Dear Friends of Makeni,

Below is a summary of the latest newsletter about the work of Makeni Ecumenical Centre, which you support so faithfully. You can read the full newsletter here.

Settlement Villages Water Provision

After months of delay, two windmills have been erected in Mwomboshi and Chisamba. The total cost of the purchase and installation of these two windmills was ~K72 million [US$15,700]. The next phase now is the erection and connection of towers and tanks. The cost of this stage will be about K15.6 million [US$3600] with the tanks being supplied from our own stock. Additionally, we have asked the community to help in the construction of reservoirs for storing surplus water to be used for crop watering, gardening, livestock watering and domestic use, as their contribution.

We are encouraging settlers to view these projects as their own and take care of them. This is the reason why we want them to get involved in the fitting of the tanks and the construction of the reservoirs. We feel that they will be able to sustain the project only if they are trained in the maintenance of boreholes, windmills and reservoirs. Once we are satisfied with performance of the first two windmills, we shall proceed with the purchase and installation of a further two.

We agree in principle that part of the investment into the next phase of the windmills project should be raised by the villagers themselves through serious loan recovery. Another way the community can contribute is by doing some of the physical work attached to installing wind-driven pumps. So far we have recovered about K10, 000,000 [US$2,200] from the villages. In Mwembeshi SV over 50 settlers out of 86 families have paid off all their loans.

Settlers’ Local Initiatives

For years, MEC has been encouraging settlers to lessen their dependency on MEC and to collaborate much more with local development agencies. As a result our settlers have sought the advice of and set up links with agencies like the Rural Investment Fund, the Programme against Malnutrition, the Agricultural Support Programme, the Kabulima Organic Farmers' Organisation, the Dunavant Cotton Agency, Cheetah Zambia (for paprika growing), Heifer International (for livestock), Care International (for conservation farming), the Zambia Social Investment Fund, the Conservation Farming Unit (in bee-keeping and cassava seed multiplication, and the Coffee Growers Association of Zambia). These initiatives are indicative that there have been large changes in the way settlers tackle their problems and strike out into new areas of farming.

Local Fund-raising

The Centre continues to work hard on getting local agencies to recognise the value and importance of our projects.

So, for example, recently US AID provided us with a grant of $10,727.30 for the HIV/AIDS workshops. This project has now been completed. By way of follow-up we are to send annual evaluation reports for the next three years. US AID has said it is very pleased with the way MEC set up and executed this project.

We have also received a grant of K80, 734,793 [US$ 17,000] from NGOCC through the Grant Management Unit. K30, 500,000 of this will be for the training of community-based VCTC Counsellors. K50, 234,793 will be for the running of the AIDS Orphanage Village.

Canadian Support Group

Dr Pierre G Dil and Mrs Lee Ann Dil have initiated a small non-profit group support group for MEC in Canada called "Zambia Health and Education Fund", which will enable them to solicit donations for MEC in Canada. We just got notification from the BC provincial government that the name registration has been accepted.

St Nicholas Village for AIDS orphans
The Canadian support group, and others in Canada, sent quite a lot of boxes with gifts for the children, amongst which were teddy bears for the children. The Housemother, Judy Passmore, reported;

“The children were delighted with them and would not be parted from them. They slept with them. The next morning when I came to the Home, I found all the children clinging to their teddies. Thank you also to ‘AIDS Angels of Africa’ for all the good and hard work and the money that they donated. Your ladies and donors are great. All the clothes are nice to wear - skirts, T-shirts, trousers, dresses, warm clothes and then football shirts. We all, even me, put on a football jersey. Thank you also for the medicines! You are so good. May you continue to work for what is good. Giving is a gift from God. Read, Roman's 12: 6-8, Acts 22: 3-7, Corinthians 9:6 and Galatians 6:10. Thank you also for the toys and books I pray that our wonderful God will continue blessing you.”

There is (or will be) more news about the orphanage here. Including the children’s response to the latest gifts.

Adult Education and 2004 Graduation
The 33rd Graduation Ceremony took place last Friday 10th September. Dr Paul Zambezi, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Vocational Training was the Guest of Honour.

In order to add to the colour of this annual ceremony, the Centre had graduation gowns made, which students could rent at K30, 000.

All students in Agriculture “G” passed their practical exam and they were issued certificates for the practical work they did in the various subjects. In HSN all the 11 students passed their Tailoring and Dress Designing Practical Examinations. They also receive two certificates.

Mrs Allen comments

“MEC's mission is to offer skills and training to students who would otherwise be thrown out of the education system because of their lack of qualifications, or because they are too poor to afford the fees. The students who take the Agriculture Settlement Course all do well because we bring them to the same level. We are now thinking of new ways and methods to handle students who find it too difficult to even read, write or understand the exam questions.”

Upgrading of Equipment
MEC has recently acquired two vital items of office equipment through the Kloosterkerk, Holland. A photocopier was bought in June, making all the difference in the efficient running of the office and in producing educational materials.

In September, a new computer and printer were bought from the remainder of the Kloosterkerk grant. Thus many months of frustration and faults with the old computer finally ended. The old computer is now being used by the two bookkeepers in the Accounts Department. We are very grateful for these gifts of equipment and MEC looks forward to much improved administrative performance.

A fine gift of money, raised through a church collection at the wedding of a couple of the Klooster Kerk, is being used in the buying of teaching and learning materials for MEC's Adult Education Department. As soon as this project is completed it will be reported on in a next newsletter.

The Ministry of Science, Technology & Vocational Training have made a grant for the purchase of chairs, desks and office furniture for MEC but delivery of these has been postponed because the person in-charge of the project is on leave...

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We hope you find the news items recorded here helpful in keeping you up to date with activities at MEC. If so, you may like to record your name as a Friend of Makeni. This entails no obligations, though we encourage Friends to make an annual donation of £20, $40 or K100,000. Please mail postmaster @ makeni.org.uk.

Yours in Christ,
Fr Pierre J Dil / Founder MEC & Fr Andrew Mukuyamba

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