Event missed for February 2013

At the end of February, all things rolling faster than I can catch them......so I forgot to tell you this big event and some more...... 

Last Monday morning after I checked on Samfya Fishery Group's ponds, I went to SCCP to help them a little bookkeeping issues, while it was about done that I was looking forward to use their power to work on my COS reports.....I got a call from DOF Samfya researcher - Ba Ngosa that there were the "Steering Committee" members wanted to see my ponds and farmers....She did not waste any time to come collect me from SCCP with all these people behind her.

This Steering Committee Meeting had contacted in Samfya, as I was told, with Councilor for Economic & Development policy from Finnish Embassy - Mr. Starkman, DOA Head Researcher - Ba Mwangu from Lusaka and both of their associates from Lusaka with PLARD officers in Mansa that they wanted to see the sample results of my farmers and ponds that had received great help from PLARD.

 

Mr. Starkman the first right.....

Head Researcher of DOA from Lusaka Ba Mwengu at left and PLARD Luapula Director in Mansa Mr. Steel at right........

We went only to two groups those were close to my post home......Twatasha and Kanono groups.....

Mr. Steel jokingly said, "If you let Cheng lead the way, she will show you all her ponds for another three, four hours......"....they went back to Samfya for lunch and took me with too, before they drop me back at SCCP for my own work on COS papers.

The Twatasha group were working on two new breeding ponds...... 

Rain water had all coming down to the wet land now so we had to make furrow to drain the water before continuing construct the ponds.......

The usual month end meeting with all my groups and individuals to see what we did good and we did wrong just to share the experiences to everyone.....plus to schedule every day of my time in March to work with every groups and individuals.....

This was their happy time for they think of owning me in those days scheduled to work for them. 

Fine with me, as long as they do good for themselves.

 

Cheng 03/25/2013

Makasa Twatasha group harvests........

Worked Tuesday at Ba Anna's site again, this time we corrected the dikes......

The higher end of dike got more dirt than it is at the lower end.....so, MOVE IT.......and we did. 

Ba Paul Mwewa of Kanono Group came to assist on it.  It was great to see people can come help for other groups.  Thank you, Ba Paul Mwewa.

This is more like the dike for a "Standard Pond".

 

Wednesday the Makasa Twatasha group's harvests.......

Three standard ponds with half priced fingerling from PLARD and Ifiyongoli on September 18th last year, got total of 28 KG of fishes and 500 fingerlings........

 

They also re-harvested the four old ponds that we had been harvested last year September 15th.  Those left over fingerlings were supplied from Caritus in early 2011, and been harvested once on December 2011.  These four ponds gave 16KG of fishes and 200 fingerlings.   

The 500 fingerlings were sold for cash, with gifts to the buyer of 200 fingerlings in addition.

 

The DOF Samfya officers were there to take records..... 

and the fishes too....I asked, "How much have you paid for these fishes?"

"They gave it to me." 

Good that I did see officers from Mansa paid real Kwacha for what they got....

After all my farmers worked so hard for how little they get......

We need more resources on fish food to feed fishes heavier.....

Still, the group members had some to divide in between....and all were happy.

Officials were here to see these progressions and knowing that my farmers are in need of more help to produce fish feed in order to get the potential gaol of profits.

 

Cheng  3/22/2013

 



Harvests at Tubombeshe's ponds.......

The week started on Sunday that I worked with Ba Annabella at her pond site, and found there were holes with water on each corner of the ponds....Why? Seal them up.......and drain the ponds to make the construction easier also to see if it is done correct and complete.......

Monday there was Tubombeshe group's two ponds to be harvested.....with Ba Abila and Ba Chiti came from Mansa just to see how PLARD's fingerling had grown. 

one 8x15 meter pond gave 14.5 KG of fishes......

 

one 17X25 meter pond gave 25KG of fishes......together the two ponds had scooped 250 fingerlings for 120,000 kwacha. 

Not the best of record, but at least people have fishes to eat and members of the group got extra money.....so all was happy.......

on our way off from the village, the vehicle's two back wheels got stocked in the soft dirt...... 

took almost two hours with Ba Chiti got down to bear feet, chest and all four on the ground..... 

and all villagers' push for a long while...... 

Finally, we were out of the mud and ready to go.......

What a Monday.......

 

Cheng 3/22/2013

 

Okay, focus on the realities......

Ben was camping at my insaka one day, the next morning three of my farmers came to clean the weeds in the front and around my house, I thought they were to show off their up keep of my house, in the front of my guest...

Till I asked, I was told that someone from Peace Corps Lusaka is coming to inspect "new PCV's site" - my post home will receive another new volunteer in late April.

 

After all had seen my house inside out, they were to go to another site at about 2 hours +/- distance north from my house to check on another new site and also to give Ben a ride back to his home, about one hour north from my home.  I asked to have a ride too, just to see more of Luapula before I have to go home.  Favor granted. 

 

The road, all along the beautiful lake side of Bangweulu, to go and back the same way, was all damaged in the raining season......we were all been bounced around in the vehicle it was hard to have any conversation going......two days later I was still finding bruises here and there on my elbows and legs.

Beth was taking notes on the housing and telling villagers how to prepare to receive this new PCV...... 

I think this site has even more small children than there are at my site...... Hope the PCV for this site would love these many kids around the house......this is to be at all times...... 

Since the extension denied, C&M were away from Samfya, when they were back we had another Mu-Shiu dinner at their home......Nola and Eliz were the most excellent Mu-Shiu cake maker still.....yammm...

 

Besides telling all that my extension got denied and I will be off from Zambia on May 10th if nothing to be changed.  

We also concluded that Rachel is to come to my insaka with her translator to give my villagers a half day workshop on "Mother and Babies" and Carmen was nice to take part in the workshop on water sanitation........

I thought, in this workshop we will have 15 to 20 Moms to come and each of them will bring a baby with them......Wrong!!!

There were 35 mothers and each mother brought with them at least 2 babies under five year old.....  

Rachel's presentation on mother and babies' health......

Carmen's on water sanitation.........

All paid full attention from the beginning to the ending..... 

At the end, Carmen took a full vehicle of mothers and babies with questioned health to the hospital...... 

The good-byeing was touching......all said this kind of workshop could help them greatly and hope it will happen more oftener.....

Thanks to Rachel and Camem to do this workshop for us, and thanks to Julie's present to enforce the attention on all mothers' learning....

 

Cheng 3/22/2013

 

First week in March.

 

Lukali School project had 40,000 Kwacha approved by CDF -

Country Development Fund and got the fund assigned in the bank, I was told. 

I had the School committees to come pick up the approval letter and get the building started from the DOE Planner - Ba Ian.   

Right before the COS conference, PLARD and DOF Provincial offices got the paper work going for Peace Corps to extend my service in Zambia another year to work for them on data collecting and building it to be usable information on how PLARD been help developing Luapula farming thru Peace Corps volunteers living in villages to monitor closely and all.....

 

With it in mind, I was still taking PCVs in Yasakwa -  Ba Quamar and Ba Taj, the husband and wife, to come with me when anything to do with Lukali School.  Just in any case, if I don't get to see the school built by myself.

March 1, 2013 we went to the City Planner - Ba Ian again and met more of his engineers.  The trip turned out also helping Ba Taj's shelter project in Yasakwa too.

After it, we visited PLARD office and Dr. Stevens gave us a ride to visit Ifiyongoli the fingerling production ponds.......

Ba Chiti is in charge of the facility and he had shown us to the lab...... 

to the chicken house...... 

to the gardens.... 

Fish ponds for various stages of fishes and fingerlings.....

We've got to visit their dam too....

 

It was a wonderful trip to Mansa and I've even got a free ride back to my village to get back to my fish breeding pond construction about 3/4 KM from my home. 

While working between ponds to ponds, I've got the phone message from PCMO "Please call....."  I did and the conversation was "Your extension has been denied by PC/Washington for you are physically not fit for another year of service in Zambia." This is a major disappointment and surprising considering I haven't had my COS physical exam yet. But it was PC/W's decision, while I wanted to remain in Zambia to see the completion of the Lukali School and be further help to my farmers, it was not to be.

 

 I called and texted to PLARD and DOF in Mansa about the extension being denied, since this was their plan to have me work with them for the following year. I was so surprised that all were more disappointed than myself....Thank you all for valued me that high, but not elsewhere.

 

After talking to PC Country Director in Lusaka that I have accepted that this is how it is to be...... in my business consulting career time, I did helped my clients a few times on the situation like this.....in order to maintain the business to move on and its reputation, the decision good or bad need be carried out as is....now I am on the other side of that business decision.....Doesn't matter right or wrong.

 

No matter what, I can't tell my farmers just yet.......they have to have their attention on the two days workshop that I fight for so hard since October......I will tell them at the end of the workshop.

  

Wednesday and Thursday we finally had a two days workshop at my insaka.....was meant to be one day for fishery and one day for small animal husbandry.  Ended we had two days' animal workshop. 

It was great for farmers to concentrate on all animals they have around their houses and more.....up to all details.......

At the beginning of the workshop, we started with an open air insaka......

 

 

At the end of each day we've got the wall built up with chart paper with all notes, that I hang them between on the posts........... 

The Fishery officers had other duty to attend to so we will have another fishery workshop another time.  I hope soon.

 

At the end of the two days workshop I had three young farmers stayed to help me to complete the banner we need to use the next day.......International Women's Day parade.

My camera worked up and told me "Write Protect" and not to take any pictures for the making of this banner.........hmm.......

 

I had to ask Rachel and Joe to take pictures for me while we were in the parade......It was just as good that I was in it with my lady farmers. 

 

 

Cheng 3/22/2013