Thanks to all HMP's volunteers, sponsors and other supporters who
continue to build capacity at our projects in Chibobo and Serenje... 
  

DRAUGHT THREATENS HMP AND CHIBOBO ORPHANAGE

April 2005

Chibobo and the Central Province of Zambia have unfortunately been suffering from a significantly lower rainfall in the 2004/5 rain season than average. This draught has caused HMP to have lower production of crops than expected and threatens the ability for the organization to be self-sufficient in feeding its orphans and students during the remainder of the school year.

With this crisis in mind, we appeal to all of our supporters and friends to offer us their prayers, thoughts and support. Donations to help the organization supplement the limited maize and other staple foods that it will harvest this season would be much appreciated by all stakeholders in the HMP community.

Thank you Christian Aid!

March 2005

Christian Aid has recently awarded a grant in the amount of $3000 to Help Ministries Project (HMP) to go towards the purchase of a truck for use at the Project’s farm in Serenje district of Zambia. This will help generate income and strengthen the long-term sustainability of the project.

Christian Aid decided to award the grant because HMP’s work is in line with Christian Aid's Zambia Programme priorities; focusing equally on HIV/AIDS and Sustainable Livelihoods. In 2004 the farm produce could not be marketed and sold because of the high cost of hiring a truck to transport crops to the nearest market. This grant from Christian Aid will go towards the cost of a truck for crop and farm produce marketing, increasing the self-sufficiency of HMP, and providing an income to fund the sustainable livelihoods and HIV/AIDS work.

HMP is well known in the area and has the key understanding and knowledge of the local setting, its people, and its particular needs. It has been at the forefront of developing local sustainable agricultural practices in the community. This experience and understanding of the local community will ensure that HMP uses the grant money efficiently and effectively to support the most vulnerable AIDS orphans.

HMP is grateful to Christian Aid for their support. On behalf of the ophans and families of the Chibobo community, HMP extends is appreciation and gratitude!

November 7th, 2004

Dear Friends of the Orphan Project,

Here is an account of his recent visit to Chibobo by a good UK friend and sponsor, William Hall. I thought you might like to hear the latest.

God bless you all,
Kevin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear friends of the Chibobo orphans,

As one of the sponsors of the HMP orphan project at Chibobo I thought other sponsors and well-wishers might care to have a short account of my recent visit to the project. I hope I can give a reasonably objective - though inevitably very impressionistic - "outsider's" view of recent developments there.

On Monday 25th October - a bank holiday in celebration of the 40th anniversary the previous day of Zambia's independence from Britain - I was given a lift to Chibobo in the project's vehicle from Serenje, the nearest small town where HMP's tiny office is located. Please be assured I paid for the fuel! This is the hottest time of the year when even hardened Zambians wilt in the afternoon sun and look forward to the start of the rainy season. "Traditionally", I was told, the first rains fall on Independence Day. In reality, it seems, they hardly ever do!

The first thing that struck me on arriving at Chibobo was the hundreds of bulging white 50kg sacks of maize which were piled high throughout the compound. I'd been warned about this in advance. Zambia has just experienced a "bumper harvest" of this staple foodcrop, farmers spurred on by government encouragement after the food shortages which hit the international headlines a while back. The problem is that the state system for buying up the surpluses from small farmers seems to have broken down. So although there is certainly no question of anyone at Chibobo going hungry this year, the situation has resulted in a real "cash crisis" for HMP. The maize will be sold eventually, no doubt, but in the meantime there are some real problems. So, for example, there is no money to hire labour to prepare a large area of land given to HMP by the local chief for cultivation with the beautiful new tractor donated by Bristol Christian Fellowship.. The tractor is being hired out locally - with an HMP driver to ensure it comes to no harm - but the establishment of the new farm, a significant future source of food and income, may now have to be postponed.

However, this is a temporary setback. For the rest Chibobo, now graced by the magnificent, colourful adventure playground constructed by the Overnewton volunteers, is a hive of activity and a beacon of hope in a desperately poor and under resourced rural area. Despite the heat maize is sorted, the hammer mill pounds, wood is planed in the carpentry shop, chickens scratch, pigs grunt, food is prepared, clothes are scrubbed, manure is shoveled, water is pumped into storage tanks. The new orphan buildings, funded by AusAid, are nearing completion - work on the roofing began the day I left and once the interiors are protected from the coming rains the plastering and flooring can begin. By December the new dormitories, kitchen and dining rooms should be completed, bunk beds, mattresses and blankets have already been fashioned or purchased, and although a great deal of equipment is still needed (cooking and eating utensils, clothing, mosquito nets, basic medicines and teaching resources) everything should be ready for a new orphan intake early in the new year. The classrooms are bright, colourful and welcoming, the library is amazingly well stocked and carefully organised.

And the principle purpose of all this effort and activity? Truly it was a joy to witness this troop of clean, well fed, well cared for, laughing, jostling, energetic children as they assembled for meals, ran to clean their dirty cups and plates at the pump, gathered for class or communal singing and games. They seemed happy. I don't think young children can fake happiness, even for a visiting sponsor, and it was a pleasure and a privilege to reflect that, whilst HMP is emphatically a "grass roots" organisation (with the exception of 2 VSO volunteers it is entirely locally run) I have had a small part to play in giving them this chance of life.

Do try to visit Chibobo if you ever get the opportunity. You will be welcomed with sincere gratitude and warmth. Thanks to the 'Guest House' built for the Overnewton volunteers you'll even get your own bathroom!

William Hall
27.10.04

KEVIN GILBERT LEAVES ZAMBIA

November 6th, 2004

After 3 years of service to Serenje and Chibobo, Kevin Gilbert left Zambia late this summer. Everyone at HMP would like to send an enormous message of thanks to Kevin for all his hard work in structuring and initiating the orphan project, pursuing funding sources for the project, and participating in its construction and management. We are certain that the orphans at Chibobo with never forget his kindness or the love he showed to them.

Kevin will continue to be involved in the Chibobo project and in addition will be helping to build a second orphanage in Serenje town center. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors!

PICTURES FROM OVERNEWTON VISIT

October 18th, 2004

Here are pictures of the murals that were painted on the orphanage walls, the playground that was constructed, and the Overnewton students eating traditional Zambian food. We are greatful for their support and for all the love they brought with them to the orphanage.

NEW ACCESSORIES FROM BRISTOL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP

October 15, 2004

Bristol Christian Fellowship donated funds for a new tractor earlier this year (see below). After we purchased the tractor, Bristol Christian Fellowship provided even more funding so that we could purchase these additional accessories for it. We are once again greatful to BCF for their enormous generosity and support. It is because of them that we had a bountiful harvest. We will continue to be greatful throughout the year as we see the orphans well nourished and healthy!

Well, the Overnewton contingent (17 students, staff, ex-student) have arrived and have settled in well at Chibobo. Abeauty and Kevin met them at the Lusaka airport. Amazingly, there were no hassles with all their huge amount of luggage (which included many donated items like a generator,easy reading books and library materials to help catalog the Chibobo books, clothing for the children, tools for the playground construction – to be left here for teaching trade skills to the growing children). We piled into the minibus we had hired, much to the amusement of the students who had to sit 4 to a seat Zambian-style....this novelty soon wore off the next day after the cramped 5 hour trip to Serenje! Abeauty took Mike and Leno with all the luggage in his Isuzu, and met us in Serenje late on Friday. I showed the group our Australian Volunteer house in the Serenje Boys School grounds, dropped in for a quick visit of the school library set up by ourselves, then we bought extra water and took a stroll through the Serenje market (fresh vegetables, dried fish, chickens being carried home by the wings for dinner – as well as the small-time shops with chitenges, clothing, bicycle spares etc. Of course, the locals were mesmerised by this huge contingent of fair white skin...the students felt as if they were under a microscope! We then travelled out to Chibobo. 20km by tar, then the last 10km over rough dirt road. As we approached the HMP centre, we found the road blocked by 4 bicycles and a motorcycle! it was a welcoming mobile escort! They had been waiting for over 5 hours to surprise us...what commitment! We followed this motley band into the HMP centre, amidst ringing of the bells and sounding of the motor-cycle horn. Dusk was falling as we entered the HMP site...there we found a huge gathering of local folk, singing clapping, dancing and warmly welcoming the Overnewton team to Chibobo. After warm embraces, shaking of hands, more singing and dancing, the group were led into the newly completed 'guest-house'....at first, we were all seated on the verandah until the lights were turned on courtesy of a newly purchased generator (the Overnewton one will add to the capacity of the newly wired electrical system here) – now, we could enter the bedrooms – flush toilets, and bunk-beds, beautifully set up with treated mosquito nets etc were awaiting the weary, but excited, travellers .’this is better than the Lusaka Backpackers’ said one student (I agreed).

After introductions to the leading personel at Chibobo, the group sat down to their first meal...unfortunately, I had to return with the minibus driver to Serenje...but I understand that there was a full evening’s entertainment laid on by the locals under the stars around a large bonfire...I think we need to hear all this from one of the students when they get time to write down their experiences! Today, 2 days later, I visited the site to find the playground well under way...sandpit tyres painted, large logs set upright in concrete etc...meantime, the students were attending a church service in the classroom nearby..when they came out, I was please to learn that all were settling in well thanks in no small measure to the wonderful contribution as liaison person by Richard Cairns, the UK volunteer uni student who himself has settled in really well and is helping in many other areas as well (eg electrical work). Looking at a few plates from lunch left with some kapenta fish, I think one or two are having problems with the local food (but there is enough other conventional food available so no-one will starve). No, it is going really well - tomorrow, painting of murals on the library and classroom walls commences, the Library catalogueing begins in earnest , and the playground construction continues. And of course, the children of the orphanage arrive back on site after a weekend away - and, if today was anything to go by, they will have great fun with the fun-loving Overnewton students who today were playing all sorts of ganes with the local children after church (language proving no barrier to fun!). On Friday, they all travel on to Lusaka, then Livingstone (Vic Falls) and South Lunagwa for a well-deserved holiday!

BRISTOL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP PROVIDES ADDITIONAL FUNDING

June 25, 2004

Bristol Christian Fellowship, which has long been the support mainstay of HMP right from its very inception back in the 1990's (throught the provision of funding for bore-holes, vehicles and other essential items) has recently made two generous donations to HMP for purchase of a tractor and accessories. The tractor is a huge step forward for HMP in terms of becoming more agriculturally self-sustainable, particularly with the need to grow enough food for the 100 children in the new enlarged orphanage in 2005, sponsored through AusAid. We are all extremely excited about this. THANK YOU BRISTOL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP!!!

The tractor has been bought, it is now at the farm. The cost of the tractor was K78,000,000. The actual donations totaled K107,000,000 so the additional money went toward puchase of a trailer and other necessary tractor accessories.

We are requesting all representatives of HMP to write and register high appreciation to the Bristol Christian Fellowship and other well wishers who were involved in raising funds for the tractor. We say thank you. We shall keep you informed of our progress.

NEW DORMITORY CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY

May 27th, 2004

WONDERFUL NEWS - HMP received a grant from Ausaid for US$35,000, and HMP can now proceed with construction of a100 bed dormitory! The 12 sponsors who helped establish the Chibobo Orphan Project will recall that our original target back in May 2003 was 100 children - in fact, the project was originally called the '100 Orphans Project'.and here we are, not even a year later, and we have been provided with this funding in response to the proposal submitted last October to the Australian High Commission in Pretoria who administer this area of Ausaid funding - thank you Australia! It is hoped that the additional 70 or so children (aged between 5 and 9 years) will be able to join us at the start of the 2005 school year in mid-January after the new building has been completed by December this year. This new structure will incorporate solar panels for some lighting at night, plus more rainwater collection, and an adjoining kitchen and dining room. Bunk-beds will be made this time to save space. The existing orphanage building will become 2 class-rooms so that education at our small community school will also benefit through this new construction - we will now move to include a Grade 3 class next year. The new volunteer from VSO, Charles Mbambo, has therefore arrived at a very timely moment - one of his immediate goals is to assist in the production of adequate food for the 100 children next year since the regular monthly contributions from the 13 individual sponsors will effectively only cover the wages of the anticipated 10 Carers and 4 teachers in 2005, and not the feeding etc of the children. Therefore, individual sponsors, please continue with your generous commitment since, with so many children under our care, we are still relying on you!

The Ausaid Grant to build the new dormitory complex has resulted in feverish activity by Abeauty – already, he has converted the old church building at Chibobo into a large storage room for the building supplies which will be ordered soon. The old leaking thatched roof has been replaced with corrugated iron sheeting and a firm wooden beam support system. Many loads of building-sand are already on the site, thousands of local bricks are about to be moulded in line with the requirements detailed in the bill of quantities prepared together with local Serenje Council assistance. As soon as the funds are in our account next week, materials will be ordered and building will commence first on a kitchen and canteen section – we hope to complete this stage by the end of May 2004 so that the existing kitchen and canteen can be converted into a Guest-Room section in time for the arrival of the students and staff of Overnewton College in late June. There is also the possibility of a visit to the site by an Australian parliamentary delegation sometime in July – so the guestrooms may be useful then too. We also hope that the guestroom section will attract other volunteers in future months/years to join us to share their skills to the overall betterment of the lives of our children – surely the prospect of doing something of service for HIV-AIDS orphans in the middle of Africa, whether it be for a week or longer, will be attractive to some individuals, families or other groups

HELP MINISTRIES PROJECT crjuska@helpministriesproject.org