media team week

This week has been very busy and full of wonderful experiences.  The media team of Northrise came out to Ndola and stayed at the Northrise guest flat with Adam Sallee and I, which turned out to be a great time.  The media team consisted of Dave Cheatham, Danny Ortega, Paige Fullmer, Sabra Gertsch, Tony Elliot, and justin Clark.  Their main purpose was to visit and interview Northrise alumni who have made a strong impact the local community.  There was also some Northrise students who followed the team around to learn about photography.



On monday, we visited an alumni named joyce who runs Arising Life ministry in mushili, Ndola who helps educate children who have been abandoned by their parents and/or have not been able to get a proper education.  The looks to improve their facility by hopefully getting electricity in the near furture.  Recently, Seeds of Life put in a water pump to get the kids and the rest of the community fresh water.

Student at the mapalo glory academy

On Tuesday, the media team and I went to the mapalo glory academy to visit an alumni named Emil Mukaka.  Visiting the school was my favorite day of the week.  We visited the various classrooms in which the young students sang us songs and showed us their writing talents.  We then met with the two cooks who explained to us that the lunch provided at that school is usually the only meal the kids get each day.  Lunch that day was chuma (similar to dryer corn meal which is a common favorite of the locals) and carpenda fish (pretty much sardines) The school is located outside the city in a village where there is no running water.  Principal mukaka wanted to start the school in order to educate local kids in order for them to have a brighter future.   The highlight of the day was playing soccer with some of the younger boy students.  After visiting the school, the media team and I went to the quicksave for lunch, which has been the go to place to grub.  

student at the mapalo glory academy

child patient waiting for medical treatment

WEDNESDAY-  The morning trip was to the Arthur Davison Childrens Hospital, which was a sobering experience.  President moffat of Northrise presented medical supplies donated by some generous donors from usa to the executive director of the hospital, Dr Sam Phiri, who allowed us to get a quick tour of the hospital.  The hospital, like every building in Ndola, has not been expanded or renovated since the English left in 60s.  The hospital beds, machines, accessories, etc. have not changed since for more than fifty years.  One floor was composed of children to designated rooms depending on the type of sickness they had, for example, malaria and tubercleosis.  There were two sections on one of the floors of the hospital, the High Cost section where it costs $30 dollars a day to stay and the low cost which speaks for itself.  The difference in cleanliness and provided ammenities was ridiculous between the sections.  AND there was one kid in the high cost section and about 40-50 children in the low cost ward.  After interviewing doctors and the nurses, the assistant director showed us the ART building which was detached from the main hospital.  The media team and I walked into the building and it seemed like an ER room because there were so many people waiting in the room.  We then were explained that the room was full of people who have AIDs and that they were waiting for treatment... talk about an eye opener.


Lunch was at Vanilla Bread, which is a great lunch spot owned by an Italian (which means the food is really bomb).  In the afternoon, we cruised to the Northrise farm to interview Farmer Bob who harvests the bananas and takes care of the chickens (I will be working with him next week on the farm)


Thursday---- consisted of interviewing Northrise students about how the university has given them a great education and an opportunity to succeed in life.


Today (Friday), the media team sadly left to Cape Town.  I have had a great time this week and I will miss them dearly, but I am glad to have made to long lasting relationships.
check out the media teams blog which further explain in detail out week.
http://zambition.info/



A great thanks to Adam Sallee for picking me up from the airport and helping me transition into the Northrise community.


I hope all is well.


-plumbskeet out