Piecework on a Sunday

Twelve pupils and I grabbed hoes Sunday afternoon and walked on the winding bushpaths leading away from the school. Just a simple beautiful image – all of us walking away from the village and into the fields, hoes carried over our shoulders or balances on our heads. All the kids were jovial and chatting waaaay too fast for me to understand. It’d rained earlier so it was still humid and a bit overcast, perfect weather for piecework. Piecework is a term in Zambia for odd-jobs or bits of work usually done by children or itenerant farmers or anyone you choose to hire. Our job that day was to weed a 50 m^2 field of peanuts belonging to a teacher.

This teacher agreed to help me and the pupils of my environment education club in our fundraising efforts. Last year July, we went to the national park in our district (for you google fanatics it’s called West Lunga or Jivundu National Park). They were able to learn about environmental conservation, current issues related to poaching, and be exposed to the career of the rangers. Mostly they were able to do things they hadn’t had any other opportunity to do before like see crocodiles, hippos, and antelope and ride a speedboat and wear a gaudy orange lifejacket. It was so special to give them that day. They deserve to see the natural beauty of their own part of the country. It is just about the project I’m most proud of.

All the pupils have made me even more proud as they have shown serious motivation and commitment to a project . Ever since returning to the village they ask “when will we go back?” “Nanchi tukaiya Juuba ka ku Jivundu Park?” When you help me raise funds is my answer. So that’s how we came to be walking out to the field of groundnuts last Sunday. What a fun afternoon- we all worked together while singing Zampop. They’re a great group of students, most have been members of the club during all two years of my service, and we can give each other a hard time. One particularly spunky and smart girl, named Sandra, never runs out of things to say. With a smile on my face, I made that hand motion telling her she was too talkative and should shut up. She laughed back. Some things are just universal.

So we’ve completed 2 limas of groundnuts so far, and have many to go. I’ve been able to negotiate a reduced fee with the government ministry which oversees parks (called ZAWA) as we’re a school group. Including transport costs, my club is working for K1,000,000 roughly. A million kwacha- wowzers! This is about $215. I wouldn’t say no to any dollars donated by doting blog devotees.

We’re not super human, it took two afternoons to finish that field. Each evening I went home to make dinner with my favorite vegetable- kalembula. I know some closely follow what I eat seasonally, lately I’ve been able to find alot of kalembula. This is the leaves of sweet potatoes, which are steamed and taste like spinach. Guavas are just about ready too. I’ve got a neighbor child already lined up as my exclusive guava provider. Life is good.