The Construction Works on Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical center are progressing well and have reached an advanced stage. They say where there is a will, there is a way. And for sure we can now believe in this rich saying!
Very soon we will move into the Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center building and begin to operate from there. Food distribution to vulnerable TB/HIV clients will continue, we will be able to do HIV counseling and testing and administration of antiretroviral drug to patients suffering from HIV/AIDS there. This will be done with the help of our trained volunteers and social workers that we will engage and the volunteer ART doctor from Kitwe District Health Management Team or Kitwe Central hospital under the ministry of health. There will be so many activities that will be done there including the sporadic training of community volunteers on some of the key issues affecting our organization and our clients to make our organization efficacious in all its duties and responsibilities. The administrative activities will also be done there with effect from May 2012 this year. Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Centre is scheduled to be officially commissioned on June 29th 2012 this year.
This is what we have done so far:
We have constructed walls around the center with some molded concrete blocks
We have erased the front pillars and put Iron rods and concrete into the pillars to make them strong and fixed them back in the front corridor
Cliff, Isaac, Stanley senior (Stanley’s father) and Uncle Sam have successfully completed building a shield of 70 centimeters high around the front corridor from one pillar to the other using donated pan bricks (red bricks) leaving space only for the entrance
Cliff, Isaac and I Stanley, have successfully finished roofing the front corridor of our center and it is looking so magnificent!
This is the former front view of Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center before roofing the front Corridor. From (L –R) was Stanley Mpuku (in blue), Uncle Sam (in yellow,) Cliff (in red) and on the far corner of the corridor was Isaac building a shield of 70 centimeters high around the front corridor from one pillar to the other using donated pan bricks (red bricks) leaving space for the entrance
Stanley senior (Stanley’s father) and Cliff building and decorating the skirting on the corridor and redesigning the columns
This is the new side view of Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center with a roof on top of the front corridor. We glorify God for this blessing. It’s really a HUGE blessing and we thank you so much for sponsoring CAM in this HUGE way! Thank you!!!
We are so happy that we have been able to put the roof in front of our center. This is a good step in the right direction and the center looks magnificent! We are remaining with few final touches towards completion.
The District Director of health Dr. Banda at the District Health office was telling on the phone that he was so fascinated with the report that he received from a team of inspectors from DHMT who were going round the health centers in Kitwe District to inspect the state of the centers and all their operations. He said that he was told that our Center Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center is looking outstandingly beautiful among all the buildings at the chest clinic. ‘How much more beautiful then will it be looking once it is fully completed?’ very very beautiful indeed!’
He also told me on phone that there are ongoing discussions at his office (DHMT) that this year’s World TB Day may be hosted at the chest clinic and Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical center would be of a great use. However, this subject to change depending on the general consensus of the meeting considering the fact that the Chest Clinic is not located in the center of Kitwe town. In 2011 last year, we commemorated the World TB Day at Kaunda Square right in town. We do not exactly know as for this year. But I’m sure we will discuss that further with all the stakeholders in Kitwe when we begin our stakeholders meetings early March this year at DHMT offices.
(L-R) Mwiche C. Bwalya CAM Community Programs Administrator, DHMT TB Corner Nurse Mrs. Esther Lupanda and Stanley posing for a photo at Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center
Hosting of the World TB commemoration at the Chest Clinic and at our center would be a plus on our side! It is as good as selling what CAM is doing to other NGOs and the government. This simply shows the credibility that the government of Zambia and the Ministry of Health has in CAM and its operations. They have begun to recognize our support in the fight against TB and HIV/AIDS in Zambia in through various interventions to those in need.
This is the new front view of Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center with Isaac painting the facial board that Cliff has newly fixed. We will now install Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center Sign in front of our center here
The construction of Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center at the Chest clinic in Buchi Township in Kitwe Zambia, among other projects, that have been made possible under your auspices is a great achievement in the fight against TB and HIV/AIDS in our country Zambia and we are very very grateful to you our dear sponsors for your great generosity for us to have all these wonderful visible achievements which we would not have achieved had it not been for your support!
Please continue with this same spirit! You have helped so many people who could have died of TB and HIV/AIDS by now in our nation Zambia through the monetary and spiritual support that you have been rendering to CAM on a monthly basis. Just look at how so many souls are being helped from your timely support that you send to CAM in order for us to undertake various aggressive community interventions in the fight against TB and HIV/AIDS in Kitwe, it is so awesome!
Christian Aid Ministries will continue to use the financial resources that you our sponsors are sending to good use and ensure that they reach its intended beneficiaries ; people suffering from TB and HIV/AIDS in various communities in Kitwe through various support systems and interventions in the fight against these pandemics such as infrastructure development, transportation, medical support, spiritual and nutritional support to its vulnerable TB/HIV/AIDS patients in various communities in Kitwe district and beyond.
Stanley in a brown T/shirt on the right and the volunteers giving food to TB/HIV/AIDS patients in Mugala community
We love you so much!!! We will continue to offer our heartfelt lifelong prayers and supplication to our living God for the spirit of goodwill and love that you have explicitly displayed to us! We feel so much beholden to you my dear brethren and we will never forget about you! May God bless you in all your endeavors!
Since timber is scarce and very expensive, we have decided to give an order to Mr. Mulenga, a childhood family friend to make six metal window frames and one door frame for Dr. Elizabeth Medical Center. We have realized that buying six metal window frames and one big door frame is cheaper and almost half the amount we would have spent on the same number of wooden window frames and a door frame in front of the center. The other advantage of metal window and door frames is that they are stronger and will last longer than the wooden frames that may get rotten in due course or eaten by the termites and ants. Mr. Mulenga has even started making the metal window frames and a door frame and they will be ready soon.
The work that we are now remaining with to be done in March next month 2012 is:
Put Dr. Liz Sign (which we have already acquired) in front of the centre
Fix 6 Window frames in the window spaces and weld the burglar bars to each one of them that we have already bought
Fix a big door frame for 2 doors
Fix the 2 grill doors to the door frame – we have already bought 2 grill doors for this
Buy 10 pockets of cement and sand and plaster the center. Cliff has volunteered to do this but Isaac and Uncle Sam will ask for a small payment for their families
The works that we will remain with to be done in April is:
Fix the louvers and glasses in the window frames
Buy and fix 2 doors in the metal door frame with lock at the entrance
Simple electrification of the center tapping from the nearby shelter
Putting of the ceiling board and Cliff has volunteered to do this work without any payments at all
Painting of the center
In May we will do:
Simple petitioning inside the center for four departments such as the reception, the administrative office, the food store and the counseling and testing room
Friday June 29th 2012 the commissioning of Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center
The Commissioning of Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center
In the meeting we agreed that Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center will be commissioned on Friday June 29th 2012 after it is fully completed!
We are so shrewd that this year we have decided to start making preparations for the commissioning of Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center early enough.
We have written and sent invitation letters to so many stakeholders. We have invited the newly elected Minister of Health Dr. Joseph Kasonde, Nkana Constituency Area Member of Parliament Mr. Kazabu, Copperbelt Province Medical Advisor Dr. Ng’ambi Kitwe District Director of Health Dr. Banda, Kitwe Central Hospital Dr. Billion, Kitwe District Commissioner, Copperbelt Health Education Project (CHEP) Executive Director Mr. Roy Mwilu, Stanbic Bank branch manager for Kitwe Mr. Richard Kotati, Community Based TB Action Group (COBTAG) Executive Director Rev. Webby Mwape, Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) TB Coordinator Mr. Ngalande, Sararose Executive Directors Pastor and Barbra Mwansa. We will also send one letter to Nehemiah Boys Ranch HOB Country representative Bob Walker and Candace and TK to make 15 important invited guests.
This year we want to shine! We want our good work to be seen by the public. We want to show them that we can also do it. We want to use this occasion as a forum for financial solicitation from some of the organizations these important invited guests will represent. We are so optimistic that if this commissioning turns out successfully, we will be rest assured of support from them. We want to find quality time to discuss our current financial situation and how they can also help us or link us to other funding agencies. What matters is how successfully we are going to handle this commissioning and the evident ardent efforts we are making to mitigate TB and HIV/AIDS in our country. We are strategizing all this so that donors can necessitate the importance of supporting Christian Aid Ministries through our good work that we have displayed at the Chest clinic and in various communities in Kitwe. We want to ensure total excellence in all its sense in this undertaking in order lure local donor support! And we have started our preparations earlier to realize this accomplishment. We want everything to be in place so support us in this adventure.
Some of the expenditure will go towards paying for the advertisements on the National media a week before during and after the commissioning, brochure printing, printer Ink cartridges, Hired transport, printing of the Banner, (T/shirts we have the ones that brother Dan brought) Hiring of the Ubale Umodzi TB/HIV Drama Group to make the occasion live, Hiring 2 Media representatives from Zambia National Broad casting Corporation to do the video shooting of this occasion as they are always cheaper, food and transport reimbursements to some invited guests coming from Lusaka and other towns.
The person responsible for this activity is Mwiche C. Bwalya – CAM Community Programs Administrator
Fundraising Campaigns
We discussed and resolved in the previous AGM that we held that this year 2012 we will embark on massive and aggressive fundraising activities.
In August, we will have a Fundraising walk. In October we plan to have a Brail where we will invite dignitaries and other public figures from the government, NGOs and other business enterprises to come and participate in this fundraising Brail. We intend to hold this brail at Sherbourney Guest house which is one of the choicest guest houses in town. We expect to raise a lot of money for the ministry through this fundraising venture. We want to do it the way other NGOs such as Beautiful Gate do.
In the previous successful stakeholders meeting that we held on Christmas at our home, the Stanbic manager Mr. Richard Kotati hinted to us that once a while, he will be using his discretion to award us tenders to clean Stanbic bank and the bank will be able to pay our organization.
Richard said that in November the bank is terminating the cleaning contract with a certain company which cleans the bank. He said that one of the reasons why the bank is terminating the contract is that the company charges the bank so exorbitantly for its cleaning services and as such the bank may engage CAM to be doing this work at intervals and will be able to pay it as long as we can prove to be cheaper and competent in the execution of our duties. All he is requesting us to do is to acquire cleaning equipment such as a vacuum pump, a shiner, and other special disinfectants the job will be ours! We are sure this could be a good source of small revenue for CAM.
Mr. Mumba Isaac who also attended this meeting said that CHEP would like to work with CAM in the fight against TB especially that their supporting organization The Norwegian Heart and Lung has seen what CAM is doing at the Chest Clinic . But there is need for CHEP to write a strategic Plan and a profile for CAM and tailor them into a donor language. Thereafter, they will come and train all the CAM staff members in what he termed as donor orientation skill and link us to other funders. Now for CHEP to do this and link us to other donors, they charge a minimum fee for secretarial and other logistical expenses. So once this is done, we will begin to wait for the response from those organizations.
We are in a desperate moment searching; consulting and doing everything we can to find more sponsors for CAM. We are doing everything we can to ensure that we broaden the financial base of the organization. We implore you to also continue to lobby for more sponsorship for CAM as the organization is developing rapidly.
Coming back to my family, we really appreciate you for the monthly financial support to my personal account to meet other vital basic needs of my family! May God bless you a hundredfold more times for this goodwill and the truelove of Christ that you have explicitly showed us as a family!
Christine is very very intelligent in school and I’ m proud to inform you that even this term she got the fist position in class where she together with the rest of her classmates sat for her end of year exams last year with grade Twos when she was in grade One. She managed to beat the entire grade twos (who are now in grade three) and the rest of her classmates and came First in two classes combined! I’m very grateful to God for giving me such an intelligent child so grateful! This time she is able to speak English so fluently that you cannot believe! In the recent End-of year exams in Mathematics she got 90%, Integrated Science she got 100%, Social and Development Studies she got 100%. English she got 90%, Spiritual and Moral Education she got 80% and French she got 56%. Throughout her exams she got distinctions except for French where she got 56% which was average. Christine really brings me so much joy when it comes to her performance in school. She always comes with presents from school for her outstanding performance! However our concern as a family is how we are going to raise her and ensure that she attains quality education and realize her dreams because education nowadays is slowly becoming very expensive.
This year at her school the school fees have been increased. The school attributes this increase to the increase in the allowance of the teachers at the same school per month because all the government teachers have had their allowances increased with the incoming of this Patriotic Front government that we now have. So all the teachers, nurses, doctors and other civil servants in the private sector are demanding for salary increments thereby making the schools to increase school fees in order to meet the allowances of the teachers. The new government has exacerbated the situation by reviewing the minimum wage both in the government and in the private sector thus making the inflation and the cost of living to escalate for an ordinary Zambian. The costs of food basket on the markets have also increased because of the new government’s unrevised policies and the rainy season.
We Greatly! Greatly thank you for your support! May God richly bless you for this!!! We Love you so much and we are praying for you!
The Action Plan
We have also prepared an Action Plan for this year 2012. This Action plan consists of the column of the names of activities that are lined up in this year that CAM plans to undertake, the months and agreed dates on which the organization wishes to carry them out and the persons who will be responsible for the activity and ensure that they are done according to our plan. Each activity has also what we can call an Activity Based Budget for this year. such as The monthly Food Distribution Program, community sensitization on TB and HIV/AIDS once a month, Mondays and Fridays food Distribution at Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center, transportation of the TB/HIV/AIDS patients to the health centers for medical reviews, drug collection and TB or HIV diagnosis once a month, the World TB Day Commemoration on the 25th of March, the Commissioning of Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center on 29th June, the Fundraising Walk on August 3rd and the World Aids Day scheduled for 1st December 2012. This is what we discussed in the Annual General Meeting that we held with our volunteers on 7th of January 2012 last month at our home at 3038 Kwacha East Kitwe. See the attached Action Plan for this year 2012 in Ms Excel prepared by Mwiche C. Bwalya CAM Community Programs Administrator
The Annual General Meeting
We could not hold the annual general meeting at Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center at the Chest clinic on the 7th of January 2012 as was planned before. This was because of the heavy rains on this day so we decided to hold it at our home in Kwacha East. It was a vey successful meeting and all the volunteers came.
Topics on the agenda were:
(i) Community food distribution
We resolved that the community food distribution is going on well as most of the patients have now recovered. The only challenges are transportation and the cost of some of the food items such as beans, kapenta and cooking oil that have gone up on the Zambian market.
We need a vehicle to help us carryout this and many other activities so effectively and an increased funding in order to afford to buy some of these required food items for the TB/HIV/AIDS patients in the community. The developed client food distribution cards are also working well as we have been able to know the patients who have been consistently receiving the monthly food supplements from our organization. From the patient’s register and with the help of these Cards, it is easy to closely monitor the healthy improvement of each and every client in all our 7 communities who is on the nutritional support program.
(ii) Food distribution to TB patients at Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center
The Mondays and Fridays food distribution to TB patients at Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Center has been a success. Many patients in Kitwe District have benefited from this program. However, it was resolved that when the center is fully completed and commissioned, the organization will be reserving some petty cash that will be used to pay for transport back home for some of the most vulnerable and neediest clients while we are praying to God for a vehicle to provide such services to some of the deserving vulnerable clients.
(iii) Who will be working at the center after it is fully commissioned
We unanimously agreed that only qualified and trained volunteers in various fields such as counseling, ART adherence, will be qualified to work at the center.
(iv) The World TB Day
We agreed that if the financial resources will allow, we will have 20 CAM members who will participate in this year’s World TB Day commemoration. These are 7 community volunteers from our catchment areas, 4 CAM staff members, at least 4 former TB patients from the community to come and 5 TB patients on TB treatment to come and attend the World TB day commemoration to come and tell the public that they are indeed on TB treatment and are being supported by CAM. This is one way of marketing our organization to the public to lure support. The Venue and the Theme of this year’s World TB Day will be communicated later when we begin stakeholders’ preparatory meetings at Kitwe District Health Management Team early next month.
(v) The Fundraising Walk Scheduled for 3rd August 2012
In the meeting we also resolved that this year 2012, we will carry out a number of fundraising ventures one of which is a Fundraising Walk. This venture will be done on 3rd August 2012 this year. This year we want to do something which looks more ‘Crazy’! We want to walk a distance of 120 Kilometers from Kitwe to Ndola. The estimated activity based budget for the fundraising walk is K2, 167, 500. And we are likely to raise double this amount. The person responsible for this activity is Mwiche C. Bwalya our Community Programs Administrator.
(vi) World AIDS Day Commemoration
World AIDS Day is an important annual event which is commemorated worldwide on the 1st of December of every year. It is such a very touching event because it always reminds us of our brothers and sisters who have died of AIDS worldwide ever since this pandemic came on the scene in the early 80s. This year we want to join the rest of the World in the commemoration of both the World TB Day and the World AIDS Day as Christian Aid Ministries.
On 31st of November before the commencement of the World AIDS Day, CAM will participate in the Candle Lighting and prayers and supplication will be offered on behalf of those who died of this disease and a moment of silence will be observed. Cliff decided to take up the responsibility of this activity since he is HIV+ who is very open about his condition.
(vii) Transportation of patients
We discussed a lot of issues and more specially on fundraising. We wish to embark on a lot of fundraising activities in this year ranging from fundraising walks, proposal writing, brails home and officer cleaning etc. We are likely to raise more funds for the organization CAM.
Commissioning of Dr. Elizabeth Rini Medical Centre
We wish you could come here and witness this important day! We would like to honor Dr. Rini in a special way for the support that she has been faithfully rendering to CAM by naming it after her. This intension comes from a pure heart of giving thanks giving appreciation where it is due. And the best way we thought of doing that was to give this center an insignia of a loving caring mother because that is what we see in you my sister. Your tendering spirit towards the agonized and your embracing spirit and goodwill towards those in pain will live on long after we are all gone. We want this center to have a caring spiritual connotation of a great mother like you Dr. Liz. Look at the wonderful work that you are doing even now there in the USA of caring for the sick. Some of them come in very frail health conditions that it only calls for the ‘called’ in that field to tend them. This is why I feel we rightly named this place after you and the reason why you should come to witness the ushering in of this life-giving center.
However if by all means you do not manage to come and witness this occasion, Karen Tk and Keisha are here in Zambia. I will invite them and TK will stand in your place and will relay the message to you. TK looks great! We meet on Sundays and chat a lot at length. That other Sunday she even witnessed the baby dedication for Daniel when Daniel, TK, and Andrea from the Boys Ranch told me that they will find time to visit our projects to see how we are doing soon after pastor Tony gets back to the USA. I’m very delighted to meet sister TK physically once again. For sure Jehovah God is a Healing God! Whosoever thought we could meet with TK once again and laughed the way we laughed together at church the way she was in that critical healthy condition? God is indeed a miracle working God. Thank you Sister Liz, Brother Dan, Sister Keisha and all those who fervently joined in prayers for our sister, Sister TK for healing! Praise be to God!
Sister Keisha passed through our home to pick some of her stuff that she left in her buckets at our home. She has come for a one year six months Midwifery course at certain International nursing school in Livingstone where she is staying. She said she will pass by again when she finds time. We were very happy to meet our sister once again after the ground breaking ceremony last year! She has made a wonderful Calendar for CAM with wonderful pictures of Mambwe Lawrence when we were staying together with him in our home, and when sister Kisha was caring him on her back to the hospital. The calendar also has pictures of my family and Kiesha and the pictures of the groundbreaking ceremony with brother Dan and sister Keisha and the rest of the volunteers and invited guests to the groundbreaking ceremony. I feel so good seeing these wonderful pictures because they remind me of some of the memorable moments in my ministry life. Christian Aid Ministries has come from very far. A BIG thanks to you my dear sister Dr. Liz for your good heart and loving-kindness. You are always! Always in my mind and my heart does not stop interceding for you!
May God bless you for the GREAT sacrifices that you have made for me, my family and my ministry! You are more than sisters and brothers to me, God Bless you a HUNDREDFOLD more!!!
Christian Aid Ministries Administrative Activities and Innovations
We are working so well with Mwiche our CAM Community Programs Administrator. Mwiche is hardworking and experienced in her field of social work. She has a good track record working with various NGOs in Kitwe. Her achievements in the school of social work at the University of Zambia have also contributed a great deal to her outstanding office and field performance. We are fortunate that we could this time around find a suitable candidate for our field and office work. She coordinates office and community programs well. She knows how to work with community volunteers well.
Mrs. Mwiche C. Bwalya CAM Community Programs Administrator working in the office at 3038 Kwacha East Kitwe
Good Governance and Management Training at Copperbelt Health Education Project
Christian Ad Ministries has created good linkages with other local NGOs such as Copperbelt Health Education Project.
On November 26th 2 011 last year we received a call from Mr. Isaac Mumba inviting us to attend a Five days training in Good Governance and Management.
I went with our Community Programs Administrator Mrs. Mwiche. C. Bwalya. The training was very enjoyable and we learned a lot of things thre. We covered topics in leadership and financial management. we learned about many key long term and short term programs that can enhance the operations and the management of our organization.
The workshop was fully packed with organization leaders from various organizations in Zambia who had the opportunity to share their experiences on how they are running their organizations pertaining to financial management and other issues. We had a wonderful opportunity to learn from each another guiding and teaching one another. As the director, I was even given an opportunity to share some of our successes and challenges that we experience in the running affairs of Christian Aid Ministries. Our Community Programs Administrator was also an active participant in this workshop. She was also able to ask and answer questions related to her and we all learned from each other.
Stanley Mulenga and the rest of the participants from various organizations, attending five-day training in Good Governance and Management at CHEP
On Friday 28th November, 2011 after the workshop was over, we were all given Certificates of participation in Governance and financial management course. It was marvelous!
Mr. Isaac Mumba CHEP TB Programs Coordinator (in blue) presenting a Certificate of participation to Stanley Mulega (in white)
Mr. Isaac Mumba CHEP TB Programs Coordinator (in blue) presenting a Certificate of participation to CAM Community Programs Administrator Mwiche C. Bwalya on 2nd December 2011
3rd TB Copperbelt Provincial Conference
On Monday 12th December 2011, CHEP wrote to Christian Aid Ministries and invited us to attend the 3rd TB Copperbelt Provincial Conference for two days from Thursday 15th –Friday 16th December 2011.
Many organizations from the Copperbelt and Lusaka provinces were there. Organizations such as Christian Aid Ministries, the Kitwe District Health Management Team, Kitwe District Aids Task Force, Community Based Tb Action Group, COBTAG, Community Initiative for TB, HIV/AIDS and Malaria CITAM, Reigners in Life, Twafwane Home based care, Community Health Program COHIP, CHREP, Beacon of Hope, Community Based Transit HIV/AIDS Project, MunweU mo and so on and so forth. The Newly appointed Kitwe District Commissioner Mr. Mwape Kasanda was also there. We were also privileged to have the Norwegian Ambassador, Mr. Arve Ofstad who came from the Norwegian Embassy in Lusaka to represent the Norwegian Heart and Lung Patient Organization - LHL organization that supports CHEP. The Theme of this conference was ‘Confronting the challenges of TB Prevention and Care’
The host organization (CHEP) Executive Director Mr. Roy Mwilu also gave few remarks in the preamble of the conference and declared it open.
CHEP Executive Director Mr. Roy Mwilu giving few remarks in the preamble of the conference at Copperbelt Health Education Project
The Norwegian Ambassador said the Zambian government through the Ministry of health had tried its best to ensure that the TB burden was reduced in different communities. It also calls for the empowerment of various nongovernmental organizations to supplement the governments’ effort in the fight against TB, the government alone cannot manage. After delivering a speech, the Ambassador turned back to Lusaka. On Thursday evening at 7 PM the Zambia Nation
Stanley (front right) sharing some of the TB infection control guidelines and how CAM is using the same guidelines to construct centers such as Dr. Elizabeth Rini medical center in Kitwe at the Chest clinic in order to reduce the spread of TB disease
Adequate vacuity with sufficient spacing are vital in any given TB treatment center to allow free air circulation void of TB micro bacteria to prevent the spread of this curable airborne disease. If TB treatment centers in Zambia were constructed following vis-à-vis coherent TB infection control guidelines, the spread of this disease from the patients to the TB treatment care providers were not going to be commonplace. Our Zambian nurses have also neglected the use of the masks putting themselves at a higher risk of contracting this communicable disease from their own clients which they can avoid by simply following the laid down instructions. In Zambia it is not unusual hearing that the TB corner nurse has contracted TB and is on TB treatment because of mere negligence. And going for regular medical check-ups to know their general health conditions, let alone TB screening is not common among them. Some of them we just stop seeing them at the clinic only to hear that they have TB. Unlike other diseases, TB is preventable as far as the TB infection control guidelines are concerned.
Miriam (in blue) from COHEP in conquering with what I said also added that in Zambia the 2011 statistics showed that only 4% of the medical practitioners went for HIV tests and had their HIV status known
Monthly Community Food Distribution Programs
Community food distribution has been going so well. With the January funds we bought some melie meal from Jamas milling company. Actually, I went there personally and paid the company and on the following day they supplied the bags using company transport to Kwacha East. We also bought beans for the patients. We hired a minibus and on Friday 10th February we were in the community giving food to our clients. We first began with Mugala, Kamakonde, St. Anthony and Buchi communities. On the following day Saturday 11th February 2012, we continued with our food distribution to patients in Kamatipa, Kapoto and Luangwa communities. We were very very tired. The patients were very grateful for your support Dr. Liz. One patient came to me and knelt down saying her husband has run away from her and left her with 9 children to look after. They all tested HIV positive and he said she is the one who infected him so he decided to leave her. She had no option but to let him go. Now she is very sick and they do not have food with her children. So when she heard we were coming to give food to the patients in that community I did not hesitate to come saying if they chase me because I’m not on the program, I will come and we will die of starvation with my children. Thank you CAM you have saved my life and my children by giving me melie meal so that we can live today. We do not know where the next meals will be coming from after this sack of mealie meal finishes. God Bless you to use you to come and give us food! We were all touched by what this woman told us and we have now included her on our support list. Fortunately, one of our clients has completed the TB treatment and is looking who we have replaced.
Stanley (on the right) and the volunteers giving food to patient in Mugala community
It was encouraging to meet some of the patients who were very sick but now they are in good health and full of life. Elizabeth was very sick when we together with the volunteers and Dr. Liz visited one of our communities called Mugala community in March 2009 but now she is very fine. She has a big farm near the stream in Mugala community where she has planted some carrots. When we went to distribute food to the patients in that community on December on Thursday December 8 2011, she even gave us some carrots to share amongst ourselves. Thank you Dr. Liz! You prayed for your namesake and now she has life. God bless you so handsomely for your compassionate prayers that you offered so faithfully to this woman. She is a living testimony of your support. She was asking about you and she is sending her special regards to you during this Christmas festivals.
Mwiche C. Bwalya Community Programs Administrator (in green) calling the register using the developed patient Cards in Kamatipa community on Saturday 11th February 2012
It is easier distributing food supplements to patients using these cards. It is a good idea
Mrs Mugala giving melie meal to one of our clients in Mugala community
Bernadette gioving food to Mr. Rodlick one of CAM clients in Kamattipa community on Saturday 11th February 2012
Stanley (in a brown T/Shirt), his wife Bernadette in a green T/shirt with a baby (Daniel) on the back, Mwiche (in green) with Kamakonde community volunteers and the TB patients posing for a photo in Kamakonde community
Christian Aid Ministries giving food to patients in St. Anthony community on Friday 10th February 2012
Matilda (in green) and Foster Yombwe CAM volunteers in St. Anthony and Kamakonde communities respectively giving food to Martha. Martha is three years old. She is HIV positive. She is one of the seven patients on ARVs and TB treatment in Kamakonde community who is on CAM monthly nutritional support program. Martha has recovered and she is looking healthy now
Matilda giving food to Sara in St. Anthony community on February 10th 2012
Stanley speaking to patients in Kamatipa community about the importance of sticking to TB treatment to full term to avoid the spread of multidrug resistant and extensively drug resistant TB ailments which are difficult to cure in Zambia today. It is always our mandate as CAM to sensitize our clients on some of the most important aspects of TB and HIV/AIDS before we commence the food distribution in the community otherwise our work would be in vain
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much for all your support my dear brethren! I’m on my knees even as I write this Newsletter glorifying God for your warm-heartedness towards CAM and towards my family! I just do not know what I can give you in return to your pure, genuine and unconditional love that you give me my dear friends! I tell you I love you SOOOOOOO MUCH with the depth of my heart! Please! Please! Please I pray remain in good health and may God fare you well in all your endeavors! Always lifting a banner of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for you! I’m always with you in spirit no matter what! Work and learn well! Please, lean on Jesus, for He is our comforter and our good source of strength, for He never leaves us nor forsakes us in whatever situations we are passing through!!!! He is our creator who is desirous in seeing us happy always!........ Stanley………!!