LIFE is the acronym for my Environment Volunteer program in Zambia. It stands for Linking Income Food and Environment. My goal as a Forestry Extension Agent will be just that: helping Zambians generate more income to sustain themselves through farming and paying proper attention to wildlife and natural parks. My assignment also will have components in environmental education and HIV/AIDS prevention.
Whew – that’s alot of large words for what’s really a simple goal. The reality is to assist the Zambians with their development goals while learning about each others’ cultures and eating nshima. Nshima (pron. shEma) is a staple of Zambians and is essentially cornmeal balls eaten with meat or relishes. WIKI > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nshima
We Volunteers in Zambia live in mud/grass thatched houses in villages with no running water or electricity (love it!). I also have a bicycle for getting around. THAT is really exciting! In other words I’m a ‘homeowner’ with a payment-less ‘mode of transportation’ and I’m only 24. Not bad!
