2008-09 UVM Travel Study Courses to the DR

The University of Vermont (UVM) will lead three travel-study courses to the Dominican Republic to work with the communities of Batey Libertad and Saman during the 2008-09 academic year. These international service-learning courses have been run in partnership with these communities and local NGOs working in the DR since 2005.

The first group of UVM students will be led by Drs. Pat and Jon Erickson during the Thanksgiving week. The focus will be community health, with projects including a Futbol para la Vida HIV/AIDS course at two local schools in Esperanza, a community health clinic, bed donations, and numerous projects involving upkeep and expansion of the services of the community center and clinic. Students are organizing a number of fundraisers in Burlington, Vermont, including a benefit dinner, candle and bake sale, a dribble-a-thon with UVM soccer teams, a run-a-thon with UVM running teams, and a 3rd annual Lose the Shoes soccer tournament. The class will also be supporting the annual Batey Libertad Coalition soccer tournament at Batey Libertad on Saturday, November 29th, and returning to Burlington, VT to host a World AIDS Day event on December 1st.

Over the January winter break, John Hayden of UVM's Plant and Soil Science Department and Seeds of Self Reliance will lead a class to continue the community gardening project with the Batey Libertad community. The class will also be helping to start a new community garden in Saman, a barrio of the city of Montellano in the province of Puerto Plata. More info. on last year's class is available at: http://dominicancommunitygardens.org.

To round out the academic year, Mckew Devitt of UVM's Romance Language Department will return for his 4th trip to Batey Libertad to continue work on language literacy and service-learning. The March '08 class built a home for a family at Batey Libertad.

Big news from Lena in Zambia

Here's the latest blog from Lena Forman, a former volunteer for Futbol para la Vida in the Dominican Republic and now heading up a Grassroot Soccer program in Zambia. We're hoping she'll bring back all this experience to the DR!!! Go Lena!

Muli bwanji!

I know for many of you it is starting to get cold as the fall sets in but in Zambia we are just starting the rainy season. When I first arrived we used to joke about how each day was exactly the same when it came to weather. There was always a cloudless blue sky during the day and an amazing sunset in the evening. However, just about two weeks ago that all started to change. It started off when we noticed some clouds in the sky during the day. A few days later we watched as some mean looking dark clouds rolled in and covered the whole sky like a sheet. Then there was the thunder and you could only anticipate what was going to happen next. All of a sudden the sky opened and it very quickly when from drizzle to rain to downpour. Not only that but at one point there were small balls of hail falling from the sky! You couldn't leave where you were because you would get soaked (or 'socked' as Zambians say) instantly. This lasted for maybe about an hour and then slowed up and started to pass and everyone resumed what they were doing. Since that first rain about 2 weeks ago it has probably rained at some point on 5 different days. Apparently the rain has come early this year as it usually doesn't start until the last week in October (so right around now) and it will last until March. I'm told that life is pretty different during the rainy season because it is often difficult to plan things because you never know when it's going to rain or if people will show up because of the weather. Also, when it rains, it pours! It's going to be a pretty wet next few months for sure!

The big news…..I recently found out that I will be heading up a big GRS-Zambia project that was just approved for funding that we (the local Zambia crew) were completely unaware had even been applied for. Most of the work that Grassroot Soccer does in Zambia is centered around Lusaka. However, there was a project that was started a few years ago out in some refugee camps to the west and northwest of Lusaka that were well received, successful, and effective. GRS, along with another Lusaka-based organization called Breakthrough Sports Academy (BSA), went into the camps and trained people on teaching health education (training peer educators in the GRS curriculum) and also trained people to become soccer coaches and how to organize soccer leagues (the work BSA does). The project started in 2005 and ended in July 2007.
That's where I come in. The grant is from UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) and is for $135,000 to go back to the camps and see what is still going on in terms of Grassroot Soccer and the soccer leagues that were formed. I will be traveling to two camps called Mayukwayukwa and Maheba (pronounced Maa-you-kwa-you-kwa and Ma-hey-ba…it's not as hard as it looks). These camps were created in the mid 1970s soon after Angola (the neighboring country to the west) broke out in civil war after gaining independence from Portugal. This civil war lasted for 27 years and finally ended in 2002. However, many of the refugees that fled from Angola into Zambia have spent the majority of their lives in Zambia and a large population of them were born and grew up there at these Zambian camps. After 2002, the IOM (International Organization for Migration) helped to repatriate (bring back to their home country) tens of thousands of Angolans in Zambia back to Angola. However, many have chosen to stay in Zambia because it has become their home after all these years. There are also refugees living in these camps from countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. One issue is that since many of these refugees have spent the majority or all of their lives in these Zambian refugee camps they face challenges when it comes to languages and culture in their home country if they return. They also are not Zambian citizens even though they may have been born in Zambia. Even if they are married to a Zambian they are still not a Zambian citizen (like in the US). These camps have been set up by the Zambian government and are monitored by the UNHCR and the High Commissioner.

So where exactly do I come in? Like I said I will be heading up this project to go back to these camps and evaluate where things are at (if there is anything at all) from our previous project. The last time we were in camp was July 2007 but we found out recently that apparently the soccer league that was set up during the last project is still somewhat running which is good to hear. My team that I will be working and traveling with on this project will include one other GRS staff (a Zambian) as well as one or two people from Breakthrough Sports Academy (BSA). We are not sure exactly who it is that will be joining me yet though. Within the next couple weeks we will be leaving for Mayukwayukwa where the plan is to live for about 4-5 weeks and do a site assessment and then decide what should happen from there. Although there were about 30 people trained during the original project we have no idea who is left or even still lives in the camp from this original group. The thought is that after the assessment we will run a TOT (Training of Trainers) and teach, or re-teach, the GRS curriculum so that these new peer educators can teach their community. The idea is that the GRS curriculum would coincide with the soccer league. For example, once a week a team of soccer players would go through one of the GRS activities with a trained GRS coach and then after they would play in their soccer match who is being coached by a BSA coach. So in those first 4-5 weeks we would try to set this up. Then, after returning to Lusaka, every 6 weeks we would return to the camp for about 10 days to do follow up visits and see how everything is progressing, see what is needed, etc. The same kind of idea would happen with Maheba except on a different schedule/different weeks. The camps are also pretty remote. For example, to get to Mayukwayukwa it is a 7 hour bus ride west of Lusaka to a city called Kaoma and then another 2 hours west in a car to get to the camp. My understanding is that the closest internet could be Kaoma and there is very limited cell phone service. This, however, is what I've heard from people who were there last year and things like cell phone coverage may have changed a bit by now. I have attached a map of the area so you can see where I'm going. Mayukwayukwa is in the Western Province and Maheba is in Northwestern Province.

I am very excited about the project because it seems like such a great opportunity and interesting project to get involved in. It's also pretty cool that I get to live at the camps for an extended period of time with multiple follow-up visits because I will really get an opportunity to get to know the people who live there. There is a lot that needs to get sorted out before we go though (for example I am trying to set up a meeting with the actual High Commissioner in Lusaka to inform him/her that we will be in the camps because they monitor the camps and basically we have to get their stamp of approval). Also the proposal plan and budget are very loose which gives me more flexibility in the project and basically complete control over what we decide to do (kind of a scary thought because I really don't know what I am doing right now!).
Some other interesting information about the project…in terms of the soccer part of the project, the league has been a huge success in the communities. Often a huge population of the community will actually close up what they are doing on game day and all come out to watch the matches that are going on. Also for those who are participating in the league many parents reported that they were happy because at the end of the day instead of going out after dinner and getting into trouble, their kids were staying in because they were tired from soccer practice or games. On the health education side, a study was done with Angolans who had returned to their communities in Angola where surveys were given to both those who were former refugees and those who never left Angola. It was found that those who were former refugees had more knowledge when it came to health education and making healthy life choices. Also, it was found that returnees often face stigma because they are actually returning from a country where the HIV prevalence is higher (2006 USAIDS estimates that Zambia's prevalence to be 17% and Angola's 3.7%). However, because the returnees are more knowledgeable about HIV they are able to deal with that stigma better and educate others about the facts around HIV/AIDS which helps them to reintegrate into their communities better.

Okay so I know that was a lot of information all at once which is a bit of what I have felt too because I knew nothing about any of this until about 2 weeks ago (but I am finally starting to understand). I hope all the different parts make sense because I know it is pretty confusing. If you have any questions let me know. I hope to send off another email before I leave for the first camp.

Oh yeah and today is Zambia's Independence Day (24th October)! Zambia turns 44 years old today so Happy Independence Day!

Usale bwino! (Stay well!)
Lena

Benefit Dinner for Ear Surgery a Big Success

On Friday, October 24th, the University of Vermont's Gund Institute for Ecological Economics hosted a benefit dinner and silent auction to raise money for ear surgery for Negrita, a 6 year-old Haitian-Dominican of Batey Libertad. The event was a big success, raising money for a procedure necessary to save Negrita's hearing. A huge "abrazos" from the Batey Libertad community to Carol Franco and Ida Kubiszewski for organizing the event and cooking up some delicious Dominican food, and to all the students and faculty for your generous donations.

If you're still interested in donating, checks can be made out to "Batey Libertad Fund" and sent to: Jon Erickson, 344 Aiken Center, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405. Please write "Negrita" in the memo.

Former FPV volunteer to continue GRS program in Zambia

Here's the latest from one of our former Futbol para la Vida volunteers, now in Zambia with Grassroot Soccer. Thanks for the update Lena!

Hello everyone!

It has been a while since I last wrote and a lot has happened since I arrived in Lusaka, Zambia just over 2 weeks ago. I don't know if all of you read it but I posted a blog on the Grassroot Soccer website after my first day in Lusaka with some of my first impressions.

So since I arrived we have been very very busy with learning about the different programs that are running in Zambia, meeting my new co-workers and friends, seeing Grassroot Soccer on its many different levels out in the field, moving houses, and attending a funeral.

First off, the money is called "kwacha" and the exchange is about 3500 kwacha = $1. There are no coins, just bills. Gas is called petrol. When you move (as in where you live) it's called "shifting". Cookies are biscuits. You drive on the left side of the road. Power can go off randomly. White people are "muzungus".

The GRS office in Zambia is a small one compared to the one in South Africa. There are 3 Americas (me, Stuart, and Elise) and 5 Zambians. Currently only 3 of them are in the office because 2 of them are actually working on some GRS projects in the country of Malawi but will be back later this year. The 3 in the office now who I have come to be very close with in just these couple of weeks are Gesh, Fridah, and Peter. Not only are they my co-workers but they are also my closest friends and amazing people. I've learned so much from them in this short time and am continually impressed by the work they are doing. They are the main master trainers (along with the 2 in Malawi) who train the people who will be the ones delivering the curriculum to the kids. For example, at the end of last week we ran a 3-day development course for 30 teachers (mostly phys ed) who are teaching the GRS curriculum to their kids at their respective schools. These were teachers who were trained back in 2005 in GRS but this course acted as a refresher course for them to review the activities and how best to teach them as well as be updated on changes to the curriculum. We were also able to provide them with a new set of the materials they need to play the activities (a soccer ball, tennis balls, cones, Fact/Nonsense cards, etc). They were a really fun group to get to know and a good way to jump right GRS business. Since I'm not yet qualified to teach the activities I helped more with making sure things were running smoothly during the day by timekeeping, checking on the food for our breaks/lunch, participating in some activities, and teaching some new energizers/ice breakers. (If anyone has any good energizers/ice breakers please please email them to me because we are looking for some new ones!) A new food that I got to try during this session was a staple in Zambia called nshima which is pounded maize/corn. It's a lump of food eaten with your fingers along with beans, meat, and rape (a greens dish with an unfortunate name). I think it's good but it definitely fills you up because you essentially end up with this dough ball in your stomach. Each day after we ate this for lunch we couldn't even eat a real dinner because we still weren't hungry even later at night.

We have started to sort out who will be working on what projects for us interns. These are still tentative because we just found out about a few new grants that we have been awarded that will change this structure a bit. As of right now I will be working with the peer educators from another organization called Africa Directions (AD). AD runs all different kinds of activities for youth from sports to drama and more. Young adults (mainly 19-25 +/-) run these activities and GRS has teamed up with them and trained many of them in the GRS curriculum to become peer educators. Currently the AD peer educators are finishing up working with a group of young boys between 9-12 years old who participate in a program called Zambia Street Football Network (ZSFN). These boys play on teams within this league which meets every Sunday morning and what happens is that each week teams run through a GRS activity with the AD peer educators and then after play with their respective teams in the soccer league. I got to see this in full action for the first time this past Sunday and it was really fun, especially to see the young boys learning while having fun and running around.

I will also be taking over the finances for the GRS Zambia office (something I need to get trained in!) as well as helping assist with the teacher's program that I mentioned above. This would include going on site visits to see the teachers running the programs in their classrooms and checking in on them. Just so you have a sense of where GRS and these programs get some of their funding this program is being sponsored by MAC, the cosmetics company, which has a fund called MAC AIDS.

Other big news is that we have "shifted" to our new house. When I first got here we were living in a cottage on the property of another person in an area of Lusaka called Kabulonga. The property had 2 full houses and a cottage, a pool, a pool house, 3-4 gardeners, and a guard at the gate with an electric fence. All the nicer properties in Lusaka have big gates. Our new house that we have shifted to is really nice as well (but no pool haha). We have moved to an area called Ibex Hill and we have the whole property to ourselves which consists of our house and a smaller cottage in the back which is actually going to become the new GRS office in the next month or so (significantly cutting down on our transport to work!). The house also has a nice garden in the back and a really nice yard. There is currently a gardener hired by our landlady who has been helping to get the house ready for us to move in but I don't think we are planning on keeping him on because we're here to put our resources into fighting HIV/AIDS, not keep our lawn manicured. However, then we are also taking a job away from someone. We have also struggled because we have hired a guard named Thomas who stays from 6pm-6am. The three of us living here feel so strange having a guard who has to sit by our gate for 12 hours through the night just to watch over us and our house. It has nothing to do with him because he couldn't be a nicer person but it's just something that none of us have really experienced on such a personal level before. However, it's more than normal/expected to have a guard, especially as muzungus, and it is for safety reasons it just feels strange.

The funeral. Since I arrived, the uncle of one of my co-workers as well as the uncle and the brother of another co-worker have passed away. This past Monday I attended the funeral of the brother of my friend and co-worker Gesh. We had known that his brother was sick because Gesh had been going to visit him often after work at the hospital so it wasn't completely unexpected but still very very sad. Gesh was 1 of 10, and now 9, siblings who have already lost both of their parents. However, as Gesh explained to us, uncles, aunts, cousins are all mothers, fathers, and siblings to each other. The funeral was almost a full-day event starting with a service and then a burial. The service was at an outdoor church/structure in his compound (community) and when we got there we found out that it was actually a combined service for both Gesh's brother and another man. There had to have been over 300 people there with women sitting on one side in their chitenge (traditional fabric), a big choir in the middle, and the men on the other side. There was so much singing (mostly in Nyanja, the local language) and we tried to join from the booklets that were distributed. Unfortunately I couldn't understand what I was saying but the songs were very beautiful. The part that hit me the most during the service was part way through when the related women came in wailing follow by the caskets of the deceased men and also when Gesh's eldest brother read a brief bio about their brother and said that he was born in 1980 (which made him 28 years old when he died). We think that his brother may have died of AIDS because we knew that one of Gesh's brother had HIV and this brother had been sick for a while but it's not something that you can just straight out ask about. That really hit hard and made me realize why I'm really here. After the service we drove to the cemetery for the burial and watched as the casket was lowered in to the ground and the friends and family continued to pile the dirt in, passing the shovel and sharing the labor. The cemetery was so big and as we drove by I couldn't help but notice the dates on the tombstones…1986, 1982, 1973, 1987…everyone seemed so young and it made me wonder why all these people had died at such a young age. It was a very real experience sitting there in the hot dusty Zambian sun in the middle of a huge cemetery as I watched one of my closest friends bury his not yet 30 year old brother. I can only hope that the work that we are doing with Grassroot Soccer is lessening these cases. I can see why Gesh is so passionate about his work and good at what he does.

I know that there is much more I could share but I think this post has reached its limit. I hope I didn't lose you part way through. Thank you for those who responded to my previous emails. It is always nice to hear the updates in your lives. Also be sure to check out the video Lusaka Sunrise on YouTube to see where I am currently living (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyplef2Hi6Y). (I know the guy Ebby who is interviewed during it.)

Until next time…
Lena

(next time I write I will have a Zambian name also…it is still being debated by my friends... :-)