Tujatane Tales
Term 1
January - April 2005
Volume 9.1

E-Mail: vanessa@tongabezi.com                 www.tongabezitrustschool.com

UK HEAD TEACHERS TRAIN US

Ron Gandolfo and Shirley Lawrence, head teachers from the UK, kindly donated their February half term to come out to Tujatane to train our teachers and assistants in classroom management and information technology.  We would like to thank BRITISH AIRWAYS who sponsored their flights out.  Without their generosity we could not have taken advantage of this great opportunity.  Ron and Shirley arrived by bus from Lusaka on Saturday 12th.  Sunday was spent visiting the Victoria Falls and the Livingstone Game park.  The Falls were in full flow and were truly spectacular.  Driving through the park, we saw a variety of game and beautiful birds.  On Monday it was time for Ron and Shirley to observe our teachers and their teaching methods.  Tuesday, school closed for the children, and the teachers began their training.  We also invited two teachers from the local government school to benefit from this opportunity and improve their knowledge.  It was a fun few days of intensive challenges where teachers worked as a team to share ideas.  Tujatane - "Let us all hold hands together" - was witnessed by all.  Our team emerged full of new ideas to use in their classes.  The afternoons were spent training the teachers on using different computer software - how to use it, and how best to teach with it in class.  This was particularly rewarding, especially so for Bond Lichaha, who runs our computer room, and who is self taught on computers and desperate to learn more.  And he did!  The teachers were taught how to put together our newsletter - so soon they will be able to do without me! 

HIV Talk by Professor Whiteside

The AIDS pandemic was declared a National disaster by President Levy Patrick Mwanawasa.  Following this statement, Zambia has taken on this fight with vigour.  Tujatane has joined this fight.  Our drama club puts on performances involving HIV/AIDS life situations.  In our classes, our teachers integrate it into their subjects.  We were thrilled to hear that Professor Alan Whiteside, an expert on HIV/AIDS who is dedicated to education people about this, was  going to be staying at Tongabezi, and would present  a talk to our children as well as to the local community in Livingstone.  We invited pupils from the nearby government school to join us.  Peter Labouchere helped us by doing a pre-training afternoon on HIV.  He had the children actively involved in games showing the impacts on their lives HIV can have, and how to strive for a happy healthy future.  The following day, Monday, 21st March, Professor Whiteside came to talk, following which the questions from the pupils flowed.  A great deal was learned.  Some myths were erased from the children's heads.  They learnt how you can get HIV and how you cannot get it.  They learnt the importance of helping people with HIV have a good diet, which  he said did not mean fillet steak!  They learnt about the transmission between mother to child.  It was stressed that we should love and care for those who are already caught up in the circle of HIV/AIDS.  Morgan writes: "He told us that you can't get AIDS through shaking hands and through kissing and eating together with somebody who had HIV/AIDS".  Beenzu writes: "He talks a lot of things like how AIDS can enter your body."  Thanks so much to Prof Whiteside for his very clear and important talk and for answering so many questions. 

First Stages of our Amphitheatre

With the success of our poetry group last year, and the enthusiasm of our cultural dance group, we decided to try to fund for an amphitheatre.  Thanks to Tom Biersbach and Jennifer Strachan who have kindly met the cost.  This donation is in memory of their son, Alex, making it a particularly special project.  Work began early this year, and we are busy building the foundations.  Our performing arts group are eagerly awaiting their first performance on stage outdoors.  We look forward to welcoming visitors to our shows, and together with our new music teacher, Bernard, we hope to show off our musical talent here too. 
 

Commonwealth Day at Parliament in Lusaka

It was a wonderful and joyous occasion when Tujatane was chosen to represent Southern Province at the Zambian Parliament Buildings in Lusaka during the Commonwealth Day celebrations.  The Theme for the day was "Education Creating Opportunities Realising Potential".  We went with the poem that won Nataaz junior national championship as the best poem in the basic school category in 2004.  Mr Chabuka and Mr Gwenani escorted our team of performers to Lusaka by bus on 13th March.  On Monday the programmes for the Commonwealth Day commenced.  In the morning the first five provinces performed.  After lunch it was our turn.  The following day prizes were given and our children were able to watch a parliament debate live.  The children were in awe.  One topic being discussed was on education.  The Honourable Minister of Education, Mr Andrew Mulenga was asked some important questions about the Zambian education system - our children and teachers listened eagerly.  They departed back for Livingstone on the 16th, having had a very exciting and interesting trip.  "Talent can take you before great people and great places".  By James Chabuka

Music Teacher Arrives - thanks to Eton Fundraising