Zambian village visit........

Visiting a village, this one near our Zambian camp Toka Leya on the Zambezi River, was a wonderful experience.  We were allowed about an hour, accompanied by a village guide, to meet the smiling, happy people and look around the area.  Unfortunately we were unable to visit the village school.  We learned that it was in need of student materials and a library was hoped for soon.  The government only pays for students through grade 7, after that someone is required to pay $200 a year for a child to attend grade 8 - that also requires finding transportation to the city of Livingstone 12 kilometers away.

Cookware made by the village blacksmith.

Unpaved, the village stands on deep golden sand, most adults and children were barefoot.

Rachel, one of the first girls to ask my name - she is wearing her school uniform.

This tot was a wee bit scared from all the commotion.

More school girls - always ready to carry the toddlers on their backs.

The little guy in yellow latched on to Jen for a walkabout!

Braids were the style - looking lovely on these little girls.

Rachel again displaying her braids.

Paula (our Babs in background) was a magnet with all her great camera equipment - children would ask to look at their pics after being photographed.

These children were extremely kind to their younger siblings/friends, helping them keep up with us by carrying them.

Paula and Babs in a garden area with a more permanent looking building.

The boys and girls huts - their sleeping quarters after a certain age (I think 6 yrs.) when separated from the parents at night due to crowding in the small homes.

 

A smiling village lady with her cookware.

The fairly new clinic building - I like how they are training vines to climb, and pots of herbs used for cooking.

The happy, smiling children gathered together and sang for us before we left.

Tomorrow, more about village life, and a story about Marie.