1 April 2013

We do apologise for the long silence since our last report on 29 October. Limapela activities have mushroomed and it has been a challenge to keep up. We thank God for all the interest and generous support that enables us to serve in communities here in Zambia where people who have so much less than ourselves. Do you sponsor any of our children? If not, do consider this and drop us a line. At NZ$20 per month (US$15) it is an easy and very effective way for you to support Limapela.

Luyando Community School

Limapela took responsibility for the management of this school at Kamafwesa Village near Ndola last November. It was started in 2006 on the initiative of Martin Zuch and the UK Charity Give Hope International. Although the school was providing much-needed school places for some 300 children, poor management in recent years was threatening its viability and we felt that we should offer to take it on in order to avert closure. Limapela is now responsible for the administration of the school but Give Hope International continues to provide the necessary funding. We have appointed an excellent new Head Teacher, Miss Franchessca Mumba, and a number of new teachers. Our kiwi volunteer teacher Gemma Stewart is spending two mornings per week helping there with reading recovery and remedial needs. The school is located in a very poor and troubled community, so lengthy meetings and consultations have been necessary, and it will take time for us to establish the credibility of Limapela Development there.

Self Sufficiency

Cleopatra’s vegetable garden has done very well over the wet season, especially the tomatoes, and she is gradually expanding production. The banana plantation is looking very good and we expect the first harvest this time next year. The chicken house has been built and we plan to take delivery of the first point-of-lay birds next month. Marketing produce is a challenge, but we are slowly building up a customer base.

Limapela Cedric’s School

Our head teacher Mr Mwanza has enrolled 350 pupils this term, including a second Grade 9 class to cater for the many repeaters who did not pass the National Grade 9 exam last November. Our own pass rate of 38% was only slightly above the national average. This was disappointing of course, but it highlights the reality of our situation in a poor community where so many children move up from one class to the next without learning as much as they should.

We were delighted to see the Rotary Matching Grant initiative reach the required target of US$65,000 for our toilet and ablution block. Pledges are now being called in from many generous Rotary Clubs and the building should start as the rains finish next month. Special thanks to Rotarian Desmond Woods, of Canberra, who worked tirelessly to reach this objective, and to the Rotary Club of Kitwe, our host club.

Special thanks go also to the Beit Trust, which has once again joined our big group of supporters with a grant of £20,000 for the building of our new Library and IT Facility. The foundation and floor slab were laid in November, and we await the raising of the remaining US$19,000 required for the building.

We would also like to thank two private donors in New Zealand for their large donations made earlier this year. All this financial support allows us to build up an infrastructure comparable to schools elsewhere. It is true that much good learning can take place under the care of an effective teacher with a piece of chalk, but our young people need more than that in today’s world.

— Matthew F. Raymond, Trustee