Twenty-second week in Zambia 🔆🇿🇲

Week from August 25 to 31

A pretty full week, between the field, training sessions, meetings with the girls from the team, and lighter moments with friends and laughter. Life here in Zambia never stops surprising me (even when it comes to dust or insects).

25/08 – Materials for the girls

Girls’ training followed by an important meeting: we handed out materials to the girls of the team. Wool, cotton, and everything they need to start their little businesses – mats, ribbons, recycled items. The idea is that they can earn something to support their team and themselves. Small steps, big hopes!

26/08 – Day in Luanshya

Amazing day out! Barbecue, fishing, boat ride, pool dives, and even a kind of improvised “spartan race.” Relaxing and laughing with friends: every now and then, a day like this is exactly what you need.

27/08 – Dust, matches, and projects

Morning dedicated to laundry (even though now a local girl helps us wash the clothes, and she does it with joy, so we’ve slowly accepted her help). Then the boys’ match: we got them new water bottles. After lunch, we went to the warehouse to pick up materials, and I talked with the group leader to start creating cute things with the fabrics we bought. Note of the day: dust everywhere, crazy wind… honestly, I don’t know how I survived.

28/08 – Stomach KO and training

My stomach has been acting up for a few days… but the day was still productive. Morning meeting (although I went home right after, I was exhausted), and in the afternoon a basic computer course. I was late myself, but the kids beat every record: two hours past the scheduled time. We only managed 30 minutes of training because the center was closing. Welcome to Zambia time! Simple evening with easy dinner and, of course, no electricity.

29/08 – Zambian delays & future projects

Morning at Zambart to continue the computer course. This time, the kids only managed to be 40 minutes late. In the afternoon, meeting with Petronella, the girl who will help us make clothes and accessories with chitengue: bags, pouches, hats… super energy and lots of ideas. Meanwhile, I kept working with Karo on Mapsa Academy documents (brochures, presentations, etc.) to bring everything to Italy.

30/08 – Zesco vs Green EaglesQuiet morning with reports and documents, then straight to the stadium! Zesco–Green Eagles match ended 1-1, with a goal by Freddy, one of the Zesco players I met. Meanwhile, our kids won their matches (under 15 and under 19), and the girls won in the afternoon. We couldn’t go because the field was inside the military base… but the coach kept us updated on every goal! The evening was spectacular: out with the Zesco kids and other friends… chilling together until late at night!

31/08 – Crazy evening and cookies for the kids

The day started with a bang: returning home at 7 in the morning after a crazy night of dancing and music. After lunch, I got back into action: with Karo, we went to see the Mapalo team match in Chipulukusu. We had some leftover cookies from the computer training and gave them to some children: the joy in their eyes, running away to eat them secretly as if it were some treasure… a scene I will never forget. The day ended with wild dancing with Jo, music blasting (because energy was overflowing, miracle!), and an “adventurous” bath with a flashlight in hand: between spiders and cockroaches, I swore to myself, never again with the flashlight on… better without, haha, so you see nothing.

Word of the week:

Isha kuno = “come here” (and to think that until yesterday I was saying “sakuno”). Jamoca explained: Isha = come, kuno = here. Now I don’t make mistakes anymore!

Photo of the week: