Hi Folks,

This is Sinclair Bobo once again. Just thought I should up date you on what we have been doing down here in Zambia concerning our former school Chamboli Secondary.

On Friday 8 th October 2010, as follow up and in keeping up with the promise we made to the School authorities through the rep that visited us in Lusaka in September, I with some of my colleagues visited the School. The reason for this visit was primarily to give a career talk to the Grade 12s who were due to start their final exams the following week. From Lusaka, regrettably, I was alone but I was fortunate  I was joined by my intake mate Mary Musongole in Kabwe. In Kitwe we were joined by five other collegues.

I must say the trip was really an eye opener as the head teacher took time to take us round the school to get an on the spot feel of the work that needs to be done. Yes the school has had a fair share of neglect and the run down of the infrastructure was all that greeted us. The authorities from my observation are trying their level best to give the school a descent look but more needs to be done. Notable among the immediate needs are the laboratories i.e physics and biology. The Chemistry lab has had a face lift. The metal and wood workshops as well as the industrial arts drawing room are run down and as a result, pupils have stopped taking metal work as a subject . The world bank toilet that was next to the hall is no longer there. What has been left of this building is just a shed meaning that it is only the roof and the four pillars that are standing. There is a plan to reconstruct this facility.

One thing that impressed me the most was the interest the members of staff have attached to the call of making this association. We had the privilege of addressing the teachers and getting to know how they feel about our initiative. The response was fantastic. The driving force is of course the head teacher who seems to be so passionate about it.

The presentations were excellent as each one of us had time to explain how life was when we were at the school and the difficult challenges we faced. The idea was to remind the pupils that it was from the same facilities that we came from and that nothing should prevent anyone of them from making it in life. We also told them the importance of each subject they were taking and how those subjects will help them mould their lives. It was clear at the end of the presentations that we did the right thing to visit them on the eve of their exams.

We have planned that this will be an annual event on the school calender. Collegues that joined us in Kitwe were Smart Botha, M'hango Iowa, Boniface Mbewe, Mathiews Mulenga, Mr Peter Mwenya (a former teacher at the school as well as an ex-pupil) and Mwango Mofya.

The challenge we have now is how to respond to some or indeed all the issues the school authorities presented to us. One thing is clear though, we can not respond to all the issues but we've got to start somewhere. I will leave you here and hope to hear your views.

Ciao!