Dear Karen,

The school program for this week has been going on very well.

Today we had no water in the tank at the site, so I sent all the students home. I also informed Oswald about the same issue and he promised to contact JACOB, the guy who has been working on the water pump at the site to come and rectify the problem.

In line with the same issue, am requesting for some buckets to be used in the toilets in case our water pump develops a fault again. Am yet to get some quotations upon approving my request.

FOOD SUPPLY
On the 11 of May,2012 we received the following foodstuffs;
1-10 bags of mealie meal
2-30 litres cooking oil
3-30kg buka fish
4-12 gallons of kapenta
5-9 gallons beans
6-10 kg salt
7-5 sacks of soya chunks
8-25kg powdered milk
9-4 litres orange jui8ce
10-5x200g dish paste
11-40 bars of chick soap
12-Tomattoes, onions and veges

ATTENDANCE/ABSENTEEISM
The attendance has been very good, most students have reported, but a few have not yet shown up.

ILLNESSES/INJURIES
Dominic is still in hospital because his fractured right leg.

Blessings,
Teddy

This is the first week that the new Morgan Harrington Educational Wing has had students in it–marking a successful conclusion to a nearly three year project to build an additional wing to the school.

Dear Karen,

School officially opened on Monday 7th of May, 2012. A good number of students have reported in this week. The students are extremely happy to learn from the new MHEW.

TEACHERS
Cynthia had a baby girl. Her delivery was a C-section, she’s doing well and has reported for work. She is requesting for permission to be knocking off immediately after her class, which ends at 13hrs, for the next 2 months.

ILLNESSES/INJURIES
Dominic, a 2nd grader has a fractured right leg and has been admitted in the children’s hospital since 1/5/12. He had fallen from a tree where he and his friends were playing. However, his condition is stable.

The rest are doing well.

DISTRICT SEMINAR
Thanks so much for the funds for the seminar. It was very fruitful as we have learned new methodologies pertaining to the planning and teaching of lessons. I also learned more issues regarding school administration.

Blessings,
Teddy.

Dear Karen,

We had an OMNI student admitted to the Children’s Hospital here in Ndola. He fell from a tree on May 1, 2012. He has a fracture, and he will be laying in a tilted bed with weights on his right leg for 21 days. Then, he’ll have a cast. This is a 2nd grader at OMNI school.

Chickens:
The chicken’s production is very poor. We had 100 chicken to start with we now have 90 remaining. 10 chickens died and the vet was consulted. Treatment was given before Charles went on sick leave. The other cause of death has been that eggs are breaking inside the chickens womb due to calcium deficiency. Again meds were administered but there has been no improvement. 90 layers must give 90 eggs each day. But they give 27 eggs/day on average.

The vet said that if there is no improve due to their age the chickens should be replaced. Otherwise we shall keep on losing on feeding without proper production.

In our Tuesday staff meeting, it was recommended that the chickens can be sold and the funds be used to purchase other chickens. However, we await the board’s final word on the chicken matter.

GOATS:
The goats are not well integrated on site. This is because they are becoming destructive especially with the outside cooking arrangement as well as scratching paint on the newly built building walls. The fence in which they live is made of wood which is eaten by termites and the goats find their way out into the corridors of the buildings and sleep there.

I recommend that we either construct a wire fence or get rid of them until we have proper place for the goats so that they don’t interfere with humans and the infrastructure development on site and planting of flowers.

Again, I would like to here the board’s recommendation on this matter. As the goat milk project is really vital for the nutrition of our children.

Blessings,
Pastor Osward

Construction and finishing for the Morgan Harrington Education Wing has been completed, and the school will be ready for use come the next semester.

Here’s some of the latest photographs of the exterior and two of the classrooms.

Dear Karen,

The holiday program is going on well despite a poor attendance. Most pupils are helping their parents to harvest corn, as you know , April, is a harvesting month.

On 30/4/12 to 1/5/12 we will be planning the second term which will begin on 7/5/12.

We are hoping to start using the new MHEW when school opens.

Blessings,
Teddy.

Dear Karen,

All is well at school. Monday 26/3/12, pupils will start writing the end of term test.

ILLNESSES/INJURIES
No major illnesses nor injuries were recorded during the week. Only 5 boys underwent voluntary circumcision surgeries.

ATTENDANCE/ABSENTEEISM
The attendance has been very good.

UPDATES
Cynthia has not yet delivered. She stopped at the site today, because her six weeks vacation elapsed on Wednesday 21/3/12. I informed her that she can continue with her leave but will not be paid by OMNI until she resumes work after delivering. I suppose this will be next term in May since school will be on recess in two weeks time.

We had a PTA (Parent Teachers Association) meeting on Thursday where we discussed among other issues the new toilet block, mosquito nets and circumcision. We urged the parents to help in educating of the pupils on the importance of taking good care of the new toilet block and to make sure that their children sleep under the bed nets every night. We informed how circumcision has been disrupting school. We resolved that parents should take their children for such when school is on recess because one needs a bed rest after the surgery.

SCHOOL POSTER
The old school hoarding was made of board (planks) and it has been damaged by the rain. There is need to put up a new one. We suggest to write on the guard room wall near the main gate. If you approve, then there will be need to buy 2litres of oil paint and 1 litre of thinners a painting brush and labor for the work. Waiting to hear from you soon.

Thank you for all the support and blessings,
Teddy

Dear Karen,

All is well at school.

FOODSTUFFS
On 15/3/12 we received the following foodstuffs to take us up to the 28/3/12;
1.10 bags mealie meal
2. 30kg buka fish
3. 8 gallons beans
4. 11 gallons kapenta
5. 30litres cooking oil
6. 5 sacks of soya chunks
7. 25kg powdered milk
8.5x400g dish paste
9. 4litres orange juice
10. 10kg salt
12. 40 bars of washing soap
12. tomatoes and onions

ILLNESSES/INJURIES
There were no major illnesses nor injuries during this week.

ATTENDANCE/ABSENTEEISM
The of the week has been very good, except for Innocent who has continued missing classes.

TEACHERS
All the teachers are doing very well.

REQUEST
Will you you please purchase some T-shirts for this year’s world teachers’ day and bring them when you come in July.

TOILETS
The builder has finally handed over the toilets to us. Thank you so much for all the efforts. The students are oriented on how to use and take good care of the newly built toilet block.

Blessings,
Teddy.

Dear Karen,

The school programs have continued going on very well.

The teachers are doing well too.

DELIVERIES
On Monday 5th March, Jon and his group from seed of hope visited our school. After a chat and a tour, we were blessed with gifts,school materials. We received the following items from them; rulers, erasers, crayons, color pencils, pens, sharpeners, highlighters, scissors, board erasers and glue sticks. We are very grateful for the donation.

I gave him the letters to the sponsors.

Each student has received a double treated mosquito bed net. The students are very thankful for the donation.

ATTENDANCE/ABSENTEEISM
The attendance has been very good. Goodson, a 5th grader who used to miss classes has started attending classes.

ILLNESSES/INJURIES
Pupils are well. James and Christopher underwent a circumcision surgery, they are doing well.

The pupils are very grateful for books purchased in the K10,000,000 grant. The book-pupil ratio is now 1:2 unlike in the past were 4 pupils used to share 1 book. Thank you so much once more.

QUIZ
Thank you so much for the funds for the school quiz. We did not perform well at the quiz, therefore I have a lot of work to do to improve the performance next time.

Blessings,
Teddy.

Thank you to all of the sponsors that purchased mosquito nets this year. The nets have arrived and have been delivered to each sponsored child.

MOSQUITO NETS
Mosquito nets were given out to kids at OMNI today. They were so happy to have them. The kids were asked if they know the use of a mosquito net, and they all answered it protects from been bitten by mosquitoes that brings malaria in to our bodies.

TOILET BLOCK
Mr. Kabinga finally bought the part that was missing in the boy’s bathroom and it got fixed yesterday on a holiday. It is working right but needs inspection by Mr.s Bwali for it to be handed over to OMNI. This will be done Tuesday and there after we will have a meeting over the completion of MHSW

The other out door toilet which was remained also collapsed. The good part was that it happened on the weekend when we did not have classes going. Some older kids were using the same toilet

SCHOOL AT OMNI
School is going well; the students are well and looking healthy few sicknesses. They are fed hot meal everyday as usual and the attendance of the kids in all grades is improving according to the reports from the last Tuesday meeting we had.

OTHER BUSINESS
a. The chickens are doing fine. Two were sick but I told Mgonga to separate them and today they are ok
b. Grinding machine is operating ok it hasn’t died in a long time currently

Reporting from OMNI Zambia,
Charles Mambwe

Dear Karen,
All is well at school and the programs are going on very well.

FOODSTUFFS
On 24/2/12 we received the following foodstuffs:
1. 40 bars soap
1. 10kg salt
3. 25kg powdered milk
4. 9 sacks of soya chunks
5. onions, tomatoes and veges
6. 8 gallons of beans
7. 12 gallons of kapenta
8. 11 bags of mealie meal
9. 4 litres orange juice
10. 30 kg buka fish
11. 30 litres cooking oil
12. 5 packs of dish paste

ATTENDANCE/ABSENTEEISM
The attendance in is good except for Goodson and Nkandu. We talked to Googson’s uncle, who promised to keep an eye on him.

ILLNESS/INJURIES
We recorded alot of malaria cases and they were taken to clinic were they were treated. Cryness, Joygrace, Queen , Maggie were the patients for the week, but they are responding well to treatment.

NEED
There will be a quiz for 7th graders on friday 9th march 2012 at buyantanshi school in Twapia. We’ve invited to participate in the zonal quiz, therefore, Am requesting for K250,000 to cater for food for 21 students and 2 teachers. The quiz will last for 7 hours. We’ll also need transport to the quiz venue.
WAITING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON.

Blessings,
Teddy