The first trip

Zambia Live: May ‘09

From 4-22 May we will be in Zambia for the first time. Below you’ll find our 5 step plan showing what we’ll be doing during the trip.

Everything will be documented in real-time on the blog and on twitter so you can follow the trip live.

Your comments, suggestions and ideas would be warmly welcomed! You can leave them at the bottom of the page. So, the plan…

1. Select an NGO partner

This is easier said than done. But arguably the most important part of the entire process.

We want to partner with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) who specialise in education. They will be responsible for managing the project on the ground and working closely with the chosen community to ensure they get the help they really need. Not what a westerner in his or her ivory tower thinks they need.

Ideally the chosen partner will also have the capacity to build and manage numerous schools so the learning from project one can be rolled out to help many thousands of children.

We have arranged meetings with 4 NGOs who we have been talking to over the last few months on Skype and email. They are all in the first week and by the end of it we’ll have chosen who we are going to partner. We’ll keep you posted on the blog.

2. Establish the first school project.

There is likely to be a fair bit of overlap with selecting the partner NGO here. One of their key tasks will be to find communities that need help with an education project. This could be anything from building a new school from scratch, to major refurbishments (think no classrooms, sanitation facilities or books), or building a living quarters for the teachers so the a rural school can retain their skills.

We’ll sit down with the NGO and the community and discuss exactly what they need. Then drawing up a project plan so everyone knows who is responsible for what.

3. Develop a community led plan of action.

Which leads nicely onto the community plan. Our vision is for the school to become a central part of the community and for it to continually evolve.

This starts with the community building the school themselves. No spotty teenagers or gap year students! We’ll pay for the raw materials and help with the planning and training. But members of the community will be employed to carry out the work.

In future it may be that night classes can be offered to elder members of the community to teach them to read, or help with basic life skills like farming and family planning.

The key thing is that we will listen to what the community need and try to work with them to make it happen (within reason of course!)

4. Cost everything up.

Fairly simple this one. Once everything has been agreed with the community and the NGO, quotes will be sourced and full costing agreed. We’ll then present them to you and ask very nicely for your help to raise the money needed.

5. Document on the blog and twitter.

Every step of the way everything will be documented on the blog and on twitter. We’ll also shoot video on the trip and post it on YouTube when we return to the UK (Internet speeds don’t really allow you to upload video from Zambia).

And finally we’ll work with the community and the NGO to ensure there is a way regular updates can continue from the school once we’ve returned home.