From aid to investment!

Yesterday the Zambia team finished their investigation and research in the field of education on Nutrition. Gaining insight in the situation of the most vulnerable children in Zambia was a impressive experience. It energized us…but not for ourselves! We feel that we are now ambassadors of those children who cannot speak and those who cannot hear and are completely dependant on aid of many people.

We interviewed all of them … teachers, social workers, pastors, parents, doctors, researchers, managers, and last but not least the children themselves. But as an African wise men said…it is better to teach men how to fish than to give him a fish…However moving from aid to investment in a world of poverty is a real challenge. The best investment for any young child is education. It’s a responsibility of us all, as an individual, the private sectors and government’s world wide.

All members of the Zambia team are very proud that DSM and the WFP gave us this unique opportunity to invest in this project. Investment must be sustainable so we wish the next team in October a very fruitful preparation.
Thanks for all the people of WFP who trained us. Thanks!

Vikram, Marianne, Carolien and Adri

"Purchase to Progress"

When you have nothing and you are given one thing then you will ask for more because this seems the right time and…you have nothing to loose. This is what we have experienced a few times, which made me a bit sad but it is also understandable seeing the circumstances these people live in.
However this is largely compensated by all the enthusiastic responses of the other teachers, pupils and parents we met. They are very happy with the things we have given them; amongst others a booklet for all grade 4 students on nutrition education and training on this book, pencils, sharpeners, papers, mugs, spoons, tea, sugar, markers, exercise books (multiple hundreds), white papers, color waxes, cricket sets, and soccer balls!

Our assignment is almost done and we have provided the schools a start of something which can grow, like a garden, but the next step has to come from the schools and the community itself. I am confident that they will succeed since the schools are very proud that they have been selected amongst all community schools. The Zambia group of October will be able to witness their progress!

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The DSM-Zambia team would very much like to hear from you!
If you would like to leave a comment, you can send a message to:

dsm.zambia@gmail.com

Thank you DSM Zambia Team

I am amazed how quickly DSM Zambia Team put itself together and took over its assignment: experience the field as a “humanitarian worker” in support of the most vulnerable. My name is Marco Selva.
I have been with WFP for 10 years and I am currently the account manager for the WFP-DSM partnership. I know that being a humanitarian worker in the deep field is not always an easy job. Cultural differences, personal views, inter-personal relationships might be insuperable obstacles to do the work properly. But Carolien, Marianne, Vikram and Adri’s always have a positive and professional attitude to serve the people most in need. A nice smile to the kids, an attentive listening with the headmaster, a right attitude with the teachers, and an empathic approach with students’ parents, all this the June Zambia has been doing in the last 10 days, as humanitarian workers.
I really want to thank them for their attitude and for all the support they are providing to WFP and ultimately to school kids of the 3 communities they visited. Thank you DSM Zambia Team.

Community Schools: Doing Something Meaningful

Today I arrived in Lusaka to join the team for a few days and to finally meet the colleagues of WFP Zambia in person after many emails and phone contacts since early this year to set up this volunteer assignment. My name is Jacoline van Blokland and I am within DSM responsible for the employee engagement program with the DSM-WFP partnership.
For me a first trip to Africa and to Zambia. What impressions to share with you! Driving from the airport you see on the one hand many people walking and bike-riding, highly piled up with produce, like charcoal, to sell and on the other hand the latest SUV model.
The differences between rich and poor are all the time around.
After my arrival early this morning we immediately went to the RCZ pre- and Community school in Lusaka. The team gave a Nutrition lesson to the schoolteacher of grade 4 and the headmaster, and then supported the teacher in giving the lesson to his class. This was a huge success!! The team has done a great job in preparing for this lesson the past week, really trying to understand the local situation and reflecting that in the lesson.
The children were given in a small bag (courtesy of DBA Business Academy, thanks very much) with a printed copy of the Nutrition school books, a pen and some paper. For us this sounds very normal but these children do not usually have books, they share little pieces of paper and pencils or pens. You can imagine their surprise and their pride that they could keep this to take home!
For the teacher the team had an additional teaching tool, which was an invention of Adri: A felt board where the teacher could stick pictures of the food on to make the lesson more lively and visual. The children loved it, as usually they only have the teacher in front of the class and a blackboard!
Taking the schoolbook home is one of the important elements to make this initiative sustainable, in this way the children share the knowledge at home and we make a greater impact.
I was very much impressed with the community engagement, all the teachers and parent teachers association are volunteers, living in the community and they try together to make things better in their own community. They ensure the children get education and allow the WFP School Feeding program to support them. Talking about Doing Something Meaningful………!

Kindling a flame of hope for the AIDS-affected

This morning we visited the Kanyama Clinic located on the outskirts of Lusaka, along with Collins of WFP and Mr. Kapayat of CIDRZ, an NGO working in coordination with the Ministry of Health, Government of Zambia for AIDS prevention, treatment and care of HIV positive patients.

The objective was to get insight into the AIDS pandemic in the severely affected provinces of Zambia and what measures are currently in place to tackle this. We learn that CIDRZ works in close coordination with Government Health officials at the clinic and also in the field outside. They liaison with the community people and encourage them to come forward for early detection of HIV, subsequent ART (anti-retroviral treatment), care, food & nutrition for the vulnerable and needy. CIDRZ measures its success rate by the retention rate of AIDS patients who are under ART so that more people can get treated at he earliest symptoms and with the 1st / 2nd line of treatment since treatment costs increase phenomenally with higher lines of treatment.

CIDRZ had a humble beginning about a decade ago as a research-outfit for infectious diseases like TB, AIDS etc and was initiated by US-based doctors. It grew into a full-fledged organization primarily looking into AIDS and other related illnesses and their therapeutic treatment, care for HIV people and is presently active in four provinces of Zambia which have higher incidence of AIDS-afflicted population. WFP helps provide food ration and nutrient supplement to AIDS patients through CIDRZ.

We found Kanyama clinic spacious and neatly managed health centre which attends to about 400 AIDS patients daily, who come here for their monthly dosage of ART, monthly family ration (a combination of maize, pulses, cooking oil and HEPS) or even individual-specific food supplement as prescribed by the attending doctor.

Though clients’ number coming to Kanyama Clinic increases by an average of 15 HIV-affected per day however, CIDRZ is bringing about a perceptible change in the outlook of people on how they view AIDS, its prevention, education about early diagnosis and treatment and thus people, here, are not attaching AIDS the stigma (as was the case earlier) and are becoming open to fighting the menace. And in therein lies the success of CIDRZ’s efforts.

Impressions, so many of them, not to compare…

At Mother Teresa we were welcomed by young children, not going to school yet, singing a welcomes song. Followed by the performance of group of young girls, the first one shy in a nice dress, but opening up when reciting a poem full of conviction.
Very impressive especially knowing their history; Mother Teresa is a home for the most vulnerable. At the moment there are 120 guests, from babies to elder, most of them invested by HIV/AIDS. Here they are looked after well by the sisters giving them a bit of sunshine in their lives!

A visit to the baby ward was very impressive knowing their backgrounds. One was found dropped in the garbage, another was brought by her grandparents since her mother died giving birth and they were not able to take care of her.
Another girl, whose mother was at the clinic a few doors further, was also taken care of here. She however does not need to be infected herself, since HIV/AIDS is passed on by breast feeding which her mother did not do. Note also that given the right drugs on time, one baby turned within two month from HIV+ to HIV-.

One thing they all had in common is that they were looked after with a lot of love, as babies deserve everywhere in the world and they were happy and smiling!
All children can stay until the family is able to take care of them or they can support themselves. Meanwhile going to the community school on site for the first grades finishing their primary education at the normal (government) schools, where they are the better students the sister proudly mentioned.
By coming to Mther Teresa these children have a future again!

“Wash what you have!”

However without water the children cannot wash anything, they cannot wash their hands before eating, nor their spoon and plate or their clothes. Also their food cannot be cleaned which is a primary need. Furthermore toilets are not working and cooking is not possible. All this is happening at the school we visited today. Due to heavy electricity problems in this area water cannot be pumped through the pipes and therefore this school is in desperate need of a water-pump!
This water-pump serves two goals since in addition to hygiene and nutrition side, it also can become an “income generating activity” for this school since the whole community could use the water against a small fee.
To give you an idea, a first calculation is that households monthly need for about 15,000kwacha (± 5 dollar) water and there are 500 households in this community. This way the profit for the school would be about 7,5mln kwacha per month! With this money they are planning to buy a large piece of land to start poultry on, another income generating activity. This way this school can become more and more self-sufficient and less dependent on funding!
Note that a water-pump costs about $6000.

This example shows the challenges this school faces can be achieved and turn this school into a role model for other community schools in Zambia!

A tear from Africa

Last two days we interviewed many people who are working in the most critical communities of Zambia. Now we have a close picture of the local situation of the most vulnerable children and their community. It is even worse than you can imagine. Children come to school to fill their cup and this will be their only meal for a day. Parents died by aids, Grandparents or brothers or sisters will take care over them.

It’s hardly to believe but this is the situation what we observed. Parents cried out for help in their fight against hunger. Programmes need to be developed to help communities in their fight against hunger. Essential food and education for the children is the starting point.
Who will feed the hungry children? Who will teach them? Who will take care in their vulnerability? This is a cry for help! We ended up wednesday moring with an invitation made by the children the to dance with them on the rithem of the bongo's .

Joy and music... this ist the strenght of Africa


School visit and impressions
Hereby the link where you can find more pictures from our visit to the community schools
Pictures made by Adri Geeve and Carolien van Heerebeek.

http://picasaweb.google.com/dsm.zambia

A new GENERATION......a new FUTURE ?

At Chilanga17th June : 08:30 hours, we reached RCZ Community School, about 12 kms from Lusaka city. Collins from WFP and Eddie Palula of World Vision too join us. World Vision is the implementation partner of WFP for school feeding programme and also undertakes education-related interventions like provision of books, stationery, uniform etc. and hence is an important link in the value chain.

A warm reception by the school management board and staff greeted us. A formal address by Mr. Zebron Zimba, the School Coordinator and Head Master, gave us an insight into the genesis of the school. Upon parents’ initiative, the local Church rented its building to provide education to the community children and thus from a humble 16 students in 2004, it has grown phenomenally to more than 275 in 2008! Thanks to the morning meals provided by WFP, as part of the School Feeding initiative. There is a conspicuous drive from the local community including the Church’s Elder to maintain the fabric of the society and they are involved in resolving major issues pertaining to the schools’ administration.

School Characteristics:
The teachers work here voluntarily. Inspired purely by a missionary zeal to help sustain the fragile society, broken by the deadly virus of HIV/AIDS, they take utmost care of the orphan and vulnerable children in a dedicated manner.
Though the school has basic amenities like writing board, seats-desks, posters on walls but the adequacy of these is wanting!

It was a sight to witness children happily eating HEPS (high-energy protein supplement) as their regular morning (& mostly the only) diet ….and, the awareness about basic hygiene is seen to be believed.

The day was spent having detailed discussions primarily on ‘Nutrition Education’ with the teaching as well as non-teaching staff and the community elders, the church pastor all of whom play a significant part in helping children have a promising future……that could alter the national economy of Zambia in the years to come! A-men.

From Aid to Investment

This morning started with an Introduction by the Country Director of Zambia, mister Pablo Recalde. He inspired us by the saying that the mission of WFP in Zambia has shifted from providing aid to investing in the country. This means that helping the vulnerable will still continue but new activities are initiated like investing in the agriculture of the country (Zambia has the potential to become a net-exporting country instead of a net-importer due to stability and central location) as well as improving the nutrition education.
Then we have visited one of the two Warehouses of WFP in Lusaka which contain grains, oil, sugar etc provided by International donor statesHere everything is done manual, including moving of 25kg bags from the one end to the other. Total storage space is about 500.000mt and stock turnaround is about two months. The warehouse was very clean, well organized and safety measures all around.
The food chain in Zambia starts at the farmers who sell their food to a government agent for a minimum support price, which sells it to millers who sell it to the market including WFP. Farmers would like to organize for better conditions but they have difficulty due to remote areas with bad road conditions which makes them hard to reach and also since always some will be get nervous and sell to the government anyway to secure income.

The shift of WPF therefore aims at improving the conditions for the farmers in this case by improving the infrastructure in Zambia to also be able to reach these farmers and to set fair fixed prices, set volume agreements and educate how to invest for the future by planting the right seeds and equipment to secure future income and development.

So far background on the agricultural part of Zambia, the basis of nutrition. From tomorrow on we will focus on Nutrition education, our challenge!

Make it rain!

On 11th June, 2008, we arrived for a formal orientation course (communication strategies, stress management, security briefing etc.) at the WFP HQs, Rome. Light showers greeted us as we made our way to the reception passing our way through the security cordon with ease even though we learnt Laura (Bush) was expected to arrive there a little later to be part of the Quarterly Executive Board Meeting of WFP. Unmindful of roar of the helicopters, we set for an introduction to the representatives of the Private Partnership and …..who gave a first hand experience of a WFP assignment in field in general and Zambia in particular. We signed the UN contracts and from now we are the UN Staff for assignment Zambia. Great



http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=784042
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23856792-23109,00.html

Introduction

The Meeting at Sittard: 9th June, 2008

The DSM-WFP Zambia (June) team met at DSM Sittard Office at 12:30 PM for a formal kick-off. Jacoline welcomed all the team members and presented a momento representing WFP’s mission to “fill the cup”.
After exchanging pleasantries, Aad Twigt, Director HR, DFS, Delft gave a presentation on the background and way forward for the assignment. It was unanimously agreed to have an open and flexible approach so as to know the real situation and accordingly make fact-based study on the nutritional awareness, need of the target population i.e. Orphan and vulnerable children in the identified ‘Community Schools’.

Africa week DSM Resins Zwolle

Dear site Zwolle,
We wanted to thank all who sponsored Adri and I to eat lunch. With the sponsor sheets we have collected, we calculate that we have can expect around 900 Euros to be deposited in the bank account and there are still a couple of sheets to be handed in and counted.
If you need the bank information again , here it is - Bankrekeningnummer 593594002 (ABN-AMRO) op naam van DSM Composite Resins Nederland B.V. te Zandpol met als omschrijving "World Food Program" .
So, that is a fantastic start to this project, which coincides with the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) conference in Rome this week. Here is a snippet from the web site:-
'An estimated 850 million people in the world today suffer from hunger. Of those, about 820 million live in developing countries, the very countries expected to be most affected by climate change. Governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector and other actors, must work together to address these challenges and to devise appropriate strategies and responses.'
There is a real commitment to reducing the number of people who are dying of starvation on our planet, and we are already on our way to alleviating somebody’s suffering, even if it is only on a small scale.
From small acorns grow mighty oaks!
If you would like to read more please check these links
http://www.fao.org/foodclimate/hlc-home/en/
http://weblogs.nrc.nl/weblog/actueel/category/voedselcrisis/
Anyway, I'm pleased that I don’t have to eat Sprinkhanen ever again (I am a vegetarian) but for the people of Zambia and other third world countries, choice doesn't come into the equation, so once again a big thank you to all and a special big thank you for the support of the Ladies in the restaurant.

Remember, this is only the start. Watch for more actions throughout the year and please support us if you can.
Next week Adri goes to Zambia and he will be communicating with us via his web-log http://www.dsmzambia.blogspot.com/ , so I would like to wish him lots of luck and a safe journey.


Kind regards
Patrick

Walk the world India

Walk the World, an event organized by the World Food Programme together with its largest corporate partners, TNT & DSM in Bangalore India on 1st June 2008.
The walk was flag-off by Gian Pietro Bordignon, WFP Chief in India at 8:00 a.m. IST. The 5 km walk was started from Richmond Rd, (TNT Office) to Cubbon Park, Bangalore. Approx. 450 people participated in Walk the World event in India. School children from Parikrama School of Learning, Bangalore also joined hands with WFP by their active involvement in this event. T-shirts & Caps were given to all the participants by TNT. All the DSM (DAI & DEP) employees in Bangalore office participated in this Walk.

Walk the World 2008, India!

Walk the World

Today was a beautiful day. A five km walk in the centre of Rotterdam
with 400 colleagues of DSM from the Netherlands and totally 3500 people from TNT and Unilever.
The most enthusiastic where the children.
Together we can make the difference in the fight against hunger in the world!
At the end of the walk 100.000 Euro could be donated to the
World Food Programme.

The fight only just begun, who wants to join fundraising for Zambia!

Thanks

Information DSMZambia project

DSMZambia team

Duration: 2 weeks
Start: 15-28 June
Location: Zambia

Background:
Zambia is one of the world’s poorest countries. Poverty and food insecurity are widespread in both rural and urban areas, and the country remains extremely vulnerable to recurring natural disasters, including floods, drought and animal disease. Food production levels vary widely from year to year.
Food security is fragile because subsistence farmers depend on yearly rainfall and traditional hoe cultivation, and even in years of national food surplus, many subsistence farmers or households often struggle.
The HIV/AIDS pandemic has exacerbated food insecurity levels and contributed to a decline in socioeconomic activity.
World Food Programme (WFP) distribution of food mainly targets HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and mother-and-child health clinics programmes for orphans and other vulnerable children; and food-for-assets and food-for training projects. In addition, WFP school-feeding activities provides daily hot meals to tens of thousands of vulnerable schoolchildren.

The Challenge
The DSMZambia team will actively participate in the WFP Health and Nutrition Education Campaign in Community Schools in Zambia.

The aim of the campaign is to:
At 'home'
· Raise awareness of the hunger issue and WFP’s mission and engage individuals in the cause;
· Raise awareness and funds for food for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) in community schools in Zambia;
In 'Zambia':
· Help improve nutritional and health status of orphans and vulnerable children;
· Increase access to quality education for pre- and primary school children;
· Help improve the nutritional status of pre-and primary school children.

From 15-28th June the first DSMZambia team of four DSM volunteers will deliver training on nutrition, health and hygiene to six community schools in and around Lusaka (capital of Zambia). Each school has an average of 500 children attending. Besides education the children receive a meal as part of the WFP School Feeding program.

In October two other DSM groups will go to Zambia .

Activities of the DSMZambia team will include:
· Deliver WFP food assistance in the School Feeding program
· Training and supervision of teachers and Parent-Teacher associations (PTAs) on basic
nutrition practices in an effort to improve eating habits and nutritional status among children;
· Training on basic health and hygiene for teachers, PTAs and schoolchildren in an effort to
support capacity development and behavioral change to prevent disease and infection among children;
· Distribution of information, education, and communication materials to promote

healthier behaviors;
· Impact assessment of previous group’s trainings and inputs/school improvements

funded by DSM;
· Raising awareness of the nutrition and health needs of Orphans and Vulnerable Children
(OVCs) in Zambia among DSM employees
· Raising funds for WFP Zambia

Help to make the difference
WFP Zambia provides nutritious meals for 162.000 Orphans and Vulnerable Children each day, but lacks sufficient funds. To fill a cup with a hot meal per day for a child costs only USD 0,25.
DSM want’s to make the difference.
We are therefore asking our colleagues from the different BG/ SU to help raise funds for WFP Zambia. The donation amount to be raised is USD 110.000 to Zambia's programs in 2008 and hope you will help raise the remaining USD 100.000!

With this donation we will make the difference and provide for 440.000
Nutritious meals for children!

For further information please contact
Jacoline van Blokland +31 45 578 2141
Fokko Wientjes +31 45 578 2826

World Food Programme and DSM

DSM and the World Food Organisation

World Food Programme

www.walktheworld.nl/home.php?lang=uk