Time flies, folks. Bruni is already back from her 10-days trip to Chinkonono. We are currently working on another slideshow for you guys to see what happened and also some other cool surprises.
But what we can do for now to make the wait worthwhile we want to show you a little tour around PAF Center. Bruni will guide you around and talk about it. It is in German language, but we added the English subtitles for you guys.
Hope you enjoy and are as proud as we are about what happened there in the past years and how far we have already come.
You know people say that education is the key and reading educates. Well…it is true. So one of our main objectives at PAF is to educate our villagers, both kids and adults. Building a library was one of our top priorities. By now it is open everyday and as you can imagine people come and read all the time.
our book shelve
I guess we need more novels 😉
Even adults sit down to read and learn new things 🙂
fixing some educational posters in the kids reading corner
new chairs for the adults 🙂
As by today we have 260 books in stock, most for kids and teenagers but also some for adults. Topics range from science to novels and kids stories. We are trying to offer books in English and Chitonga.
Most are educational books with topics on agriculture, geography, science, literature, religion and health. But of course fictional books are not missing in our library. People can read novels like Harry Potter or Robert Ludrum in English. But also Tonga books like Tuli Bayuni (We are Birds).
The library is open to everyone in Chinkonono and the surrounding villages. People can come and read books inside or sit outside and enjoy the sun while diving into another world. Insides we have 2 kids reading tables along with 8 kids chairs and also 1 adult reading table with 2 adult chairs. I know…it sounds very small. And you are right, it is. But for now that is the best we can do. And lets be honest…the books is what matters most. And also people can of course borrow books for 2 days and read them at home.
But what am I telling you here? Let Lloyd take you on a little tour through our small library:
And yes…just like in any proper library, we do have a new librarian. Obert Milandu is taking care of the library and is giving out books and making sure they are all being returned.
Hey, if you want to come by and read a book…our opening ours are:
Week Days: 14:00hrs to 17:30hrs
Weekends: 08:00hrs to 17:30hrs
Thanks to all those kind donations, especially from Australia, our kids and adults are now in tune with the rest of the world. And I mean…who of us can say he never got lost in the magical world of Harry, Hermionie and Ron? We are so glad that Chinkonono people now can too. This library is making such a big difference and impact on people’s lives.
Since lots of adults in the villages don’t know how to read and speak English we are working hard to get Chitonga books. But we also still plan to set up English courses for adults.
I know…good read so far and you are waiting for the catch. And I don’t want to disappoint you here 😉 As you can imagine, books are not easy to come by in the Zambian bush. So we kindly ask for your help. If you have any spare books and want to send them to us to stock up our library, please feel free to do so. Since we plan to expand the library there is still space in the shelves to fill. Asking for money is always something that feels bad, but of course you can also donate and we will buy books for PAF library.
Postal addresse:
Planting A Future
P.O. Box 620288
Kalomo
ZAMBIA
Let’s work hand in hand to help our Chinkonono people to get access to literature and books. Thank you guys so much for taking the time to read this and maybe considering a book donation 🙂
It is again the end of year and everyone and most people are feasting and partying. Chinkonono village was not left behind again. Our PAF member Bruni from Germany made sure the PAF crew celebrated. So Bruni donated money for the event.
Just look at how happy our PAF kids Orsborn, Allan, Ryton, Cyford, Ruth and Told are!
It was supposed to be a PAF family get together, but when the village got wind of it they, too, invited themselves. I mean, who wouldn’t if there is food involved? 😉
This was quite a challenge to adapt to: from planning for 40 people to 160 now. But as it is with PAF, no one was turned away and miraculasly everyone had his fill of food, drink, laughter, joy and music.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2018!
But as you all know, a party does not prepare itself or little elves come and do it. So of course our members had a lot of work to do before the feasting.
First of all we had to decide where the food should be served and we were lucky enough that we could use the building that our dear friends Repairer of the Breach built near to PAF Center, the Brain Shapers Learning Center Zambia. Thank you so much, guys!!
Well…some decoration had to be organized. Funnily enough the men took care of that part. Lloyd, Patrick, Effeso and Phillip sat down and used what they had in their gardens to make the room look nicely. We are talking about banana leaves which were being cut into a “Merry Xmas” lettering by Lloyd. Just take some white paper and glue….tadaaaa 😉 Now add some of thosepoor man roses, the bagavarias. The deep purple reddish hues will lighten the Christmas mood. Doesn’t look too bad, does it?
Lloyd and the guys are cutting banana leaves for decor
Coming out nicely
Just adding some flowers and it is done 🙂
Now the major thing everybody was looking forward to: FOOD 😉
Our PAF ladies spent hours and hours cooking in our community kitchen at PAF Center. Rice had to be cooked, nsima had to be stirred and stirred and stirred. And if any of you ever tried cooking nsima, you will know what hard work that is. Also some goat stew and chicken were prepared, scones baked and drinks served.
Just imagine you would have to cook for 160 people, who initially were supposed to be only 40 😉
Pretty steamy in there 😉
Our PAF ladies doing some culinary magic in our Community kitchen at PAF Center
Stirring and stirring
Well…a bit more rice
Ladies, good job!! You guys rock! A big twalumba to Jane, Rosa, Venulli, Bina Bra, Bina Fortune and the rest of our PAF heroines 🙂
Before food was being served Patrick showed us his geeky dance to pass some time while the ladies were cooking.
Meanwhile…preperations went on, heavy loads to carry 😉
Looks quite heavy…come on guys, it’s just some rice 😉
Just enjoy our PAF ladies and some kids marching in to the sounds of “My African Dream” 🙂
And then…then…the waiting had an end and finally food was served. Everyone was in such a good mood.
But even serving the food turned out to be hard work…just look at those plates! Incredible! Also make sure you check out our “Christmas Tree” Zambian style 😉 Since we lack a real one, we put some Elephant Flower…you know: attitude is everything 😉
Serving some decent portions
Hungry?
First plates are ready
Our “Christmas Tree” is watching over the dinner 😉
Now we are bringing on some meat
And then the feasting began. Everyone enjoyed a day full of laughter and fun…and a full belly.
Village kids digging in 🙂
Well deserved, ladies! Enjoy your meal!
The gentlemen sat down inside, in style 😉
In summary what was meant to be a PAF get together ended up as a village party and left everyone happy and satisfied. It was so lively and colourful that it was a Christmas to remember.
Thank you, Bruni! Twalumba! ❤
PAF is wishing everyone a Merry Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Go, 2018!
Thank you and Twalumba to all our members, donors, supporters, friends and crew! Without all you guys PAF would not be happening!
Three years ago Chinkonono had no real center at all. Things and places throughout the village were widely spread and people would only gather at houses to do business. Chinkonono had to rely on other villages and town (Kalomo) for its daily needs. People had to go to Nguba to mill their maize and buy groceries such as salt, sugar and soap. They had to go to town to get their clothes mended and buy fruit tree seedlings.
This drastically changed and is no longer the state of affairs as Planting A Future has shaken things up. We have created a village center where people can access their groceries on PAF market place, mill their maize for little money with our own hammer mill or get their fruit tree seedlings.
Also we now provide instructions on agriculture skills, such as horticulture and gardening. Quite a number of people from Chinkonono and surrounding villages visit PAF Center.
Of course you can imagine that this was impacting the environment negatively and it had prompted PAF management to improve sanitation by constructing toilets, which will be used by both, PAF personell and clients.
So we have been working hard on constructing a building for the toilets, making bricks and plastering.
Plastering the new toilet building
This will look great
Things have to be done properly
Work in progress
Of course we wanted to make sure no it looks nice as well, so we had our carpenters make some beautiful wooden doors for us. Check that:
Working on the wood for the doors
Special Zambian way to check the doors 😉 😀
To be precises, we are talking about 2 semi-waterborne latrines with nice porcelain toilet bowl. PAF members will make sure the toilets will be kept maintained and cleaned at all times.
Wesley in Kalomo, toilet shopping 😉
As it always is when guys work hard…they needed some heavy lunch. Now guess what was on the menu! You know it? Nsima sourmilk porridge 😉
Hard work needs some good lunch 😉
As for now we are only left with finishing the interior and the installing the porceain toilet bowls. The mere existance of those toilets is good news to all visitors and PAF members as no one will seek the sanctuary of an hidden spot with sky view to answer the call of nature 😉 And I mean…look it the toilets! Don’t they look awesome? Who wouldn’t wanna go use them? 😉
Our PAF Center toilets
Thanks to all who donated funds and labour towards this very important project!!! 🙂
It’s been St. Martin’s Day all over the world and people went to get some nice goose meat to feast.
But where do you get your meat, especially red meat in the bush in the middle of nowhere? The nearest mall or meat market is 60km away from Chinkonono. You have to hike and hope to hitchhike on a maize truck, paying maybe $2 to reach town. After this challenging trip you buy a kilo of steak if you can afford it.
But seriously…would you if hares and impalas (they call them the fast food of the bush because of their speed and the McDonalds m on their butts 😉 ) were available in nearby bushes? No? Well, our PAF people and villagers don’t either.
So when a family craves for meat the boys mobilise themselves and whistle the dogs to combat. Theboys doing the hunting are from PAF families. The older one is Kankido. He usually leads the hunt and is very skilled and experienced and thus a good teacher for the younger men.
Patiently waiting…
This little bunny is stubborn 😉
…now this will be some nice dinner 😀
These troops spread into in the bush and within just a few hours they have fresh meat. It takes a bit of skills and patience. But it mostly pays off.
Just check out this short video about how they do it:
While, who needs a mall and fridge when fresh meat roams the neighbourhood?
October 24th…sounds like any other day to you? Well, in Zambia it is an important holiday: Independence Day. People from all walks of life gather to commemorate this day the country was liberated from colonial rule.
PAF organised a football tournament in order to bring the youths together to celebrate. Four u17 teams, drawn from the Youth League, were invited. Among them, of course, was our own sponsored team, the PAF Warriors. Beside the PAF Warriors we hosted Green Eagles, Green Buffaloes and Supa Power. All those teams were formed from youths of Chinkonono and the surrounding villages.
But before the tournament could start, as it is custom with all big championships, the national anthem has been sung:
Of course there was something to win for the best teams. Our dear friends from The Butterfly Tree donated some football equipment, such as a new ball, a set of socks and a goalkeeper jersey. Thank you so so much. A lot of smiles and sparkling eyes 🙂
before kick off
the boys checking out the prices that The Butterfly Tree donated for them
Initial Meeting of all competing teams
Fair Play is all
Our PAF Warriors won the tournament and recieved a new ball and 300 kwacha. Congrats, lads!
2nd place winners
The Green Buffaloes celebrate 3rd place: a set of socks and 200 kwacha.
PAF Warriors after a win
the proud winners
As you might have guessed, the boys were competing hard to go home with the first prize. And what can I say? Our PAF Warriors won the tournament and recieved the ball and 300 kwacha. Second place went to Green Buffaloes who won themselves a set of socks and 200 kwacha. The Green Eagles went home with third place, the goalkeeper jersey and 100 kwacha.
The day was full of exciting football games. As it is with all gatherings of such nature a goat and veggies were on the menu for officials, players and fans. You can imagine how much fun everyone had.
Boiling and sizzling food for players, officials and spectators
Dig in, boys! 😉
grabbing a bite to be strong for the matches
But apart from all that we wouldn’t be PAF if we’d leave it at that. Interested people could also get information about essential things like how to stay safe from HIV infections or about self-reliance through agriculture.
Not long ago we happily announced the purchase of our new hammer mill. And apparently word about it spread like wildfire in the neighbouring villages. Everyday people from different villages, more or less far away, come to Chinkonono to get their maize milled. They literally line up at PAF Center.
everyday people from different villages come to PAF Center to get their maize milled
PAF now provides services to people from surrounding villages
At the moment we still keep the mill under a temporary shelter made of wood. But the actual building we construct to keep the mill safe will be done soon.
We also found a 20-year-old strong man who will be our PAF miller. His job is to coordinate the usage of the mill and do the milling for people who bring their maize. Also he is responsible to keep the mill safe and working. Now meet our Steven:
this young man is our PAF miller: Steven
So as you can see our mill is milling basically around the clock. That is good for PAF because we can raise some funds for our upcoming and running projects. But mainly we are focused on making life easier for our villagers and the people of the Chinkonono region.
Maize waiting to be turned into mealie meal 😉
Our PAF kids in action
our mill is very busy already
Stay tuned for more updates on what is going on in Chinkonono. There are still big things planned…
