The Rotary Club of Liverpool Garston

I have been a member of the Rotary Club of Liverpool Garston for the past 18 months. During this time the Club has taken a great deal of interest in our Green School project and has been a great supporter of the Thembinkosi Foundation. Club members were very generous in sponsoring my ‘Tour de Zambezi’ last summer and have continued to support us through a weekly raffle. Furthermore, the Club is committed to helping us still further in the future and we hope to secure funding for various aspects of the school project through Rotary International and its various funding streams.

The support From Rotary has been much more than the financial aspect though. Through my membership of the Club I have made many new friends. Many of these are at least 30 years my senior and as you can imagine I have learnt so much from them. The Club meets every Monday evening and I have always made a point of sitting with different Rotarians each week. The amount that I can learn from those in the older generation is not lost on me. Many Club members have advised me on differing aspects of our project. This advice and support has been invaluable. It has been incredibly reassuring and inspiring for us involved with the ZIGS project to know that people of great wisdom believe in us and our vision for green education in Zambia.

November Updates and Fundraising News

Thank you to all of you who atended our Band Night @ Woolton Village Club last Friday. The night was a resounding success and we raised over £1100!!! Every penny of the money raised wiill go directly towards our project to build and sustain a school in Zambia!!!

This Friday (6th November) we're doing it all over again!! This time we're putting on a Bands Night @ Shenanigans Irish Pub in central Liverpool. It's £5 on the door and is on from 8pm till late! It promises to me a great night of beer, banter, music and dancing. It would be great to see you there!

Thanks again to all our members. It is inspiring to know that over 1800 people have taken the time to support our cause. We are deeply humbled and with your help and support we know that we can make real differneces in the lives of some of the poorest people in the world. Unllike most large institutionalised charities we do not employ any fundraisers or administrators and as such we guarantee that 100% of the money we raise goes directly to where it is needed. Furthermore, we also meet all of the costs associated with the running of the charity from our own resources. This again ensures that not one penny donated to our cause is misused or wasted.

Please continue to support us in whatever way you can. Inviite all your friends to join the cause, post on our message boards (it's nice to know we're loved!?!) or if possible help us to fundraise. Perhaps you could arrange or participate in a sponsored event on our behalf? You might be able to involve work colleagues or fellow students? Every little bit helps!

Do not hesitate to contact Will, Betty or I for more information about how you can help us.

Thanks again for all your support.

Liverpool Echo.co.uk - News - Liverpool Local News - Liverpool yobs in car push cyclist off his bike

Liverpool Echo.co.uk - News - Liverpool Local News - Liverpool yobs in car push cyclist off his bike

While training for my sponsored Tour de Zambezi cycle ride in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia I was assaulted by two men in a car. I was very lucky to escape with cuts and bruises!

Exciting developments

Wow! We are totally gobsmacked by the number of people joining our Facebook group 'Build a school in Africa.' The interest in our project is overwhelming. It's interesting how many people want to help us with the project as well. Several teacher friends have expressed an interest in working in Zambia once the school and outreach projects have started!

Our fundraising venture is in its infancy at the moment but the rollercoaster ride is about to get exciting! Ideally an Angel Investor who believes in our project would be a godsend but we are so grateful to all those people who have committed themselves to supporting us financially. It really is the case that every little bit helps.

When Betty and I moved to Liverpool 5 years ago from Botswana we promised ourselves we'd empower ourselves and then head back to Africa to make a real difference to people's lives. Through the grace of God that's what we are going to do!

The Zambian Alliance of Women

ZAW is a well respected and prominent NGO in Zambia. It's mission is to empower women. By empowering women ZAW also empowers the children of Zambia.

ZAW operates a number of projects that promote sustainable development. One such project has recently been undertaken in Choma in Southern Province. Representatives of ZAW visited a small village a few kilometres from Choma. They brought with them a few bags of seed and their own knowledge and expertise. Through a series of workshops the village women were taught how to cultivate the seeds to ensure a bountiful harvest. Each woman was then given seeds to plant at her own plot.

A year later the ZAW represntatives returned to the village to see the results of their labour. They found fields awash with Maize. In return for their help and support ZAW requested that each of the women whom had been assisted gave back a cup of seed to ZAW. This seed was then bagged and taken to another village where the same process took place.

ZAW operates on a shoe string budget. This particular project was funded by members of the Union of Catholic Mothers based at Christ the King, Childwall, Liverpool . The UCM raised £200 which Mrs Rosina Mhlanga, the treasurer of ZAW, collected during her visit to the UK in 2004.

ZAW exists on the smallest of budgets and only succeeds because of the determination of its members to empower their neighbours. ZAW has no full time staff and all the work carried out by ZAW is done by volunteers.