Victoria Falls

Hello all,

I spent last weekend at Victoria Falls which as claimed by Wikipedia to be the largest waterfall in the world.  This claim is based on a width of 1,708 metres (5,604 ft)^[4] and height of 108 metres (354 ft), forming the largest sheet of falling water in the world. Locally it is called Mosi-oa-Tunya  which means the smoke that thunders!

Anyway my visit has been timed with the end of the dry season which meant that the falls had a lot less water in than normal, and we were able to walk across rocks where water normally flows to swim in a natural pool at the top of the falls which is normally called Devils Pool. I have just been reading Wikipedia and apparently one person a year dies from swimming in this pool - glad I read this after visitings  If I manage to upload the photos you will be able to see the rocks which we walked across and the pool just before the massive drop which I swam in!

Livingstone – (named after David as the first white person to see the falls) – is Africa’s adventure capital and any number of crazy sports are on offer.  I had dreamt about going white water rafting but was not feeling well on the day so had to leave it.  I did get to enjoy a sunset river cruise through.

I have also found the concourse of Zambia bus travel.  Maj Family Bus service.  They leave on time, provide you with drink and banana cake, big comfy seats (2 by 2 instead of 3 by 2) and no additional luggage inside!  Wow I slept like a baby on the way home!

Only a couple days left………

Take Care, CCx

and time is running out.....

Hello,

It has been a while since I have last posted mainly.  I think this has been mainly because I have realised I have only limited time left and feel like there is still a lot of work to do.  My work has still mainly been focused on producing of an organisation budget.  I can say that on  Monday there were yells of happiness when my crazy excel spread sheets come together and produced what you can say resembles something which most accountants would say looks like a budget.  I have been pretty impressed with my excel based model I have produced which has included teaching myself much more superior skills in formula writing then I ever used in my auditing days.  Jo W – you would be impressed!  It contains all those with IF and SUMIF in and is a bit scary to look at.  During my time I have been providing coaching to the accounts clerk, Haxley, in  excel and feel confident that they should be understand how the templates work and will be able to use them in the future.

So I have an organisation budget for Bwafwano.  The only problem is there is a very large deficit!  Eeeeek!  This is mostly to do with the admin / management cost associated with the organisation.  At the moment they only have two funding partners for the 2011/12 confirmed.  Many of their projects funding agreements finished in the past year, and they are proactively still searching new funding partners for these.  At the moment these projects still exist  but staff involved in these are not being paid and you can tell the extent of activity within the organisation has decreased considerably in the past couples of months. The size of the admin and management budget is partly a result of funding of these activities finishing and Bwafwano not being able to cut costs for office rent, security and stationary.   I have really recommended that expenditure and income for their clinic, admin budget and income generating activities needs to be reviewed in robust manner to cut the deficit. Whilst future funding when it is confirmed could hopefully guarantee to these overheads, one of the biggest challenges NGO’s face is that many donors want all funding to go directly into implementation of projects and not an organisations overheads.   It has made me realised the challenges organisation face in agreeing a budget .

Whilst completing this work what came as a bit of a shock to me was the size of admin and management costs on a monthly basis, and made me realise that Bwafwano might face a cash flow crisis in the very near future.  I wrote a very impressive CIPFA style case study memo (all AC people will know what I mean) to the Director and am trying to work on this area for my last couple of days.  I have been slightly disappointed with the reaction of the accountant as I know she understands the situation has does have some very good ideas for reducing expenditure / raising income , I am experiencing problems of commitment.  Other work appears to be more important of all the time even after I have expressed my concerns.  I will have to wait and see but in the meantime Christmas internet shopping might have to start.  Dad – watch out for parcels

Last weekend I had the chance to experience Lusaka nightlife as D’s cousin took me ot.  First stop was river side beer drinking and fish eating at Kafue (about 50km outside Lusaka).  The fish was incredible – straight from the river. All Zambia believe eating the head is the tastes bit, and I have experienced mini wars over who gets this bit. However I remained unconvinced and watching it being eaten still freaks me out a bit.   Next stop was a new Mexican / tapas bar to play pool and then to a rumba club which was playing lots of music from Congo.  I can say my dancing defo did not match up to the element of many of the people there who was experts at shaking their booty.  The whole day was lots of fun. Rachel L – your dancing would have made you feel at home!

I also went shopping – as usual I am now having the panics of if everything will fit in my bag.  Fingers crossed.

This weekend is Victoria Falls and an English inspired meal for the Chikoti household – cannot wait!

Take Care – CCx

P.S Recently I have become quite addicted to a Brazilian soap which is very heavily dubbed into English and have tried nhsima juice which Patricia and Regina swear on to give them energy.  It’s like a very gritty cup of slimmed milk. Yuck!!!!

I also am having lots of difficulties in uploading photos.  Sorry if this makes my blog very boring but will try when I get to S.A or over the weekend. 

Elephants, lions, giraffes………

I have just got back from an incredible 4 day trip to South Luanga National Park in Eastern Province of Zambia.  I met up with Megan (old Brune House housemate) and her boyfriend Joe who are living in Malawi at the moment and some of their friends. We went on trip with Kibibo and were staying in a tented safari camp.  The camp was amazingly luxurious with swimming pool and cocktail bar both with views out onto Luanga river with hippos and crocs bathing in it.  Not quite the view I normally get from my sunbathing.

We went on 2 game drives each day – one at 6am for 4 hours and one at 4pm for 4 hours.  Animals tend to be most active in the early mornings and early evening and this means greater chance of getting the exclusive photos of the animals.  The evening drives also gave is the chance to spot nocturnal animals and the reclusive leopard.  I can safely say we got to see all the animals – elephants, lions, giraffes, baboons, leopards, warthogs, zebra’s, hyenas and plenty more.  Our guide Moses was incredibly knowledgeable and was able to teach us many interesting animal sights. Did you know an hippo can be submerged in water for up to 6 mins and if animals eat bones of other animals their poo will be white!

 Moses was also very comical and have a tendency for some British sarcasm.  We discovered that the white ringed bottoms of some deer like animals was due to the fact elephants have arranged a meeting by email for all of the animals and have painted lots of  the toilets seats white.  Can you guess the ending? My two highlights were an very upclose sighting of an elephant who were able to watch for a prolonged period, and discovering the birdlife of the park.

Anyway I do have one funny elephant story.  Our camp was unwalled or unfenced which meant wild animals could wander through – mostly elephant or giraffes as we were on the opposite side of the river to the national park.  This is sometime which came as a surprise to me. When we first arrived we were given the safety talk about wild animals, how we should ask a guard to escort us anyway in the dark and if had any food in our bags we should keep this in the kitchen.  So after putting our food in the kitchen we sat down for dinner at the outside table.  We had finished eating and were enjoying coffee when Megan turned her head and saw an mother elephant and baby were about 6m away from us.  As you would we (well Megan and I) did all shriek and started hyperventilating.  Moses (our guide) told us to be quiet and still – so after a while which seemed like hours we managed to and we watched the elephants wander off.  They had wandered off in the direction of the tents, and happened to take a sudden interest in my tent.  We could hear tent poles being bashed.  Anyway it appeared my rucksack smelt of bananas as I had had some overripe bananas in my bag.  I have now learnt my lessons about banana and I have lived to tell the tale! Joe and Megan had another encounter with elephants on their way back from the bar with our sprites for our gin’s on the next night.

So if anyone wants to go on safari in Africa I would fully recommend going with Kiboko to South Luanaga.

Take Care, CCx

P.S I have tried uploading photos from the trip but it my computer keeps freezing and the connection is so slow.  Will try at the weekend from internet cafe

Third week - such an original title!

Its already the end of my third week of work and I cannot believe I am already half way through my time in Zambia.  It is going so quick!  Most of this week I have been involved in a lot of detail working costing the returns we are receiving back from department co-ordinators listing activities involved in their programmes, consumables and returns.  We are using these to produce expenditure listings for each department.  I have been working with Regina (assistant accountant) and department co-ordinators, and it has been very intense and involved.  Lists from department co-ordinators have sometimes been like a wish list of all the equipment they would like – new computers, 275 new bike - with lack of information in relation to quantity of items required or frequency of activities.  The skills I have developed as an auditor of always asking questions have come in useful.  These returns have often been from departments in the community clinic which has not been funded from international donors before and has never have a budget.  Others have been very detailed containing all relevant information.  I have found these have come from department co-ordinators whose programmes have been funded from international donors before so are used to the level of scrutiny which is applied as part of the grant application process.

I have found Regina has learnt very quickly, and I left her to complete the process whilst I was away on safari.

I have also been completing some excel training with Haxley (accounts clerk) who is very keen.  Thanks to the spread sheets Claire T sent me just before leaving I have developed an interactive excel training course which I am pretty proud of.  I have even mastered IF, SUMIF, COUNTIF formulas myself! 

So all in all a productive work week, but I am beginning to realise how much work is involved within producing the budget for the organisation and also setting up the processes for monitoring it.  Time is also starting to run out.  Fingers crossed I get to a stage in which the budget is in a state for Bwafwano to use.

I also thought I would let you know what a typical day is for me as a AFID volunteer. Here goes:

6am – normally wake up and make a cup of tea (not quite the same as tea back home because of long life milk and no Yorkshire teabags!) I normally wake up because of the heat.

6.30 – shower and dress

7am – make porridge from jungle oats, take malaria tablet and get my things ready for work

7.30 – walk to work

8am – start work.  For the first hour I tend to check emails, news etc.

9am – 4pm  - work on various projects with the rest of the accounts team. I normally have cup of Zambia tea at 11 (very milky and creamy), and take a walk in the market at lunchtime).  I also spend some time in the playground playing with the children.

4pm – leave work and walk home

4.30 – 5.30 – relax, have a cold drink, chat with Mrs Chikoti, her daughter and niece.

5.30 – 6.30 – go for a run resulting in a very sweaty red faced Catherine which is very amusing for local people

6.30 – 7.30 – make tea  and eat it– normally rice or noddle’s

 with veg. Sometimes with a beer or cheese if find like treating myself!

7.30 – 10 – watch DSTV, read, write emails or blog, finish some work or learnt some French!  I have got up to unit 5 which is ordering food and drink – wine and beer mainly which is very appropriate.

High Five Day!

Success today J Today I completed one of the initials stages of trying to produce an organisation wide budget and gave all department co-ordinators training on budgets and the importance of them.   Many department co-ordinators don’t have any awareness of the finance aspects of their programmes and therefore for us to produce a realistic and accurate budget I felt that they had to be involved in the process.  I think it has been success – the training has generated many questions and Patrica was pleased with how it went.  Hopefully I will get the information from them I need.  Jenny, NN, and D -  it would have  defo been  ‘green’ moment if I had been working in team-mate – (sorry for all you non auditor people!).  High Five peeps, anyway take care – CCx.

Zambia Factfile

Last weekend I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with Miyanda, who is another AFID volunteer. However he is actually has a full time job here in Zambia working at the Ministry of Finance, and is completing some AFID work when he can.  He is a Zambian but has worked in many countries – New Zealand, U.K, India, Caribbean – and is the first time he has lived back in Zambia for many years.

He took me on a guided city of Lusaka pointing out to me many more interesting facts than the Lonely Planet does!  This trip happened to occur with Independence Day for Zambia , and people were celebrating 46 years of independence.  It was very interesting to hear his perspective on his country after the time has spent abroad, and as with many people I have spoken to have been impressed with the passion and enthusiasm  he had when talking about his country.  I have found many people to be very proud of their country, proud to be Zambian, and hardworking and determined to work to ensure a better life for themselves and others and are optimistic about the future.   This feeling is similar to how people at Bwafwano have expressed themselves.   I have spent time talking to Issac (Program Officer) and Eddie (a programme co-ordinator) about their plans for the future, and both talk with a lot of passion about the community work they are involved in and are very determined and ambitious to make Bwafwano grow and ensure it is successful in the future.

As Zambia is celebrating its 46^th birthday here I a few facts I have learnt

·         It has a landlocked countries with borders with 8 other countries!

·         Population of the country is about  12mill (twice the size of London), whilst being about the size of U.K , Ireland and France combined.  It is one of the most thinly populated countries in Africa.

·         Economy is heavily reliant on export of copper

·         HIV and AIDS have had a massive impact on the country – 1 in 7 adults is now  infected and life expectancy at birth is only 40 years.

·         President  Mwanawasa died in 2008, and he appears to have been in a popular president.  From speaking to people, he appears to have had lots of public support from when he came into power in 2002 and people believe he did lots to help develop Zambia. The present President Banda does not appear to have the same level of public support with many people looking forward to the elections next year.

Take Care – CCx

And the sky's have opened!

It is now officially rainy season.....................

Second week

I know these entries are slightly retrospective but hopefully give you an update on my second week in Zambia.

Overall work has been generally successful this week.  I have made progress with one of my main projects – trying to produce an organisation wide budget for 2011/12 – and have organised a meeting for all key staff at Bwafwano for tomorrow.  Will let you know how it goes.  At the moment the organisation only has a budget for specific projects which received funding from international donors.  They don’t have a budget for any income or expenditure for the community clinic or the skills training programmes, and therefore are not monitoring these.  This means that the organisational cannot plan for the future as they are unable to determine how financially viable they are as an organisation, and as a community project which is providing life giving services to a wide number of people it is vital they start becoming in proactive in financial management.  Hopefully I can contribute to making some small changes within my 4 weeks. I have also been updating the fixed asset schedule – I will never be able to escape capital accounting!  I have been impressed and motivated with sharing ideas with Patricia (the accountant) who appears to have sound accounting knowledge and is keen to put many of the policies Bwafwano have into practice. ‘’ Lack of time ‘’ appears to be her major obstacle in this and wants me to do this for her.  I am very aware to make any changes sustainable I need to involve the finance team as much as possible and let them take ownership for these.  This is probably the biggest challenge so far !

This week I have had the pleasure of trying kapleta!  Very small fish which you eat whole.  Liked them more than I thought but they were very salty.

This week I have enjoyed spending a number of nights drinking wine and talking with Mrs Chikto during power cuts.  She is a lovely, friendly host who is always giggling and now insists me calling her mama. 

This weekend has been quite quiet – I have been swimming / sunbathing at the Olympic Swimming Pool for the day, eaten an amazing banoffee pie style pancake, and learnt to wash clothes African Stylee!  I have been impressed with how friendly all taxi drivers are and not being ripped off due to the fact I am a white person.  I seem to have very interesting conversations with them all ranging from British Monarchy and why Prince Charles actually is not Welsh (Prince of Wales is a confusing title) to differences in forms of government in both countries.  They are providing interesting insight into the country.

Anyway thats all for now.  Take Care CCx

Odd and ends

Some bits and pieces of everyday life

1.    Power cuts – three in three nights last week.  Ranging from a couple of nights to the whole night.  I made a resolution one night to get all cooking done in daylight.

2.    Nshima.  This is the national staple food. A maize based thick porridge (slightly more stodgy and firm) which is served with two relishes (often pumpkin leaves) and eaten with the hands.  I have tried and am not a fan. Personally I think it tastes and texture of cardboard, however the making of it is considered an art form and as one taxi driver said to me today ‘my stomach needs it three times every day or it will be the end of the world’. Zambians love their nshima.

3.    Religion. Zambians like to know which church you go to.  I have been asked the question many times over the past couple of days, so I try to explain that I don’t and this is not usual in England.  They find this hard to contemplate so often follow it up with ‘But you do believe?’ or ‘Who made you?’.   Religion is a intrinsic part of daily life here, with people wearing their best clothes attending Church on Sunday for 2 to 4 hour services.

4.    ‘Muzunga’ – (white person). Whenever I am walking to work, or back home, going on my recent morning runs or going to the local shop all children like shouting muzunga as a greeting followed with ‘how are you?’. You cannot walk anywhere without getting this greeting and no response in required – just a smile and a wave.  You are then treated to one of the highlights of Africa – a smiling child face followed by laughter.  I am learning to catch them out by saying ‘ ‘ which means ‘I’m okay’ in the local dialect.

5. Nigeria films and soaps are the new Bollywood - (actually known locally as NollyWood!).

What a girl has to do……………….

OK to celebrate my last birthday of my 20’s a girl has to do what a girl has to do.  Eat chocolate and drink wine to celebrate the age of 30 now being less than 362 days away.  So that is what I did – cooked  chocolate brownies and enjoyed a glass of white.  Maybe that is not part of the authentic African experience.

End of my first week

This might be slightly tedious for those of you who are not accountants but as I set this blog up for other willing accountants I should write to a certain degree about what I am actually doing.  To be honest this week has been a slow first week , mostly because it has taken to time to get my head about the complexities of Bwafwano.  It is an organisation which has offers a comprehensive range of services and programmes, and in the past has been funded from a range of donors.  However at present it is only receiving funding from Cecily’s Fund in the UK for the education of vulnerable children and Comic Relief for a TB programme.  It has taken a while for them to talk about the present and not the past.  I do feel like I have made some small achievements in the first week  - teaching them about backing document up and creating  a new process to produce the  donor payslip. 

The Neighbourhood

A couple of pictures for you to picture my local neighbour -  a lot different to Liverpool Street!

Mrs Chikoti’s

I am now staying at Mrs Chikoti’s which is about a 15 minute walk to work.  Mrs Chikoti is used to having volunteers stay with her and therefore I am privileged to a level of comfort I was not expecting.  Large bedroom with double bed, hot showers, cable TV with BBC entertainment channel.  This is meaning I can watch Dancing with the Stars as a replacement for Strictly Come Dancing, and I can still indulge in my guilty secret – my love of the programme Border Force (Sky programme for those who don’t know)!

And here are the stars of the show………………………………………………

Meet the finance team

Patricia – the accountant

Regina – the assistant accountant

Haxley – accounts clerk

In the next couple of posts I will endeavour to let you all know how my first week has gone.  Sorry about all posts coming at once but tried doing lots of this in an internet café and yesterday and everything kept crashing. So news is going to come in piecemeal chucks!

And so it begins.........................

Maybe it is about time I actually told you a bit about why I am here.  I am spending the next 6 weeks volunteering with a small community based organisation ‘Bwafwano’.  They are based on the outskirts of Lusaka  in a community called Chagza.  It was created in 1996 by Mrs Breatice Chola as part of the response of the HIV / AIDS epedicie in Zambia.   Their overall aim is to improve the lives of people who are suffering from HIV / AIDS and TB, primary carers and children who are affected by these diseases. 

They are achieving this by running a number of programmes from one site in Chagwa, and similar sites in 3 other districts in Zambia.  They provide training to community volunteers to act as care givers as part of home based care for suffers.  This program has 5,400 AIDS / HIV patients and 325 TB patients, 2,253 patients with advanced HIV/AIDS infection on ART. The program conducts trainings for community volunteers as care givers in home based care, palliative care, TB/ART treatment supporters, counseling as lay counselors and provides HIV prevention Education during their home visits and during support group meetings.  They have also established a community clinic which provides health care to all sufferers and has a community laboratory for testing.   The Orphans and Vulnerable Children program provides educational support to children up to grade 4 who have been affected through the disease through the Bwafwano  Community School and sponsors children through the rest of their education at government schools.  They have also established a community sexual and reproductive health education program where young people are actively involved in being peer educators.

I have spent most of the day asking question after question after question to understand how Bwafwano operates at a strategic level right down to the day to day posting of individual transactions.  I have found that this will task will probably take a while to complete!  In the meantime they want me to work on – training on Pastel (electronic accounting software package), organisation wide budgets, and training on excel.  I am honestly say I am not an expert in any of these areas having never actually used an accounting package before (result of only being an auditor!) and only using basic formulas in excel.  I have a feeling it might be time to reach for my CIPFA study guides again.

Photos will be added when I have figured out how it happens!  Cx

First weekend antics!

Sat writing this on a sunny veranda with a cold mosi  in my hand - (Zambian beer).  Found my first weekend a conflict of emotions.  At times I have been excited at the prospect of the next 6 weeks in Zambia and everything I will get the chance to do.  Other times suffering the first blues of the trip with feelings of loneliness and that life at weekends appears to be quiet, and battling with the expanse of time I have to fill.

It has been a fairly quiet weekend with time spent relaxing at the backpackers hostel I am staying at until Monday, been exploring local markets and shopping Malls, been on a township tour and tasting the local floor. The backpackers hostel does appear to be a place where people pass through relatively quickly as Lusaka does not have many sights to see.  There has been company around in the evenings but I have already had the same ‘where have you come from? Where are you going?’ conversations night after night.  I don’t mean to sound jaded but has made me look forward to living in a community and making some real friendships.

The backpackers hostel is an area of tranquillity in the heart of Lusaka.  I upgraded my booking to my own room for first couple of nights.  A luxury I don’t think I can afford for long!  The Hostel has cooking facilities, swimming pool, bar, wifi and satellite TV.  I think I have spent more time watching premier league football this weekend than at all since the season starting again.   Maybe I should be taking part in the Audit Commission fantasy football league for the year – it could help fund my adventures!

Lusaka has a number of large shopping western style shopping centres which are very busy at weekends with families and groups of teenagers.  Facilities include a cinema showing all the local blockbusters, shops filled with stock which has a aged look to it, and lots of restaurants.  Many based on the fried chicken theme! Spent a long time in large shopping centres which beat my local tesco for selection of products however items don’t appear to be as cheap as I expected.   I will update you later with my eating habit once I have started cooking for myself next week.   However the sandwich I had at lunchtime does require a special mention.  Reading you would have been impressed.  It was an Mexican spicy chicken open sandwich with salsa, jalapenos and lots of melted cheese. Yum yum yum. 

I have been told repeatedly this weekend it is not safe to be out in the dark and to get taxi’s everywhere you go.  The Lonely Plant Guide’s description of Cario Rd (main road in Lusaka) make you think ‘’It would be foolish to wander the street after dark……….has a bad reputation for robbery especially from cars at a standstill in traffic . Keep your windows up and doors locked.’’   It appears to me that evening activities are pre planned and maybe not the result of spare of moment decisions or that you stay in one place for the evening.   You will be pleased to know I am listening for once in my life and am following this advice.  It has made me think about how I do take it for granted living in a relatively safe city where you are able to walk and use public transport at whatever time , and how much this freedom means to me.

Anyway tomorrow I am moving into Mrs Chikoti’s guesthouse which is near the offices of Bwafwano. 

Take Care CCx

Arrivals and first impressions

So hello to you all!

I arrived in Zambia yesterday on a BA flight.  

For those of who don’t know I am just taken a year long career break from work.    First point of call is Zambia.  At the moment I am about to start a 6 week volunteer placement through the organisation Accounting for International Development.  I am working with a community based organisation called  Bwafwano  who are based on the in Lusaka (capital of Zambia).  Anyway, more on Bwafwano on Monday after my first day in the office.

I arrived in Lusaka on Thursday morning after a 10 hour luxury flight courtesy of BA.    Wow – how my travelling habits will change in the future now I have seen how the other half live.  As much free red wine as you want, Sex and City 2 on TV, yummy chicken curry and the additional option of tasting early sundowners in the form of Bloody Mary’s! No more Easyjets and Ryanair flights for me!

I was collected from the airport by the driver from Bwafwano after a long quene for visa’s and customs where they checked you had picked up the correct bag by checking tags on the bag against the ticket you were given at check-in.  I was grateful I had saved mine and not thrown it away with all the other rubbish in my bag.  Before coming to Africa I have been warned about the crazy driving so was prepared for this on my drive into the city centre.  However I have been surprised at how safe I felt.  No experiences of near head on collisions from dramatic taking over moments or having to grab to the side of the vehicle for my life were encountered.   However this might prove to9 be wrong!

First impressions of Zambia – hot hot hot!  I have arrived in the hottest month just before the start of the wet season.  I cannot wait for this rain, and even thinking the Lakey D land wet grey skies are appealing.    From the drive in I can say the environment and landscape does meet my expectations from the photos of Africa you see at home.  Flat barren dry bush landscape which is broken up with  small patches of green from thornbushs.  Lots and lots of people working alongside of the side raod carrying everything and anything – infants, chickens, barrels.  Local blue minibuses crammed full of people- I probably think they should fit about 10 peop0le in each but appear to have at least 20 in each.  Woman wearing brightly coloured Africa material.   Small roadside shops made from wooden frames covered in cardboard with tin roofs selling everything (esp mobile phone credit).

Lusaka is quite different to what I expected.  It is much less built up, and even building right in the centre have a lot of space around them.  Each building is typically in a compound with gardens and space for parking inside which are then surround by a high wall and gates with security man.  It is less chaotic, busy and polluted compared to cities in Asia. 

I am spending three days staying at ChaChaCha’s backpackers over the weekend.  Will update you on my activities on Monday. Bye for now.  CCx

P.S  I will add photos as I get some but people who know me well know I’m not that great at taking them and espically not in appearing in the