SUMMER 2008 NEWSLETTER

  

 

Oasis Village Mourns the Passing of Zambia’s President

Like the rest of the nation, we here at Oasis are grieving the passing of Zambia’s President Dr. Levy P. Mwanawasa on August 19, 2008. Oasis Village had a special connection with the late President as demonstrated in the invitation he extended to our founder Elijah Mwitanti to meet him at State House. Elijah and Kerris made that historic trip to the president’s office on June 28, 2006 and shared with the president about Oasis Village. The President then put Elijah in touch with key government officials to make sure that Oasis Village was assisted with whatever logistical needs it had. Through this, we have enjoyed a few government services such as the secondment of government paid teachers to Oasis Village School. We shall miss the late president and we pray for his soul to rest in eternal peace.

 

 Education

The Oasis Village School continues to pull along. We have divided it into two classes, both of whom are learning the same things but separated by age categories. Beginning January next year, the older students will be put in accelerated programs that will see them in age appropriate grades and ready to move into High School. We are hoping that they will then be accepted at Mpongwe High School where they will commence 9th grade. As far as the school building is concerned, we continue to work on finishing touches one classroom at a time. The community around has already benefited from the building as we have allowed them to hold community and church-related events and in return, they have helped with maintenance of both the outside as well as inside.

 

 Health

A few of our village women have taken the courage to be tested for HIV and are confidentially receiving treatment through the Churches Medical Association of Zambia treatment programs. This has improved the general health of the village. However, we are still praying for funds to build our own medical clinic. The trip our women have to make to receive the treatment can be taxing. Although we are able to use the AIDS education vehicle for some of these trips, the price of gasoline is making it harder to sustain the treatment program.  

 

Agriculture

We are thankful to God for the corn yield we had this past farming season. Between the quad (4 wheeler) and the pair of oxen, we were able to cultivate 4 hectares. Our 2007 agriculture program was funded in large part by the gift of $1907 from Zion Lutheran Church in Oldwick, New Jersey, USA. We are always grateful for Zion’s continued participation in the life of Oasis Village. The only setback we had was the crop damage caused by last year’s floods. However, we had enough corn from the higher grounds to meet our dietary needs.

 

As we look forward to this farming season, we do so with concern over the increase in the prices of what we need. To cultivate the targeted 6 hectares we will need about 50 bags of fertilizer each costing K 250,000.00 (US$73.00) which is a total of $3, 650. Last year’s price of fertilizer was subsided by government something which it is not going to do this season. Additionally, we are in need of $200.00 worth of corn seed. The quad will take about $600 worth of fuel for the whole season.

 

 

AIDS Education

Our very own Dainess Kafola has been appointed as peer educator by the Churches Medical Association of Zambia. She has gone through their training and is able to coordinate programs for the area. With Dainess in this position, the Oasis Village AIDS Education programs naturally benefits.

 

Water 

One of the ironies of living in the sub Saharan Africa is that we have a lot of water during the rain season and nothing in the dry season. Our water well draws from rain water that sips into the ground but that dries out around October. What we need is to deepen the well to the level where it would draw from the rocks deep in the ground. To do this we need to hire the machine from Drill Africa at the estimated cost of $6000.00. The availability of water in the dry season will enable us continue our vegetable program which we started 5 years ago.

 

Thanks

We are thankful to all who remember us not only in prayers but also in tangible things. Our community has grown into one closely knit family and life in general has been good.

 

                                                                                                               

               

 

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