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In March 2008 it was announced that Lois Silo, the Zomba Kidz Project Coordinator from Chancellor College had departed and that responsibility for the project would be transferred to Khama Chibwana. Khama a home economics professor at Chancellor College and former grad student at UVic originated the concept for the Zomba Kidz Project and is welcomed as the new Project Coordinator.
In a report dated March 5, 2008 Khama said “The maize crop is beginning to dry up. From my observation we may have slightly lower yields this year than last year. The maize cobs did not grow as much as last year because there was lots of rainfall at the beginning of the rainy season and that was followed by a prolonged period (3 – 4 weeks) of no rain at all. Notwithstanding, we expect to get reasonable benefit from this investment.”
Khama has recently reported that the Muula Centre is once again feeding approximately two hundred children from the surrounding village.
On September 23rd, 2007, the Muula Day Care Centre built with funds raised by Saanich’s Centennial Zomba Kidz project was officially opened.
A crowd of over 500 people watched the ribbon cutting for the new centre including 3 cabinet ministers from the Malawi government along with 6 Chiefs from the local village of Magalasi and the surrounding area.
Saanich was represented at the opening by Judith Evans, Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Victoria School of Child and Youth Care.
Saanich employee Don Pedde, acting chair of the project, said:
“All the Saanich employees, citizens and businesses that supported the project should take great pride in what has been achieved. Their donations have produced an outstanding child care facility in an area where the need could not be more desperate. The building was built to handle 150 kids and we are now told that 273 kids are enrolled in the programs.”
Since 2006, over $52,000 has been raised through employee donations, bake sales, craft sales, donations from Saanich businesses and outside donors. All of the money raised has been sent to Malawi to pay for a feeding program for the children, teacher salaries, a maize growing program and the construction of the new facility. The new child care centre, named the Muula Centre, includes a 2000 sq.ft. school building, a separate 335 sq.ft. kitchen and a separate 485 sq.ft. washroom plus a new well to provide drinking water to the centre and the village.
Zomba KIDZ has recently finished its second year, with many accomplishments. To see how funds were used, please click on the following attachment.
Revenue and Expenditures 2007 (PDF 128KB)
Revenue and Expenditures 2006 (PDF 19KB)
Following are entries and photographs (in PDF format) that
track our progress.
June 20, 2008 (80 KB) - The Centre is up and running
April 16, 2007 (286 KB) - Construction nearing completion
March 14, 2007 (318 KB) - Khama leaves Victoria
February 26, 2007 (114KB) - Saanich
Employees raise $11,000
January 26, 2007 (318
KB) - Teacher training and new crops
November 14, 2006 (412
KB) - Construction progress
October 26, 2006 (293
KB) - Construction started
March 13, 2006 (256
KB) - UVic students visit Zomba KIDZ
March 9, 2006 (309
KB) - Corn grows and lots of kids attend
February 26, 2006 (354 KB) - Crops planted
and feeding program begun
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