No Meal Exports - State

By Times Reporter

THE Government will not issue any export permits for maize and mealie meal until the food situation in the country stabilises, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister, Brian Chituwo has said.

Dr Chituwo said the export ban for maize and mealie meal was meant to ensure that the citizens had enough food for consumption.

Speaking in an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Chituwo said that whoever exports maize or mealie meal, would be doing so illegally and if caught would face the law.

“We are not giving export licences. We have put in place measures to ensure that our population has enough food for consumption. We have put in place serious measures to protect our people,” Dr Chituwo said.

He said that the Government was putting in place measures to ensure that cheap mealie meal was available to the rural dwellers.

The minister said that many critics had complained that mealie meal at the reduced price was only available in urban areas.

Dr Chituwo said that the Government was discussing with millers in rural communities on possibilities of availing them with cheap maize so that they could in turn sell mealie meal at a lower price.

And police yesterday warned that the service would not allow the subsidised maize to be smuggled out of the country.

Zambia Police Service spokesperson, Bonny Kapeso said the police, with other security wings at the borders, would ensure that the maize was not smuggled.

Mr Kapeso said in Lusaka yesterday that the policewould not allow traders to export maize and mealie meal meant for Zambians.

“We cannot allow that to continue and we need the support of the Zambian people to ensure that we stop the scourge,” he said.

President Rupiah Banda on Tuesday urged Zambians living in border areas to be vigilant and ensure that the subsidised maize and mealie meal were not smuggled to other countries.

Source Link : http://www.times.co.zm/news/viewnews.cgi?category=2&id=1231402777

From the Times of Zambia 20th January 2009

From Fiona, Sally, Kerry and Donna

Fiona, Sally, Kerry and Donna are really looking forward to the trip to Zambia and Chipembi girls school. Donna and Kerry have been before while for Fiona and Sally this is their first time. We are all excited about working with the girls on health topics.

We have been asked to provide sessions on HIV & AIDS, sexually transmitted illnesses, pregnancy and personal hygiene.

We will use a variety of methods to introduce the topics including discussion, visual aids, quizzes and direct information giving. Izzy who is also making the trip has very kindly printed posters and booklets which we can leave with the school. It is now only just over 7 weeks until we travel and the excitement is building.

We still have some work to do so will meet several more times to check our materials and finalise the detail of delivering the sessions.

Apart from our own project work we have enjoyed meeting with others in the group to share food, singing, dancing and generally getting to know people better.

We are looking forward to continuing this pattern both here and when we are in Zambia.

Finally we are most excited about simply being at the school, meeting old friends, making new ones and experiencing the wonderful culture and country that is Zambia.

Fiona, Donna, Kerry and Sally

Arthur

Hi,

I am Arthur. My daughter Kerry and I are members of the group looking forward to our visit to Chipembi Girls boarding school in March 2009. The girls and teachers are very much part of our lives. My older son Craig has been out to the school twice before. He spent 3 months there during his gap year helping with keyboard skills when he left school 5 years ago. Craig is back in Africa at present spending a year with the VSO in south west Uganda helping fund raise with a small charity looking after disadvantaged young people.

I will be helping with the refurbishment of one of the dormitorys. I will help with the simple tasks and in fetching and carrying, and some planning & organising. As I have worked for the Standard Life Assurance Company these past 35 years since leaving school my skills are not in constructing or building. However if any of the teachers (or senior pupils) need help in starting a pension plan and planning their retirement then I can add lots of value here.

My other son Ross has not been out to Zambia. He has however spent time with the pupils and teachers when they have visited Leith over the past 6 or 7 years. My wife sadly passed away some 9 years ago due to breast cancer.

I have just recently entered early middle age. I will work with Standard Life for another few years before I embark on the next part of my life. I am just beginning to think about this. I may do a mixture of paid and voluntary work.

I do spend lots of my time working for the Leith community. I am an active member of The Boys' Brigade. I am also active within South Leith Parish church. I used to be an active member of Bank Villa amateur football club as a silky left back (some would say more crude than silky) through the 70s, 80s and first half of the 90s. Nowadays I sit in the West stand at Easter Road and watch Hibs and their silky skills.

I enjoy collecting things, and joining groups and clubs. I have a mean collection of die cast model cars (old Dinkies). I like to support local Leith organisations and institutions. I do also support Edinburgh activities and events.

During my previous visit to the school I spent some time with the Boys' Brigade company attached to the local church. It was quite something to be made welcome and join straight in with their activities.

I am so looking forward to actually being on site with the pupils and teachers.

Map of Zambia

This link will take you to a good map of Zambia produced by the United Nations Department of Peace Keeping Operations.

http://www.irinnews.org/pdf/map/Zambia.pdf

Last / Next Team Meeting

We had a good meeting on Sunday last where we discussed progress on the various projects (an update will appear shortly); sang our 'Joseph' songs with varying degrees of enthusiasm and key; danced wildly and ate some tasty food, especially the cakes!

Ian also announced that agreement had been reached that 6 Zambians from the school would be visiting Scotland in August, four teachers and two pupils.

The next team meeting is on Sunday the 8th of February at 12:30 in the Church Halls.

Jags, no, not Partick Thistle!

Hope everyone is under way with their vaccination programme. I was at the nurse today and was twice blessed - an injection in each arm!

I have not had any boosters for a few years so I'm in for a few more. Next visit is in two weeks.

The nurse also talked about malaria and as Fiona said on Sunday there are a number of options.

There is some information here;

http://www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk/advice/diseases/malaria.htm

If in any doubt have a chat to someone in the group who has been to Zambia before and can give you the benefit of their previous experience.

Innes

Neil

Hopes: Hoping for some of Minnie's home made corned beef at Fringilla!


Fears: Time proves too much of an overwhelming pressure, meaning that I'm afraid we won't get all the work done in the time we've got.