Blog

It's hard to believe that it's already May and we have not posted any updates since February! That's because we, and our Chitambo partners, have been super busy, particularly on completing the Mothers Waiting Shelter (MWS) project.

The building is now completed and equipped, thank to help from so many helpers and supporters. An external cooking shelter has also been added, for mothers and helpers to cook over charcoal fires, as is traditional.

The hospital's Nursing Officer has been busy leading a team of nurses to tidy up the MWS and put the finishing touches ahead of commissioning, which will take place on Thursday 15th May.

The Central Province Permanent Secretary will officiate and other dignitaries including Their Majesties Chief Chitambo and Chief Muchinka, will also attend.

The first waiting mothers to occupy the shelter will receive small gift hampers, and a plaque,acknowledging all donors, will be erected.

We are hoping that the event will be live streamed, in which case we can share a link. However, it will at least be filmed for Zambian national television and we hope we might be able to share a link to that.

As for publicity, this project also made front page news in the Whanganui River Press, North Island, New Zealand, where the Rotary Club were key donors.

Also thanks to.Dr Marion Taylor, Project Chair, Technicians from 2 companies, Engineer Without Borders Zambia (EWBZ) and Mission Geeks (pictured), converged on Chitambo, on Wednesday 7th May, to assess the functionality of some donated solar geysers. These are for providing hot water to the MWS. The verdict looks uncertain but we will need to wait for the official report before knowing if they will work.

This whole project has been a testimony to multinational cooperation and collaboration, including between Chitambo, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and us in the UK. It is such good news in this troubled world. Isn't it amazing what can be done.when people pull together for the greater good?

PROFOUND THANKS for your role in this.