MSC archived stories - August 27, 2023
The date: March 10, 2023.. the staff in CI Kanyama Center, Lusaka happened to be working on the EG report of Simon on my birthday! It was a big one for Simon to help with his sleeping condition as well as educational needs. I was hoping that this time at least a photo from Zambia will show up with the follow-up, but unfortunately ended up in receiving only the report (added to media).
I was told..
"Zambian families do not have phones to take and send photos, but our staff in Zambia and Kansas City are working on a way to get photos from the families in Zambia."
So, in the absence of a Thanking letter, it's difficult to gauge the impact the EG had on Simon other than to know how the donation was put to good use. I primarily intended for him to have a Mattress & beddings and World Atlas.
Prior to receiving the EG, Simon told me..
"In our home, we are 6 in total that is my mother, myself and my 4 elder siblings. I am the youngest among them all. My mother spreads a mat and blanket on the floor for me to sleep. As for the floods, the outside surrounding is what usually gets flooded. The house inside does not get flooded because it is a bit elevated. The floor however gets really cold. I am now in third grade at primary school. I enjoy learning Mathematics and English. My most favourite part at school is reading and spellings. I have never seen the name of your country on our map may be it is because I have never paid attention but now since I know that it is your country, I will make sure to check and see it. I did not get vaccinated. My mother did not take me to the clinic. We have also stopped wearing masks too."
The latest FR updated this week mentioned of 7 family members whom depend on the widowed mother's income from Street Vending, earning around $53 a month. I heard that just last month in an effort to clean up Lusaka City Centre the Zambian government has abolished street vending and removed all street vendors from the Lusaka Central Business District. The government claims that it has invested in putting up market infrastructure, so they don’t want a situation where they find vendors trading on the streets when markets are empty. I want to find out more from Simon on how the relocation plans or new premise might have affected their business.
I can imagine the tough time they must be going through. A mat replaced by mattress, blanket, bed sheets and a pillow is certainly an improvement to his sleeping regime, but for me, giving an education for a child living in these circumstances is the greatest gift of all.
I checked the report on your account, and I think that that sentence describing the family's reactions is the "thank-you letter". Do double-check with CI that there was nothing else. In any case, I'm sure he appreciated your EG very much. The letter sent prior to the EG, is amazingly detailed, so that's a good sign. About the cleanup in the city center, I recall the Zambian government organized something similar a few years ago.
ReplyDeleteAugust 28, 2023
True, too true, the city of Lusaka has made multiple attempts to put an end to street vending. The hundreds of thousands of poverty-bound people in the Lusaka compounds NEED street vending, it is how many survive. One family I sponsor/support sells tomatoes -- NOT, repeat NOT cute little baskets of tomatoes on a table under a display tent like at a weekend farmer's market, no, no, they are poverty-bound, they sell daily from a mat on the ground. They display their little group of tomatoes, maybe twelve tomatoes. If they sell six, it is a good day. "Clean-up campaigns" by the government do not factor in the traditional, economically realistic commerce system of the compounds. CI Sponsors are a great help when they send EG's (Extra monetary Gifts over $100 USD). My experience is deep: 9 Zambian youths current, 7 in the past for a total of 16 Lusaka sponsorships. I see that my EGs, outside of those designated to pay for school and school supplies, are spent on basic foods like large bags of mealie meal (coarse flour made from maize.)
ReplyDeleteAugust 28, 2023
EG/DP Field Reports usually accompany photo(s) and TY letter from the child, but without a smartphone staff in Zambia could only compile the report. I know they are eternally grateful for every little help the sponsorship brings. Btw, it was Simon who wrote that letter (the two I have in Zambia are chatty masters.. unbelievable!)
ReplyDeleteAugust 28, 2023
Apparently successive governments in the past have tried to tackle the sanitary conditions on the streets of Lusaka but failed. If vendors can move into a cleaner and designated area for a market can attract business, just a matter of them getting used to an orderly transition. May be having organised chaos is better than unorganised trading in the midst of road traffic! Once upon a time back in SL, I do recall our family acquaintance tried to sell a few jackfruits from our backyard in the local market on a busy Saturday afternoon. I was around Simon's age but didn't have a clue what they were doing except how elated I was to see just 1 sold after returning to the spot in an hour later. That was done very much like how Rachel described but inside a designated market area of the town.
ReplyDeleteAugust 28, 2023
Oh I would have loved to see the EG's photo's. Simon has such a nice smile of his new photo. I loved reading his letter even if the details are hard but they are the reality for them. It made me sad thinking he was cold trying to sleep.. Your gift will certainly improve his situation.
ReplyDeleteAugust 29, 2023
I've been out of the office, so a little late to the game on this one, but two things come to mind: 1. Elemay is correct, the family reaction portion is considered the thank you letter, which was dictated to the SOA staff and included in the report. The Zambia staff has begun putting the family's comments/reactions on separate paper/letterhead and sending them with their report, so that it is clearer that the message is from the youth/family. 2. While there has been a lot of elimination of street vendors in the CBD, please remember the families live in compounds - not in the city center or CBD and they sell within their own community. Sometimes in front of their own homes or in other populous places, like near the schools, etc. Hope this additional info helps!
ReplyDeleteSeptember 13, 2023