Electrifying News from Mfuwe Summer 2022

Malimba School & Conservation South Luangwa
SUMMER 2022 UPDATE

Dear Make Me Smile Supporters

Since we last wrote to you in March we have positive news to report from both our projects.

It is a brighter and happier scene since last Spring time, when there were floods and the lingering challengies brought about by Covid

With the enthusiasm and inspiration of our Headmistress Ezeliya, Malimba school is back on course and thriving. Many more pupils are attemding the school and some are moving on to higher education. All very positive.

Below is Ezeliya’s summary of what has been happening at Malimba along with some great photo’s.

Following this there is highlights from Rachel and her team at CSL (Conservation South Luangwa), with great progress regarding wildlife and human conflict mitigation, wildlife rescue, anti-poaching activities and a link to their Annual Report.

Thank you for your continued support. As always regular donations, however small, really help us to provide more reliable fund, please visit our website for more information

Top Left: Tree Planting Project Top Right: Keeping Malimba Green
Bottom Left:Pupils at JETS fair Bottom Right:Production Unit

NEWS FROM MALIMBA SCHOOL

Greetings from pupils of Malimba!

Staffing
We still have the same number of staff despite losing a Librarian who was shifted to another school.

Academic
The school has drastically improved in terms of academic performance. This term, we participated in the JETS Fairs at Inter-school, Inter-zones and Inter-districts. Inter-school and Inter-zones competitions, our school scoped 1st Position and Inter-district competitions, we came number 4. It was a great achievement indeed! This was possible because our volunteer teachers are well motivated and hard working! Deserving pupils were, Ngoma Meya who is good in Science, Banda James who is good in English Language and Phiri Taonga who is good in Mathematics. These pupils were also picked to represent Mambwe District. This cannot go like this without thanking you our sponsors. Our pupils are always motivated because they are well fed during days. At break-time, the get a cup of porridge made from Corn Blended Cereals (CBS) provided by Marys Meals. Grade seven pupils are given a fruit each and a snack during examinations. This has really improved enrolment as well as attendance. We have this Term recorded 551 pupils from 495. No child abscond lessons unless that child is sick. Our school also provides printed tests to pupils hence the need of more computers to help teachers print their own tests. Currently we have one Laptop which cannot suffice the need of printing tests.

Malimba Teachers Celebrating Ladies Day

Library Services
It is will great sadness that our Librarian was shifted to another school. As at now, pupils read on their own. There was a misunderstanding with time allocation. The time table which our Librarian submitted was colliding with other programme, for instance, Catch Up which comes every day, Logo 2000 and Lets Read, all these programmes are there to help pupils read. So for grades 2, 3 and 4s who were coming in the morning, it was very difficult to suit with the time table given to the administration. Normal lessons were affected. I suggested we shift library time to 11:00 AM when pupils are free to be in the Library for 1hr instead of 40 minutes given them. This did not mean well to our the one in charge, hence, shifted the librarian to another school. This has affected our children very much in terms of learning English. We still feel something should be done to revamp the Library so that our pupils continue enjoying what other schools are enjoying.

Projects
According to our 5 year Action Plan, brick moulding started. We need to construct two staff toilets which were destroyed by floods. As at now these teachers and their families are sharing toilets with pupils. We also need to construct a 1 x 3 classroom block to accommodate the current enrolment.

Rural Electrification Authority has started the project at Malimba. What is required for us to do wiring of all the four buildings and two staff houses. The BOQ was already done. The total amount needed for the same work is 150,000 ZKW. We are humbly asking help from you.

Tree planting has continued. We want to keep Malimba green at all cost.

Production Unit
We had a piggery and we had six pigs. Unfortunately, our piggery was attacked by lions and we lost all the pigs. We still feel we can do better by providing a securable piggery and put strong measures to safeguard our piggery. Pigs were income generating and need to continue the project. What is needed is proper wire fencing. We also have a vegetable garden but it is small. We need to improve on it.

Water and Sanitation
We have only one water point which is a borehole drilled by Adrian Carr. We need piped water. This can be possible with the electricity that is currently in progress by REA. What can be needed is a tank and water pump.
Two toilets to be constructed. This will be for two member families of staff.

Finally, we wish to thank all well-wishers for the support you are giving Malimba Community School. The school has really changed. We have managed to change the face of the school to a green Malimba. Pupils are taught the 3Rs, Reduce, Recycle and Reuse. Chongololo and Conservation clubs are also helping in advocating for a “green school.” Once more, we say thank you for your continued support, you really make our pupils smile!

From Ezeliya Martha Phiri
Headteacher.

You will have seen from Ezeilya’s update that the school is now close to being able to connect to the electricity supply! Who could imagine a school in the UK , Europe or the US without access to power. This will mean that the school can begin nl IT programme for their pupils. Before this can happen we need to raise funds to provide the wiring for the school and then we would like to arrange a donation of two lapstops to get things going.

Do you have a laptop that you would like to donate? It would need to be in good working order and we will also need to provide internet connection so there is quite a bit to do before the school are truly electrified. Any donations would be most welcome and enable us to support this milestone for Malimba School.

CLICK TO SUPPORT MALIMBA SCHOOL

Dear CSL friends, donors, and partners,

2022 is feeling a lot like 2019, with an incredible amount going on at CSL and a very busy national park with tourists flocking back to visit. This is a great sign for Zambia, its people, its wildlife and its economy. However, it does present some challenges as human resources are stretched thin with all the tourism related duties going, on but we continue to work closely with all partners to mitigate this.

We are happy to report our large investment in aerial anti-poaching and scout training this year is paying off, with more efficient patrolling being conducted. Despite this we have detected a general increase in poaching and continue to work closely with DNPW and partners to curb this trend. As ever, we will stay vigilant and do all we can to protect this special corner of the world.

Keep reading for updates from each of our program teams to see the progress we are making in protecting wildlife and supporting communities, and a huge thanks to every one of you who enables us to continue this work each year.

Best wishes,

Rachel & the CSL Team

ANTI POACHING
This quarter much of our focus has been on providing training and resources for South Luangwa’s law enforcement teams. In April, we began the first of two intensive month-long in-service refresher training for CSL-supporting Community Scouts and DNPW Wildlife Police Officers. A total of 105 scouts successfully completed the rigorous training with the help of the incredible ESPA training instructors. Each scout also received a new kit upon passing out, including backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, ground sheets, water bottles, boots, and uniforms.

Further specialized training began with the Frontier team in June, aimed at honing the skills of already established special units and ongoing mentoring of the shared DNPW/CSL control room.

In addition, we recently increased the CSL vehicle fleet with an additional 2 brand new Land Crusiers which arrived in Mfuwe and are now helping CSL/DNPW to efficiently and effectively deploy and extract ground teams.

Thank you to the USA Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) for their continued support of this work.

Cheetah de-snaring underway in the Bangweulu Wetlands

WILDILFE RESCUE

In April, we were thrilled to be asked by our colleagues African Parks in the Bangweulu wetlands to help de-snare a cheetah in their area. Historically, cheetahs have been present in South Luangwa in very small numbers but no sightings have been recorded since 1997, making this an exciting opportunity for our veterinary team.

A one-hour plane trip from Mfuwe to Bangweulu in our Cessna 180, followed by a 2-hour car ride and a one-and-a-half-hour walk each way, enabled our CSL/Zambian Carnivore Programme Vet, Dr. Mwamba Sichande, and DNPW South Luangwa Vet Dr. Bwalya to reach the cheetah. She was immobilized, her snare removed, and treated for any infection and pain. Her wound was superficial and did not affect any vital organs and her prognosis for recovery was very good.

HUMAN – WILDLIFE CO-EXISTENCE
This quarter we have been seeing excellent results from our Community department, whilst focusing on building strength and momentum within our team and with our partners.

In May the team participated in a 3-day strategic planning workshop, where we evaluated the history of our community work, and mapped out our aspirations for the future. This also helped us to refine and establish our vision statement:

“Thriving, empowered communities coexisting peacefully with wildlife and actively benefitting from collaborative conservation in South Luangwa”

The Community team now includes 16 team members between 5 Chiefdoms and the CSL Head Office in Mfuwe. In June we brought the whole team together for training workshops designed to build morale and improve collaboration and communication. Opportunities like this are rare, and it was the first time we have managed to get the full team together!

The newly established quarterly Human-Wildlife Conflict stakeholder meetings are becoming a vital component in successful collaboration with the various partners and players across the District. This quarter, all 7 Chiefdoms were represented for the first time through their Community Resource Boards, traditional leadership, and local councillors demonstrating the commitment to collaboration at a grass-roots level.

A special mention must also be made to our partners at the Elephant Crisis Fund. We have recently reported an incredible 15% reduction in crop-raiding by elephants in the Kakumbi Chiefdom, credited to a 6km mitigation fencing trial funded by ECF!

To read the entire CSL newsletter and read more about the K9 unit’s new recruit click here

To read the CSL report for 2021, please follow the link by clicking on the image.

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With grateful thanks to you, our supporters, who make progress and improvements possible
Jacqui and the Make Me Smile Team