Our #twoCiaras arrived!

The two Ciaras are current teacher at Joeys. They have traveled, on their own time and expense, to Zambia in advance of the school’s #Zambia2020 trip.

Here is their complete blog of their trip.

Well we arrived in Kabwe after 19 hours of travel, 3 planes, 1 bus and lost bag later. 

 Monday

Monday, start of a fresh week here in Kabwe and the madness commences. 

We are offically welcomed by the entire school community in what can only be described as an unforgettable ceremony. Singing and dancing from students and staff of Sables followed by a rather dodgy verison of the walls of limerick by the Muzungas.

Tuesday

Let the hard work commence 

The group arrived early to start working with the construction team on the new secondary school in Sables. Lots of manual labour including mixing cement by hand(not quite like Ireland)

We then had hurling, GAA and ladies soccer training in the afternoon for the boys and girls once school had finished. 

 Wednesday

Joeys 2016 mural lives on!

Construction work continues on the secondary school for some of the group. the others worked with the Gardener George to help prep the banana trees for the new season. The aim is to make sables self sufficient by growing their own fruit and vegetables. Work began on a mural on the wall of the toilets in Sables. Every year the joeys group leave behind some art work on the walls. 

Thursday

Today, Thursday, we took a drive to a neighbouring town where the joeys group worked last year on some new toilets for a primary school. Great sense of achievement seeing the completed project. 
In the afternoon the rematch took place between the Sables team and the Muzungas. It was a hard fought match with the Sables team coming out on top. A great crowd showed up to cheer on both teams. This again is a tradition which the joeys boys take part in every year.

Friday

This morning we had an early start at 5.30 am. In pitch black we went to makalulu, the second biggest compound in Africa to meet some of the Sables students to experience the walk they must do every day to get to school. We began our walk at 6am with one student, by the time we arrived to sables at 7.45 we had an army of students with us. A trip to the hospice took place for the entire group today. A very difficult and eye opening visit but worth while to see the amazing work carried out by Regina the head nurse and her team. The hospice has strong links with Zamda and Sables as some of the funds raised by Zamda go to the hospice. Some of the boys and girls from the school have come from the hospice and some still attend. This is something which again we will bring the boys to experience.

Saturday

Saturday this was sports day in the school. As it was a weekend day we were not expecting big crowds.. we were wrong. Children came from all over the compound to take part in the various different games and activities which we had organised. This day is also a big event on the Joeys schedule every year. 

Saturday night we had a movie night for the shelter boys (about 22 boys who live in the school all year round) Avatar was the movie of choice. Lots of goodies and a big screen for the movie.

Sunday 

It was off to mass in the morning for the group and then back to the school. We worked on the mural on the wall of the toilets and helped with the garden. Ciara and myself headed out to a neighbouring village to check on the progress of the school, all was running on time so the remainder of the donation was given for the completion of the roof. Hopefully the new village school will be up and running by September. 

A pool completion took place with the winner receiving a 10 kwacha price (about 70 cent). Fierce completion with one of the shelter boys coming out on top.