Makeni Project News No.12 Fri, 29 Jan 1999

Dear Friends of Makeni,

We haven't written to you for some time - so here is some news about the progress made in our work:

1. A new settlement budget has been produced in response to suggestions from the evaluators and donors. The overall budget has been significantly reduced. The full budget is given elswhere in these pages, but formatting was unclear on receipt, so also here.

Here is a summary of the 1999 settlement budget: [A] Loans to families recently settled or to be settled this year (65 families in all) will be US$4,200 net - that is S7,200 minus repayments of $3000. Loans will also be given for roofsheets and this will involve $3,700.

[B] The Running Costs of the settlement projects in 1999 will be $12,640, which includes 4 salaries, transport costs, vehicle insurance, ground rents, legal costs and administrative expenses.

[C] The largest share of the 1999 settlement budget is for the improvement of the infrastructure of Kalwelwe, Chisamba and Mwombishi Settlement Villages: $48,200 - this is for the construction of a house for the settlement officer, for the partial renovation of Mwomboshi farm house [for a school, clinic and agricultural storage], for the completion of Kalwelwe Clinic, for water provision and water storage facilities.

[D] Finally, the budget shows an expenditure of US$3000 on animal draft power, poultry houses and agricultural equipment for the two newest settlement villages.

The total 1999 Settlement Budget for 65 families is therefore US$71,740 or about $184 per person settled [6 persons per family]. The previous annual budgets stood at around $240,000 for 60 families. We hope this will convince donors that drastic savings are being made, and that the settlement projects of MEC deserve continued support.

2. Enrolments for the adults educations courses are still continuing. They now are as follows: Senior Electronics Course: 21 students; Basic Electronics Course: 20 students; Homecraft Course: 21 students; Settlement Course: 20 students; General Agriculture: 20 students. The Carpentry Course is nearing conclusion and students will sit for the Craft Certificate exams soon - there are 10 students left in this department. Primary and Pre School enrolments are now in full swing - final figures later.

3. The computer workshop is now ready for use. It looks like a volunteer has been found - someone from the Klooster Kerk in The Hague, Holland. The 18 computers for the Course [donated by Diensten Centrum of the Reformed Church in the Netherlands, Leusden] are in place, although we hope to replace some of the older types with more modern computers - Mr Furnee of the Klooster Kerk in Holland is trying to locate these for us. We are looking for UPS's (Uninterruptible Power Supplies) for the computers - 15 of them. If we have to buy them, it will involve an expenditure of about US$3000. Can anyone help us solve this problem? The course should start in July and will be short-term courses conducted on three levelsof complexity. International accreditation has been arranged for the courses which should make them popular with the public.

4. The Centre is to engage a fulltime catechist for its spiritual outreach. We therefore hope to welcome Mr and Mrs Nathan Ngoma soon to the Centre. He has a vocation to the priesthood and his training for same will begin immediately. A house is being constructed for him and his wife at a cost of US$14,000, which is being funded from the Jelle Jochem Dil Trust Fund - the house will be a permanent memorial to the late Jelle Dil who worked at the Centre from 1971 till 1980. The expansion of our Christian outreach will require some funding, and we hereby request church donors to allow us to use 10% of all donations and grants towards pastoral and evangelical activities.

Mr David Virtue of the USA has donated a bicycle for the use of the catechist in Mwembeshi Settlement Village and surrounding areas - in response to an appeal in a previous newsletter. Many thanks to him!

5. The Centre hired a water expert, Mr Chimwang'a Maseka, of the Water Sector Reform Support Unit of the UNDP-World Bank Water & Sanitation Program, to do geological and water surveys in Kalwelwe, Chisamba and Mwomboshi settlement villages. He has completed the report for Kalwelwe Village; the remaining two reports are due soon. The Centre's agricultural and settlement staff, with the help of outside advice, will seek ways of implementing the advice.

Must end here since we promised "brief reports"! More later.

Sincerest thanks for all the prayer and material support you give our work!

Yours in Christ,

Very Revd Canon Pierre J Dil / Hon. Chairman Makeni Ecumenical Centre

Very Revd Canon Pierre J Dil,
Dean Emeritus Lusaka Cathedral of the Holy Cross,
Hon. Chairman Makeni Ecumenical Centre
e-mail: mecdil@zamnet.zm