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A SCHOOL FOR MUKAMBI
In the center of Zambia you will find the Kafue National Park. This enormous nature area is situated approximately 300 km from the captial city of Lusaka. With a surace area of almost 23.000 km2, this park is larger than half the Netherlands. And that makes this the largest national park of Africa.
The Mukambi Safari Lodge is situated in the middle of the park, where visitors can stay and under the supervision of guides can explore the park. Masses of animals can be found, such as elephants, antelopes, buffalos, lions, cheetahs, and hippo(potamuse)s.
The staff of Mukambi Safari Lodge come from outside the park because it is not permitted to live in the park. They come from all parts of the country, but mainly from the villages which border the national park. The management of the Lodge - at some distance to the Lodge- have founded a village for the staff and their families. The small houses and provisions supplies in the village have been personally set up by inhabitants, but with limited resources. The houses are simple but give, by African standards, sufficient comfort. However there is still no flowing water, and there are no toilets (and) or showers. They are also missing a proper school building.
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The village has about 100 inhabitants, of which 35 children at school going age. Normally people are designated to villages bordering on the park to be able to educate their children. In that case, the children stay at granddad's and/or grandma's or other family members. The nearest village lies 100 km away. To make it possible for families to stay together, an effort is being made to start up a school which provides lower education. So since recently there has been a school in the village- a school with a real (lady) teacher. By Zambian rural standards that's quite something. We are not however talking about a real building, but an old army tent. The children therefore do have a shelter against the rain during the rainy season and are protected against the sun in the dry season. But for good education this is naturally not ideal. With just a small opening in the roof, it's too dark to read your text book or note book. And during a good storm the tent will easily be blown away!
Meanwhile the students already sit on benches on a sand covered floor.
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The Mukambi Community School Foundation concerns itself about the destiny/ future of the children and inhabitants of the Mukambi village. It aims to support this small community and offer aid effectively without complicated official/ administrative lines, but rather by means of direct contacts.
First of all our Foundation aims at the construction of a decent school. This will improve the education the children are getting. This is important because the foundation for their future is laid here, so that they can follow a study anywhere else to become independent.
In the meantime a new school building is being built, with 2 large rooms, a staff room and storage room.
In consultation between the occupants it is being examined as to which further aid will be spent. They are thinknig of of sanitary supplies, water supplies and improvement of the houses.
Also two small fishermen's villages in the vicinity call for attention. The Foundation is also considering offering them aid at a (secondary) later stage.
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