Shankumbila. A collection of mud huts, roofs of thatch & tin, pathways that diverge, wind, cross and converge again, savannah grasses dotted with anthill peaks, and a horizon accented with the tops of distant trees. Biking home I pass by the local football team as they practice for Sunday’s game against Mukobeko. Franco or “Coach” as everyone calls him, has them running laps round the uneven posts, as the children mimic the players’ every move on the sidelines, with the hope that one day they will be strong enough to play in the ‘Sunday Match’. Robert Sakala approaches along the narrow path, made narrower by his two oxen and makeshift cart filled with sacks of maize. Whitey & Patrick appear out of the tall grasses, taking the shortcut home from school (8km away), and Eva Chara is managing to carry a basket of goods on her head as two of her grandchildren frolic at her feet. The sun is quickly dissappearing as I pull off of the dirt path and onto the beaten grass that leads to the house of Harrison Sakala. His wife Anna has just started the fire and is heading to the open well to draw water. Harrison waves from the middle of his onion field, puts down his hoe, and leaves his work to come and greet me. Abel, making beds to transplant his tomatoes, also stops his work, and joins in the conversation.
The day had been sunny, and warmer than yesterday. The early morning frost, which we worried would damage the tomato seedlings, seemed to have no effect on the growing leaves. Harrison didn’t manage to irrigate his plot today, as the pump was out of fuel and he could not afford to purchase more. Harrison, Abel and Robert all share the new Honda engine pump (bought using credit from Micro-Bankers Trust) and they rotate the responsibility of purchasing the fuel. It just so happens that it is Robert’s turn to purchase fuel, which he forgot to do the day previous - thus explaining the ox cart heading to market with maize.
There is a feeling of comfort here. It is where I have spent the last 2.5 months, digging, irrigating, and plowing my way to further understand rural livelihoods in Zambia. I feel very much at home and at peace in this place. Its hard to believe that in one short month I will be leaving all of this behind. In the time I have left I want to capture as much of this experience as possible, squeeze every ounce of learning out of it, not only for myself, but for friends/family/chapter members in Canada. As such, if there is anything you have questions about, - my work, everyday life, the development/NGO sector in general, please let me know. Your questions are a way for me to reflect on what I have been seeing/hearing, and offers the chance to look at my surroundings with a new perspective.
Many people have been asking for me to share a 'day-in-the-life' type post (which I see many of the other JFs have also done). I will try and get on that ASAP. In the meantime photos of Shankumbila can be found HERE!
