Kick-Out COVID-19 is a community and food support program
which was started with the aim of assisting the Government in their efforts to
flatten the curve and help vulnerable communities. It is a consortium of
various sports, entertainment organizations and individuals led by Sport in
Action with Special Olympic Zambia and is funded by the East London University.
On June 5th, 2020, Respone Network distributed
hampers consisting of 25kg of mealie meal, 1kg of sugar, 750ml of cooking oil,
1 mask, 1 hand wash, 1kg of salt and 5kg of beans. The donations targeted some
of the families in compounds in Livingstone, namely, Ngwenya, Nakatindi, Indeco
and Libala.
Before the hampers were handed over to the families, they
were sensitized on how to prevent contracting the virus by washing hands
regularly, avoiding touching their faces, wearing masks in public and avoiding
crowded places.
Mutinta with some RN staff after delivering the face masks
In case you were about as baffled reading this week’s title
as I was coming up with it, allow me to explain. In most cases, save a few,
education has been the key to people being able to better themselves and to be
able to provide for themselves and possibly their families as well. In a
country where salaries are low and the standard of living is high, many people
find themselves unable to drag themselves out of the generational poverty
slump. What I’m trying to say, albeit in a rambling way, is that we pride
ourselves in being able to contribute to being able to change someone’s life
through the provision of sponsorship, which has of course been made possible by
our amazing partners and supporters.
As I’m sure you know by now, RN provides sponsorship for children from first to 12th Grade. We also run a skills training sponsorship program where the girls are supported to undergo training in a practical skill such as catering, tailoring, power electrical, etc. Today, we meet a product of the skills training program, Mutinta Mwafulirwa. You may have seen her on our social media when we did a quick interview with her not too long ago. Mutinta, who is now 25 years of age, was on the sponsorship program till she completed the 12th Grade and then went on to pursue tailoring at the Youth Community Training Center (YCTC) and has also completed her degree in Nursing! A truly phenomenal young lady. Tinta as she is fondly referred to, through the empowerment she received in tailoring, started a small business where she sews clothes, etc. for clients. As with all businesses, her business has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and as a way of supporting her, we ordered some reusable face masks from her for our staff. She has also been contracted to sew uniforms for children under the sponsorship program. Mutinta was able to take the education and skill she was gifted to earn herself a living and a sustainable one at that. The epitome of the saying ‘give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach him to fish and he eats for a lifetime’. Way to go Mutinta!
So you see, providing someone with education, something so many people take for granted, can lead to unparalled positive effects in someone’s life. Want to be a supporter? Contact mail@responsenetwork.org and find out how. Also to support this young lady and her business, DM us for contact details. #staysafe
In our last blog post, we filled you in on the village
sensitizations we held in a few villages to raise awareness among our volunteers
regarding COVID-19. It was really important to us to conduct these
sensitizations as safely as possible and also as quickly as possible so that
the volunteers could return to their respective villages and sensitize their
communities as well. A lot of people in rural areas were walking around with
the dangerous misconception that the pandemic would not affect them as it was
just a ‘town disease’ or ‘for white people’, therefore we had to act quickly to
equip them with accurate facts in order to keep them safe. Knowledge is power
after all.
Masks and hand washing buckets ready for distribution
After this phase of sensitizations, we realized that there
was a need to further aid the fight against COVID-19 in Livingstone. We came up
with the idea of distributing reusable masks to parents and guardians of some
of the children under the sponsorship program as they put themselves at risk
every day to venture out and try to make a living for their dependents. We
commissioned some alumni of the sponsorship program who had been under the
skills training program studying tailoring, to make these masks that we then
handed out on Friday, May 24th. 300 Masks were distributed safely at
Ngwenya, Nakatindi, Mwandi and Libuyu Primary Schools. Before guardians were
given masks, they were sensitized on COVID-19 and also on how to effectively
sanitize their masks.
Media briefing at the office before distribution
Hand washing before sensitizations at Libuyu
Sensitization at Nakatindi
The distribution was successful though we could not reach
out to everyone, those who received were very thankful for masks and those who
missed out are eager for the next round of distributions. In our own small way,
we are attempting to find ways to help out and aid in the fight against this
terrible pandemic. If you’re interested in finding out how you too can help us
help the fight against COVID-19, don’t hesitate to reach out to us on any of
our social media platforms or email mail@responsenetwork.org.
#stayhome #staysafe #maskup
I think we
can all agree at this point that the year 2020 is a complete wash. One never
would have imagined that things would take such a horrible turn so quickly. We
entered the year optimistic about what the new year would bring and for the rug
to be pulled out from under everyone’s feet so rapidly is beyond unnerving. The
number of cases globally and nationally are rising at an alarming rate and what
many thought was a small viral outbreak, and in some cases, just a hoax, has
quickly come to be the number one topic discussed by everyone.
As of today,
April 17th, there have been a total of 48 cases in Zambia, with 30
having recovered and 16 active cases remaining. The effects of the virus are
truly being felt as the economy has begun to suffer. Livingstone, where our
offices are located, is known for being the tourist capital of Zambia and most
businesses rely heavily on the large tourist presence we usually have, but due
to travel being restricted and mostly all visitors having returned to their
respective countries, businesses have had to shut down or scale back. A lot of
hotels, lodges and guest houses have had to let their staff go and close down
as they could not keep up with the running costs without their clients.
Restaurants and other hospitality related establishments are also facing major
challenges as their income has drastically reduced due to people not being able
to patronize them.
As can be
seen in the photo above, there have been quite a number of people recovering
but the numbers are still alarming. In response to the current situation, RN
has invested K8,000.00 in the fight against COVID-19 through the distribution
of handwashing buckets, soap, spirit and glycerin (to be used to make hand
sanitizer) and some items of food. The items were distributed in some of the
communities in our working areas after our volunteers were sensitized on how
best to prevent COVID-19 and the topics they should cover when sensitizing
their fellow community members. This is not a battle that can be won in a day
and we all need to pool our resources to help contain this pandemic. Contact us
to see how best you can be a part of the solution too. Check out our social media
platforms to follow our updates regarding the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community members being sensitized on how to wash hands
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find something peppy
and upbeat to write about during times such as these. I think none of us has
ever seen a virus just escalating at the magnitude that COVID-19 has.
What started as just a rumored or small and contained outbreak
in Wuhan, China has led to countless people’s lives being affected. The global cases
have are rising at an exponential rate and we are all basically living in fear.
The cases as at this today, March 30th, have reached nearly 800, 000
total and deaths have totaled at 37,840.
Sanitizing points around the office
At RN we’ve taken as many measures we can at this time,
sadly our country’s economic status does not allow for citizens to be able to
quarantine at home 24/7 as they are in countries such as the United States,
therefore it does pose some risk traversing to and from work a day but we are
taking care to keep ourselves and our surroundings sanitary at all times,
avoiding unnecessary movements and only working half day at the office and the
rest of the day, working from home.
It’s quite scary moving about and not knowing where the
virus may be lurking or if and when you can be hit by it, moreover when you’re
exposed to other people coming from all over Zambia and abroad as well. We’ll
continue to lift everyone around the world in prayer and hope for a vaccine to
be pushed out as soon as possible. Thank you to all health workers and others
on the front lines putting themselves at risk every day for the greater good.
You are appreciated more than you know. For regular updates follow @bbc and
@who for factual updates on COVID-19. Until next week, stay safe, stay sane,
sanitize, self-isolate.
An interview can be a nerve-wracking thing in any
circumstance but when we’re talking about a possible once in a lifetime
opportunity, the pressure surely amps up a notch.
We recently held interviews for a program run here at RN called the Youth Sport Exchange Program or YSEP as it is commonly referred to as. The program entails a stated number of volunteers being sent to a different country for a 10 month period. We previously reported about our YSEP volunteers to Norway and Malawi Moses and Patience, who have been fitting in quite well and our Norwegian volunteers to Zambia Daniella and Linn-Kristine were doing so well, sadly due to the dire health situation all over the globe, they will be returning to Norway shortly.
However, the show must in the meantime go on and we invited
six hopefuls for interviews in order to select one qualified individual who
will be sent on the exchange program to Malawi! For a lot of people in Zambia,
the possibility of travel inside the country is a huge deal, so what more being
able to travel abroad or overseas? We met the possible candidates for the
exchange and after a somewhat grueling process where the selection committee
had individual interviews with the candidates followed by group
practical/demonstration session, one person was selected to represent RN, their
community and Zambia when the time comes. We’ll introduce him to all of you in
due time. Of course, all this hinges upon the guidelines and restrictions that
might be in place at that time due to COVID-19. We’ll keep our prayer hats on
that a solution is found sooner rather than later. This post strayed away from
the initial headline quite a bit, but it had to done. That being said, stay safe
and stay healthy everyone!
Today’s blog post finds us in Nampongo village which is
about 60km from Livingstone. Nampongo is a hub of activities and the community
members have really taken to RN’s self-help philosophy. It is imperative to us,
that communities are able to gain the knowledge they are given by our
facilitators and utilize said knowledge to start up their own income generating
activities that can be sustained, using locally available resources and
manpower.
The self-help concept could really be seen to have taken
effect during a mini-meeting held on Tuesday, March 3rd, where community
members testified to the absolute usefulness and pertinence of RN and self-help.
The trip was made with a special visitor to RN, Roger Hansen and our good
friends in media, ZNBC TV. The members, especially women passionately testified
that their lives have been greatly improved due to learning about self-help
groups and the save and borrow method. To explain the method in simple terms, a
group of people come together to form a group and decide on how much money to ‘bank’
and how frequently. Once a decent amount has been saved, group members can then
begin to borrow at an agreed interest rate. Some members said that they have
already saved up to K5000 which is an amazing accomplishment. They added that
the self-help groups and like activities have really given them a sense of
pride and joked that now it’s their husbands who come to ask them for a bit of
pocket money and can now even consider themselves breadwinners as well.
It’s always amazing to hear about such heartwarming stories
and to actually see how people’s lives have been changed, simply with knowledge
and it didn’t hurt that people were able to tell their change stories and be
captured by the media, which will hopefully reach more eyes and ears and help
more people improve their lives.
Check out more pictures and video from the visits on our
social pages on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Until next week!
Today’s blog post finds us in Nampongo village which is about 60km from Livingstone. Nampongo is a hub of activities and the community members have really taken to RN’s self-help philosophy. It is imperative to us, that communities are able to gain the knowledge they are given by our facilitators and utilize said knowledge to start up their own income generating activities that can be sustained, using locally available resources and manpower.
The self-help concept could really be seen to have taken effect during a mini-meeting held on Tuesday, March 3rd, where community members testified to the absolute usefulness and pertinence of RN and self-help. The trip was made with a special visitor to RN, Roger Hansen and our good friends in media, ZNBC TV. The members, especially women passionately testified that their lives have been greatly improved due to learning about self-help groups and the save and borrow method. To explain the method in simple terms, a group of people come together to form a group and decide on how much money to ‘bank’ and how frequently. Once a decent amount has been saved, group members can then begin to borrow at an agreed interest rate. Some members said that they have already saved up to K5000 which is an amazing accomplishment. They added that the self-help groups and like activities have really given them a sense of pride and joked that now it’s their husbands who come to ask them for a bit of pocket money and can now even consider themselves breadwinners as well.
SHG club members speaking on how their lives have improved
It’s always amazing to hear about such heartwarming stories
and to actually see how people’s lives have been changed, simply with knowledge
and it didn’t hurt that people were able to tell their change stories and be
captured by the media, which will hopefully reach more eyes and ears and help
more people improve their lives.
Check out more pictures and video from the visits on our
social pages on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Until next week!
To commemorate #saferinternetday that passed not too long ago (check our socials), we decided to look a little closer into the phenomenon that is the internet and social media to be specific.
The internet and social media have quickly become things that are not that easy to forego. I for one know that social media has become so deeply ingrained into my daily life and i most certainly would not even be able to write this blog if we didn’t have internet and social media in the world and I suppose you all wouldn’t be able to read it either. As with all things, the internet has certain rules of thumb that one ought to follow in order to make the net a safer and better place for everyone. Due to the fact that RN offers extra IT lessons to all the kids on the sponsorship program, it is even more pertinent for us to be aware and raise awareness on issues pertaining to internet safety. Cyber bullying as well as a plethora of other issues and dangers can be experienced by all at one point or another if one is not careful or sufficiently aware of the dangers lurking in the web.
Students in the Resource Center where ICT lessons are held
We scoured through tons of literature on this topic and came up with the TOP 4 Golden rules for internet safety. 1. LIVE THE GOLDEN RULE. I will act with empathy, compassion and kindness in every interaction, and treat everyone I connect with online with dignity and respect. 2. RESPECT DIFFERENCES. I will appreciate cultural differences and honor diverse perspectives. When I disagree, I will engage thoughtfully and avoid name calling and personal attacks. 3. PAUSE BEFORE REPLYING. I will pause and think before responding to things I disagree with. I will not post or send anything that could hurt someone else, damage someone’s reputation or threaten my safety or the safety of others. 4. STAND UP FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS. I will tell someone if I feel unsafe, offer support to those who are targets of online abuse or cruelty, report activity that threatens anyone’s safety, and preserve evidence of inappropriate or unsafe behavior.
We sure hope the above tips help you when navigating through these social media streets but feel free to do a little research of your own because after all, you can never have too much information about safety. Also if you or anyone you know is interested on learning more about cyber bullying or other forms of bullying and abuse, and what you can do to help, check out stompoutbullying.org. That’s it for this week’s blog post, don’t forget to follow us on our various social platforms linked below 🙂
Meet Regina Makai. Regina is currently on our sponsorship
program, being supported by Delta Kappa Gamma Society and pursuing a Junior
Secondary Teaching Diploma, majoring in English and Physical Education. With a
ready smile for anyone who approaches her and a warm aura that puts all at
ease, one would never guess the arduous road this young lady has had to
traverse.
Abandoned by her father, leaving her mother to fend for
herself and resulting in Regina being moved from home to home across the
country, being cared for by relatives. This instilled in Regina a strong sense
of resilience and the value of education. She is the fourth child and the only
girl in the family and resides in a modest home with her mother and some of her
siblings who have not yet wed.
Regina and her mother packaging the goods they sell in their ‘ka ntemba’
To make ends meet, Regina’s mother has had several temp jobs
here and there and currently runs a small informal shop called a ‘ka ntemba’
where they sell tomatoes, mealie meal, fish, and charcoal among other things.
On a regular day, Regina will wake up at around 6 a.m to assist her mother in
some household chores before starting off for school where she spends the day
until half past 6. Upon returning home, she will once again help her mother
with house chores and packaging products for their shop.
The informal shop/’ka ntemba’ where they sell various items
When asked how she feels about the support she has been
given, Regina had this to say, “the sponsorship I have received means a lot to
me. I wouldn’t be where I am without it and I probably would have gotten into
other vices such as beer drinking like some of my peers”. Her mother added that
she thanks God for Delta Kappa Gamma and Response Network as there is no way
she would have managed to pay for her child’s education. She said that she
prays her sponsors and RN will continue to grow and carry on the good work they
do for people.
If you or anyone you know would like to sponsor a child and
help give them the chance at a better future, contact us at
mail@responsenetwork.org.
