Dear Students and Parents
This is to invite applications from interested and committed students to take part in the second ZOA (‘Zambian Orphans Appeal’) CDL school trip to Zambia in July 2012. Full details of ZOA and the work it is doing to support an orphanage in Zambia, may be found on the website: www.zoaonline.org
The 2010 trip was a tremendous success, and the 2012 trip will follow much the same itinerary. Basically, the group flies to Lusaka and then travels by chartered coach to Serenje. We stay in a local secure Guesthouse and work for 10 days at the orphanage known as the ‘Serenje Orphans Childrens Home’ (SOCH).
In 2012, the main focus of the work will be on improving the education of the 44 children, but there will also be other projects including painting, planting shrubs, repairs to a playground.
After their time at the orphanage, the group will return to Lusaka and then fly to Livingstone for a visit to the world-famous Victoria Falls and a 3 day safari into Chobe National Park (Botswana).
If you are interested in this life-changing experience, please give your name to Mr Ryan Blyth (High School) or Mr Kevin Gilbert (Middle School).
A draft itinerary is provided on the back page of this letter. Also provided are details of the main focus of work to be done at the orphanage. The overall cost of the trip will not exceed 4000CHF.
We hope to see you at the ZOA meetings every Tuesday.
With best wishes
Mr Kevin Gilbert Mr Ryan Blyth
(Principal – Middle School) (Teacher – High Schoool)
Draft Itinerary
|
Date |
Event |
| Saturday 30 June 2012 | Leave from Geneva airport |
| Sunday 1 July 2012 | Arrive in Lusaka. Night at Lusaka Backpackers. |
| Monday 2 July 2012 | Chartered bus from Lusaka to Serenje |
| Tuesday 3 July 2012 | Tour of orphanage site and orientation of township |
| Wednesday 4 July 2012 to Friday 6 July 2012 | Meet the children and work at the orphanage on various projects using funds raised |
| Saturday 7 July 2012 | Visit HMP Orphanage at Chibobo about 25km away for the inter-orphanage football/netball competitions |
| Sunday 8 July 2012 | Excursion to Kundalila Falls |
| Monday 9 July 2012 to Thursday 12 July 2012 | Students continue to work at the orphanage on various projects: Early starts, at orphanage by 8am
Late finishes, leave orphanage after 5pm |
| Friday 13 July 2010 | Chartered bus from Serenje to Lusaka.
Night at Lusaka Backpackers. Meet with ZOA Rome Group |
| Saturday 14 July 2012 | Flight to Livingstone
Visit to Victoria Falls Night at Fawlty Towers Backpackers. |
| Friday 15 July 2012 – Saturday 16 July 2012 | Safari into Chobe Game Reserve (fully catered, one night sleep in tent) |
| Saturday 16 July 2012 | Return to Fawlty Towers by 5:30pm |
| Sunday 17 July 2012 | Flight back to Lusaka, and flight back to Geneva |
| Monday 18 July 2012 | The group arrives back in Geneva |
Education support project
This task is the number one priority of the visit. CDL students will be trained in the months leading up to the visit in how best to help the orphanage children with their reading and writing, as well as numerical skills. Indeed, one key selection criterion of candidates for the trip will be based on the willingness of applicants to prepare for the trip in this way. Local Zambian resources e.g. English textbooks) will be purchased and sent to Geneva so that we can best prepare for this task.
Once in Zambia, the CDL students will be allocated 2-3 children each for daily support sessions in literacy and numeracy. Once we leave Serenje, the ZOA group from Rome will arrive and they will continue this education support. There will therefore be a concentrated ‘kickstart’ to the improving the childrens’ reading and writing and arithmetic.
Another aspect of support will include visits to the local schools attended by the orphanage children with a view to deciding how best we can help improve the education offered by these schools. This will encompass examining their English textbooks and other resources, and observing what support the local teachers require.
Pre-purchase of some books (e.g. ESL reading books) suitable for the children at the orphanage in order to build up a small library in the Lounge – a large bookcase could be ordered and constructed whilst we are there in Serenje.