project, showed what their pieces of paper would look like, and passed out supplies. As the children drew, I (and Tyler for the 6^th grade class), would call up three students at a time to write their names on the board and take a picture in front of them. These pictures were to be printed off later in the day and pasted onto the sheets that they were drawing on.

 

One thing that stood out to me as I took pictures of the children was how stoic they remained during their pictures. This juxtaposition of their seriousness compared to their carefree attitudes outside the classroom made me realize just how seriously they take their education. As I walked around the classroom after taking each student’s photo I couldn’t help but notice how intricate their drawings were; with very few “stick people” to be seen, each student put their hearts into their drawings.

 

As the period came close to an end, Rene and Joe further explained to the children that once our bags arrived, the QAE project would come to Dwankhozi and that the Dwankhozi drawings would be taken to Seattle upon our return to be shown to the QAE students. Upon hearing this news, students were overjoyed and many even applauded (even without Maricue’s trademark “Manja, Manja, Manja!” call. Manja means “clap”). The smiles that spread across their faces let us know that this project was far from lost on these students.

 

After the class let out, we ate lunch that, as it would most days, included nshima, meat, and many different types of vegetables. As mentioned yesterday, lunch followed a very strict protocol with us eating in our own room and before the students.

 

Once lunch let out, class officially came to a close and students went about the rest of their day participating in various activities. Donna, Beth, Becka, and Morris left Dwankhozi to visit a sister-school called Dwansenga that was a 45 minute drive away from where we were while the rest of us stayed behind at Dwankhozi. This point is where the role that I came here fore changed (albeit only for that afternoon). All of the older male students separated and organized a game of soccer, or as they call it here, football. Tyler and I joined the game on opposing sides and proceeded to play our hearts out for well over two hours. It was an exhilarating game that left me panting for breath within the first two plays, letting me know that maybe two Coca Colas weren’t the correct choice before extreme physical exertion. Even so, Tyler and I tried our best to keep up with the rest of the students, many of whom were formally dressed, shoeless, and half our size. Oddly enough, or perhaps not odd at all, was the fact that even with these handicaps, I was consistently out-run for the ball. Blame it on the heat, huh?

 

While Tyler and I played soccer, I handed my cameras over to Rene, and subsequently Ciara, who continued to document not only the game but also the rest of the activities that both the younger grades as well as female students were participating in. Among those many activities was Ciara teaching students how to play tic-tac-toe, Rachel playing music on her iPad while students surrounded her and danced, a prolonged meeting with Martin, small-sided soccer games with a ball made from plastic bags, and many others.

 

While all this was going on, the other group that was visiting the sister school was having quite the adventure of their own. Dwansenga is a school that was built slightly after Dwankhozi and which DH has given some assistance in the past (however not to the extent of Dwankhozi). While there, the group met with the headmaster, members from the PTA, the teachers, students, and some community members. The headmaster gave the group a tour around the school grounds, showing them their main buildings, the building that DH funding helped to complete, and the classrooms that their students spend each and every day inside of.

 

While not nearly as developed as Dwankhozi, Moses correctly pointed out that the school does a wonderful job utilizing the funds that it has received from DH, as shown by the now completed building on the school grounds. This is a perfect example of how well the fundraising that DH has done in the past has made a massive difference in the lives of students and teachers here in Zambia.

 

Prior to their departure from the sister school, Laurie was presented with a chicken, which is a sign of great respect in the community. While Laurie will keep the chicken with the Masala family, it was touching to know the amount of respect that the community has both for Laurie and DH as a whole for the work that they have done to help Dwankhozi, Dwansenga, and the surrounding community.

 

After the group arrived back at Dwankhozi and the soccer game finally wrapped up, Joe rode on an ox-driven cart, we made some final connections with the children – who were all at school far later than normal due to our visit – and eventually made our way back to the van.

 

You may have noticed that the blog is slightly later tonight than normal. This is due to our late departure from Dwankhozi and our dinner which took even longer than normal. Amazingly, about half of our group is staying up until midnight in order to watch the US world cup game, so let’s hope that the US makes it worth our while.

 

As an aside, please accept my advanced apology for not being able to write tomorrow’s blog. Rene and I are actually going to stay in a village with a family in order to hopefully get footage which will be used in future videos for DH. Because of this we will not have internet, or lights for that matter. So the next time you hear from me will likely be on Thursday.

 

Wish us luck!

Cheers,

Ryan