Chawama Routine Continues.
Tuesday 14th was the second visit to the afternoon sessions held at Chawama. The IDEALS students coach sport at the Little Woods School to a variety of ages.
Kelly Mullings held a session in Netball. The normal group is just girls but due to a missing volleyball net she informed me that the group has now also included a team of boys for the last few days! This is no distraction for Kelly who was adamant to proceed with her coaching and help the girls prepare for the WALLACE tournament this Saturday! The session included many drills to improve the girls technique and spatial awareness. The girls clearly needed to improve the preciseness of pass and the ability to use all the space in the court. It is clear that Kelly is having a positive impact on their ability to develop in the sport.
Becky Lilley coached the U12’s boys basketball. The lesson began with dynamic stretches to get the boys warmed up. Elements of this were able to aid skills which are necessary during a game, such as, high jumps and pivots. There is definitely a reoccurring challenge when coaching in Zambia that was very clear in Becky’s session; large decreases and increases of class sizes! Boys would become distracted or wonder off and then new additions may join the drills too! This can be very challenging for a coach who will wish to build on the skills taught throughout the lesson. Becky handled this very well but it is a clear area that needs to be improved so students who attend the lesson can get the most potential out of them. The final part of the day allowed the boys to practice drills that taught them to better control the ball. This is an issue an is contributed to by the uneven floor! Becky also had to explain to the boys the importance of playing as a team and supporting each other so they can fulfil their potential on Saturday at the tournament.
It encouraging to see the students continuing with the skills they having been implementing at their placements as consistency is not something that is the norm in schools inn Zambia. This routine will allow students to really master the skills of their sport and develop into good athletes.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Sensory Workshop
Darren Maccabe held a sensory class at Chipata community school this week for children with learning difficulties. The class was extremely fun due to the materials which were provided and activity that commenced! Darren, who is studying to become a learning disabilities nurse, had brought over from the UK five cans of men’s shaving cream!
The lids were popped off and he then encouraged the children to squirt the foam all over the desks! The activity was then to engage with the foam by touching, holding and squeezing the cream in their hands. The children visibly loved the game! It took no time for their confidence, after some slight confusion at such a different classroom task, to soar. This led to them spreading it on their faces, hair and soon on each other. This is important as children need to touch a variety of textures and play with them to develop normal tactile processing. The interaction and happiness between the children was fantastic to see. The teachers also could not contain their curiosity and it was not long before they too had white foamy beards and smiles!
Darren explained that this is an extremely effective way to engage children with learning disabilities. “Children just think they are having fun when they are actually working strenuously at building essential skills with their bodies and better neurological systems”.
The variety of sensory integration activities is endless... only limited
by your creativity and imagination!
The lids were popped off and he then encouraged the children to squirt the foam all over the desks! The activity was then to engage with the foam by touching, holding and squeezing the cream in their hands. The children visibly loved the game! It took no time for their confidence, after some slight confusion at such a different classroom task, to soar. This led to them spreading it on their faces, hair and soon on each other. This is important as children need to touch a variety of textures and play with them to develop normal tactile processing. The interaction and happiness between the children was fantastic to see. The teachers also could not contain their curiosity and it was not long before they too had white foamy beards and smiles!
Darren explained that this is an extremely effective way to engage children with learning disabilities. “Children just think they are having fun when they are actually working strenuously at building essential skills with their bodies and better neurological systems”.
The variety of sensory integration activities is endless... only limited
by your creativity and imagination!
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
K TOWN CUP!
The ‘chimpomba’ tournament was held last Friday at Kalinglinga. A chimpomba is the ball that was used…which is made up of recycled plastic bags and paper! At the tournament football, volley and netball were played. The teams fought for a place in the finals and the winning trophy!
The boy’s U12’s football displayed fantastic skills and ability which led to a final between Ghana and Barcelona. It was so close that even penalties could not differentiate between the two and Barcelona took the prize after they knocked out Ghana in sudden death. The ‘Player of the Tournament’ for the U12’s boy’s football was John from Ghana who played extremely well and fair.
The boy’s in the U15’s also played incredible football and the effort and stamina in the heat was impressive. The final was between Club 9 and Portugal with a clear 3-0 win to Club 9. The ‘Player of the Tournament’ was Goodson who led his team and performed well.
‘Hunters’ smashed the volleyball by winning the first three sets by 25 and easily taking the prize. The ‘Player of the Tournament’ was Kelly.
The netball also displayed the fantastic ability that some of the girls in Kalinglinga hold and the prize went to Fox Girls after a match on the new court in the compound. The ‘Player of the Tournament’ went to Chimunwa for her team spirit and skills. Hayley, the netball coach and IDEALS team leader, explained “the standard was high and the game was very close…there were hardly any fowls at all which is great”.
It was great to see that the organisation of the student’s and peer leaders led to such a great day. Matt and Rianne also pulled in Marc and Hayley for their refereeing skills which added to the effectiveness of the day. Poi’s were also brought along to provide additional entertainment for some of the children who were not participating in sports that day! Despite the immense heat and long hours the day was a huge success and was immensely enjoyed by all who attended.
The boy’s U12’s football displayed fantastic skills and ability which led to a final between Ghana and Barcelona. It was so close that even penalties could not differentiate between the two and Barcelona took the prize after they knocked out Ghana in sudden death. The ‘Player of the Tournament’ for the U12’s boy’s football was John from Ghana who played extremely well and fair.
The boy’s in the U15’s also played incredible football and the effort and stamina in the heat was impressive. The final was between Club 9 and Portugal with a clear 3-0 win to Club 9. The ‘Player of the Tournament’ was Goodson who led his team and performed well.
‘Hunters’ smashed the volleyball by winning the first three sets by 25 and easily taking the prize. The ‘Player of the Tournament’ was Kelly.
The netball also displayed the fantastic ability that some of the girls in Kalinglinga hold and the prize went to Fox Girls after a match on the new court in the compound. The ‘Player of the Tournament’ went to Chimunwa for her team spirit and skills. Hayley, the netball coach and IDEALS team leader, explained “the standard was high and the game was very close…there were hardly any fowls at all which is great”.
It was great to see that the organisation of the student’s and peer leaders led to such a great day. Matt and Rianne also pulled in Marc and Hayley for their refereeing skills which added to the effectiveness of the day. Poi’s were also brought along to provide additional entertainment for some of the children who were not participating in sports that day! Despite the immense heat and long hours the day was a huge success and was immensely enjoyed by all who attended.
Britain’s Top Sports Students Coach at the Olympic Centre!
The Olympic Youth Development Centre in Lusaka, Zambia, welcomed several of the IDEALS students last week and requested that they use their expertise to further the Zambian athletes’ skills in specific sports.
Becky Lilley first met the national athletics coach, who is responsible for taking athletes to the Common Wealth Games (CWG). She then sat down with each individual athlete to discuss their PB’s, SB and their programmes to date. This allowed her to identify initial weaknesses which were apparent in their present programmes and she went on to amend them in preparation for the CWG. In her next session she sat down with the national coach to discuss ways in which progress could be aided leading up to CWG. This included ways to create various programmes and how to implement them before the games in order for their athletes to see their progress and thus peak at the right time. Using her own athletic experience, having been in the sport for over ten years, she introduced British ideals, for example, strength and conditioning, which have led to an increase in medals. Becky explained that there were “aspects of a programme which would be the norm in UK but are vacant here” and she was “shocked to see athletes attending training four weeks before the international competition who didn’t have a comprehensive programme in place”. Ms Lilley highlighted the importance of a personalised programme saying “structure and encouragement is necessary so they are able to see their progression and remain motivated”.
Matt Guy, coached the boy’s U18’s football at the OYDC. The head coach, who is the ex Zambian international coach, allowed Matt to draw on his four years of coaching experience and take the session on his own. The group was formed of high performance players who would feed into the Olympic and national team, some of which already have had trials. He started with a fitness session concentrating on reactions, speed and agility. This led onto Plyometric training where he taught how to successfully use low contact with floor, jumping, hopping and other explosive material. The challenges he faced were that they needed extra work on spatial awareness and the impact that movement has on the game. Therefore he went onto expand on technical aspects such as dribbling, passing and heading – touch related drills and on tactical aspects explaining different areas on the pitch. The impact was evident when the boys played a game the following Saturday and Matt could clearly identify the drills he implemented in coaching. He said “ their play demonstrated spatial awareness, movement and support, which led to a fantastic header and a goal!”
Rianne Hunt coached Hockey to girls aged between 10-16 years of age who did not have much experience. This began by teaching basic skills of hockey, which Rianne establish during her nine years of training, which focused on how to hit and pass. Rianne was asked to lead the session as the girls wanted and needed a female coach who could demonstrate to them that a female can be successful in this sport. The challenges she originally faced were that they were unaware of basic hockey skills and thus she had to start from the very beginning with the language barrier too! However Rianne explained the impact “was huge because initially they did not respond well but by the end of first session I could see their own progress and they asked me to return!” At a subsequent match she could clearly see the girls using the skills that she had previously taught.
Matt Dochniak coached the U12’s boy’s football. He took two sessions where the head of football, who was the ex assistant for the national team, left him with sole responsibility for the group. He taught short passing and moving and then set the boy’s the target of five passes before a goal was scored as they previously struggled to pass the ball around as a team and were just kicking it with no direction. His intended impact was to drill in the importance of passing. Matt said it did “change the way they think about football, rather then just running around, it introduced direction and technique”.
Kelly Mullings used her nine years of netball experience to coach a group of girls aged between 12 and 20…in one session! Originally bad organisation of the session was a struggle but Kelly adapted and met her new demands well. Firstly she worked on fitness, which included reaction time with the ball, coordination, incorporating footwork, good ball handling skills and explosive strength via plyometric training. Secondly she introduced agility and speed using cones which players had to dodge around. She introduced new components which the students were unaware of and also provided a crash course in fitness for the coaches which they can build on. Kelly’s coaching has such a positive impact on the group, as she explained “they improved so much…the second day I could see the benefits for the athletes”. Despite having such a wide age group and varying level of abilities she overcame this by adapting and changing her drills to suit every level and age simultaneously.
The sessions at the OYDC will continue whilst the IDEALS team are in Lusaka. The staff at the centre were very impressed with the students and they have all been invited back to hold further sessions in their sports.
Becky Lilley first met the national athletics coach, who is responsible for taking athletes to the Common Wealth Games (CWG). She then sat down with each individual athlete to discuss their PB’s, SB and their programmes to date. This allowed her to identify initial weaknesses which were apparent in their present programmes and she went on to amend them in preparation for the CWG. In her next session she sat down with the national coach to discuss ways in which progress could be aided leading up to CWG. This included ways to create various programmes and how to implement them before the games in order for their athletes to see their progress and thus peak at the right time. Using her own athletic experience, having been in the sport for over ten years, she introduced British ideals, for example, strength and conditioning, which have led to an increase in medals. Becky explained that there were “aspects of a programme which would be the norm in UK but are vacant here” and she was “shocked to see athletes attending training four weeks before the international competition who didn’t have a comprehensive programme in place”. Ms Lilley highlighted the importance of a personalised programme saying “structure and encouragement is necessary so they are able to see their progression and remain motivated”.
Matt Guy, coached the boy’s U18’s football at the OYDC. The head coach, who is the ex Zambian international coach, allowed Matt to draw on his four years of coaching experience and take the session on his own. The group was formed of high performance players who would feed into the Olympic and national team, some of which already have had trials. He started with a fitness session concentrating on reactions, speed and agility. This led onto Plyometric training where he taught how to successfully use low contact with floor, jumping, hopping and other explosive material. The challenges he faced were that they needed extra work on spatial awareness and the impact that movement has on the game. Therefore he went onto expand on technical aspects such as dribbling, passing and heading – touch related drills and on tactical aspects explaining different areas on the pitch. The impact was evident when the boys played a game the following Saturday and Matt could clearly identify the drills he implemented in coaching. He said “ their play demonstrated spatial awareness, movement and support, which led to a fantastic header and a goal!”
Rianne Hunt coached Hockey to girls aged between 10-16 years of age who did not have much experience. This began by teaching basic skills of hockey, which Rianne establish during her nine years of training, which focused on how to hit and pass. Rianne was asked to lead the session as the girls wanted and needed a female coach who could demonstrate to them that a female can be successful in this sport. The challenges she originally faced were that they were unaware of basic hockey skills and thus she had to start from the very beginning with the language barrier too! However Rianne explained the impact “was huge because initially they did not respond well but by the end of first session I could see their own progress and they asked me to return!” At a subsequent match she could clearly see the girls using the skills that she had previously taught.
Matt Dochniak coached the U12’s boy’s football. He took two sessions where the head of football, who was the ex assistant for the national team, left him with sole responsibility for the group. He taught short passing and moving and then set the boy’s the target of five passes before a goal was scored as they previously struggled to pass the ball around as a team and were just kicking it with no direction. His intended impact was to drill in the importance of passing. Matt said it did “change the way they think about football, rather then just running around, it introduced direction and technique”.
Kelly Mullings used her nine years of netball experience to coach a group of girls aged between 12 and 20…in one session! Originally bad organisation of the session was a struggle but Kelly adapted and met her new demands well. Firstly she worked on fitness, which included reaction time with the ball, coordination, incorporating footwork, good ball handling skills and explosive strength via plyometric training. Secondly she introduced agility and speed using cones which players had to dodge around. She introduced new components which the students were unaware of and also provided a crash course in fitness for the coaches which they can build on. Kelly’s coaching has such a positive impact on the group, as she explained “they improved so much…the second day I could see the benefits for the athletes”. Despite having such a wide age group and varying level of abilities she overcame this by adapting and changing her drills to suit every level and age simultaneously.
The sessions at the OYDC will continue whilst the IDEALS team are in Lusaka. The staff at the centre were very impressed with the students and they have all been invited back to hold further sessions in their sports.
Performance Nutrition Workshop
Thursday 2nd September
Marc Briggs, a lecturer from Northumbria University, held a day long workshop for the national coaches of Zambia at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC). This type of theory is vital for the enhancement of their athletes if they are to compete on a national and international level.
The day began with an informal quiz to break the ice! There were five questions relating to nutrition and child malnutrition. Then Marc moved onto the goals of sports nutrition and common misconceptions in the area. This reinforced the OYDC’s goals of providing positive lifestyle opportunities for their athletes and coaches which will enhance their performance in their sport. The morning session ended with an interactive activity where Marc distributed paper plates and various foods (unfortunately not edible but of the paper variety!) and the coaches were asked to create the perfect meal for their athletes in various situations. Marc explained the purpose of this activity is “to see the level of knowledge they hold beforehand and then it allows them to learn from their mistakes”. He went on to say this type of activity is especially important as “it puts the theory into practice”.
After a long Zambian lunch the coaches returned for the afternoon practical session. Marc delivered this on the fantastic new out door basketball courts in the baking afternoon sun. The messages he wanted to communicate were the importance of dynamic stretches and the use of circuit training to warm up and exercise.
The Zambian coaches clearly benefited greatly from the theory in the morning and were very reciprocal to the new information they were been given. It was also clear that they learned new techniques from the practical session in both of the key areas. As stated it is vital that the coaches are informed on these areas. It was highlighted that they do have athletes who will be competing in the Common Wealth Games and the impact that the workshop had will hopefully contribute to their success in that and future international events.
Marc Briggs, a lecturer from Northumbria University, held a day long workshop for the national coaches of Zambia at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC). This type of theory is vital for the enhancement of their athletes if they are to compete on a national and international level.
The day began with an informal quiz to break the ice! There were five questions relating to nutrition and child malnutrition. Then Marc moved onto the goals of sports nutrition and common misconceptions in the area. This reinforced the OYDC’s goals of providing positive lifestyle opportunities for their athletes and coaches which will enhance their performance in their sport. The morning session ended with an interactive activity where Marc distributed paper plates and various foods (unfortunately not edible but of the paper variety!) and the coaches were asked to create the perfect meal for their athletes in various situations. Marc explained the purpose of this activity is “to see the level of knowledge they hold beforehand and then it allows them to learn from their mistakes”. He went on to say this type of activity is especially important as “it puts the theory into practice”.
After a long Zambian lunch the coaches returned for the afternoon practical session. Marc delivered this on the fantastic new out door basketball courts in the baking afternoon sun. The messages he wanted to communicate were the importance of dynamic stretches and the use of circuit training to warm up and exercise.
The Zambian coaches clearly benefited greatly from the theory in the morning and were very reciprocal to the new information they were been given. It was also clear that they learned new techniques from the practical session in both of the key areas. As stated it is vital that the coaches are informed on these areas. It was highlighted that they do have athletes who will be competing in the Common Wealth Games and the impact that the workshop had will hopefully contribute to their success in that and future international events.
IDEALS PROJECT 2010
Since 2006, IDEALS Zambia has seen many young people working together from Zambia and the UK, forming strong bonds, learning from each other, and having positive experiences. This year is no different!
EduSport and Sport in Action, the two sport for development NGO’s working in partnership with UK Sport and the Wallace Group (Durham, Stirling, Northumbria, Bath, UWIC and Loughborough Universities), provide placements for approximately 40 students per year. The students work with other national volunteers in communities and schools across Lusaka to deliver sports, leadership and health awareness sessions.
Travelling to Zambia as an IDEALS student is a daunting experience. Getting used to life and work placements requires a lot of adapting, which is part of what makes it so rewarding for the participating students. Hayley Barr was a student on UK Sport’s IDEALS project in 2009. This year she is back as a team leader, staying in Zambia for four months during the whole project. She is more than happy to be back.
“In my opinion it’s the best country in the world,” says Hayley. “The people are so amazing – you just feel so welcome.”
Life in Zambia certainly takes some time to get used to and Hayley recognises this from when she first arrived in Zambia.
“It is a little bit of a shock – the harsh life that we are protected from at home. Here you are very exposed to it and I think that’s quite hard to get used to.” Hayley says.
Planning can be a bit of a challenge for the IDEALS students who never know if they are going to get five or fifty children for a session, or if they will have access to the space or equipment. For Hayley, this is part of what makes it a useful experience. When back in Britain, they have a new perspective on things.
“It makes you more flexible and adaptable. You realise that it’s not a matter of life or death that everything goes as planned.”
Coming back as a team leader, Hayley has the opportunity to observe the project from the start. She appreciates the organisation a lot more this year, while she also sees the impact the organisations, along with the students, are having in the communities they work.
Kelvin Chasuaka has been a peer leader and role model to the community of Kalingalinga for well over 5 years, an astonishing figure considering he is just 17. According to Kelvin, a peer leader “is someone that mobilises, organises, educates, empowers and inspires young people to achieve all they can. They act as a role model to fellow peers and those in whatever community they’re operating.”
Kelvin has been involved in the IDEALS programme since it started and has learnt a lot from the students from the Wallace Group. “I was privileged to be part of the first ever IDEALS project. I was initially involved as a peer leader and later as a site coordinator for my community of Kalingalinga.”
“The project has benefitted me in so many ways academically. Firstly, in the most direct form, I’ve learnt a lot from the students and their coaching abilities. Their specialist knowledge in various sports has helped me develop my own knowledge which I’ve been able to pass on to those who want it. I’ve also learnt about British culture and engaged in cultural exchange. Finally, I was last year sponsored to complete my senior year at school, which was a massive milestone for me.”
As Kelvin indicates, the IDEALS project is not only about the advance of international development through excellence and leadership in sport, but also about cultural exchange between Britain and Zambia. As one student, Joe Dale, who has recently returned from Zambia put it:
“I have had the time of my life. Within a day of the placement I started to appreciate the extent of the difference between Zambia and the UK. Only with the translation of peer leaders and site coordinators could we have any impact other than just the children’s excitement at seeing a ‘Mzungu’. With time however we’ve started to be able to increase our control and understanding with the children through physical actions and simple English and Nanja.”
Joe also talked about his learning experience, “I learnt from my site coordinators and peer leaders to improve my input when delivering life skills messages through sport and in P.S.H.E classes. I hopefully combined this with providing enjoyment for the children in the PE lessons to give them a physical and mental escape from every-day stresses.”
IDEALS Zambia will continue to provide a valuable opportunity to students, staff and all those involved with Sport in Action and EduSport.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
English lessons at Fountain of Hope
Tuesday 31st August 2010 English lessons at Fountain of Hope
This morning David Jones, with the assistance of Scarlett Brannigan, taught his third English lesson to his new class at Fountain of Hope. Alongside sports the community school aims to teach English to the street children aged between eight and twenty two years of age.
David and his placement partner Chris Savage began the programme by reciting the alphabet, explaining vowels and including games such as eye-spy which engaged the class and gave use to the information they had just learned.
The class today allowed David to recap on the previous days work and expand to the use of adjectives. This was achieved by using English newspapers and asking the children to highlight first the vowels and then the adjectives. They were then encouraged to say a statement about themselves describing an attribute to them with an adjective.
The challenges included a lack of stationary such as paper and pens to write with. The boys attending today were also a range of ages and abilities so some would progress much quicker than others, however, it was excellent to see that the boys helped and encouraged each other to conclude the objective.
Jackson is a peer leader at the Fountain of Hope, which is run through Sport in Action, one of Zambia’s leading Sport Non-Government Organisations. He explained that the children really enjoy the English lessons as “it allows them to take the papers with them and they will use that to practice their studies”. He also described how the lessons aid the peer leaders themselves; “we may attend school but this is revision for us too”.
The IDEALS students will continue to assist in various schools throughout their project teaching sports, English life skills and other activities.
This morning David Jones, with the assistance of Scarlett Brannigan, taught his third English lesson to his new class at Fountain of Hope. Alongside sports the community school aims to teach English to the street children aged between eight and twenty two years of age.
David and his placement partner Chris Savage began the programme by reciting the alphabet, explaining vowels and including games such as eye-spy which engaged the class and gave use to the information they had just learned.
The class today allowed David to recap on the previous days work and expand to the use of adjectives. This was achieved by using English newspapers and asking the children to highlight first the vowels and then the adjectives. They were then encouraged to say a statement about themselves describing an attribute to them with an adjective.
The challenges included a lack of stationary such as paper and pens to write with. The boys attending today were also a range of ages and abilities so some would progress much quicker than others, however, it was excellent to see that the boys helped and encouraged each other to conclude the objective.
Jackson is a peer leader at the Fountain of Hope, which is run through Sport in Action, one of Zambia’s leading Sport Non-Government Organisations. He explained that the children really enjoy the English lessons as “it allows them to take the papers with them and they will use that to practice their studies”. He also described how the lessons aid the peer leaders themselves; “we may attend school but this is revision for us too”.
The IDEALS students will continue to assist in various schools throughout their project teaching sports, English life skills and other activities.
Olympic Youth Development Centre Visit
Monday 30th August 2010
Olympic Youth Development Centre Visit.
The students arrived at the impressive centre on Monday to meet with the team there and see how they can collaborate. The Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) was opened in May 2010 and provides the best sports facilities in Zambia. The centre is the first of its kind in the world and will allow the national teams to develop their skills.
Bessy, the director at the OYDC, chaired the meeting and invited the IDEALS students to introduce themselves and their sport. This gave everyone the opportunity to meet the Zambian national coaches who they will be working with.
The students then took a tour of the centre and saw first hand the quality of the facilities on offer. The athletics track also needed a little try out so the students practiced their long jump, one-hundred meters and the competitive streak in them could not resist a relay competition!
The final part of the visit gave the students a chance to meet with the coaches from their sport and arrange when and how the coaching sessions will take place. This grants an extraordinary opportunity to the IDEALS students to work alongside a national team and develop their professional skills.
Olympic Youth Development Centre Visit.
The students arrived at the impressive centre on Monday to meet with the team there and see how they can collaborate. The Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) was opened in May 2010 and provides the best sports facilities in Zambia. The centre is the first of its kind in the world and will allow the national teams to develop their skills.
Bessy, the director at the OYDC, chaired the meeting and invited the IDEALS students to introduce themselves and their sport. This gave everyone the opportunity to meet the Zambian national coaches who they will be working with.
The students then took a tour of the centre and saw first hand the quality of the facilities on offer. The athletics track also needed a little try out so the students practiced their long jump, one-hundred meters and the competitive streak in them could not resist a relay competition!
The final part of the visit gave the students a chance to meet with the coaches from their sport and arrange when and how the coaching sessions will take place. This grants an extraordinary opportunity to the IDEALS students to work alongside a national team and develop their professional skills.
Educate you, Educate me has arrived!
Educate you, Educate me has arrived! The first week was full of adventure, greetings and meetings which have made Zambia feel like home to the newest group of IDEALS students.
The team could not contain their enthusiasm and before unpacking ran across the street to play a game of football with the local children. The following day all attended the national Go Sisters tournament and watched as girls from around Zambia participated in Netball, Football, Volleyball and Basketball.
The beginning of week one was the perfect induction which allowed everyone to meet their new colleagues and see their placements. The team jumped on the back of a large truck and were shown around Lusaka and the various sites that Sport in Action and EduSport had placed them in. The students also experienced lunch Zambian style; nshima with BBQ chicken…which was delicious! David also delved into an assortment of bodily parts once belonging to the chicken including liver, intestine and claw!
Toxy, a peer leader from Chawama, introduced some of the team to Crystal on Friday at the local clinic. This allowed them to spend a day at the centre and get involved in the day to day work there. Becky was keen to visit the child nutrition area which led to Matt and Marc seeing more than they’d bargained for when they witnessed a woman in labour in the maternity ward! Darren, Kelly and I took a tour around the hospital and then helped with the physiotherapy of patients who had had a stroke. The last duty of the day involved putting a plaster on the leg of a little girl who had fractured her leg. All this before lunch! Then it was back of to placement for the afternoon’s sports activities.
The weekend was spent at the magnificent Lake Kariba. It is the largest lake in Africa and Zimbabwe can been seen across the vast stretch of water. After an attempt at free diving the team hopped aboard a speed boat and rode across the beautiful lake. The sunset was stunning and the night that followed was just as dazzling! The next day, before returning to Lusaka, team leader Hayley showed us the splendour that is the dam and we crossed it together and entered into Zimbabwe! It was the largest dam in the world when built but now stands second to one in China. The group were happy to hear that the drop from the bungee was greater than the frightening height they witnessed on top of that Dam!
The team returned to the house for an early night and recharged their batteries for the next full week ahead.
The team could not contain their enthusiasm and before unpacking ran across the street to play a game of football with the local children. The following day all attended the national Go Sisters tournament and watched as girls from around Zambia participated in Netball, Football, Volleyball and Basketball.
The beginning of week one was the perfect induction which allowed everyone to meet their new colleagues and see their placements. The team jumped on the back of a large truck and were shown around Lusaka and the various sites that Sport in Action and EduSport had placed them in. The students also experienced lunch Zambian style; nshima with BBQ chicken…which was delicious! David also delved into an assortment of bodily parts once belonging to the chicken including liver, intestine and claw!
Toxy, a peer leader from Chawama, introduced some of the team to Crystal on Friday at the local clinic. This allowed them to spend a day at the centre and get involved in the day to day work there. Becky was keen to visit the child nutrition area which led to Matt and Marc seeing more than they’d bargained for when they witnessed a woman in labour in the maternity ward! Darren, Kelly and I took a tour around the hospital and then helped with the physiotherapy of patients who had had a stroke. The last duty of the day involved putting a plaster on the leg of a little girl who had fractured her leg. All this before lunch! Then it was back of to placement for the afternoon’s sports activities.
The weekend was spent at the magnificent Lake Kariba. It is the largest lake in Africa and Zimbabwe can been seen across the vast stretch of water. After an attempt at free diving the team hopped aboard a speed boat and rode across the beautiful lake. The sunset was stunning and the night that followed was just as dazzling! The next day, before returning to Lusaka, team leader Hayley showed us the splendour that is the dam and we crossed it together and entered into Zimbabwe! It was the largest dam in the world when built but now stands second to one in China. The group were happy to hear that the drop from the bungee was greater than the frightening height they witnessed on top of that Dam!
The team returned to the house for an early night and recharged their batteries for the next full week ahead.
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