Muli Bwanji! Every time I return to Zambia, I appreciate seeing the country, its people, and its customs through the eyes of a new group of high school students. Each group has its own unique character and dynamic and this year’s was no different. Our students were curious, thoughtful, and insightful whose humor, willingness to bond as a group, and flexibility were, as always, instrumental to the success of the trip.
Changing Realities
Zambia has undergone tremendous change and development since 2007 when LearnServe traveled to the country with its first group of high school students. We have been very fortunate to develop long-lasting relationships with local organizations that work tirelessly to better the lives and circumstances of people within their communities. And it is inspiring to see the work of past LearnServe groups still positively impacting these communities who want to collaborate with us every year. It has also been interesting to see the ways in which change and development over the past 12 years, at both local and national levels, have impacted people with whom we work.
One of our project partners, Chikumbuso, despite its expansion and increasing ability to serve women and children impacted by HIV/AIDS, will soon be hit hard when the government puts a much-needed ban on the use of plastic bags. At the outset, this is a good thing, of course, as there is no denying the negative impact of plastic on the environment. However, the elderly women and widows of Chikumbuso have been using plastic bags in a positive way for almost two decades, creating beautifully handmade crocheted bags that they sell to support their families. Thus, as we learn about governmental efforts to address environmental concerns, it is important to understand the complexities of such policies, one of which will now deny an enterprising group of women a livelihood that not only addressed environmental concerns positively but helped them sustain their families for years.
The Grass Was Once Greener
This issue of conflicting realities was even more apparent in a rural area we visited with regard to climate change, something that has minimally affected us, if at all, here in Washington DC. Our local guru and hero, Uncle Ben of Greenpop, was quick to outline the devastating impact of deforestation on the lives of Zambians, particularly those already living in poverty. With his help, we found an illegally-built charcoal kiln off a main highway near Livingstone as he explained that 100+ year old trees are being illegally cut down and burned to produce charcoal… the ONLY source of income for many people in rural areas. As much as 5% of Zambia’s forests are being depleted every year (doing the math, Zambia will be without trees in 20 years unless greater reforestation efforts are put in place). The droughts resulting from deforestation are causing farms to dry up and go out of business. Farmers are struggling to feed their families, produce food for their communities, and make a living. Without question, deforestation must stop. However, it’s hard to even debate the long-term effects of a practice that’s endured for generations if ending it means someone can’t put food on their table in present time.
Our visit to a farm in Monze, however, was eye-opening as we truly bore witness to the impact of deforestation and climate change. Back in 2008, this farm was booming… it was green and lush, producing crops and raising dairy cows in addition to pigs and cattle. We used to milk the dairy cows in the early morning before walking through a bustling village on the way to the community school. This year, as we pulled into the campsite, instead of stepping onto a carpet of green grass, we were looking at a brown floor of dirt and dust. As we toured the farm, we learned that the farm’s only source of income was now cattle and pigs. There are no more crops. The barns that housed the dairy cows are gone. The farm machinery is old and rusted. And, what was once lush and green looked like a scene out of a movie… a wasteland of dried up vegetation. It was heartbreaking. They’re not sure what will happen to the people living on the farm once it can no longer sustain itself from the sale of cattle and pigs. We couldn’t help but think that, as usual, those hit hardest are the ones with the least agency to control their circumstances.
And, yet, these same families, with a little support, opened up their homes to us and taught our students to cook traditional Zambian dishes over open fires that were simply delicious. It was a wonderfully authentic cultural experience that beat any of Lusaka’s finest restaurants.
Afterwards, our students got to witness the wonders of the African sky under an umbrella of stars that you just don’t see anywhere near DC. The Milky Way is pretty incredible. One of our students was out there star-gazing until 3am and I can’t say I blame her. It certainly helped us appreciate the place’s natural beauty… beauty that might easily get lost in the midst of everyday struggles.
Sex and Health Education
One of my favorite parts of the trip is setting up opportunities by which youth from both countries can get to know each other. It is always fun to see how quickly they find similarities amongst each other, bonding over music, dance, pop culture, hobbies, and relationships. During our workshops with the gap year students from Chikumbuso, the girls group at Africa Directions, the teen girls at Daughter’s Vision, and the peer educators from Grassroots Soccer, we realized that despite various cultural differences, at the end of the day, as humans, we are all in search of a partnership with someone who respects us, treats us well, and ultimately, makes us happy. Each of our project partners approaches health education slightly differently with organizations like Africa Directions and Grassroots Soccer promoting safe sex and the idea of youth taking control of their own sexuality. The founder of Daughter’s Vision takes a little more of a traditional approach, emphasizing abstinence-only which provided plenty of room for debate within our group, trying to understand the line between embracing cultural differences and promoting safety and individual autonomy.
But, regardless of organizational philosophies, we were encouraged to hear that most girls understood the importance of education and staying in school. As always, one of our favorite projects was working with the girls at Daughter’s Vision, teaching them everything from reading, writing, and math to building solar ovens and introducing them to new sports like lacrosse.
This year, our group learned a lot about the rights of passage that some girls, primarily those in rural areas, must endure. The fact that they trusted us with information not normally shared outside of their own female circles was touching and led to discussions within our own group about the impact of culture on human rights.
We also had some enlightening discussions about the legal and cultural differences between American and Zambian definitions of sexual assault and consent. And, yet, discussions with peer educators at Africa Directions highlighted the growing similarities between U.S. and Zambian policies in terms of women’s access to reproductive care and services. It was interesting for the Zambians to learn a little about what’s currently happening in the U.S., information that seemed to surprise them. The more things seemed different, the more they were the same.
Social Entrepreneurship
One major addition to the trip was welcoming Japhet Chulu, a local social entrepreneur and Program Officer for Africa Directions who joined us for 18 days. Japhet added invaluable knowledge and insights to the group with a couple of our evening reflections lasting two+ hours!
He introduced us to Zambian theater. We attended a play about child marriage which evolved into discussions about witch doctors. He discussed Zambian politics with us, took us on tours of local markets and Olympic athletic facilities, and taught us that only the female mosquito carries malaria (how did we not know that?).
He was instrumental in setting up unexpected meetings with young, local social entrepreneurs like Kasonde, founder and director of the Amila Foundation that helps Zambian prostitutes and victims of sex trafficking learn new trades and find a healthier line of work. It’s certainly exciting to see all the ingenuity of young entrepreneurs in areas where funding and resources are at a minimum and stigma against some of the neediest populations can be debilitating.
Even a young man named Innocent, a recent high school grad who can’t afford a basic phone, couldn’t help but inspire us with his story of founding the Youth Soccer Academy in the Ngombe Compound to help keep young boys and girls in school and on the right path. He saw a need in his community and took action amidst a host of challenges that we can’t even begin to fathom here in DC. To watch him lead his young proteges, of which they were at least 50, was truly heartwarming.
To then watch Loveness of the Loveness Hangoma Foundation pull together a talent show in Livingstone for people living with disabilities, despite multiple challenges from people within her own community, was a feel-good moment that’s hard to replicate. Her positivity and faith that things would fall into place taught us important lessons about trusting the process, making the most of what we have, and remembering that, ultimately, we have agency over the kind of community we want to build around us. To hear all the cheers from the audience as her “children” showcased their talents with pride was a sight to behold. We felt very touched and honored to be a part of it not just as audience members but as performers ourselves. The dance party that ensued at the end was certainly one for the memory books.
People like Loveness, Innocent, Kasonde, Gladys, Uncle Ben, and Japhet are certainly helping to build hope for a brighter future. Their passion, commitment, and desire to make this world a better place left us in awe. As the late Mr. Rogers used to say in the midst of chaos and tragedy, “Look for the helpers”. Zambia is certainly full of them!
A big thank you to Clarence, trip leader extraordinaire, whose humor and attitude make the trip work every year.
And, special thanks to our parents for all their support and trust in us, to Anisa for being the rock-star intern we knew she would be, and our students — Amaiya, Asta, Bilena, Davonte, Fatou, Janee, Jermaine, Keion, Luna, Romeo, Sarah, and Storm — for being willing to take it all in, reflect, ask hard questions, be patient, and bring all that they learned back to their communities in DC. The trip doesn’t run without all the moving parts working together and I am forever grateful to our LearnServe family and staff for providing these experiences of a lifetime. Zikomo!
Gaby Grebski
LearnServe Zambia Trip Leader
Georgetown Day School