Thanks to St.Luke’s Innovative Resources

Mama Vernon is definitely the Sooka Community's unofficial ambassador, here she tells about her encounter with St Luke's Innovative Resources...

I have been given some St.Luke’s Innovative Resources, strength cards that are used in councelling situations or as conversation starters. Russell Deal (Social Worker) who has actually designs most of the sets of cards and has written many of their children’s books and other resources, was very interested in hearing about Sooka Community School and has very generously donated the cards. I will show the teachers how to use them and leave them at the school. I also have one set I think will be suitable for the OVC Councelling centre in Mwandi.

Russell and I had a car trip together to attend a Forum. Russell was our guest speaker and demonstrated the use of the cards to a large attendance of professionals working in the Mental Health field. 

Russell also loves Africa and has travelled to many countries teaching the usefulness of the resources. Once I started talking about Zambia… there was no stopping me and he enjoyed hearing the stories.
On my return, St.Luke’s Innovative Resources, based in Bendigo, Victoria (about 1700km south of Tamworth, NSW) has asked me to write an article about the school for their newsletter.
Thank you, St.Luke’s for your very generous donation to the Sooka community.

St. Luke's Innovative Resources Cards

In December 2013, I was in Sydney for work and three of us went down a day early, to spend some non-work related time in the beautiful city.

Whilst we were there we attended the Yoko Ono exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art and there were many ‘hands on’ things to do. One table had broken crockery, glue, sticky tape and string and you were encouraged to make an item and place it on a shelf (which then became part of Yoko’s exhibition). As is was nearing Christmas, and there were two broken pieces of a plate that looked to me like angels wings, I created a rustic angel, all the time thinking of ‘the Angels of Sooka’, past and present. My friend sent this photo today of my completed angel. I wonder if Yoko Ono ever saw it??

Joyce with 'Sooka Angel' at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney

What a way to travel home from work! We were tourists in our state capital, Sydney

Sooka Community UCZ Pre-School

Mama Vernon is here to update us on the developments in the Sooka Community, Thank you Joyce...

I feel as if my dream has come true for the small children of this Sooka region. As a retired Pre-School teacher, the commencement of a Pre-School has been a long-term goal of mine.

What an exciting day it must have been for the Sooka Community, with their first ever Pre-School day on 20th January 2014. Twenty children were enrolled with a voluntary teacher. They are currently using the Sooka United Church for temporary premises until a Pre-School is built.

Sooka UCZ and temporary Pre-School

The first classroom at Sooka Community School was intended for a Pre-School but it took off as a school from Grade 1 and the rest is history. Having had two Grade 7’s graduate, in 2012 and 2013. This school that commenced in 2007 with 35 students now has 154. This would be the envy of most small Australian bush schools, as we need 30 children to retain a second teacher and as our birth rate is so low, this can be difficult.

It would be hard for Westerners to understand that the children in the Sooka region had no opportunity to attend any formalised play get-togethers (other than more recently, Sunday School) until they went to school at age 7 years. There was no Playgroup, Day Care, or Pre-School. 
The families do not own cars, there is no bus, so no way for the children to get to the nearest Pre-School which is a 7km walk to Mwandi, then 7kms home.

A dear friend who is studying to be a Pre-School teacher (mature age student, as I was) asked me “How do you build a Pre-School in another country and culture?” A very good question…… when the book comes out there will be a chapter on just that!
It must come from the community and they must ‘own’ it. They are the ones who will be responsible for the day-to-day running and I will be on the fringes helping where I can. 
It must be sustainable (no ongoing fee sponsorship or teachers wages), I will not be on this earth forever (unfortunately) and don’t have the backing of a big organization.
It must be inclusive of all children and I will certainly be encouraging as much local input as possible, with as many locally made items as possible.

We had our first planning meeting about the Pre-School in May 2013, after the dental team had come back to Australia. The meeting was held after church one Sunday with myself, Francis (long time teacher at the school), the local pastor and a parish representative.

The UCZ and community had previously discussed a Pre-School, as the Zambian Government expect children to attend Pre-School before commencing school, however, there was to be no funding made available to actually build, equip or staff a Pre-School. 

At the meeting I discussed the possibility of using the Sooka UCZ building to start the Pre-School off, while some fundraising was taking place in Australia to build a suitable classroom. Many Pre-Schools in Australia began in church halls and to this day one of the leading Pre-Schools in Tamworth still operates from a church hall. The staff packs all equipment away on Friday afternoon and replacing in the hall on Monday morning. Not ideal but possible. 

Another reason for the United Church of Zambia to be involved, was that they own a plot of land at Sooka, near Shackleton’s Lodge, where as, if the Pre-School was built near the school, that would be Zambian Government land. The community felt strongly that this should be a ‘Community Pre-School’. My one concern was that the Pre-School should be open to every child of any faith (or no faith) and was assured this was the case, it would be there for the whole community. There will be a fee, which of course some families may find hard to find but I don’t feel sponsorship is an option, as this is a community initiative and responsibility. When we make sacrifices for our children, it is something we can look back on with pride.

Keith Waddell (Pastor and High School teacher in Mwandi), Reverend Wezi Msalu Manda (UCZ, Mwandi Consistory chairperson) and I have had many emails back and forth to get the Pre-School underway.  Keith organised for a cupboard to be built to hold the Pre-School equipment in the storeroom at the back of the church at Sooka. This was my first request, so that there would be a safe and clean place to store the equipment that I started posting for the Pre-School. Thank you Keith for organising that and delivering it up to Sooka.

Speaking of posting, I have sent ten boxes to the Pre-School and the latest report was that four had arrived safely.
It took some time to get an emailed plan of the proposed Pre-School building. That has now been approved and the quote from a local builder has been accepted. 
Funds have been transferred from Australia to start the foundations for the Pre-School. 
I will be over at Shackleton’s Lodge in May and am very hopeful that the building of Pre-School will have commenced by then.

During my time at Shackleton’s Lodge in May/June I plan to spend time helping out at both Sooka Community UCZ Pre-School and Sooka Community School and of course a spot of Tiger fishing!
I will be interested in seeing the new school buildings that the Zambian Government is building. There are to be three new classrooms and a new teacher’s house. The School has certainly outgrown the two classrooms and one African style (mud) classroom.

Building a Future

Another update thanks to Mama Vernon...

New School Buildings..
We didn’t receive the funding from ‘Room to Read’ for a library and classroom, however, the Zambian Government has rewarded the hard work put in by the Sooka Community, the teachers and supporters by granting the funds to build three new classrooms and a new teachers house. The ground has been cleared on a new site and the building materials are to arrive soon.

This is such wonderful news that the school has been recognised and will almost certainly mean that it will become a Government Primary School within the next 3 years.
With this progress there came a major problem for our amazing teachers Francis and John who have been there since the beginning. As untrained teachers they would lose their positions when the school becomes a Government School. We had a discussion and they are willing and able to study externally…. IF we could find someone to sponsor their Distance Education fees. 

I put in a formal proposal to Rotary Club of Tamworth, Sunrise, Australia, and they have agreed to pay the tuition fees for the next 3 years and we are so very thankful for that support. Great news.
We might need to also supply Francis and John with some boxes of candles!!

Francis & John

Community Based Pre—School:

The community invited me to a meeting and they expressed their wish to get a Community Based Pre-School. 

The plan would be to build a building in the grounds of the United Church, as that is not Government land. My suggestion was that while we try to raise funds for a building, they could commence a Pre-School in the church a few days per week.

A Pre-School is the missing link in the education system in the community, as they have Grades 1 to 7 at Sooka Community School and the new Mwandi Boarding Secondary School (about 2km walk, for both boarders and day students) and Mwandi High School, both schools going from Grades 8 to 12. 

Unfortunately the nearest Pre-School is also in Mwandi and as the parents do not have cars, it is too far for the little ones to walk 14kms round trip to Pre-School through the deep sand. 

The Sooka United Church of Zambia, Pastor and Francis were able to obtain a quote for a building and now we need to get together the funds so a contractor can build the Pre-School hopefully before the beginning of Term 1, 2014.

On further consultation with Shackleton’s Lodge staff and other community members it appears quite clear that they want this to be an English Pre-School to help the children learn English at the optimum age. If the Pre-School were in a larger town or city the teaching would be in English. I certainly have enough beautiful books to equip the Pre-School and all are in English. 

The next generation

Nothing is impossible and I am sure we can get a Pre-School up and running for these little guys. 

Grade 8 Asperations:

The girl who was Dux of Sooka Community School last year, is currently at the Boarding School and her wish is to become a doctor; her wish may well come true, as the Headmaster of that school told Francis and I that she is very clever and already topping her classes there. 

How amazing would it be for a young person who commenced school at little Sooka Community School to become a Doctor? Two of the other Grade 8 girls said they would like to be nurses.

Who knows what their future holds.

Beit Cure Hospital, Lusaka:

Beit Cure Hospital, Lusaka

Speaking of things medical…  Earlier this year I emailed the Executive Director of the Beit Cure Children’s Hospital in Lusaka and asked if I could come to look through the hospital, as some of our Sooka children have had major surgery there. 

WOW, what an amazing, clean, modern hospital with lovely grounds and on the edge of Lusaka with room for expansion. I wanted to be able to thank the staff for the wonderful job they do there and to picture where our children from Sooka go.

The hospital is free to children, which is amazing. So we just need to find the transport sponsorship if a child needs to go up there.

Two of our lovely girls have had major surgery there. One had surgery on her clubfeet… that now look strong and straight and she is very smart and doing so well at school. 

The other girl broke her leg in 2009. Unfortunately she had to have the leg amputated at Beit Cure Hospital and then later her prosthetic leg was made there. When I arrived in May, the first person that Victor (Shackleton’s mini bus driver) spoke of was this girl and his concerns about her prosthetic leg, which was now not fitting well and a bit broken. To my surprise a new leg was arriving with nurses from the US soon after I left. 

Dr. Tom Irons (Paediatrician from US), who does a clinic with all the Sooka School children in February each year, would have organised this. What a wonderful man.

Until next time, remember……….

“For every life we don’t empower……… someone else overpowers”

2013 Update & Wishes

Another update from one of our biggest supporters, Mama Vernon...

My very best wishes to you all for a healthy and safe New Year. May many dreams come true in 2013.
This is the time of year to reflect on the past twelve months and make plans for the future.

Congratulations to the children who completed Grade 7 at the end of 2012. This is the first group to complete Grade 7 at Sooka Community School. Such a milestone. We appear to have been unsuccessful in obtaining funding through ‘Room to Read’ for a Library/playroom and classroom, but let’s not give up! I love a challenge! Some fundraising has been going on in Tamworth, Australia and hopefully in 2013 we can do some more improvements at the school. A new classroom and more toilets
are top priority. A Library/playroom would be a dream at this stage.

My biggest dream would be to hold one or two days per week Pre-School in the playroom. Research shows the human brain develops more by the age of 3 ½ than any other stage of life. Some Pre-School days would set the children up so well for Grade 1.

Joyce and Elliot Dube, the owner & chef of Safari Club Bar and Grill 

I had my 60th Birthday in September and we had a party at the Safari Club, Tamworth (where else!!). Guests were asked to dress ‘with a touch of Africa’and some made great efforts, which were really appreciated. I wore a Chetenge, the traditional wrap skirt of the Lozi people. I know the community at Sooka would approve, as they gave me one in September 2011. In lieu of gifts I asked friends and family (who were interested) to make a small donation to Sooka Community School. I had no idea how generous they would be and we now have some money in the bank to plan new things for the school.

Also at my party I had a really lovely surprise……………..
Howard Shackleton had recorded the whole school singing “Happy Birthday” to Joyce. This was quite a team effort. Our daughter had been emailing Sherie Shackleton and over all those miles came the wonderful voices of Sooka Community School children. What a beautiful moment. We couldn’t play the video but were able to play the singing through the sound system on the restaurant. I hope the kids know how much that meant to me, my most precious gift. Awesome ***********************

The birthday cake!

In May 2013, six Tamworthians will arrive at Shackleton’s Lodge. I am going over and we have a team to conduct a dental clinic with all the school kids. We also plan to paint the inside of the second classroom, if it has not been done yet. We are all getting organised and really excited.

HOT OFF THE PRESS… A friend gave me a generous donation in lieu of Christmas gift cards etc that she would normally give family and friends. I have been able to purchase 130 red, polo style sports shirts for the school. They are posted, so hope they arrive before we do in May. These were on the school ‘wish list’ from 2009. The first brand new uniforms I have posted to the school, I know the children will be very excited to receive them.

So looking forward to seeing the Sooka community and you all at Shackleton’s in May.

Sooka Community School Upate

Today we have another post written by Joyce... or as the locals call her, Mama Vernon.


At the commencement of Term 1, 2012, the school began operating out of a third classroom. This is a temporary classroom built in the “African Style” with mud walls, thatch roof and dirt floor. As this room will require a lot of maintenance and does not match with the rest of the school, I have recently put in a submission to “Room to Read” who build Libraries (and equip them and train staff) and Classrooms in various countries including Zambia. I thought it best to ‘go for broke’ and have applied for both a Library/playroom and a new classroom.

We will all be waiting, hoping and praying that they consider Sooka Community School a worthy recipient. If not “we will make a plan”!

Earlier this year the children participated in exams/tests for the first time. There were mixed results with some children being very disappointed in the results. With the children only attending school for short sessions each day and with a limited understanding of English (students are taught in English after Grade 4), learning at school is more challenging in isolated small schools with limited resources. Many parents in the area do not speak English so there is not the opportunity for the children to practice at home.

A new staff member has joined the school; a headmaster who was appointed by the Government of Zambia. Up until now there has been very little support from the Government for this school. One would presume that the Government is also paying the wages, as the other teachers are already on a very low wage due to the only school income coming from school fees.

 A good news story:
One little girl who came top of her class and it is quite an amazing story of strength, resilience and global networking to get her there. 

On my visit to the school in 2009, I was attending a sports day put on by Sooka Community School and noticed a little girl walk in from the bush, she was not attending school but looked as though she wanted to be part of it all. She came with a sibling and was in clothes in very bad repair and bare feet. She also walked with difficulty and had clubfeet. Both feet turned in at right angles and she was walking on the outside of her feet, almost on her anklebones.
This child was on a video I had taken of the day and I watched it from time to time and one day thought ‘something has to be done for this little girl’. Life can be unfair.
•    I emailed the Beit Trust in England (I had heard they had built a children’s hospital in Lusaka) and asked what the cost would be for operations required by this child. A response came that if we could get her there, it would be FREE of charge!
•    Next email was to Sherie Shackleton with this news. Sherie located the family.
•    Cost of bus travel to Lusaka, for the father and child was covered by a donation of a guest at the Lodge.
•    Dr. Tom Irons (a visiting Paediatrician from USA, who was doing a clinic at Shackleton’s for the Sooka School kids) wrote the referral. Fiona Dixon-Thompson from Mwandi OVC helped with organising the logistics of getting the child and father to Lusaka.
•    I posted over a backpack of pj’s, washer bag with toothbrush etc and some things for her to do in hospital.
•     The wonderful Drs and nurses at Beit Cure Children’s Hospital, Lusaka, played a huge role.
•    Meanwhile Sherie Shackleton sponsored the child to go to school.
By September 2011, when I met with the family at Shackleton’s Lodge I could not believe the improvement in the child’s feet.

I am sure there were many more people involved in the process as well as those mentioned and of course central to all this is her family. What a hugely proud day to see her come top of her class after starting school quite late, only being there for one year and having trips away and painful operations to endure during this time.

One of the NGO’s in Australia has a catch cry, “Don’t Dis (as in dismiss) my ability”; ….oh how true.” This story just made my day and hope it makes yours as well.

Children from the community bringing thatch to repair roof at the school out buildings & teachers' houses.

Guest post from Mama Vernon

Today we have a special post written by one of our long-time guest's, Joyce... or as the locals call her, Mama Vernon. Over to you, Mama Vernon...

July 2007
"I discovered Sooka Community School on an overnight stay at Shackleton’s Fishing Lodge… what a find, it has changed my life. The Lodge built this great little school at the request of the community and with some help from a friend in USA. The school opened in May 2007 and was originally built for 35 children. By July 2007 there were 65 children and two teachers. With support from family and friends I began posting items from Australia to equip the school, as it did not receive any Government support. Parents pay fees for their children to attend and this is a great sacrifice in a community with few opportunities for employment. It is such a privilege to attend school and the children love it."

October 2009
"A friend and I visited again in October 2009 and there was an obvious need for another classroom, as the numbers were increasing and the children divided into 4 groups per day and receiving less hours per group. A very kind family from Tamworth (Australia) donated the funds for another classroom, which was completed in June 2010. Between 2007 and 2009 a ‘feeding hut’ and kitchen were built in the African style of mud walls and thatch roof. The mums would make a porridge from a corn and soya blend, provided by the World Food Programme, for all the children each day. The children ate every last drop of the porridge, which was for some children the only meal of the day. We also had the honour of meeting Chief Inyambo Yeta in Mwandi and discussed the school and other matters of importance in Zambia. It was a very sad day when the children sang a farewell song to me and I had no idea when I would next be back."

September 2011
"I couldn’t wait any longer and made an unexpected trip back to Shackleton’s Lodge and the school. During the three weeks I was there I spent a lot of time at the school and in meetings with the teachers, community members, school committee and Deputy Sooka (who reports matters of importance to Senior Chief Inyambo Yeta in Mwandi). Whilst at the school I did three art classes, joining 2 grades at a time and having up to 40 students in one class room. Both the kids and teachers appeared to have fun. The school now has 3 teachers and 120 children. In 2012 the school will have their first Grade 7 (their final primary year) and the framework for a temporary African style classroom was up to cater for this group. Unfortunately the porridge has stopped, as the corn & soya blend is no longer being delivered . We are investigating if that was an oversight or if it was thought there were more needy communities. As there are many orphans and vulnerable children at the school this needs to be continued. And yes, it was another emotional morning when the older children and teachers sang a beautiful farewell."