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What is the Kelowna-Zambia Partnership? Officially launched May 31, 2007, the Kelowna-Zambia Partnership ( KaZ) is a grassroots group creating a platform to “partner” Kelowna with Senanga (a district in Zambia) in order to engage in mutual sharing, learning, and friendship; aiming to improve lives in both of our communities. We are an independent, non-profit working group in association with VIDEA, and supported by the Canadian InternationalDevelopment Agency ( CIDA) and our own fundraising efforts. Our backgrounds and interests include but are not limited to: communications, health, water quality, business, and international development. We are committed to action and empowerment for all. Please click here for the Kelowna-Zambia Partnership Charter ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Please click on the links below for direct access to specific areas and information concerning our organization: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ With the help of VIDEA and Women for Change we have targeted an area in the Western District of Zambia called Senanga. Senanga was chosen for the partnership for several reasons:
Please click here for more information on Women for Change. Please click on the links below for information on Senanga, Zambia: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Senanga Handcrafts at Towne Centre Postal Outlet and B.C. Fruit Packers Cooperative! Income generation is one of the most important elements of Kelowna’s relationship with Senanga. By offering a marketplace for their traditional baskets, we have given the weavers a sustainable way to support their families and villages. At the same time, shoppers in Kelowna can purchase these beautiful and functional pieces knowing that the people who made them are getting a good price for their work.
KaZ is using the fair trade model to facilitate importing the baskets. Towne Centre Postal Outlet is offering a central and busy location for the baskets and making a small profit for their service. There is no margin added to the various costs connected to importing and transporting. We hope all readers of this webpage will stop in at 571 Bernard Avenue. New! We Have Another Outlet: The B.C. Fruit Packers Cooperative on Clement Ave. now has our baskets for sale. This provides a great opportunity to buy a beautiful vessel to hold Okanagan produce! Be sure to check it out!
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ After consultations with Women for Change, KaZ is launching a community to community sponsorship of orphans in Senanga who have been affected by the death of one or both parents due to AIDS, Malaria, or other tragedies. Zambia is one of the most severely affected countries by AIDS, and according to the UN 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, has over 700,000 orphans. To learn more about Orphans in Zambia, please click on the following links:
To download our brochure on the Orphan Sponsorship Program, please click on the following 2 links for both sides: Side One, Orphan Sponsorship Program Brochure Side Two, Orphan Sponsorship Program Brochure _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Kelowna Global Citizen Week 2008 and the Millennium Scholarship Challenge KaZ was very pleased to be a part of Kelowna Global Citizen Week 2008, and honoured to be partnered with award-winning youth through the Millennium Scholarship Challenge on March 7, 2008. Teams of students representing their secondary schools researched international development projects in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals. The teams competed to win scholarships designated to their projects, and two of the winning teams selected KaZ to facilitate the initiatives in Senanga. Through our link with VIDEA (Victoria International Development Education Agency) in Canada, and Women for Change in Zambia, KaZ will assist students and the residents of Senanga to create a youth-led community garden, as well as build a much-needed school and provide a nearby water bore-hole. Mt. Boucherie S.S. won the MDG challenge earlier this year and forwarded funds for teaching gardens in Lui Namabunga.
This picture is the most established garden, but there is also another one started. The advocacy around growing vegetables had many components. The sandy soil in this region needs augmentation to support vegetable gardens, but learning the composting techniques is only one of the skills the teenagers were taught. They also gained skills in vegetable propagation, nutritional advantages to promote improvement in the local diet, and team building. In addition, the students at Mt. Boucherie raised money for a bore hole well to be situated near the new school and garden.
Watch this site! The week following our visit, the building of a new primary school was started which will be called Siteo Community School. Young children in the farthest reaches of Lui Namabunga could not walk the long distance to the Basic School and were being deprived of an education. Okanagan Mission S.S. and Glenrosa Middle School/ACES both forwarded funds to get the building underway. The villagers provide the manpower. During the current school year we intend to raise the $11,000 needed to complete construction. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Art Exchange: Claire de la Salle has been in charge of coordinating the art exchange and her efforts combined with the efforts of a 4th grade classroom at Aberdeen Prep School have created beautiful results. Our Zambia crew will be bringing art supplies to Senanga to engage a number of children in an art project. Their creations will, in turn, be brought back to the Aberdeen Hall classroom to complete the exchange. Medical Supplies: Magali, the outreach coordinator, has been working on a project to gather badly needed medical supplies from a number of family practitioners within the city. Items gathered include: latex gloves, bandages, acetaminophen, syringes and other basic medical necessities. This project is an extremely basic first step into understanding and addressing the health needs of the Senangan community. Click here to find out more: Medical supplies donations (.doc)
Our most recent campaign involves any organizations or individuals within the community that are willing to donate t-shirts that carry the “Kelowna” logo on them. Our goal is to distribute the t-shirts throughout Senanga as a way to introduce the Senangan community to Kelowna. Click here to find out more: T-shirts for Zambia Campaign (.pdf) _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ In the Media: Also, please check out Global Citizen Kelowna Highlights of 2009 International Development Week, February 8-15 Norman Chevula with Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd during International Development Week.
Teachers Forum held in Kelowna during International Development Week.
Students from Glenrosa Middle School in Kelowna with Norman Chevula from Women for Change. Glenrosa students have helped to raise $20,000 to fund the building of a community school in Lui Namabunga, Senanga.
Samuel from Women for Change in the existing community school room in Lui Namabunga, Senanga, that will be replaced by a permanent community school using funds partly raised by Glenrosa Middle School. Highlights of 2008 KaZ Chair Sheila Olcen (far left) and Kelowna-Lake Country MP Ron Cannan (center left) play with members of Harambee drum and percussion band at our “Mukiti: an Evening Celebration” held on February 9, 2008.
Breakthrough for Africa delegates from Victoria, Nelson and Kelowna are visiting their Zambian sister cities during October 2008. Nicloe Arnt(l) and Zoe Bird(r) from Global Nursing Citizens were able to donate a bag fully packed with medical supplies for Mary Weston (centre) to take along.
Announcement of Kelowna's Newest Sister City: Senanga, Zambia Kelowna Global Citizen Week 2008 and the Millennium Scholarship Challenge KaZ was very pleased to be a part of Kelowna Global Citizen Week 2008, and honoured to be partnered with award-winning youth through the Millennium Scholarship Challenge on March 7, 2008. Teams of students representing their secondary schools researched international development projects in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals. The teams competed to win scholarships designated to their projects, and two of the winning teams selected KaZ to facilitate the initiatives in Senanga. Please see our School Building section for more information and photos!
This young man is Sicosamubu Mututwa. When he was in Grade Twelve his parents died leaving him the head of the household for his 9 siblings. Now at age 24 he has stepped forward to be the volunteer teacher for the new school. He has developed a wonderful rapport with his 60 students and teaches them without any material support. We were happy to be able to take artwork and supplies from the students at Aberdeen Hall along with a cash donation for their food security. KaZ has asked Women for Change to develop a plan to help Sicosamubu finish his education and gain a teaching certificate. Raising funds for this will be another of our initiatives in the coming months.
We visited Lyamutinga where they have organized a basket co-operative and on this visit we sought out the young woman featured on our sales poster. Irene Wamundila (second from right) is a young mother of 2 who is one of the crafters. When we purchased the current shipment the co-op leaders described to us the changes in their community because of this enterprise. Not only can they pay school fees, buy medicines and keep traditional skills alive, but they described an improvement in morale and hope for the future which will prevent early marriages. These baskets are beautiful and can be found in Kelowna at the Towne Centre Postal Outlet on Bernard Ave. and the B.C. Fruit Co-op on Clement Ave. Highlights of 2007 A very dedicated working group has been aiming to further the development of the Kelowna – Zambia Partnership. Our official public launch occurred on May 31st, 2007 at the Okanagan College in the form of a public presentation. Our keynote speaker was VIDEA intern Liz Morrison, who has recently returned from a 7-month internship in Zambia where she worked with Women for Change, an indigenous NGO working for gender equality, sustainable development and eradication of poverty. Liz opened the presentation with a vibrant slideshow of photographs taken during her time in Zambia. Liz’s photographs were accompanied by her personal insights, experiences and touching stories. Following her presentation, founding members of the Kelowna-Zambia Partnership were able to introduce themselves along with the main concepts of the project. Take a look at our Travel Blog documenting our members' three-week journey to Zambia: http://kelowna-zambia.blogspot.com/
Mary Weston
Sheila Olcen
Liz Morrison _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ kazpartnership@videa.ca Kelowna-Zambia Partnership Box 20159, RPO Towne Centre Kelowna, BC V1Y 9H2 __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ To donate by cheque, please make cheques payable to VIDEA - KaZ and send them to: Kelowna-Zambia Partnership Box 20159, RPO Towne Centre Kelowna, BC V1Y 9H2 To donate online through Canada Helps: Please click the Canada Helps logo to donate on-line and under Fund/Designation, please choose the Kelowna-Zambia you wish to donate to. Please note that 3% of your donation is retained by Canada Helps for the transaction fee.
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