UPDATE FROM THE HAPPY AFRICA FOUNDATION

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Jan 11, 2010

Welcome to the Happy Africa Foundation Newsletter
December 2009

The Happy Africa Foundation is pleased to share with you more news from its projects in eastern and southern Africa. We are busy working on conservation and community iniatives in Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe and are helping to make a real difference to local communities there.  Our aim is to support sustainable programmes, encouraging people to become self-sufficient and to manage their lives independently.  
The foundation’s partnership with African Impact results in a greater and more sustainable benefit for the communities with whom we work.  Thanks to the support of our donors we are able to establish and develop new projects, reaching more people across the continent.

Read more... about starting up a community projects in Zimbabwe, planning for a farm in Mozambique and developing rain water harvesting in Livingstone. As well as planning a sports field for children at a school in Cape Town, facilitating a generous donation of medical supplies to the projects in Nairobi and much more!
          
What’s new with The Happy Africa Foundation?

The Happy Africa Foundation (THAF) has been working hard this summer on new and existing projects.  Despite the world recession, donors have continued to kindly support the Happy Africa Foundation in its work throughout Africa.  We were sad to see Rosie leave the Happy Africa Foundation team, but welcomed two new members of staff; Amit Rama and Mark Stevens, our resident Priceton in Africa Foundation fellow, who are both working part time for THAF.  Amit is now managing the Sponsor a Child Programme, whilst Mark is supporting the operations team, both are based in Livingstone, Zambia.

We are delighted to have started new projects in Zimbabwe; working with local communities in Victoria Falls and Mkobo just outside of Antelope Park.  The country has suffered greatly over the last few years.  We hope that the introduction of the US dollar as the currency and the decision of many western nations to advise that the country is safe to visit again, will have a positive impact and see it return to its former greatness.

At the foundation’s largest project in Livingstone, Zambia we are supporting more schools, clinics and are planning to develop food and energy security programmes in conjunction with the Zambian government and the United Nation World Food Programme (UNWFP).  We are also hoping to develop water retention projects in rain starved areas across the continent.  The sports project has been hugely successful in recent weeks, thanks to the dedication of Amit (who is also the Sports Coordinator for African Impact) and the sports volunteers.
In Kenya we continue supporting medical clinics in Nairobi, providing greatly needed supplies and equipment to the centres.  In addition we have helped women affected by HIV to start up an income-generating business; making soap and candles.  It has been a busy few months in Mozambique; more children from the local pre-school Escolinha de Boa Esperanca are being sponsored, taking the total number of sponsored children to 13.

One of our newest projects; Zanzibar Island community project in Tanzania, is proving to be hugely popular with volunteers and of course the community of Jambiani where the project is based.  We are supporting pre-schools and a medical clinic on the island.

In Cape Town we are excited to start a new project in Fish Hoek, with the support of African Impact and Flamingo, a marketing firm based in Bristol, UK.  In line with the 2010 World Cup our plans are to develop a sports ground for children at the local school and the surrounding community.

The foundation’s Sponsor a Child Programme is going from strength to strength; we are now supporting over 90 children in Cape Town, Kenya, Mozambique and Zambia.  We are also hoping to start the programme in St Lucia, South Africa.  Our programme helps to support children of all ages, who come from deprived backgrounds or who we believe to be vulnerable.  As a charity we always confer with school teachers or community leaders when assessing children in terms of their suitability for sponsorship.  Many of the children that are in need of sponsorship are either single orphans or double orphans and would have little opportunity to receive an education or the prospect to improve their circumstances without this invaluable support.  For more information visit http://happyafricafoundation.org
                                                                           
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
The pretty town of Victoria Falls is home to one of THAF’s newest projects.  The community development initiative aims to improve the lives of local people, supporting those most disadvantaged in the town.  Volunteers are busy working hard at Chamabondo Primary School, teaching conservation education to students, as well as contributing toward much needed renovation work on the school building and its surroundings.  We have also been able to support some of the children with their school fees.
We also work at a local orphanage; volunteers visit once a week to play with and cook for the children.   In September we were able to donate lots of children’s clothing to the maternity ward in Victoria Falls, which were gratefully received by the hospital’s staff.

We are also supporting nutrition gardens; designed to help members of the community affected by HIV and AIDS to meet their necessary dietary requirements.  We are aiming to introduce a large range of herbal species and vegetables for the gardeners’ own consumption as well as to help them to generate income.  The value of projects like this is invaluable not only to improve the health of those affected by HIV/AIDS, but also by educating local people they can develop their own projects and pass the knowledge on to their own families.
We are excited to see the project here develop and look forward to starting new initiatives as our work progresses.

Antelope Park, Zimbabwe
Although home for many years to the well established and renowned Lion Encounter Project, Antelope Park has now started community projects to help support the many local people affected by the country’s recent struggles.  Neighbouring Antelope Park is the high density area of Mkoba. This is the area where the majority of Gweru’s population live; access to private education and healthcare facilities is limited, so most people are totally dependant on the poorly staffed and serviced local schools and clinics.

Mkoba Primary School has approximately 2184 students and the average class size is 55 students.  The school does not have enough classrooms for all of the students.  A common solution to this problem is to ‘hot desk’ the tables and chairs; this means that children come to school in staggered times, so as to make space for the next students in the time slot after them.  Some children walk many miles to reach their school to spend only a few hours learning before returning home again.   Resources such as text books and teaching aids are also grossly inadequate at Mkoba School; here volunteer’s help is hugely beneficial by making teaching aids that can assist the teaching and learning process.

Volunteers also assist qualified personnel at Mkoba Polyclinic.  In 2002 the clinic catered for 47, 580 people in one year. Currently it is estimated to be catering for over 90 000 people. It is ill equipped, poorly funded and above all severely understaffed. This service provider is heavily dependent on goodwill and support for donor agencies.  Their maternity ward caters for all surrounding areas and records on average 125 births per months yet only has 2 delivery beds. We are currently waiting to receive a donation of nearly 1000 kilograms of medical donations for the clinic which will be greatly beneficial.

Livingstone, Zambia
The Happy Africa team is based in Livingstone; this is also where the foundation supports some of its largest projects.  THAF was established in Livingstone in 2008 and has already funded projects at clinics, schools, farms among others.  As a registered Zambian NGO, the foundation works closely with governmental bodies, non-governmental organisations and local stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration for the benefit of all local communities.  We have built strong relationships with local community leaders and have become an important part of improving educational and health programmes in Livingstone.

The completion of the Nakatindi Community School twin classroom and office block at the end of June 2009 was a happy occasion for the school, especially for the children from grades two and three.  They no longer have to sit in an overcrowded and damp, mud hut to have their lessons.
Thank you to Isendoorn College for their continued support and generosity in donating to this project.  
THAF has built a security wall around Malota Community School.  In addition major renovations to the existing twin classroom block have improved the classroom floors, the exterior and interior walls as well as providing desks, tables and chairs for the children and teachers.

Thanks to Travelworks and all the volunteers that continue to make this project such a success. The next plan is to move the ablution block to a more appropriate site on the school grounds.

• THAF has also been busy installing electricity at Nakatindi Community School, hugely important to the daily running of the school; allowing school to continue after daylight hours and so extending the educational opportunities available to the students.  Additionally, the school will be able to raise a small amount of income through the sale of cold drinks and provide a safer environment through the provision of security lights.
• The year has ended on high note for the 15 youth football teams in Livingstone; Amit organised a tournament where all the teams competed.  The volunteers did a fantastic job of coordinating the order of play! The sports project has been a huge success in recent weeks thanks to the hard work of volunteers who have helped to provide football boots and kit for the youth teams.
•  The foundation and African Impact have had meetings with government ministers, the UNWFP and prominent stakeholders in Livingstone to discuss plans to introduce food and energy security programmes in rural parts of the country.  The aim is to encourage local people to grow their own produce, cultivate bio-fuel crops for energy and manage their own water systems.
• The Happy Africa Foundation is teaming up with Books for Africa to increase the availability of books for Livingstone’s youth.  Books for Africa are a well-known name on American university campuses and students often donate their used textbooks to be given to African recipients.  THAF is working with African Impact and other NGOs in the area to get a container of 40,000 books shipped to Livingstone to supply local schools and libraries.                  
  

Vilanculos, Mozambique
The project in Vilanculos has been busy planning a new project; a farm at the local pre-school, Escolinha de Boa Esperanca.  The aim is to help the school so that it can become totally self-sufficient; the farm will be a sustainable source of revenue for the preschool and the teachers who will co-manage the farm with THAF and African Impact. 

Once the farm is established chickens and rabbits will be sold to the children’s parents and local restaurants in the area.  African Impact will also benefit; the meat will be bought for the volunteers meals.  It will also help us to contribute toward the local economy; currently chickens sold in the supermarket in the town have come all the way from Brazil!
Over the last six months volunteers have worked hard at clearing the land at the site and then planting seeds.  So the children are now eating a large range of vegetables with their daily rice.  There has been a real sense of community spirit as parents have played their part, working together to maintain the land.  The success of the farm so far is a positive sign for the expansion of the farm to incorporate animals.  We still have a way to go; purchasing the animals, the materials for the cages and hutches and all the animals will require vaccinations, but thanks to support from our generous volunteers we expect to start this in the New Year.

Nairobi, Kenya
African Impact has been involved with the public health centres in Limuru, Nairobi for approximately six months.  Thanks to an ex-volunteer, THAF was able to donate various medical supplies to Kigumo Githunguri and Karuri health centres.  The donation has helped to provide basic equipment to the health centres allowing the health professionals to administer their services more efficiently and effectively.  The supplies included blood pressure machines, stethoscopes, delivery kits and a paediatric weighing machine, all much needed equipment in the centres.
Body of Christ Children Centre was started in June 2004 to educate seventy orphans and vulnerable children within the local Limuru area.  After receiving donations from volunteers THAF has helped to improve the appearance of the school building.  This has encouraged the community to acknowledge the presence of the school; placing more emphasis on the development of educational institutions within the community.  It has also encouraged the relationship between the two organisations, Body of Christ and African Impact, to join in a common goal towards sustainable development.  A huge thank you, to all the volunteers and staff that have continued to support this very special project.

 One of THAF’s most recent projects has started at Olmah Maasai School, Maasai Village, where a system to retain water is being developed.  After assessing the site and consulting with the school, a water tank and roof gutters project is planned.  This will see rain water collected and used by the school children for drinking.

Another hugely successful project is the Rebirth Foundation, initiated by local lady, Lillian to empower women affected by HIV and living in the Mukuru slums.  Lillian started a weekly women’s group to help the ladies to start a co-operative business making and selling candles, soap and some beadwork.  Thanks to generous donations THAF has built the ladies a building to work from as well as the necessary machinery to start making the products.  This is fantastic for the ladies as it not only enables them to manage self-sufficiently; it helps them to support their families’ needs for education, good health and a positive future.
                                                                                    
Jambiani, Zanzibar
It’s been busy in Jambiani and we have been able to support many projects; starting and finishing some fantastic manual labour/maintenance projects in the village.
Sirajati Nursery School

• The exterior and interior of a new classroom has been plastered, in addition a colourful educational scene has been painted on the outside of the classroom
• All five classroom blackboards have now been re-built and re-painted
• The playground area has been made safe; two large swings, a climbing net, monkey swings, basket ball net and tyres for the children to play on have also been added
• The area behind the school was cleared of rubbish and a garden/shamba has been created for the teachers to grow fruit and vegetables.  They can use this to provide for their family, or to sell and generate an income.  An area has also been designated to allow the children to grow vegetables
  

Jambiani High School

• The external and interior walls of all the school classrooms and all classroom blackboards have been repainted
• Trees have been planted in both the Primary and High School grounds to provide much needed shade for the students at break-times
  

Kikadini Nursery School

•  Planted trees to provide shade for the children at break-times
•  Re-built the wall area within the school play area which was unstable and dangerous for the children to be near
  

Jambiani Medical Clinic

• The clinic now has the necessary cleaning products and buckets/mops/cloths for all clinic rooms; to ensure hygiene standards are maintained throughout the clinic (previously there had been no bleach and only one mop for the whole clinic
• Trees have been planted to provide some shade for the patients
  

Teaching Aids

• Text books have been purchased for every child in Siragati, Ibrahim Milaat and Kikadini Nursery School (approximately 100!) this allows the children to look back at their work and for new volunteers to be able to continue the great work done by previous volunteers.  The children love to have stars and ticks put in their books, it’s made them much more proud of the work they produce!

Cape Town, South Africa
Football fever hits Cape Town! The Happy Africa Foundation and African Impact together with Flamingo, a marketing firm based in Bristol, UK, plan to develop a sports ground at a local school, Ukhanyo Primary in Fish Hoek, Cape Town.  The ground will provide a much needed sports area for over 1,300 children that attend the school, as well as greatly benefitting the local community.
In addition 100 family friendly local pubs/restaurants in the UK will be launching ‘Project Fair Play’ - a collector scheme and fundraising throughout February and March next year linked in with the upcoming the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The plan is to raise enough funds to purchase 500 Fair Trade footballs from www.aliveandkicking.org.uk – these are tough, repairable footballs made using African skills and African leather made specifically to play on African terrain.  Each carries a message about HIV/AIDS and malaria.  The sites (pubs/restaurants) will also be running a children's shirt amnesty asking people in the UK to donate premiership football shirts.  Needless to say we are very excited about this project and the prospect of improving sports playing conditions at Ukhanyo Primary School!
Thank you also to all donors that have helped us with many of the items on our schools wish list.  These included a wooden play kitchen, a baby gate, tables and chairs, a large rubber floor mat, two car racing mats, bowls and utensils.  We greatly appreciate all the help we receive to improve the conditions of the pre-schools that we work at.

And finally... thank you to everyone for supporting the Happy Africa Foundation. And a big thank you to all the African Impact staff who work tirelessly to support Happy Africa projects.  Without you none of these success stories would have been possible. Thank you!  Read more about our projects, visit http://happyafricafoundation.org
Lucy Pollock, Chief Operating Officer
Livingstone, Zambia, December 2009