health – Chanters Lodge Livingstone

The Kubuka NGO Experience

Meet Elena Gomez and Joyce Kanimba, (above) representatives from Kubuka NGO in Livingstone, and guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay Hillz. ‘The Experience’ is our weekly radio show airing from 20.30 hrs CAT on Zambezi 94.1 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. We often feature guests staying at the lodge, sometimes members of staff but often local Livingstone personalities such as Elena and Joyce.

The ladies told listeners that ‘kubuka’ in the Tonga language means ‘waking up’. Milli Jam decided he would address Elena by her Tonga name ‘Mutinta’ throughout the show, meaning ‘first of a kind’ – apparently! Kubuka NGO is a non-profit organisation created to guide the most vulnerable communities in Zambia on their journey to sustainable development. Elena, one of a group of five Spanish young people involved in the NGO has been coming back to Zambia every year since she first landed in Livingstone when she was just 18 years old. She is now a qualified doctor from Madrid University and is back in Zambia until April taking the affairs of Kubuka one stage further. Joyce is Kubuka’s permanent representative in Livingstone and hails from a teaching background.

The NGO works with local people as one. They are working in Maramba and Mwandi communities in Livingstone. They have a programme to sponsor 60 children from the Mwandi community. They give workshops to young teenagers to improve their knowledge on health, sex, business and other useful topics. They are working with a home based care group in Maramba, creating a farm that can generate income to be able to give back to the community by buying medication for HIV patients, and building a cultural centre to give talks and providing a library for youths.

The music on the show was right up to standard. We opened with smash hits from Fergie and Karen Harding. Milli Jam and Jay chose ‘Jovial’ a brand new and great track from Zambia’s own Chilu Lemba, as well as others from Fall Out Boy, The Weekend and Zambia’s Salma Dodia ft Cactus. Our pick of the week was former ‘Experience’ host Kaufela’s latest ‘For You’. Our oldie of the week was by TLC and the prize we give of a dinner for two to the first person to text us the name of the artist on the track was snapped up by Mwiinga.

Joyce told us that she was very married with a large family and that her favourite music was gospel. Elena is single. “Spoken for?” Asked Milli Jam. Pause. “Errrr…..no” the reply. We jumped! “That was very hesitant” I said. “Just imagine!” Said Milli Jam but we were unable to prise out any more detail in this regard. Elena is a fan of Real Madrid and her favourite player is Casillas. “A goalkeeper?” Queried Milli Jam. “I bet it’s not about football” I said and our Guest blushed and laughed! She likes all kinds of music but her favourite artist is Despatch.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Elena said she would like to be a practising doctor in Africa still supporting Kubuka NGO. Joyce hoped still to be working to help vulnerable boys and girls in Livingstone. “Great stuff”! We said.

6
FEB

Africa, agriculture, broadcasting, charities, children, Donation, education, entertainment, health, leadership, livingstone, medical, music, radioshow, training, volunteers, Zambia

Yay! Yellow Fever Issues! Gone! Gone! Gone!

Yellow fever vaccinations are no longer required for travel between Zambia and South Africa, the South African Department of Health has announced.

The requirement was lifted on Saturday with immediate effect. The decision was made at the World Health Assembly on Friday in Geneva.

The decision by SA’s health department comes after the World Health Organisation confirmed that Zambia had low yellow fever potential exposure status, which means travellers should not be required to carry a yellow fever vaccination certificate.

The requirement was bemoaned by the tourism industry, which suggested that it was putting travellers off the destination, especially because they could visit the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe without having a vaccination.

2
FEB

health, rsa, Zambia

The Gane Experience!

We were delighted to welcome Annette and Peter Gane (above) as Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring Jay-Hillz. ‘The Experience’ is our weekly radio show airing at 20.30 hrs for an hour every Sunday night on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. Annette and Peter were staying at Chanters Lodge on holiday from UK, and told listeners that they lived in Somerset, in the south west of England. “Not far from my village!” I told Milli Jam and the listeners.

“What made you choose Livingstone for your holiday?” Milli Jam wondered. Annette, a nurse by profession though now retired, revealed that in 2008 she had spent one month as a volunteer with African Impact in Livingstone, amongst other duties helping out at Maramba Clinic as well as at an orphanage in Maramba, a sprawling low cost housing complex in the Livingstone suburbs. Annette had loved Zambia so much that she convinced husband of thirty years Peter, that he must come this year and see the place for himself although he had in mind a holiday in Antarctica!

Annette also explained that during her time as a volunteer she had met Trevor Maluta, an eighteen year old orphan, who in 2008, was about to be evicted from the Maramba orphanage on the basis of age. She had helped and befriended him ever since. Annette and Peter had visited Trevor in Kitwe at the start of this trip, further revealing that he was now happily married, about to become a father and busy working in IT support for a firm of mining consultants on the Copperbelt. “Congrats!” We said. Peter told us that they hoped to welcome Trevor to their home in UK for a visit later this year when he would be in their country for further training.

The music on the show was good and featured tracks from Ella Henderson, Rayleigh Ritchie, Beyonce ft Jay-Z, K’Millian, Ruff Kaida ft P-Jay, Miley Cyrus and Brandy – a great selection of international and local tracks formatted by Milli Jam and Jay. We usually give a prize of a dinner for two for the first person to text us the name of the artist on our ‘oldie of the week’. On this show I asked a World Cup related question that took everyone by surprise, nevertheless Jacki won the prize. My pick of the week was the number one in the Norwegian Top 40, ‘Younger’ from Seinabo Sey. We closed with ‘Wasted’ from Tiesto. Peter said he likes classical music whereas Annette is a fan of Paloma Faith amongst others, including Queen.

Peter told listeners that he was retired, before which he had worked in finance in the corporate world – which he does not miss! He revealed that he is now a trustee on the board of various charities and is also involved in the administration of one of the local schools in his area. The couple have three big dogs and seven grand-children. During their time in Livingstone they had enjoyed the lion encounter, an elephant safari, a one day safari to Chobe NP in Botswana, as well as a river safari on the Zambezi the very afternoon of the show. They were still looking forward to high tea on Livingstone Island at the end of their itinerary, before they flew back to England later in the week.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, both Annette and Peter said they would like to be alive, healthy and happy!

20
JUN

activities, Africa, Botswana, broadcasting, Chanters, children, Chobe, copperbelt, entertainment, health, livingstone, music, pets, radioshow, victoriafalls, volunteers, Zambia

The Experience On Call!

Meet Lonny Henderson (left) and Simon Tolmie (above), co-ordinator and trustee respectively of On Call Africa, an NGO founded in Scotland and very active in the Southern Province of Zambia in the field of the provision of mobile medical clinics to the villages in the province. Lonny, an American from Connecticut USA and Simon a Scot from Glasgow were Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela – that’s our weekly radio show on Zambezi 107.7 fm, Livingstone’s leading local radio station. The show airs every Sunday night at 20.30 hrs CAT and features latest Zambian and international music, combined with lively chat with our guests of the week. Chanters Lodge and On Call Africa met on Twitter! Is there any better place to meet?

Lonny told listeners that he and partner Ellen (an education co-ordinator with On Call) had been in Zambia since May this year and were thoroughly enjoying their time in the country and the work they were doing. Simon is a full time doctor in one of Glasgow’s largest hospitals and was using his two weeks’ leave to assess progress on the project. He revealed that he’s largely responsible for generating finance for the NGO through donations, and was happy that recently Rotary International and On Call Africa had forged links that should see the organization move forward and expand. Lonny had been recruited through an on line advert and subsequent interviews via Skype. How times do change!

The music on the show was great and featured tracks from Bastille and Killers at the top of the show. Local tracks from Slap D featuring JK as well as Danny rocked the studio! Milli Jam chose Robin Thicke’s summer smash ‘Blurred Lines’ back to back with a number from John Legend. Our oldie of the week was a local track ‘Coca Cola’ by Oga Family and there was a host of text messages correctly telling us the name of the performing artist, so the prize of a dinner for two at the lodge that we give away for the first right answer, was quickly won!

Simon told listeners that he and his fiancee were planning to get married in June or July so 2014 would be a big year for them. He professed no real interest in football but told us that he followed rugby and cricket. Music wise he said his tastes were very broad. Lonny said the same thing, but in a surprise turn of events he revealed that he was a dedicated Arsenal supporter – ‘unusual for an American but very welcome’ thought Milli Jam! So, we discussed Arsenal’s current place at the top of the EPL while George, a Liverpool supporter, listened! The guys said they had enjoyed a night or two at some of Livingstones’ clubs since they had been in town and enjoyed Zambian music and night life.

As far as challenges were concerned they said that the biggest challenge for On Call Africa was distance. Both the distance that people had to walk to the villages to get basic medical assistance and the distance that the NGO’s not new Land Rover had to travel to meet the needs of the people. The NGO is very much involved in training clinical officers to help meet the rural peoples’ medical needs.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing ten years’ from now, both Lonny and Simon said that they would like to be part of a a very successful expanded On Call Africa. We thanked them for appearing on our show and for the great work they were doing for the rural population of Southern Zambia.

28
NOV

2014, Africa, Arsenal, Chanters, cricket, education, entertainment, health, livingstone, medical, music, radioshow, training, Twitter, victoriafalls, Zambia

Butterfly Tree Volunteers Rock The Experience!

We were delighted once again to be able to host representatives of the Butterfly Tree Charity on the latest edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience last Sunday night. The Butterfly Tree charity was founded by Jane Kaye-Bailey after a business incentive trip to Zambia with her late husband, Lawrence, in February 2006. During a visit to the Mukuni Village, Jane was determined to find a way to raise funds to help these vulnerable village children.The Experience is usually co-hosted by Milli Jam and George Kaufela but this week George was on his own as Milli Jam was attending his brother’s wedding in Lusaka. Our Guests Jess Varley (left above) and Emma Kennedy from England have been in Livingstone for a few weeks volunteering at the Butterfly Tree. Jess, a nursing graduate has been busy helping at the rural health centre in Mukuni Village whilst Emma, a final year International Development student at the University of Suffolk in Norwich has been more involved with the orphan sponsorship programme.

The girls told listeners that they were thoroughly enjoying their time in Zambia and on 11th November intended to undertake a sixty kilometre walk in the village of Chunga in Chief Mukuni to raise money for the Butterfly Tree. They had chosen this location and route to highlight awareness that some of the children and expectant mothers in that area were obliged to walk 30 kilometres from their homes to school and clinics respectively and then the same distance later in the day to return home. Butterfly Tree hoped to establish a boarding home to help alleviate this situation and funds were required for that.

The music on the show was great as usual. We opened with latest tracks from One Direction and The Wanted, before George dropped Zambian numbers from T-Sean and Exile. After another chat with the girls we moved on to music from South African star Danny K and then Drake. Our oldie of the week was Nelly’s ‘Ride With Me’ and the prize of a dinner for two with drinks at the lodge was snapped up by a certain Chris! My pick of the week was Avril Lavigne featuring Marilyn Manson – Bad Girl. Shades of Suzie Quatro there. We closed with Lady Gaga’s ‘Venus’ which contains the classic line ‘Uranus – Don’t you know my ass is famous’!

The girls told listeners they had been enjoying life in Livingstone and had done loads of the tourist activities including Devil’s Pool on Livingstone Island, the one day safari to Chobe, the microlight and white water rafting. They had not done the bungee jump (George has) but they were planning to do a tandem gorge swing very soon. The had enjoyed some of the Livingstone night life. George asked them about football, Emma supports Norwich where she is at university, Jess Chelsea where she works and George is a Liverpool fan. I, a Gooner, was happy to be able to report two nil, two nil and seven nil defeats for their teams the previous afternoon.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Jess hoped to be working for Medicines Sans Frontiers, and Emma to be a project manager with a small NGO – neither of the girls mentioned husbands or children……

7
NOV

activities, Africa, charities, entertainment, health, livingstone, radioshow, victoriafalls, volunteers, 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

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

Miss Hope UNWTO 2013

Meet from left to right (above) Matongo Limwanya, Hannah Lubinda and Mavis Mulyata. As you may know Zambia and Zimbabwe co-host the United Nations World Tourism Organization general assembly in the two countries in August 2013. Victoria Falls and Livingstone are the venues. Matongo and Hannah are on the organizing committee of the Miss Hope UNWTO 2013 pageant, in which ten girls will compete for the title in a final to be held in August 2013 at Sun International in Livingstone. Mavis, second placed in Miss Lusaka 2010, is one of the contenders for the title. The prize for the winner will apparently be a car and there is K10,000 (rebased) on offer as well. All three ladies were Guests on the most recent edition of the Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela. This was the last edition of the show in 2012.

Hannah, chair and main mover of the committee explained that the Miss Hope Foundation together with their partners DILab Africa would present a unique pageant concept that is positioned to complement the forthcoming general assembly. She said that the show has the financial backing of the Ministry of Tourism in Zambia, as well as several other commercial sponsors. Several Livingstone lodges and guest houses were also assisting. Contestants would be drawn from all parts of Southern Province in Zambia. Some of this country’s important musicians including Judy, Shyman, Sakala Brothers and Amayenge would be involved.

The music on our show was great, we opened with latest tracks from Ke$ha and Frank Ocean. Zambian tracks were from Bryan featuring PJ and the ever popular SlapDee. Milli Jam dropped numbers from Rihanna and Chris Brown (linked together even on our show!). Our oldie of the week was the obscure ‘There’s A Guy Down The Chip Shop Thinks He’s Elvis’ by the late Kirsty McColl and predictably no-one won the prize on offer for texting us the name of the performing artist. Our pick of the week was Killers – Miss Atomic Bomb and we closed with Redfoo’s ‘Bring Out The Bottle’.

The ladies told listeners that the committee were looking for girls with both beauty and brains for the pageant, and that contestants would receive education about HIV/Aids and cervical cancer as part of their participation. The judges would be looking for girls with confidence. “Who are the judges?” Milli Jam wanted to know, and Matongo explained that their names would be a closely guarded secret to avoid the corruption that had occurred in the past over such issues. We laughed though perhaps we should not have done! The contestants would gather together in a ‘boot camp’ prior to the final. Designers would be involved in dressing the finalists.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Mavis said she would like to be a professional model ‘known out there’, Hannah said she would like to be a visionary promoted by big business to empower young Zambian girls, while Matongo said her ambition was for Hope Foundation to be known initially throughout Zambia and later internationally.

We wished the ladies the best of luck in their excellent initiative and took the chance to wish all our listeners the best for 2013.

3
JAN

2012, Africa, education, entertainment, fashion, health, livingstone, music, radioshow, UNWTO2013, victoriafalls, youth, Zambia, Zimbabwe

New Frontiers

Why New Frontiers? Well Pastor Crispin Kazaka, Alison and Norman Amey, pictured above left to right, are all involved with Newfrontiers ‘a worldwide family of churches together on a mission’ – Crispin through his church The Jubilee Community Church in Dambwa, Livingstone and Alison and Norman through their church,The Community Church, Honiton in Devon, UK.

All three came together to appear as Guests on the most recent edition of our weekly Sunday night radio show – The Chanters Lodge Experience with the Milli Jam Ingredient featuring George da Soulchild Kaufela. Alison and Norman were visiting Livingstone, and staying at Chanters Lodge, with a view to helping Crispin firmly establish his church in Livingstone, not necessarily through financial donations. They also told listeners that they were involved with Sikanzwe Village near Kazungula on the Zambezi, organizing loans for small scale fishing businesses. They had returned to Zambia to assess progress.

Our weekly radio show is a lively combination of chat and music and the latest programme celebrated five years of broadcasting every Sunday night between 20.30 and 21.30 hrs on Zambezi 107.7 fm! We featured tracks from Swedish House Mafia, Taylor Swift, Petersen and Scarlet, as well as Ty2, Ke$ha, Cover Drive and Owl City. Our closing number was from Kelly Clarkson. Each week we give away a dinner for two with drinks at Chanters Lodge to the first listener to text us telling us who’s singing our oldie of the week, and this week the track was by Zambia’s very own sensation Ty2. The prize was quickly snapped up. “I wonder how many dinners we’ve given away in the past five years?” I speculated. “Hundreds” replied George “but not to us!” Ah….

Crispin told listeners he had been a pastor for 14 years and that he was widowed with five children to raise on his own. He bought and sold commodities to help ends meet. Norman had served in the British Police force for 30 years retiring in 2011 having risen to the rank of Inspector. He told listeners he did miss his job, but was happy to have more time to devote to community service through his church. Alison told listeners that she is a tutor of mathematics teaching students having difficulty with Maths. “You’d be busy if you lived in Zambia” said Milli Jam “we Zambians are not very good at Maths”!

Norman and Alison told listeners that they would be leaving Livingstone the next day, heading for Chikankata near Mazabuka, to check out a new church that had been established there. They had not been there before and they were looking forward to the trip. Asked about their musical tastes Norman said he liked Bruce Springsteen and U2 whereas Alison liked listening to Christian music. Crispin liked Zambia’s Sakala Brothers, finding them inspirational.

Asked where they would like to be and what they would like to be doing in ten years’ time, Alison said she would like to be a grandmother, Norman that he would like to see Crispin’s church firmly established in Livingstone and Crispin that his church would have started a rehabilitation centre for people having problems with alcohol and drugs.

We wished them the best of luck.

18
OCT

Africa, education, entertainment, health, music, radioshow, religion, uk, volunteers, Zambia

I’m Passing This On….

I’m sure, like me, you get loads of e mails saying ‘read this and then send it on to 10 friends to become an overnight millionaire’ or ‘to avoid an untimely death’. Well here’s the latest I got from my friend Des and I psml as they say!

“I am passing this on to you because it definitely worked for me today, and we all could probably use more calm in our lives.

Some doctor on TV this morning said the way to achieve inner peace is to finish all the things you have started. So I looked around my house to see things I’d started and hadn’t finished.

Now I have managed to finish off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of Chardonnay, a bodle of Baileys, a butle of wum, a pockage of Prungles, tha mainder of bot Prozic and Valiuminun scriptins, the res of the chesescke an a box a chocletz. Yu haf no idr how bludy fablus I feel rite now.

Plaese sned dhis orn to dem yu fee ar in ned ov iennr pisss.. An telum,u blody luvum.!! Xxx”

29
SEP

friends, health, joke

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