3 March 2011

It has been touching to hear Zambians express concern for the victims of the recent earthquake in Christchurch. We are telling them that this has been a tough time for New Zealand. But some of our pupils at Limapela Cedric’s are unaware; such are the limits of their world here in semi-rural Zambia. At Friday school assemblies I usually give a short spiritual and motivational talk. Some of the children understand me. I am praying for the day when they all will!

Encouragements this year

• We have a settled and happy school with 273 on the roll, 28 of them in our new grade 8 class.
• Alison Raymond and the teachers are seeing pleasing progress with the reading programme.
• The school gardens are looking good. The children’s vegetables are now being sold — a small step towards self-sufficiency — and the maize will be harvested very soon.
• The roof is now on the new grade 8-9 classroom building. Special thanks to our Zambian builder Moses Kabwe and to Mike Whittemore (Cedric’s son) for supervising this building project with such interest and enthusiasm. Funding is needed to complete the building, which we hope to occupy at the beginning of term 2 in May.
• Our two kiwi volunteers, Thomas Duxfield and Stephen Willis from Hawkes Bay, have designed, and are now building, a children’s playground.
• A team of workers from Zambia Electricity Supply Company (ZESCO) has started connecting the school property with mains power.

Working together — Benson, Thomas, Steve and Moses in front of the new classroom block at Limapela Cedric’s School.

Agriculture

Terry Webster has produced a draft Agriculture Business Plan that identifies a number of options for the Limapela Farm at Baluba. He is keen to start one or more of these options as soon as funding is available. The sunn hemp plants are growing well, and the seeds will be harvested soon.

Shopping Online

Our British supporters can raise extra funds for Limapela by shopping online via easyfundraising.org.uk. Check this out!

Thank you all for your interest and support. Young Zambian lives are being improved because of it.

—Matthew F. Raymond, CHAIRMAN