Lots to read below

Internet has not been helping me keeping in touch with you all, but here are some updates on my work, my life, myself.

Enjoy the reading. And see you soon.

And these are signs that Canada is not so far away...

"Chileshe!" (my Bemba name) "Look, I found Canadian money!"
And here was my neighbour who had found god knows where a Canadian tire bill!

A few days after Canada Day, I got a letter from Lyndsey with a Canadian flag...
And here is little Agy playing with it!

Update on my work

So, we have done a baseline survey on the household water points in Nchelenge and Chienge districts, analyzed the results and wrote a report to capture the main findings and use it as a basis for the implementation of the Self Supply Program. We have started working on creating an enabling environment for the program: training of artisans, training of masons and identification of local shops and of the material available in the area. We have also started making a draft of the social marketing strategy to influence the behaviour change that needs to happen for Self Supply to work. Now, why are we still behind?

Logistics.

We need equipment to do the water quality monitoring of the water points surveyed in order to have some quantitative data to back up our findings and justify the benefits of having an improved water well. We don't have sufficient material or technical skills in the districts and we are lacking the facilities to do bacteriological tests. Equipment and a lab is available in Mansa (center town in Luapula province) but it takes around five hours to get there. How are we going to collect all the water samples in less than one day in both district and then send them to Mansa so that they can immediately do the bacteriological tests before the bacteria start multiplying? Is it feasible? And now, the equipment cannot be found in Zambia. I have been told that they have to be ordered from a UNICEF provider in India! By the time an order is made and that we get the material up here, it will be the end of August. Which is when I have to leave. Unfortunately. I wished I could extend my contract to be able to analyze the results from the water tests and participate in the learning of the successes and challenges of the implementation of Self Supply. But I am working on a plan to leave my partner organization and Ashley (an EWB long-term volunteer working on Self Supply as well) with all the tools, documents and information necessary to move on with the project in Nchelenge and Chienge districts once I leave.

Let me hide... where?

So let's not confuse everything from the start. I know that some people give me a special treatment because they are hospitable. But I also know that some people give me a special treatment because I am "white". I am not a specialist that can easily make the difference between the two at any given time, but there are occasions when I definitively feel uncomfortable receiving that special treatment. My friends know that I am a shy person and that I despite having more attention than I need to. But here in a big crowd, I cannot hide. I am spotted right away. People are scruting me with their eyes, I feel like they are analysing every single breath I take.

When I walk on the road, I often hear people yelling to me: "Muzungu! Muzungu!" (Non-Zambian, usually referring to "White Man"). And at other times, I do hear "China!" or "Japan!". The frustrating thing is not that they fail to call me "Canada!", it is that I don't know what are the implications behind those words. I feel like I have been judged without having done anything. I have been put in a box with all the other Muzungus, Chinese and Japanese, but what does that mean for them? What are their perceptions of Westerners? What are their pre-conceived ideas of me?

As I was trying to understand the perception that people had on Chinese and Japanese, I learned that:
- Chinese people are not always well perceived because they are sometimes taking over jobs that locals could do
- Chinese are known to not be honest in their business activities
- Chinese are great because they are helping developing infrastructures in Zambia
- Japanese are well perceived because they take on a lot of development projects, mostly related to water and irrigation
- Japanese sometimes make promises and do not hold them
- Japanese and Chinese have lots of money to give away

Now, how I am feeling about that? Does that mean that every time someone call me "China!" they have these ideas in their minds? What am I supposed to do with that?

At the beginning, I felt a bit powerless because I didn't know what to do to about it. How can I overcome the negative ideas that people might have about me? The ideas are so entrenched in people's mind. Foreigners that came in the country have always been giving away handouts in all sorts of form and it is normal for people in the community to think that I might just do the same thing. Now, I have tried to attend meetings and trainings where there are usually a lot of people to explain to them my presence in the district. I am here to work on a project that will help them gain the skills and knowledge to improve their access to safe drinking water. That I am not here to preach anything, not here to take anyone back to Canada, not here to sponsor anyone, not here to give away money, clothes or boreholes. Did that work? Well, when I talk to people, they nod ("yes, yes"), but there is something in their face that makes me think that they are still waiting for me to give them something after I finish my schpeel.

Not only that had a affect on me personally because I am putting a lot of efforts into integrating the community and it is somewhat frustrating to feel that everyday I find myself at the bottom of the ladder again because people do not seem to understand, but I am also concerned about the impact that these pre-conceived idea on my involvement in the area have on my project itself. What comes out of my mouth is contradicting people's perception of the Muzungu.

So should I hide and only work behind the scenes to let the local go in the field? But then, how can I learn and help if I cannot be on the ground?

O like Opportunity

During the first weekend of July, I left my village for what seemed to be ages. I traveled from North to South to join all the other EWB volunteers in Zambia for our mid-summer retreat. A total of 40 hours on a bus plus something like 15 hours of waiting. A trip without any delay or mechanical problems on the way is not a real trip.

Siavonga, the place of our retreat is located in the South and it shares a man-made lake (Lake Kariba) with its neighbour Zimbabwe and there is a pretty impressive dam down there.



Being away from Kaseka Village (my village) for so long (one week!) made me feel as if the retreat was somewhat unreal. Not being a minority in a group and not having problems communicating felt weird. While many of us were coming from places where there is hardly any electricity, Internet and tap water, the sudden access to all these commodities was a bit overwhelming.


I had the opportunity to choose between living in a place with or without electricity, near or far away from a borehole. It was my choice.

My host family does not have that opportunity. They cannot afford the same choices. But that does not mean that they are not seeking for opportunities. They are working hard to improve their living conditions. There are times when they are discouraged and it seems like they want to give up, but then the next day I see them planting tomato, rape and onion seeds to start a small garden at their house.

You cannot expect one to be motivated all the time. I came to realize that the idea of Dorothy that I had before coming here is hard to find. The stories that people told me about Dorothy, this figure that is supposed to represent the people that we are working for and that guide all our decisions, were all inspiring. Desperate people living in hard conditions that were entrepreneurs. And to tell you the truth, I felt a bit pressured to find my Dorothy over the course of the summer, because everyone who comes back from a JF placement always have a Dorothy. But then I stopped looking around, seeking for one. All this idealization of Dorothy came to disillusion me, like the image of a desperate child to sponsor sold by other NGOs. I understand that the concept of Dorothy is there to help us keeping the big picture in mind and I cannot paste one face on Dorothy. There are things that inspire me in many people that I meet here and these are my motivations, my reasons to work here and back in Canada.

Mr. Omba (a very committed volunteer leader with DAPP) and my father Patrick

at the small house garden

To answer the mom's type of questions...

Where do you live?

Here.

Thanks Ashley for the copyright of that picture... ;)

This is my family's house. We don't spend a lot of time inside because when the sun is out, who wants to stay in? From early in the morning until the evening, most of our activities (if not all) are done outside. As we are still struggling to open our eyes at 6am, with a broom in one hand, we start sweeping the outside of the house. Oh, wait, before I forget, we do greet each other before we do anything else: "Mwashibukeni?" (Good morning?) to which you answer "Eya mukwai." After the house and the surroundings are clean, we then sit and peel ifiumbu (sweet potatoes) to cook them for breakfast. Agy, my little 3 years old sister, usually sits next to me and starts collecting small things that she finds on the ground to play with. The other day, she named a sandal 'Baby' and she played with it as if it was her doll. Cans, pieces of cardboard, plastic lids, everything here can become the most amazing toy. Sometimes, as one person is taking care of the breakfast, others are preparing the maize to be brought to the grinding mill or taking buckets to go fetch water at the well or the spring. My host father is often already gone to his farm since 5am but I would sometimes see him before I leave for work as he does a few trips back and forth to carry maize, wood or cassava back to the house.

We have a very nice latrine at the back of the house that has been built by my host father along with an innovative handwashing station. The plan in August is to dig a well in front of the house.
(Pictures to come!)

The bathroom is inside the house but we have to boil water and bring a bucket inside to bath. An integrated soak away keeps the surroundings clean and safe!

What do you eat?

Mmmmiam. Ubwoli!
Ubwoli is like bread for French or rice for Cambodians. One does not feel satisfied if he did not have ubwoli during the day.

What is that ubwoli thing?
It is usually made with maize flour and boiled water, but my host mother mix it with cassava flour to give it a softer texture (which I think is the best mix!). It can be compared to non-cooked bread dough, but still, it is not exactly that...

Ubwoli or nshima

We usually eat it for lunch and dinner with a relish (cooked vegetables, fish, chicken or any other meat) and since I live right by the lake, we have fish almost everyday. I really enjoy the small-small fishes called Cisense (or Kapenta for the non-Bembas) which is unusual among the Muzungus I know! My favourite veggie relish is Chibwabwa (pumpkin leaves mixed with groundnuts) and this is definitively a recipe I am going to bring back!

Relish: Inkoko (Chicken) with cabbage and tomatoes

In the morning for breakfast, we sometimes have cooked ifiumbu (sweet potatoes) but since I often need to rush to work in the morning before electricity cuts at the office, I just buy a greasy bun from the side of the road. At some occasions I had sweet potatoes mixed with groundnuts which appeared to be "succulent" (but heavy for the morning)! Another good recipe with sweet potatoes is to fried them with cinkondya (palm oil) and add a little bit of salt on top. Marvellous!

One morning, I did made crepes for them and they just ate until it hurts! Since I could not find maple syrup here (really?!), I simply put a lot of sugar on top. It was funny to see them licking all their fingers and the utensils I used! But I made sure to explain to them that we don't eat that every day back in Canada... imagine!

One anecdote:
One evening, as I came to sit near Beauty, my host mother, she brought the brazier closer to me. I said:"Oh no, it's okay! It is very warm outside!" She laughed at me, telling me that she forgot I was Canadian and put the brazier back in the middle. But then, Patrick, my 17-year brother, pushed the brazier away from him and told Beauty with attitude : "Me, Canada too! Don't need this!" After we all had a good laugh, I turned to Patrick: "So if you are Canadian, do you eat ubwoli?" (I know that Patrick can't sleep without having ubwoli.) He paused and his voice then breaks into high pitch:"Yyyy.. NO!" Alright! So I decided to go on a mission the next day to find him something that is not Zambian and make him take a break from ubwoli for a day! Surprinsingly, I found macaroni at one of the shops in Kashikishi (a commercial "town" located at about 35 minutes walk from home) and bought some tomatoes and onions! When I came back home, Patrick was laughing because he didn't think that I would be serious. So starting that evening, Patrick had macaroni when everyone else had ubwoli. He passed the test, and while I had some milk and bread for him the next morning, I found him already boiling water to prepare macaroni... for breakfast! And he thought that I was not serious!