charities – Chanters Lodge Livingstone

From Luanshya, Zambia to Okemos, Michigan, USA!

Meet Joyce Kaoma from Luanshya, Zambia, and Richard Craft from Okemos, Michigan, USA, (above) both Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient, our regular Sunday night radio show, airing for an hour at 20.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Joyce is the Director of Child Evangelism Fellowship in Luanshya, and Richard leader of a group of 15 people from Michigan visiting Zambia to give assistance to Joyce in the construction of a building for meetings as well as sleeping facilities in Luanshya for up to 100 people. “Why?” We wondered. Joyce explained that their centre trains Sunday School teachers in Zambia across all church denominations explaining that the philosophy behind the Fellowship was that the training of individuals multiplies their ministry and enables them to reach many more children with the Gospel than they otherwise could. For the past eight years worldwide the organization had trained over 250,000 teachers annually.

“Why are you in Livingstone?” Milli Jam asked, and Richard Craft explained that Livingstone was the start and finish point of their trip. They had flown into Livingstone some 10 days before the show, had spent a couple of nights at Chanters Lodge in order to recover from their very long journey, and to see Victoria Falls. The group had then taken a 13 hour journey by bus to Luanshya, spending their time there tiling, painting and helping Joyce and her colleagues, before the bus journey back to Livingstone. The Americans would be heading back home the following day, whilst the Luanshya contingent would spend another day or two in Livingstone. Asked why they had chosen Chanters Lodge, Richard explained that this was on the recommendation of Steven and Beth Kabamba from the Fellowship – Beth, previously a missionary in Zambia had also provided the link between Michigan and Luanshya.

Both our Guests said that their favourite musical genre was Gospel but we had nothing to offer of that ilk on the show! Instead we opened with latest smash hits from Tinie Tempah ft 2 Chainz then Miley Cyrus – long gone from her Hannah Montana character these days. Milli Jam dropped great Zambian tracks from Pentagon and T-Sean. He also chose Florida Georgia Line’s ‘Cruise’ and Passenger’s latest ‘Holes’. The prize we give each week to the first person to text us the name of the artist on our oldie of the week was quickly snapped up. The track ‘Lonely’ – the artist Akon. We also played Drake’s latest and a new track from Beyonce.

Richard said that he and his group had loved Victoria Falls and one of their number had even braved the bungee jump. Joyce and her team had had no time for such issues! Richard told listeners that he’s an accountant by profession and has his own business staffed by five members of his family as well as himself. The group’s trip had been financed by fund raising and donations in the States and we told him we really admired the contribution they were making to the development of Zambia’s youngsters.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Richard said that he hoped to be retired and travelling, Joyce that she hoped she would have continued to contribute to every child in Zambia having heard the Gospel.

15
AUG

activities, Africa, charities, children, entertainment, livingstone, Luanshya, radioshow, training, usa, volunteers, Zambia

The Buhlers Experience!

Left to right (above) meet Heidi Buhler, Chris Buhler and Maja Mores-Buhler, Swiss Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Kaufela – that’s our weekly Sunday night radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. You will of course assume that all these Buhlers are related…. Wrong! Heidi and Maja are friends, while Chris and Maja are married and the fact that Heidi has the same surname was, we were assured on the show, pure coincidence! I originally had things so wrong I had to re-write the script for the show a couple of days before we went on air to reflect these relationships!

It was a good show, we air live between 20.30 and 21.30 hrs every Sunday and play latest music interspersed by chat with our Guests. Heidi and Maja explained that they were in Livingstone as volunteers with the Book Bus, based just around the corner from Chanters Lodge at The Grotto. They explained to listeners that they were both librarians by profession back in Bern, Switzerland so when they decided they would like to visit Africa and Zambia for the first time, The Book Bus seemed a natural choice of project. The Book Bus aims to improve child literacy rates in Africa, Asia and South America by providing children with books and the inspiration to read them. In Livingstone the organization has a converted truck packed full of books and volunteers that goes daily from school to school helping the children.

“Are you also a volunteer with The Book Bus?” Milli Jam asked Chris who said “no” and then explained that he had some free time from his job as an English teacher at Fachmittelschule Neufeld in Bern during the summer holidays, so he had come ‘along for the ride’. While Maja and Heidi were camping at The Grotto with the other volunteers Chris was staying at Chanters Lodge. He told us that he and Maja had been married ten years although they had been childhood sweethearts at school, only to meet up again later in life and marry! They have one son and one grand-daughter Emma, half a year old and the apple of their eyes! Heidi said she was married but now had a partner back in Switzerland.

The music on the show was hot! We featured tracks from Avicii, Robin Thicke, Mampi, Dandy Krazy, Mariah Carey and Kelly Rowland. Our oldie of the week was by Nicki Minaj and the prize of a dinner for two with drinks at the lodge which we give to the first person to text us the name of the performing artist was quickly snapped up. My pick was by Lucy Spraggan and we closed with Ellie Goulding’s beautiful ‘You’re My Everything’.

Chris told us that his favourite music is oldies in general and The Beatles in particular. Maja likes Mumford and Sons while Heidi does not like music. This shocked Milli Jam and George! Chris and Maja love swimming while Heidi likes downhill skiing and tennis. Whilst in Livingstone they had seen Victoria Falls, taken a sunset cruise and had been for high tea at the Royal Livingstone. They were very much looking forward to a four day safari in Zimbabwe at the end of the week when the volunteer stint was over, after that they would return to Switzerland with great memories of Zambia in general, and Livingstone in particular.

If you missed the show and would like a listen, here’s a link to the podcast.

26
JUL

activities, Africa, books, Chanters, charities, children, education, entertainment, language, music, radioshow, Switzerland, Zambia

Natalie Foxworthy Live On ‘The Experience’

Meet Natalie Foxworthy (above), Guest on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Soulchild, our weekly radio music and talk show airing every Sunday night on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Natalie was on holiday in Livingstone following a visit to Lusaka, Zambia’s capital, concerning her work as a Projects Officer for Education and Youth Development with Children International.

“What does Children International do?” Milli Jam asked Natalie at the top of the show and she explained that for over 75 years, Children International has been providing critical assistance to children and families struggling in poverty. Through their one-to-one child sponsorship program, they reduce the burden of poverty on impoverished children, invest in their potential and provide them with opportunities to grow up healthy, educated and prepared to succeed and contribute to society. Sponsorship of a child is US$25 per month and Natalie estimated that there are some 18,000 children being helped in Zambia. Natalie oversees Children International’s projects in 13 different countries around the world. A former Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador she did her Masters in International Development at the University of California, San Diego. She hails from Los Angeles. During this visit to Zambia, Natalie had visited some of the poorest ‘compounds’ in Lusaka including Chibolya, Kanyama and George.

Natalie told listeners that she had thoroughly enjoyed her few days in Livingstone. She had flown down from Lusaka with Proflight and on her first afternoon she had loved the sunset cruise on Lady Livingstone, being lucky to have seen a great sunset as well as game in, and on the shores of, the mighty Zambezi. She had been out to Livingstone Island and swum in Angel’s Pool, telling listeners that the water was very cold but she had loved the experience of swimming right on the edge of the stunning Victoria Falls! She had also enjoyed a lion/cheetah encounter that very afternoon. Natalie hoped to visit the Livingstone Museum and to buy some souvenirs before heading back to Lusaka, and then on to Kansas where she now lives.

The music on the show was good and we featured tracks from Sneakbo, Iggy Azalea, Zonefam, Miguel, Bruno Mars, Lawson and Sebastian Ingrosso amongst others. Our oldie of the week was The Kinks – You Really Got Me but the prize went unwon – just too old for our young Zambian listeners I guess! Kaufela and his granny asked to be considered for the prize of a dinner for two at the lodge!

Natalie told listeners that she’d been married for three and a half years and that she met her husband in El Salvador when she was stationed there with the Peace Corps. As yet they had no children. They both loved soccer, Natalie’s an avid Barcelona supporter while her husband prefers Real Madrid. She loves Latin music and speaks fluent Spanish. She had found Chanters Lodge through the Trip Advisor site and had enjoyed her stay at the lodge. She felt she could not visit Zambia without coming to see Victoria Falls and had loved the sight both from Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Asked where she would like to be and what she would like to be doing ten years from now the gracious and interesting Natalie said she would love to be living in Africa, and working for an NGO involved with youth development. We wished her the best of luck.

18
JUL

activities, Africa, airlines, Chanters, charities, children, education, entertainment, football, health, livingstone, Museum, music, radioshow, usa, victoriafalls, zambezi, Zambia

Bob, Cindy Orr and The Butterfly Tree

Meet Bob and Cindy Orr, both mathematics teachers from New Jersey, USA, and currently Guests at Chanters Lodge, Livingstone as well as volunteers with the Butterfly Tree Charity working out at Mukuni Village near Livingstone, Zambia. Bob and Cindy were Guests on the most recent edition of ‘The Chanters Lodge Experience with The Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Kaufela’, our regular Sunday night radio show on
Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station.

Bob and Cindy told our listeners that, founded in 2006 by Jane Kaye-Bailey, The Butterfly Tree Charity supports rural communities in Zambia decimated by the HIV and AIDS pandemic – providing safe water, feeding programmes and improved health and education facilities as well as an orphan sponsorship programme. Had they been teaching maths out at the village? We wondered, but this charming couple explained that they’d been busy interviewing and filming the children at the Mukuni Village School with the aim of making a video, and also to help them in the preparation of a programme for students. The video would also eventually be used for fund raising purposes back in the USA.

Bob and Cindy said that not only was this their first visit to Zambia but also to Africa and that they were thrilled with the experience thus far. While most of their time had been taken up out at the village they had had time for one or two tourist activities, namely a one day safari to Chobe NP in Botswana and the rhino walk that very morning in our own Mosi-o-Tunya NP in Livingstone. They had enjoyed both trips immensely especially being able to see the animals close up. “Any rhino, elephant and hippo in New Jersey?” We wondered. “Only in zoos!” The predictable reply.

The music on the show was great as usual. We opened with new tracks from Redfoo (of LMFAO fame) and Wiley. Kaufela’s Zambian selections were Roberto’s ‘Eponaba’ and Starn’s ‘Wachimfya’. No translations available! Milli Jam dropped Robin Thicke’s smash ‘Blurred Lines’ back to back with Ne-Yo’s latest ‘Keep Talking’. Our oldie of the week was Beyonce’s ‘Halo’ and the prize we give to the first person to text us the name of the performing artist was quickly snapped up. My pick of the week was Estelle’s ‘Call These Boys Up’ for the Chanters Girls at the lodge.

Bob and Cindy told listeners they had been married for 27 years and had a son and a daughter David 21 and Kate 25 respectively. No grandchildren as yet. We wondered if they had been affected by horrible hurricane Sandy that hit New Jersey recently and they told listeners that although they had lost some 25 trees on their property, otherwise theirs had been a lucky escape, compared to the decimation suffered by other people. The couple were looking forward to seeing the Victoria Falls before they left for the USA and hoped to make a return visit to Zambia in 2014. Music wise Cindy said she loved jazz, Bob that he was more into 60’s and 70’s rock.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing ten years from now, Bob told listeners that he hoped to still be teaching maths but also being helpful to people in Africa in need of clean water and other assistance. Cindy said she hoped to be travelling, developing her second career as a poet, as well as making a return visit to Zambia.

We wished them the best of luck and thanked them for appearing on our show.

21
JUN

activities, Africa, Chanters, charities, Chobe, education, entertainment, guests, livingstone, radioshow, seniors, travel, usa, victoriafalls, Zambia

Ron Jere – Contact Trust Youth Association

We have had occasion in the past to feature Contact Trust Youth Association (CTYA) on the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Kaufela, our weekly Sunday night radio show on
Zambezi 107.7fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. We were, however, delighted to welcome Ronny Jere (pictured above), one of the Association’s pioneers and currently director and programme manager, on to our most recent edition. Ronny explained to listeners that the Association is a non-profit concerned with the good sexual health of young people in Livingstone, especially in connection with freedom from HIV Aids. It aims to encourage youth aged between ten and twenty four years to vote (if eligible) and to participate in government, as well as teaching young people job skills, economic empowerment and entrepreneurship.

Ronny said that the CTYA was formed some ten years’ ago out of the Cross Border Initiative now know as Corridors of Hope. Ronny had been inspired to start a youth group and hence CTYA was born.The Association’s offices are donated by Livingstone City Council in that they occupy council property rent free. There are eight full time employees. Ronny’s main job is to raise money for the programmes to be undertaken and to ensure that those resources are spent properly. He is also responsible for human resources management within the Association, including skills training. Some of the Association’s sponsors include or have included the South African Aids Trust and the German government.

The music on this particular show featured The Wanted, Rudimental ft Emile Sande, as well as Zambian artists Salma and Urban Hype. Milli Jam chose tracks from Lady Antebellum and Chris Brown. Our oldie of the week was Kriss Kross’s ‘Jump’ topical due to the untimely passing of Chris Kelly, one of the band. We were surprised that no-one won the prize we give each week to the first person to text us telling us the name of the artist on the track. We closed with Mafikizolo’s ‘Khona’ (Uhuru Mix) a very hot South African track.

Ronny told listeners that he is married and has three children including twins who have just turned three. “Naughty?” We wondered. “Very!” The reply. He owned up to supporting Man U, which we ignored but did say that his ‘real football team’ was the Zambian national team. That was ok! Ronny loves gospel, oldies, r&b and local music. He thanked Chanters Lodge for their sponsorship of the Association in the past and in thanking him we expressed our willingness to help again in the future if we could.

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing in ten years’ time Ronny said that as he would be moving out of the youth bracket during those years, he hoped to be serving the Zambian population at another level. Sounded like politics to us and we wished him all the best, thanking him for the great job his Association was doing for Livingstone’s youngsters!

10
MAY

Africa, charities, development, education, entertainment, entrepreneurship, health, livingstone, medical, music, radioshow, training, Zambia

Rafiki Village on ‘The Experience’!

Meet Karen Aufderhaar, (pictured above) school principal of Rafiki Village School in a rural area of Zambia some sixty kilometers from Lusaka, and Guest on the most recent edition of The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Kaufela. ‘The Experience’ is our weekly Sunday night radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station.

Karen was staying at Chanters Lodge for some well deserved rest and relaxation having completed almost a year of her two year assignment at Rafiki Village. “Why Chanters Lodge?” Wondered Milli Jam. Karen explained that when she first accepted the voluntary assignment, one of the former directors of the village had told her that when she wanted some time off, a visit to Livingstone and Victoria Falls was a must, and that Chanters Lodge would suite her accommodation requirements. We were pleased to hear that Karen was happy with the recommendation and the lodge.

Karen told listeners that she came from a town near San Antonio, Texas in the USA, and had previously volunteered with Rafiki Foundation at a village in Kenya. She was delighted when the Foundation contacted her asking her to undertake the position in Zambia. She has been an ‘educator’ all her working life, but not always in a school situation, having undertaken education assignments in hospitals and an outdoor centre in the past, as well as teaching senior adults with learning difficulties. She explained that Rafiki Village in Zambia catered for some seventy orphans and was one of ten such villages in Africa. It was a childrens’ home and a training centre as well. It was hoped to expand the school to include secondary education in the near future.

The music on the show was good. We opened with Daft Punk’s number one UK hit ‘Get Lucky’ back to back with Macklemore’s follow up to Thrift Shop called ‘Can’t Hold Us’. Kaufela chose JK ft Petersen with ‘Kanyimbo’ coupled with Mampi’s ‘Wali Lo Welela’. Milli Jam featured Nikki Minaj and Sean Paul. Our oldie of the week was Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ and the prize given to the first listener to text us the name of the performing artist was quickly snapped up! Innocent won a dinner for two with drinks at the lodge.

Karen told listeners that she had enjoyed her days in Livingstone. She was tired from a lot of walking around the Falls area including climbing down to the Boiling Point (Rapid Number 1). She had visited and very much enjoyed Livingstone Museum and had loved her one day safari to Chobe NP in Botswana. She was looking forward to a sunset cruise on her last evening in town. Single, without children, Karen said she was a devoted aunty to her two nieces back in Texas. Music wise she favoured James Taylor and Neil Diamond, sports wise famous basketball team San Antonio Spurs. “Spurs” queried Milli Jam and I (Gunners to our boots). We laughed. She said her favourite player was Manu Ginobili.

Karen said she most missed her friends, family and Mexican food in Texas and that she loved Zambian people the most. Asked where she would like to be and what she would like to be doing in ten years’ time Karen answered ‘I would like to be back in my home town in America doing the next thing that God puts before me’. “Sweet” we said!

3
MAY

activities, Africa, Botswana, Chanters, charities, development, education, entertainment, livingstone, Museum, music, radioshow, tourism, victoriafalls, Zambia

Heartspring Pulls At The Heartstrings On ‘The Experience’!

Heartspring is a Christian orphanage located in Livingstone, Zambia and is presently the home for 28 orphan boys and 32 girls. It is overseen by a Board of Directors composed of 8 Christian men and women from Livingstone. Jacob Sianungu is the Chairman of the Board. JL Brazell (pictured above with Janice Soudbash) originally met Jacob in Swaziland when they were both involved in a mission there and together started Heartspring. We were delighted to welcome JL (for the second time) and Janice as Guests on the latest edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild. ‘The Experience’ is our regular Sunday night radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station airing from 20.30-21.30 hrs CAT, and streaming live on the internet. (In this regard we were delighted to get a message during the show from Esmail Jasat in London who was listening to the stream).

Janice and JL told listeners that they were tired from dancing with the children at the Orphanage almost the whole of that day but that they had loved the interaction. They were delighted with the way the orphanage was growing and developing and they felt that the future was bright for the children in care. They emphasised that none of the children would be ‘thrown out’ of the orphanage at a certain age unless they had a secure future. Janice and JL were part of a group of six sponsors of the orphanage staying at Chanters Lodge, and in Zambia to check on the progress of the institution. JL, fund raiser supreme, told listeners that the best way to get people to help sponsor the project was to bring them over to show them the work being done. Janice lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico while JL lives in Kansas to be close to his grandchildren. We learned that both JL and Janice have been married to their respective partners for more than 50 years!

We opened the show with Zambia’s latest smash hit track ‘Sinjonjo’ by Zonefam which surely had the Chanters Girls dancing back at the lodge – and the children in the orphanage too if they were listening! Sinjonjo was played back to back with Charlie Brown’s ‘On My Way’. George featured tracks by Zambia’s JK and Salma. Milli Jam favoured Davido and Taylor Swift. George’s choice of Elton John’s ‘Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word’ as oldie of the week had everyone fooled and no-one won the prize we give each week to the first person to text us telling us who is the performing artist on the track! We won!

JL and Janice told listeners that they and their group had spent some days in Kruger NP in South Africa before coming to Zambia on this trip and had managed to see ‘The Big Five’. They had also visited Swaziland. It was Janice’s first visit to Zambia and she had been suitably impressed by Victoria Falls. She told listeners that she had a daughter living in Burkino Fasso whom she hoped to visit next year. Her son-in-law was involved with Living Water International in that country.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be ten years’ from now, JL said he would like to be driving his own car with grand-children in the back screaming and yelling, Janice that she hoped still to be in good health and travelling. We thanked them for their work with Heartspring and for giving up their time to appear on our show.

6
APR

activities, Africa, charities, children, education, entertainment, livingstone, music, radioshow, rsa, travel, usa, victoriafalls, Zambia

Dr Margaret Sherrat

Dr Margaret Sherrat (above), Guest on the most recent edition of The Chanters Lodge Experience with The Milli Jam Ingredient told us before we went on air ‘I don’t want to talk about myself’! And indeed she did not! We did manage to garner that she was a doctor in an inner city practice in the city of Newcastle in the north east of England, that she had been doing the job for some thirty years and that it was a pretty tough assignment. We also gathered that she was active in her church and that one way or another she had done a lot for charitable causes, the vulnerable and for people with problems. We loved her humility as she started to tell listeners all about how difficult it was to live in the north of England in the middle of winter when all the ice and snow made getting to work so difficult!

Margaret was staying at Chanters Lodge with a friend from England of Zimbabwean origin and told listeners that she had found out about our lodge from two guide books – Lonely Planet and Bratt’s Guide to Zambia. She and her friend were happy with the lodge and the friendly staff. They had been to see Victoria Falls from both sides of the border and had been amazed at its size and beauty. They had taken a sunset cruise on the Zambezi from the Zimbabwean side which they had enjoyed, especially as they had seen a lot of wildlife in and on the banks of the river. They had clambered down to the boiling point by rapid number one on the Zambian side, and Margaret told listeners that this had reminded her of fell or mountain walking in UK which was one of her hobbies.

Dr Sherrat explained that she preferred classical music and that her favourite composer was Chopin. On this show we gave her some of the latest international and Zambian popular music from artists such as Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Eminem and Adam Levine. George dropped tracks from Mampi as well as Angozed a Zambian/Angolan combo with a great track translated as ‘Move Your Body’. We speculated that the Chanters Girls listening back at the lodge would be doing exactly that! Milli Jam featured tracks from Flo-Rida with Sia and Far East Movement. Our oldie of the week was Redemption Song by Bob Marley and the prize we give to the first person to text us the name of the performing artist was quickly won. Our pick of the week was Biffy Clyro’s ‘Black Chandelier’ and we closed with Robyn’s electrifying ‘Dancing On My Own’.

Margaret told listeners that she and her friend had really enjoyed their game drive in the Mosi-o-Tunya NP that day and had seen a whole variety of different game including elephant, giraffe and hippo. She hoped that when they went to Chobe NP in Botswana the following day they would see lion, but I warned her that it was a bit of a lottery. She explained that she had travelled quite widely to countries as far apart as America, Bangladesh and South Africa, including visits to India. She rented rooms to students in Newcastle and had made lots of friends that way. She explained that she was involved with Food Banks in England and told us how the system operated to help people with financial challenges to eat regular meals.

Asked where she would like to be and what she would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Margaret said that she was not sure, but volunteering in Africa was one thing that came to mind.

25
JAN

activities, Africa, Botswana, charities, entertainment, medical, music, radioshow, religion, staff, victoriafalls, wildlife, Zambia, Zimbabwe

‘Serious’ Sibu Malambo on ‘The Experience’!

Meet Sibu Malambo (above), programme co-ordinator at Contact Trust Youth Association in Livingstone, Zambia, and Guest on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient, featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela, our regular Sunday night radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. The show airs from 20.30-21.30 (CAT) live and is a great mixture of latest international and Zambian music, and chat. Streams live on the internet too and links can be found here and here.

Sibu told listeners that 10 years ago he had been one of the founders of CTYA (Contact Trust Youth Association). The NGO is involved in motivating and educating the ‘youth’ in Zambia – the age of youth apparently stretches from 10-35 years old in this country but CTYA’s main focus is on 10-24 year olds. The primary objectives of CTYA are HIV/AIDS prevention as well as civic education, and Sibu estimated that since inception, they had helped thousands of young people. The NGO has several sponsors, one of which is partially financed by USAID. There are seven full time staff working in the CTYA premises in Maramba. As well as HIV prevention and civic education CTYA also educates about care for the environment and entrepreneurship.

The music on the show was great. We opened with latest tracks from The Killers and Robbie Williams. George chose Zambian tracks from Macky 2 and Judyo. Milli Jam dropped Beyonce’s ‘Put A Ring On It’. The musical bombshell of the night came from George who had been asked to pick the ‘oldie of the week’ – we give a prize of a dinner for two at Chanters Lodge each week to the first person to text us the name of the artist on our ‘oldie’ track. George chose the most obscure track ever played for the prize – ‘For The Good’ by Ray Price. None of us in the studio had ever heard of the artist or the track and needless to say the prize went un-won – amidst sms protests by listeners complaining that it was ‘just too tough’! Nice one George! My pick of the week was Tulisa’s ‘Sight Of You’ and we closed with AC/DC’s smash ‘You Shook Me All Night’.

Sibu told listeners that he was married ‘to the most beautiful girl in the world’ – after some in-studio debate and observation of photographs on Facebook, we decided he had some right to the claim! He and his lovely wife have one son – Sibu Junior- just 1 year and 8 months old. Sibu has lived most of his life in Livingstone receiving his secondary education at Linda High School in the city. He explained that he is currently pursuing a course in development studies with the University Of South Africa. He told us that CYTA from time to time hosts beauty pageants, one of the most popular was ‘Miss VCT’ which Chanters Lodge and other business houses in Livingstone had helped to sponsor in the past. Musicians like Shyman and Camouflage had been helped in their musical careers by CYTA with assistance from our own Kaufela.

Sibu is a Chelsea supporter – as evidenced by the shirt he wore for the show. He said he did not agree with the latest managerial sacking and that Didier Drogba was his favourite all time player. Music wise he said he liked R&B as well as Zambian music. Sibu is well known to Zambezi 107.7 listeners because he hosts a popular CYTA show every Wednesday evening on air, sponsored by the station. “Wow!” I said (on behalf of those who have to pay for their shows!).

Asked where he would like to be and what he would like to be doing 10 years from now, he hoped still to be helping the Zambian youth in an expanded NGO, and to have one or two more children with ‘the most beautiful girl in the world’! He also mentioned that he would like to be involved in policy making for youth development in the future in Zambia. “Politics?” I queried. “Maybe” was the reply.

In thanking him for appearing on the show, I made the point to listeners that people like Sibu Malambo are the unsung heroes in Zambia – just look at the falling statistics in HIV infection in Zambia and you’ll see why I said that!

6
DEC

Africa, Chanters, charities, children, entertainment, football, medical, music, radioshow, rsa, training, youth, Zambia

Doug Funk

Remember Doug Funk (pictured above)? You should! He appeared on our radio show and the blog in May this year, and we were delighted to welcome him back again to Guest on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela. The show airs on Zambezi 107.7 fm every Sunday night from 20.30 to 21.30 hrs and is a cool mixture of international and Zambian music, chat and news. Doug hails from Canada, telling listeners that “he lives on Vancouver Island, an island in the Pacific Ocean, a fantastic place”.

Doug works for a wealthy philanthropic family involved in more than 100 projects in Africa, centred mostly on Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi but also extending into South Africa. All the projects are linked to education, and indeed at the end of the show when Milli Jam asked Doug if he had any message for the listeners, his reply was “education, education, education” and he certainly walks the talk! He told listeners that he is busy promoting a programme called ‘Happy Books’ which is a reader programme for developing reading skills in African youngsters. 10 schools in Zambia already have these books. Doug makes two trips a year to Africa to assess the progress of his projects, the rest of his time is spent on the massive administration demands of his work.

The music on the show was super, opening with ‘Doom and Gloom’ the latest by The Rolling Stones especially for Arsenal supporters after the team’s dismal performance the previous day. We followed up with tracks from Calvin Harris featuring Florence Welch, Winston and Red Linso, CQ featuring Exile, Rihanna, LMFAO, Nas, Rebecca Ferguson and Ne-Yo. The oldie of the week was Nas’s ‘The World Is Yours’ but the prize we offer to the first person to text us the name of the performing artist went unwon! It was a tough one! We give listeners latest chart news each week and on this show for the first time we gave details of an African chart – unsurprisingly topped by three Nigerian acts.

Doug explained that he had only arrived in Zambia from Zimbabwe the previous night and would be leaving for Mazabuka the following morning, where he had a project at the community school. That afternoon he had been out at Mwandi to assess progress on classroom buildings there. He gave us an update on his THRASS programme saying how important it was for rural youngsters in Zambia to have a better grasp of English as that was the language of exams, and lack of English a primary reason for exam failure. Doug felt the programme was progressing very well in Zambia.

Milli Jam asked Doug what was his favourite Zambian food and his reply was “nsima, but not three times a day”! He revealed that his projects are sponsored by an outfit called ‘Solon’ – one of the seven wise men of ancient Greece, he divulged. As usual we greeted Guests at the lodge, family at home and the Chanters Lodge staff.

26
OCT

Africa, books, Chanters, charities, education, entertainment, Malawi, music, radioshow, travel, Zambia, Zimbabwe

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