Last Wednesday, Linda told the ladies that they were all invited to a mini-golf event and lunch, sponsored by people wanting to contribute to Dialess (Zambia’s Barista Champ) going to Addis and Austria that couldn’t go themselves, and so bought tickets for the ladies to go.  There was quite a discussion about going – none of them have been golfing, for sure, and I think they were a little trepidatious.  But the fact that lunch was included convinced about 42 to take the risk.  Linda kept telling them, “You don’t have to golf,” but really, who doesn’t love mini golf?  They came and had an absolute blast!  We had a ton of fun.  And after the golfing, we all sat down to a steak dinner at one of Lusaka’s best steak restaurants.  Judith kept looking around and said to Linda, “Mama, we’ve never been to anything like this, this is such a nice place.  Thank you so much.”  And a huge thanks to everyone that bought tickets to send them to experience a whole lot of things they’ve never imagined.

Check out the gallery for more photos!

Our friend, Margi, is visiting Chikumbuso to do computer training.  Check out these photos and videos below to see what’s happening.  Imagine!  Beauty is learning to type!

Computer Training 1

Computer Training 2

Want to get involved in sending the Zambian Barista Champ on her way to Addis?  Check out this appeal from our friend and partner, Bob Keating…  And you can donate easy by just clicking here!

Dear Friends & Family,

On November 23, 2011 Dailess Nalwamba, a coffee barista from Blue Moon Cafe, won the 2012 Zambia National Barista Championships. It was an amazing day. I had closed Blue Moon early so that all our staff could attend the awards ceremony. When they called Dailess’s name as the Champion my staff rushed the stage, threw her into the air, and began chanting “Blue Moon, Blue Moon, Blue Moon.” They even starting dancing the Blue Moon Slide, which I didn’t know existed. It was great to see all our hard work and practice pay off.

We are now working to send Dailess to the birthplace of coffee, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from February 15-19, 2012, to compete in the Africa Barista Championships.  After Addis, Dailess is off to the 2012 World Barista Championship in Vienna, Austria, from June 12-15, 2012.  These are two high-profile events and we are excited to get to represent Zambia at each. On top of this, we are also working to be able to send one of Dailess’s fellow baristas from Blue Moon with her to each event. The issue….we need to raise some money to cover their travel and registration costs.

I’d like to kindly ask for your help by donating $40 to buy a ticket to the Mini-Golf Tournament & Marlin Lunch Fundraiser on January 28^th. Marlin is our local steakhouse and the steaks are wonderful! I realize almost all of you will not be able to go to this event. But, if you do buy a ticket we will organize for a lady from the Chikumbuso Women’s & Orphans Project to take your place.

Chikumbuso is a fantastic organization that helps over 85 single mothers and widows by teaching them sewing skills, cooking skills, and life skills. They also provide free schooling for over 300 kids in the Ng’ombe area. I should also mention that all of my staff at Blue Moon Café come from Chikumbuso. For many of these ladies, having the chance to laugh over a round of mini-golf and eat a delicious meal at one of Lusaka’s best restaurants will be a once in a lifetime experience. Visit www.chikumbuso.com to learn more about Chikumbuso.

If you are able to purchase a ticket, we will send you an emailed video thank-you from the Chikumbuso lady(s) that you sponsored. It’s a small token of our appreciation and we think you will enjoy getting to see the smile you put on someone’s face. Our goal is to sell 100 tickets to earn enough to cover two RT plane tickets to Addis Ababa.

Details of how you can help out are in the attached flier. You can purchase your ticket…or TICKETS…by sending money to me via Paypal, by sending a check to my parents in Florida, or by sending a check to my friend Moges in Washington, DC. Please feel free to forward this email to other friends you think may want to help. Thank you in advance for your contribution.

Bob Keating

Managing Director

Blue Moon Café

Lusaka, Zambia

bob.keating.iii@gmail.com

260-0977-368-628 or 1-202-657-5671 (free international call to my Zambian cell)

Schools in Zambia begin their calendar year in January.  This time of year is busy at Chikumbuso buying school supplies, double checking our enrollment and getting everyone settled for the new school term.

It’s also the time that we do our major role call anticipating our big purchase of health scheme cards.

This year, however, the new government has increased the budget in the health sector and now Zambians can go to their local clinics for free primary care!  This will help tremendously with folks that would put off going to the doctor because they don’t have the money for fees.  It will also encourage check-ups for children under 5, a very vulnerable group.

This is fantastic news and we are all very thankful.

However, we have been raising funds for the purchase of this year’s cards.  We plan to ‘bank’ that money for the purchase of medications and treatments for our project members.  Even though everyone can go to the doctor and find out what is wrong – they may not be able to afford the remedy.  Banking money now will allow us to help our widows and students if and when they become ill.

A big Thank You! to everyone who has participated in caring for the health of our widows, orphans and grandmothers!  God bless you in 2012!

Click here for more information on Zambia’s announcement regarding this big change!

Reflections…

It is hard for me to put into words the experience of having President George W. Bush and his entire family at Chikumbuso. It was an incredible honor.

Many of you are asking me how this visit came about.

It is because Chikumbuso Community Center is a place he would not want to miss.

At a time when heads were reeling over the AIDS endemic ravaging Africa, President Bush showed an enormous amount of courage as he stood up to this global threat and came out with the PEPFAR (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) initiative. This is an initiative that has helped save the lives of those suffering around the world with HIV/AIDS.  Through hard work he was able to mobilize the American people into giving back to those desperately trying to rebuild their lives in the midst of such devastation.

Living here in Zambia I am witness to the lives saved through this program. Ninety five percent of our widows at Chikumbuso and many of their children suffer from this virus.

When I reflect on the women seven years ago and the hardships they were enduring, not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually, I can see nothing but growth. They support themselves through a lot of hard work and commitment. Many of the struggles are still there. Death still roams the compound like a lion, devouring who ever it can find. Sickness is everywhere and healthy food is still an issue. Yet somehow each one of these people finds the strength with the help of their ARVs to keep on going and when they don’t, the rest of the community is there to lift them up. The members of Chikumbuso show what can be done when given just a bit of hope and direction. At Chikumbuso we do not carry the person, we give them skills to help themselves. It is totally up to them whether or not they pick up their burdens, give them to Jesus, and move on.

President Bush’s courage is only matched by the courage shown by these women. The beauty of his visit to us was that he got to see it in a very personal way. Women shared their stories and children shared their lives. I believe that President Bush and his family were touched deeply by the stories the widows told and the lives of the children at Chikumbuso.  He was able to see first hand what a difference his courage has made in their world.

Note the sign above the Presidents head in the photo below. It is one of the old WWII signs that I picked up in NYC, it is of a woman with a head scarf showing off her muscle. At the top of the sign it says, “We can do it”.

That should be the motto.

We can do it.  We are doing it.

We are changing the lives of many, many people both within the project and also in the compound of Ng’ombe.

World War II stole the lives of many American men and American women stepped up to the plate. The AIDS virus stole the lives of many of the widow’s husbands and they too are working to get back on their feet. The war on AIDS is not over but many battles have been won.

President Bush stepped out to make a difference and Chikumbuso has responded positively to the difference he made.

President Bush now knows that Chikumbuso would not exist with out this access to free drugs and we got to thank him face to face.

What a gift to the women.

The widows ended the program with a heartfelt song for the President that made us all cry.This song extols the works of President George Bush. It lets them know that the women have nothing to give but praise to God on his part. And one day he will receive his blessing in heaven.

Linda

Please remember to sign up for our newsletter on our website… it only takes a minute!

Don’t forget Chikumbuso featured on france5, Echappees Belles, tomorrow Dec 3 at 20:35 +1GMT. Featuring Linda and Gertrude!

Under a grant from Rotary International, our STARY (Skills Training for At Risk Youth) team learned to produce a Comfort Kit – Washable/Reusable Sanitary Napkins.  The original purpose behind this was to create a unique product in the sewing room for sale and distribution through local NGOs to schools in Lusaka and the surrounding areas for girls who often miss going to school during their monthly period because they lack money to purchase disposable pads.

Our efforts with that project have been well received.  Now our team has turned its attention to another group of women in Zambia that are desperate for similar assistance – women in prison.

The conditions of prisons for women in Zambia would shock many people. Supplies must come from the outside. Overcrowding, brutal beatings, rape and a complete lack of sanitation are just a part of life.  When food is hardly available – you can be sure no one has disposable pads.

We believe that giving them a Comfort Kit, soap, a bucket, underwear and a whole lot of kindness can help alleviate some of these women’s profound suffering.  Even knowing that strangers care about their well-being and a most basic need like this, that few would address, can be a comfort to them.

Our friend, Sarah Showell is working with Mary Mwale, STARY trainer and counselor, to fundraise, produce and distribute these kits to local prisons.  ”We can even have people write notes of encouragement to the recipients to encourage them and slip them in the packets,” Sarah says.  What a great idea, huh?

Will you help us?

Check out our Global Giving project page to learn more and make a donation.

We had a great day with employees and managers from Barclays Bank.  They brought loads of food, chickens, beef stew, cabbages for coleslaw, nshima and so much more.  They worked hand in hand with the ladies cooking all morning for the students.  It was like Christmas come early!  They also brought donations of school books and plastics.  Thanks, Barclays, for a great day!

Welcome to Our New Site! We are so happy to have our new website up and running! A big thanks to Gareth Bentley for all the hard work and the hours of patience as he waited for Mama Linda to get her act together.

Summer months in America have come and gone and being back in Lusaka for six weeks makes it seem like forever ago.  The Chikumbuso Project would like to thank each and everyone of you for receiving me in your church, school, home, civic center etc.. There were many highlights but a few I would like to mention are:

Joining World Bicycle Relief in a 100 mile ride in Chicago.  One hundred miles is a lot further than you think but it was so worth it. Between us all ( the Buehlers, Kate and I) we were able to raise over $6000 for bikes this year.

Secondly, were some new friends I met at a fund raiser put on by the Zonta Club of Malden and the Junior Aid Association of Malden. It was a wonderful tea full of wonderful women and I would just like to let it be known those women can shop!

Hardly a bag left.

Thirdly was our Jonathan Edward Winery fundraiser with Ben Taylor singing out his support for Chikumbuso.  By the way his band can shop as well! This evening was well attended and it has been suggested that it become an annual event.

A big THANK YOU to all of you who were so supportive over the past few months!

Linda, Bruce & Kate - The Fast Team!