MICHELO VILLAGE TOUR OF DUTY: SOME DIARY NOTES:

FRIDAY, MARCH 31 2006:

-AROUND MID DAY TAKE BUS FOR KALOMO

-ARRIVE IN KALOMO LATE AFTERNOON.

-AROUND 6:30 PM LEFT KALOMO ON AN OPEN VANNETTE FOR A VILLAGE BETWEEN 30 0R 40 KM NORTH WEST OF KALOMO.THE VILLAGE'S NAME IS CALLED MICHELO.

-WERE STUCK IN THE MUD TWICE AND SEVERAL TIMES HAD TO PUSH THE VEHICLE THROUGH ROUGH POINTS OF THE ROAD.

-AROUND 9 PM DISEMBARKED AT A PLACE CALLED NAJINKA PRIMARY SCHOOL.THE SCHOOL IS ENTIRELY BUILT WITH GRASS:GRASS WALLS AND GRASS(BWIZU) ROOF.ASK FOR DIRECTIONS FROM THE HEADMASTER.

-GOT LOST TWICE BEFORE REACHING THE TARGETED VILLAGE AROUND 11:30 PM.

-MID NIGHT, RETIRE TO BED, TOO TIRED TO MIND A FEW MOSQUITO BITS.

SATURDAY, APRIL 1 2006

-UP AND JOIN EVERY ONE AT THE FIRE PLACE.

-HAD BREAKFAST

-THEN DISCUSSION OF THE PROJECT WITH THE HEADMAN AND SOME OF THE VILLAGERS.PEOPLE HAPPY WITH THE PROPOSED PROJECT AND AGREET TO SET UP A COMMITTE TO LOOK AFTER THE BORE HOLE WHEN ITS DONE.

-LUNCH SERVED.

-REST OF THE DAY SPENT DISCUSSING AND EATING ALL SORTS OF WILD FRUITS.

 SUNDAY, APRIL 2 2006

-AROUND 5 AM START OFF FOR KALOMO ON FOOT HAVING BEEN TOLD THAT NO VEHICLES TRAVEL IN THAT AREA ON WEEKENDS

-AROUND 10 AM, HAVING WALKED ALMOST HALF THE JOURNEY, SO LUCKY TO FIND A BUTCHER FERRYING TWO NG'OMBE  TO HIS BUTCHERY IN KALOMO AND OFFERED ME A LIFT AND ASKED ME TO BUY HIM A PACKED OF CIGARETTES WHEN WE REACH KALOMO(THAT WAS THE FARE)

-11:30 AM ARRIVE IN KALOMO AND WAIT FOR BUS TO MONZE

-1 PM GET ON BUS AND ARRIVE IN MONZE AROUND 3 PM.

-AFTER GOODBYES AT HOME PROMPTLY LEAVE FOR LUSAKA.

 POST SCRIPT:

1)THE VILLAGE I VISITED IS THE ONE I PROPOSE FOR THE NEXT WATER PROJECT.BUT THE ROADS ARE IMPASSABLE RIGHT NOW. PROBABLY THE RIGS MAY ONLY BE ABLE TO REACH THERE AROUND MONTHEND OF MAY WHEN IT IS DRY.WE STILL HAVE SOME RAINS HERE. THE VILLAGE HAS ABOUT 60 H0MES, EACH HAVING BETWEEN 6 TO ABOUT 40 MEMBERS.BUT EVEN SURROUNDING VILLAGES DONT HAVE BORE HOLES SO BENEFICIARIES COULD BE A LOT MORE THAN 5000.

Yours,

O'BRIEN

i