Death defying weekend

After the week of long days spent surveying, we planned a stay in Livingstone to take part in some of the adventures that one can do in the “adventure capital of Africa”.  Saturday was Lion Encounter (across the border in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe) and Sunday was Devil’s Pool, back in Zambia.  “We” means me, Kat and my new BFF John Peters, EDC lawyer par excellence and a founding member of Team65.

Lion Encounter involves first patting and then going for a walk with two one year old female lions.  They weigh about 50 kilos each, so they aren’t huge, but it still looked pretty intimidating!  When we got to the office, they told us that there was some confusion about the group of 21 people that was to come with us, so we would be having a private tour, just the 3 of us – what luck!  The operation is a conservation and re-introduction program to try to save the African lion population, which is estimated to have declined by 80% in the past 20 years!  They say that by 2025 there may be no lions outside of private reserves. 

A 15 minute drive outside of Vic Falls and we were being given our safety briefing and off to meet the lions.  Since a picture tells a thousand words, I’ll stop writing.

It was an amazing experience to be able to interact with these huge cats and live to tell the tale.

Next stop was the Victoria Falls Hotel for a very colonial lunch 

before heading to see the Falls from the Zimbabwe side.  During the dry season you can really only see the biggest falls from that side – and we also got a close up view of Sunday’s activity – Devil’s Pool, where you bathe in a small natural pool right at the top of the falls!  Were we really going to do this????

We got up full of energy Sunday, made the short drive to the Royal Livingstone Hotel (again, colonial luxury but this one on the Zambian side) for the pick up by boat for our adventure.  After signing the standard waiver of all legal rights, we zig zagged across the Zambezi straight for the top of the falls!  We beached on Livingstone island, walked across it, changed in to swimsuits and were off with nary a safety briefing.  We clambered over rocks (that looked volcanic – I was very glad to have my Keen sandals), swam a short distance across the river (you had to swim on a diagonal because of the current) and then again climbed over rocks to the top of the falls.  Before we had any chance to re-think it, we were in.  Kat first, then John, then me, then the other 4 in our group.  We sat right on the edge of the falls and despite swearing we wouldn’t, we all did the Superman over the edge.  It’s a sheer 100m drop straight down.  People were waving at us from Zimbabwe.  It was one of the biggest thrills of my life for sure – tough to slow the heart down after that.  

If the photos aren’t enough to do it justice, check out this video.  Devil's pool video

After some more walking around right at the top of the cliff, 

we were served eggs Benedict in a tent and then whisked back to shore.  After a drink in the hotel bar with some Australian Lions Club members, 

we made one last stop at the crocodile farm to end the weekend with a bang!

Field Work #2

From Monday October 14^th to Friday the 18^th, a team of us from Care carried out the main task I was engaged to do.  My title is “Local Economic Multiplier Advisor” and I was asked to understand the LM3 methodology (invented by the New Economics Foundation, a London based think tank), then write a research study proposal, design a survey, carry it out and calculate the results and write a report.  Last week was the carrying out of the survey.  So, 5 of us piled into a small Mazda pickup truck and drove the 6.5 hours from Lusaka to Livingstone.  We met the 2 local surveyors we had hired (Josephine and Mioba), picked up the local government rep and on Tuesday morning 8 of us headed out to visit several local villages to carry out our survey.  I was so cool to actually see all this work in action and incredible to actually be part of the survey team!  How did 8 of us fit in a pickup?  With several in the back of course, including me an Andrew.  

Four days of bumping down dusty dirt “roads” in the Mukuni ward of Kazungula district ensued. 

We first surveyed VSLA (village savings and loan association) members to see how they spent the money they borrowed and the interest they earned as members.  Everything in Zambia follows a certain protocol and although sometimes frustrating, it is very warm, welcoming and kind and we could certainly learn a thing or two from it.  When we arrived in a village, the group assembled would typically sing us a welcome song and then we would do a “receiving line” of sorts where we would all shake everyone’s hand.  We would then all sit down (us on those little homemade stools, the villagers on the sandy ground), say a prayer and then one by one introduce ourselves.   

Over the space of 4 days, I got to learn enough Tonga (the language of southern Zambia) to say “Mabuga buti” (good morning, how are you?), “Kabotu” (I’m fine), “Twalumba” (thank you).  “Mebondime” (my name is) and “debelega ku” (I work for).   This always sat well with people and I actually used it on our weekend activities – shocked tour guides would ask me how I learned to speak Tonga and it would turn out I had just been surveying their aunt or cousin.  Very cool.

Listening to members tell us how their lives had changed was incredible.  Many would say that they had never saved money before since they didn’t know how.  Also, no one had access to credit.  Now they could borrow money to send their kids to school or buy seeds to grow more vegetables, or cooking oil to start a fritter business.  Many people invested in very small businesses, generating enough return to repay the loans with interest.  One woman told me she didn’t do anything before, but when she saw her neighbours saving, she started growing vegetables to sell so that she could save money too. 

Lots and lots of people said their self respect and dignity had been raised.  Previously, their family and villagers looked down on them, because they always asked to borrowed money from family and friends that they couldn’t repay.  Now they could borrow from the VSLA and were seeing people come to them for loans!   One man told me he used his interest payout to buy his wife a mattress.  Next year he planned to buy one for his other wife!

We also surveyed Social Cash Transfer recipients.  These are people that had now begun receiving $12/month from the government in the last few years.  In Kazungula, the program targets those over 65.  A 73 year old told me that she no longer had to work in the fields because of the payment.  An 88 year old told me she no longer had to skip meals – and then told me sharply not to forget to print out my photo of her and send it to her!

After four days of long drives in the bed of a Mazda pickup, with the temperature approaching 40, and interviews with almost 100 people and several businesses (always outdoors, usually under a tree), the surveys were done!  It was very satisfying to get it completed – now for the drawing of conclusions and writing of reports.

I can draw a few conclusions already though: Village Savings and Loan Associations are an amazing construct.  They are changing the lives of people all over the world, bit by bit, allowing people to raise themselves out of poverty.  Social Cash Transfers give a first boost to those in extreme poverty and also allow people to gain a little dignity.

And, regardless of their situation, the people were all friendly, often laughing and singing and sometimes even making me learn the local dance...

Next installment – weekend of cheating death!

Sunday at the Reformed Church of Zambia

On Sunday Oct 13^th, I went to church with our taxi driver, Isaac.  I didn’t know much about it beforehand, but he promised lots of singing and dancing, so I signed up.  I have yet to meet a Zambian who doesn't go to church and they wear the length of the service like a badge of honour, so I had several to choose from!  Unfortunately, Kat couldn’t join because she had left for Chipata that morning on a field visit.  Isaac picked me up at 9am and we headed up the road to the Bauleni compound.  A compound is kind of a slum, or maybe a shanty town.  In this one, there was one paved road and then you turn onto a dirt track to get into the neighbourhood.

road into Bauleni

We bumped and bounced past tiny shops and bars (where lots of people were already drinking shake shake) and throngs of people were walking everywhere.  We went deeper and deeper into the compound and finally ended up at the Reformed Church of Zambia, Bauleni congregation.  It was already over 30 celcius and I was wearing a suit and tie.  Needless to say, I was the only muzungu (not just in the church – in Bauleni).

 

After a short intro, the service began with an hour and a quarter of various choirs singing and dancing – must be seen to be believed and I don’t have the internet speed to upload, but I will some day.  It was totally incredible.  I have always wanted to see Baptist churches in the southern US in action and I’m guessing this is what it must be like – except this whole thing was in Nyanja (language)!  It was awesome!  Isaac told me it was “no problem” to take photos and video, so after some initial shyness, I stood right at the front of the church, in everybody’s way, and took tons of video and some photos. Here’s one of the choirs. 

The church was packed with kids roaming everywhere, but being very quiet and well behaved, as are all kids here I’ve noticed... 

After the singing and dancing ended, there was a one and a quarter hour sermon which, while I understood none of it, seemed very fire-and-brimstoney to me as the pastor was doing a lot of finger wagging and very loud preaching.  This was then followed by the announcements and then the introduction of the guests.  There were 6 of us, who then each made a contribution into a special bowl and then stood in front of the congregation while our details were recorded in a book.  Each of us was then introduced and then I was selected to say a few words.  Never being short of those, I did, thanking them for their hospitality and congratulating them on their wonderful choirs.

The service wrapped up around 12:45 (over 3 hours from start to finish) and Isaac drove me out of the compound

Isaac and his wife

Some kids on the lone paved road

 and back home, where I quickly changed clothes, jumped back in his car and went to my boss (Jay’s) house for thanksgiving lunch of roast chicken, potatoes, several veggie dishes and wine while their kids swam in their pool.  The contrast couldn’t have been any more stark between my morning and my afternoon!

Cheers,
Bruce

Next blog: field trip #2

Experiencing the local culture

Kat and I spent the weekend doing one of my favourite things when traveling – just stumbling onto local things that end up being totally fun and interesting despite having no pre-set plans.

On Saturday, we heard some music from down the road and decided to just walk down and see what it was.  We happened on the “Annual Fete” of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.  It was like a county fair, with horse rides, barbecued food, cotton candy, crafts for sale, musical performance and families and kids having fun.  We paid our 6 kwacha to get in ($1.15) and just soaked it in.  We were the only muzungus in attendance, which is always fun.   Kat resisted the temptation to buy a “Catholic Women’s League” chitenge

Kat had heard that there was an evening market at the “Showgrounds”, so we hired Ricky, our faithful backup cab driver to drive us over there.  He showed up right on time in full “Arsenal” gear head to toe – t-shirt, hat, bracelet, car seat covers and jacket.  

The Showgrounds, as it turns out, is equestrian showgrounds, polo grounds a funky craft show and a number of restaurants.  It was SO strange because nearly everyone was white.  You could even buy a glass of Pimm’s as you entered the craft show.  The whole thing felt very colonial and weird – we went from a fair where there were no white people, to a craft show where there were no black people!  We bought a few crafts and had a lovely wood fired pizza dinner at an Italian restaurant of all things.  Definitely did not feel like we were in Zambia.  On out way home Ricky let me drive the cab!  :)

On Sunday, we decided to go walk in search of “Shake Shake”, the local beer.  We finally found where to buy it, by walking into a sketchy warren of alleyways full of tiny bars where lots of men were drinking at 10am (once church was done of course).  It was one of those moments where you try to relax while at the same time questioning whether this was a good decision!  As it turned out, folks were very helpful and we got our Shake Shake, much to the delight of the locals.   

Next stop: the local market, where on impulse, Kat decided we needed to buy some caterpillars to fry up.

So, when we got home, it was time for caterpillars and Shake Shake.  Any Zambian will tell you there is no better combination – kind of like a Canadian beer and a bag of salt and vinegar chips.  Except not quite...