Community entry; in all its entirety

“Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it's time to pause and reflect. ” -Mark twain




I know its been a while, but I've been pretty isolated from any kind of internet the past few months. I've decided to post my community entry report regarding all the information I've been gathering the past 3 months. Its rather comprehensive and tedious and I don't blame your for reading any part of it, cursing my name, then moving on to something more important.




Since now I have the grace and freedom on my side, and my chains have been vanquished, I plan on posting on a more consistent basis.




Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Also posted on Facebook you'll find some photos of a hiking /backpacking trip that I took up to the top of a distant, yet not so distant mountain. It was an epic expedition as we winged the entire trip and weren't expected to reach the top of a rather steep and inaccessible mountain. Yet we overcame by means of crawling our way to the summit on the last stretch. The view from the top was epic and absolutely breath taking, especailly at sunset, but even more so at dawn as the cloud cover was below us and what stood before was an endless sea of clouds. It turned out to be a very Merry Christmas despite the lack of pine trees, candy canes and tinsel.




With the close of community entree comes the start of our final training which is IST (in service training). After that its back to the village for the remainder of my service. Everything is still going very well and I look forward to whats to come in the next few months. Stay tuned as you'll be hearing more and more about my upcoming endeavors in posts to come. Cheers.




CASA - by Austin Saly


Chataika is a small village surrounded by several other similar communities located about 10 km off the Great East road outside of Petauke. It is located in the Eastern Province near the Mozambique boarder in an erred, dry climate receiving some of the least amount of rainfall compared to all other provinces. It is accessible primarily through means of a fairly reliable dirt road that runs all the way to the Mozambique boarder. The community is mostly made up of peasant farmers who grow for minor profit on farms located just outside of their respected community. There are 2 schools located right off the dirt road and another that is a bit harder to get to. A health clinic is near that aids people with minor medical needs. On the whole, it is a prosperous community where most everyone gets along in harmony, though there is much potential for improvement.


The primary goal of this report is to gather information relative to assisting the community with central capacity building and development. Specifically focused on gathering information on what the communities main challenges are, where their needs can be met, and how they can be overcome. Though I am a RAP volunteer, and seek to promote advancement through fish farming, it has not been my exclusive area of focus mainly due to the fact that water is scarce making fish farming seasonal and unpopular in the area. Throughout my community entry investigation I worked at making my presence known. Identifying key community members, locating landmarks, village boundaries and other areas of interest that signify importance. Though community entry's goal is to focus on planning, meeting members of the community and exploring, I felt it necessary to also begin work due to seasonal time constraints of water availability. Not only did I map out and introduce myself, but I also made an effort to identify qualified and enthusiastic farmers willing to invest their selves in fish farming in the brief three months I was there. In short, my time spent in the first three months of service entailed a combination of in depth info gathering to fulfill the CASA requirements, as well as to identify potential fish farmers and begin working and constructing before the rains came.


Fish farming in Eastern Province is primarily a seasonal endeavor as water shortages exist for a quarter of the year. This glaring fact has inspired me to be willing to seek other opportunities and usages of my time to help support my community, especially during the dry season. I have identified other beneficial support activities that I will strive to execute especially during the times of the year when fish farming isn't in season. The remainder of the is report will further explain my findings.


Within my respected 20 km area, but actually more or less a 10-15 km area as I have not yet ventured to the outskirt communities of my area due to my desire to start work because of seasonal constraints, is about 13 villages, most of which lie on, or near, the inlet road called Chataika road. The road stems off the Great East and penetrates through the bush all the way into Mozambique, though it is not very accessible into Mozambique itself, and thus not much through traffic venture to and from Mozambique. The climate is dry and erred in the dry season, yet lush and green in the rain season. There is quite the characteristic difference in fauna between these two seasons of the year. Trees cascade the area with maize and farm fields both abandoned and in operation scattered throughout. Bananas, Mango and Guavas are in high abundance when in season. The foliage is dense and in most areas requires a machete to venture through as you meander off bush trails. Water is scare for most of the year.


In each village, roughly a dozen to thirty families reside with a population somewhere around 1500 in my respected area, though I have not quite explored all of my 20 km radius as of yet. Families are generally made up of five or more in the immediate with a mother, father and at least 3 children in most circumstances, sometimes as much as 8. In each village there is a leader or headman who generally keeps the order and peace. He (in call cases I've seen) is the 'go-to' for unsolvable domestic and family issues when they come to a head. They organize community gatherings, meetings, and are usually the ones aside from the families that speak at funerals, weddings and celebrations. They harness most of the respect and say within a community.


There is one main road in and out of my community accessible by vehicle that runs all the way to the last village before Mozambique, Petulo. Community members that hold jobs in Sinda Boma (20km from the turnoff), or Petauke (40km from the turnoff) commute via this road to and from their jobs. Canters transport maize and others goods as well as big rig trucks. Pedestrians enter and exit through this road as well. The road is about 30-40km from the Great East until Mozambique boarder and if circles around to the village Nyanja about 40-50 km away.


Most families have accessibility to a cell phone, either by their own, or that of an acquaintance or friend. Radios are prevalent and a fortunate few have satellite television. communities often gather at these individuals houses during sporting events and watch them together in a large crowd. Other then these forms of communication, word-to-mouth is the main form of gaining information about meetings, news and rumors from the village as well as surrounding ones.


The nearest postal system operates in Sinda village followed by Petauke. There is no newspaper or print media that operates directly out of either Boma, but circulation of Lusaka print media; 'The Post' though rare, can be found sometimes at tuck shops and stores. Most information is transmitted through, radio, and word to mouth. Those who are within the working class are the only ones who have reliable digital media, and or are capable of obtaining information by means of their vehicles. Most radio broadcasts are out of Lusaka, Katate, Chipata or Petauke. Local television and news is boadcasted from Lusaka via satellite and American and European stations are also accessible to those who can afford the service. They are accessed at individuals leisure, before and after work and always during Zambian football matches.


Virtually all of my community is reliant upon agriculture as a means to survive. It is either grown as a source of income, food or trading means. More then 95% are peasant farmers, and those who have other employment ventures (taxi drivers, tuck shop owners) also do farming on the side. Farmers work both fields, where maize, groundnuts and sunflower cake is grown; and farms (gardens) where they grow a variety of vegetables such as: rape, tomatoes, onions, cabbage, garlic, eggplant, potatoes, and sometimes peppers. Because most of the farmers lack the means of transporting their goods to bomas to sell, and because most everyone grows the same types of vegetables on a seasonal basis, hardly any substantial profit can be made by the commoner. Most crops are traded within communities for other crops, goods and or favors . Farms and fields are located just outside of ones respected community. Nearly all I've visited are accessible by foot, some are within 1 km while others can be as far away as 8 km. Fields and farms range from about 2- 4 acres. They are owned by families and pasted down through lineage, mostly to sons who take on the gender role of farm owner, though women are also required to work the fields as well. During the rain season, in December-late April, farmers are consistently working in their fields. In the dry season most focus more on growing vegetables in their gardens. Most operate both fileds and farms to help support themselves and their family. Fields are the main area of concern for most farmers, as maize is the primary cash crop. However all farmers operate both when rainfall permits.


Within villages, animals such as pigs, cows, goats, chickens, guinea fowls, rabbits and pigeons can be found. As of last year, Turkeys have also made their way into my community in a project started by my predecessor Chuck, and continued by myself. Though livestock is being raised, they aren't for much purpose. They roam mostly freely during the day, forging for food and therefore most are highly under-nourished. Cows and goats aren't milked, Only chickens and guinnie fowls are eaten and manure is not collected consistently. Meat from these animals in primarily eaten during special occasions and little animal husbandry is practiced among farmers. They are primarily a cultivation farming society. The main use for animals such as goats, pigs and cows is their monetary value. They are used as bride wages and to show affluence among members who own them to others. Cowboys seem to be the only effort that the community puts forth into livestock rearing, and they only heard cattle from field to field and monitor the animals for their owners.


Soya is the only food item that is coming from outside of the community, usually from Lusaka. The staple food is nshima, which can be obtained in nearby bomas of Petauke and Sinda at establishments such as National Milling supply. However, on a more affordable and within a closer proximity it can also be obtained at a village called Shaktan which has its own operating Millie Mill. Other then soya, most other food is grown from within or obtained at tuck shops, but only available is goods like sweeties and softies.


When scarcities occur, usually around the time of February, people consume a very meager diet, primarily of nshima and rape, but sometimes exclusively nshima mainly because of its affordability. It is a time of the year when the 'have-nots' perform favors for the 'haves' in exchange for food. The community is fortunate enough to do well in supporting one another during these difficult times as there is no organized hunger security relief or soup kitchen for the poor and hungry to turn to. Just a friendly neighbor. In a way, this does well in keeping the peace within, as many know that when circumstances become desperate its very likely that one may need to turn to others within the community for support.


Grass is grown and used from roofing and fencing, it is harvested during the dry season and usually needs to be replaced every two years or so because of its exposure to the elements. Mud bricks can be produced year round, though much easier during dry season when it rains for obvious reasons. They are used for building infrastructure. Wood charcoal is made within the outskirts of the community in the bush regions where trees are in abundance, though with the way in which Zambia is being deforested, these resources are becoming scarce. The charcoal is used for cooking and heating among the middle class of communities. Most use wood to lit fires and cook with. Wood is also taken from the bush and used by individual needs as well as established businesses and construction companies and sold in bomas. Most resources, with the exception of grass and water is available year round. Water is by far the most precious resource. Boar holes(water wells) are available in all villages, though they do occasionally break down and some dry up during the later part of dry season. Communities have no water security plan. If boar hole becomes inoperable the next boar hole within range must be accessed for water, however far away it might be, though people will get desperate and draw water from a local pond or stream.


The main religions within my community are different versions of Christianity. Most everyone 'belongs' to a church (as Zambians put it), and attends mass, worship or Sherman at least weekly and sometimes more often. I credit my communities strong affiliation with religion as a main reason behind its prosperity and harmony, and though I myself am not a religious man, I see the value and peace that religion has brought to the community. Within the community are Jehovah's witnesses, 7th day Adventists, Catholics, Arostists, Bio-ca, Baptist and Lutheran. Most individuals worship on Saturday or Sunday sometimes for a few hours, and sometimes all day. For every religion, there is a leader, preacher, ect.. They speak out during services, weddings and funerals and are generally more educated then most. Most all religious leaders I have encountered even speak English.


Traditional ceremonies are carried out in a version depending upon ones religion, just as our culture in the states (ie: catholic wedding, ect.), though some Zambian traditions are also interwoven within. Weddings seem to hold unique traditions as well as funerals though religious aspects are still very inherent. Marriage traditionally occurs when a couple becomes mature. After brides fees are exchanged a ceremony is scheduled. Just like American weddings there is first some words of oath and pledges of allegiance towards one another then dancing, drinking and music. Gifts are draped over the bride and groom as they sit in the center of the a crowd and slowly become littered with chitanges, kitchenware and food items. The entire festivity can last anywhere between 4-8 hours.


Funerals unlike weddings have a somber tone as one might expect and last just about as long. When a funeral is underway women wail and cry at unusually high tones. Men gather together and talk at low tones and sit with their heads bowed. After a long period of waiting, trucks arrive with an empty casket for the body and the funeral crowd gathers around to hear a condolence read by the preacher or leader of the church to whom the deceased belonged. The family then places the remains in a wooden casket and carries it onto the truck. The closest kin and friends to the deceased ride in the truck with the body while others walk slowly behind as the truck travels to the cemetery. Another condolence is read at the grave site as the grave is dug and the body is placed in the ground and covered with dirt, then cement, and an engraving etched. After it is all said and done, people gather back on to the truck and venture back to the home from which the service started. Attendance to these events is a great way to show and earn respect in one the village.


During special events and holidays, the cultural 'nyaw' dances are usually hired and perform their provocative cultural dances. They are summoned by a designated village member who organizes and trains their dances usually in a sacred place outside the community where no one but members of the 'nyaw' are allowed to venture. Fees are sometimes required when their services are desired for special events, but during holidays, they usually perform for free. Other then 'nyaw' dancing, sporting events are usually held as an important event within the village. The community usually gathers at someones house who has television broadcast and watches the game together uniting comradely,excitement and sometimes sorrow as a whole depending on their teams performance. If not on TV, much of the village stands behind their village soccer team that trains weekly and plays matches against other villages on Sundays. Sometimes money or other merchandise is wagered on games making them many times a more then friendly match, and its not unheard of to have villages fight and brawl over questionable calls in the refereeing. Netball is also played in the village, though not at a competitive level as village soccer. Schools also organize teams and games during school hours so kids can get exercise and participate in organized team sports. Draught is a village board game that is played outside of tuck shops with bottle caps on a cardboard painted board. It is similar to checkers, yet has some differing rules. Another game played is Solo, a game reminiscent of chinese checkers played on a log or rock with divots sculpted into it. Football is by far the most popular sport played in village. Each village usually has its own team and soccer pitch that holds games every Sunday. Zambia is a country that takes its soccer quite seriously.


Due to land ownership and financial situations, most of the community is born and dies in the same area. People are raised to be farmers or mothers and stay within the same community all their lives, there are few exceptions. One, because they own land within the village, and two, because they lack the opportunity or means to live somewhere else. School teachers seem to be the one exception as they often transfer to different schools, especially headmasters. Most of this demobilization is due to the lack of employment opportunities and thus transportation. There is no salaried pay, other then volunteer school teachers, who live off a very low paying salary. Families and individuals operate off a freelance/self-employment basis by either selling or bargaining their harvested crops, negotiating cab fairs, or selling goods purchased by means of wholesale in a tuckshop. Very few individuals have reasonable employment. Only two people that I know who stay in my community have salaried employment within Petauke.


The biggest challenge preventing individuals from obtaining employment in the boma is transportation. Cab drivers charge far more then what most commoners can afford to pay on a daily basis to get into town. The distance to each nearby bomas is a bit too far to travel to by foot or even bicycle. As for employment within the community, opportunities aren't available due to a lack of infrastructure and community services. Most money that is brought into the community exits the just as fast as it enters. Bargaining and trading goods is the primarily means of currency within the community.


All community members are seeking a better way to earn reliable income. However due to transportation restraints, lack of infrastructure and the absence of money within the community, people have a difficult time getting anywhere. The lack of credit and loan opportunities would potentially help, but with the majority of the community uneducated in money management and business education, the gamble of expecting the money back on a loan issued would be risky. Though progress is slow, compared to five years ago there has been more opportunity. With the introduction of fish farming, farmers are learning and practicing new techniques and growing a new kind of crop. Cooperatives and clubs are enabling grant money to be accessed which add money and organization into the community. The combined effect is minimal, but as the community continues to develop and more of these organizations form, growth has a potential of occuring exponentially. For the most part, not much has changed as opposed to 5 years ago. Most are self employed and earn their living off a farm while others partake in other small business ventures.


There are 4 schools with in the community. Chataika basic is my closest offering grades one through nine. Sinda basic is about 10 km up the road towards the tarmack offering grades one through seven, Calore is about 15 km south west, and Chimewe in about 12 km outside of Calore. All schools are heavily understaffed and house about half of the teachers needed for the amount of students house. Many children attend school up to grade 7 as the fees are relatively cheap and affordable for most, yet sadly there is also a substantial amount that don't because families either don't value education or simply can't afford the fees these children remain at home learning the ways of being a farmer or housewife. Cowboys are also an exception as they partake in the life of raising cattle for a four year term. At its completion they receive one cow as payment for their services. Grades 8-9 are considered secondary school and fees jump up to quite a steeper price. Males mostly make up the student body in these grade levels. The average number of children per class is somewhere around 45-60, and schools usually have 8-9 teachers at their disposal while they should have 14-15. Fees are paid once per term, terms last for 3 months. For grades 1-7 fees are about 5 pin, and for grades 8 and nine term fees are around 120 pin.


Schools do well in accommodating the overflow of students and work with exceedingly high numbers. But when numbers of students become overwhelming, students must venture to other less crowded schools nearby. There are no private or secondary schools outside grade level 8 and 9 within close proximity, and very few religious schools are in the area. Near by there is Covenant College and in Petauke there is another small religious school that teaches religion and farming. Few extracurricular activities are offered outside of schools. Some experimental activities were started by my predecessor Chuck such as the chess club, but the club has died off since his departure. There is a PTA association led by a few volunteer parents, but their involvement is minimal as I've seen only one meeting take place since my community entry.


Like many other rural villages in Zambia, my community suffers from many of the common diseases that are prevalent thorough Africa. HIV, AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis, Pneumonia, Respiratory infections, Skin infections and diarrhea. A nearby health clinic does well in treating most of these diseases at an effective minimal level and a hospital in the village Nyanja about 25 km away handles the rest of the more serious cases. Diarrhea is probably the most rampant symptom within the village as most drink water directly from the boar hole or are subject to food poisoning due to lack through hand washing. Though Chlorine is available at the tuck shops and the nearby health clinic its very common for individuals to ignore this simple water treatment. Chataika Health clinic is equipped well enough to treat individuals or recommend them to other nearby facilities. It houses 2 certified nurses and seems to be open during its hours of operation consistently. Their funds are through government allowances and community volunteers are also staffed to help with some of the administrative duties. Services available at the clinic include HIV testing, malaria testing, blood pressure tests, some antibiotics and some medical bandages. The facilities hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8-16 hours and they are consistently open. Medications are usually stocked reasonably and sometimes can be delayed depending on transport issues. The clinic will treat anyone who attends on a first come first serve basis unless the incident is serious it takes with priority. It is used by all community members that can reach it and serves many on a daily basis.


If you speak with any competent concerned community member about its most dire need, most all will admit that water availability is the most lacking. During rain season, it is not so, and many boar holes are in operation and available. But during the dry season, things change for the worse and water security becomes dependent on usually one source. When matters get desperate and boar holes fail during these scare instances people gather their water from local ponds and any available body of water nearby. But with the way people neglect water sanitation, this ends up being an unsanitary and unsafe endeavor that leads to constant illness. Boar holes are located within the village usually tucked away in the bush. There is no restriction to who uses which water whole, but with the lack of transportation and the unforgiving weight of water, people go where water is most available, even if that is a pond or bog. Within each community is a trained boar hole mechanic who is responsible for the maintenance of boar hole operation and when boar holes fail, they are the ones who repair them. Water mostly becomes scarce during the dry season and with no back-up plan on what to do or anyway of knowing how much water is available in a boar hole before it runs dry, the only security is to draw water from the nearest available source what ever it may be. Water gained from any source is used for all aspects of living; drinking, washing and bathing. Pit latrines are traditionally what people use to relieve their selves, yet not all households have them and are forced to use the bushes or sometimes the immediate premise to wherever they may be.


Compared to Americans, the community produces a very minimal amount of trash. Mainly because they don't consume many processed goods. A small amount of paper waste comes from wrappers and tuck shop goods, but other then those goods (which aren't very popular anyways), most wasted is environmentally friendly and can be composted. The only method of trash disposal is through individuals burning their wasted or burying it. All parts of the communities seem to maintain a similar clean appearance and no community stands out as a noticeably filthier area then others that I've witnessed.


AQUACULTURE SECTOR ASSIGNMENT:


Within my community, fish farming is a relatively new practice. It was introduced to the community by the previous PCV before me. Other then Peace Corps, the department of Fisheries located both in Petauke and the village Nyanja are also involved with rural aquaculture development. They aid by supplying fingerlings to competent rural farmers. Eastern Province among most other provinces receives minimal fish farming funding due to the scarce practice within the vicinity. The exception to this is registered Co-Op womens groups. But though funds are available for these groups, only two exist and are registered. However the interest of fish farming is becoming more prominent and farmers are beginning to jump aboard and start ponds of their own as they learn of all the potential benefits aquaculture can offer.


Chuck (my previous volunteer) did well in breaking ground and introducing fish farming to the community. Many have already found success and a new found source of income to supplement their lifestyles. I do, however, continue to find other farmers who are interested in starting for the first time and sense that fish farming is still desired among my community and there are individuals to seek out and educate. After exploring throughout my communities and searching through some of Chucks old notes, I have concluded that there have been at one time or another about 30 ponds which have been planned, or staked or at least attempted. How many are still in operation is unknown and I imagine that since it is a seasonal practice many have been abandoned. I have also concluded that most farmers in the area are more interested in building smaller ponds then the RAP standard as they would prefer to have a trial run before they devote much of their time and energy to digging a larger pond. On average, I have found that farmers prefer a pond around 5x10 meters.


Since Eastern province receives a minimal amount of rainfall compared to other provinces, the practice digresses from the standard of RAP. All ponds are dug in a marshy swampy area that show potential for water holding capacity. Inner boxes of the ponds are impossible to dig out because upon reaching a certain dig depth, water is reached, preventing the proper shaping of the bottom. Thus, farmers are at the will of when they breach water. All water to fill is dependent solely upon rainfall as there is no streams of consistent water abundance in the area. The ideal manner of starting a fish pond is to have pond construction finished before rain season. Evacuation pipes are also omitted as ponds don't receive enough water to overflow. All ponds are Earth dug sunken ponds.


Pond locations are usually on farms near their crops. On these farms, during specific seasonal times you can find vegetables such as; onions, cabbage, rape, eggplant, potato, beans, maize and peppers. Fruits are usually; apples, oranges, lemons, tomatoes, watermelon and mangos. Exotic fruits and vegetables can also be found of which I don't know all the names of. Livestock is rarely seen on farms as they mainly roam and forge in the village setting. There is the occasional cow heard however that passes through, but their presence isn't desired as they consume much of the product on the farm.


Although water sources are available in the village year round, farmers usually obtain their water from a closer source to their farm such as a swamp or bog nearby because of the large volume of water needed. In some areas in the bush, wells are available and at the disposal of farmers for their irrigation purposes. During the rain season, watering is unnecessary as the rainfall is sufficient enough. In all cases of fish stocking, fingerlings have come from DOF, and the village nyanja about 20 km away. Fingerlings usually go for 500 k a fish and the money can be payed at a flexible time based on the farmers financial situation. A new concept of fish farming promotion that DOF is now trying to encourage is the building of a central fish pond for each community in which fish are stocked, stored and obtained by the community in a centralized holding pond that is managed by all who access it. If done properly, the central fish pond and the breeding should be a huge help in making fingerlings available year round and at the disposal of farmers. As the practice grows, and more and more farmers become interested, more centralized fish ponds can be made to help meet the need of the community. This has potential of supplying free fish for the village if managed with care.


I stress and require that my farmers obtain and maintain a bloom in order to satisfy their fishes nutritional needs. Thus I implement compost cribs and encourage proper fertilizing in the ponds of my farmers. I plan on working on a project that aims to produce a cheap supplemental hand feed that farmers can use to feed there fish. As of now, not many farmers can afford to hand feed their fish other then with ga-ga. However ga-ga alone isn't a well rounded source of nutrition for the fish. Farmers harvest their ponds usually every six months consistent with RAP standard practice, however ponds are not drained and are kept full until the seasons dry them out.


Since Bomas are a rather considerable distance away from my villages, fish are usually sold within, primarily on a word to mouth basis and sometimes at the Tuesday market. Though due to farmers lack of interest of building RAP standard ponds, harvests are not as plentiful as they potentially can be. Fish is looked on as a very affluent food source that most can't afford to consume on a regular basis. The greatest challenge faced by fish farmers in Eastern province is the lack of water availability and the time constraints of having fish farming only seasonal. Followed by the fact that it is still a new practice to farmers in my community. Lack of acquiring fingerlings is also an issue as all farmers are dependent upon DOF for their fingerling supplies as ponds dry up and need to be restocked once a year. Hopefully the implementation of building and maintaining a centralized fish pond within each community will give some relief to the DOF fingerling supply.


The presence of Peace Corps extension Agents in the immediate vicinity is crucial to the spread of fish farming knowledge, motivation and drive. Without whom farmers would not have the knowledge of troubleshooting, constructing, or obtaining fingerlings. Eventually going further into implementing fish farming with other aspects of agriculture will do well in adding more benefits to the practice, but for now the introduction and basic practice methods seem to be most needed. Teaching at the grassroots level with individual farmers seems to the most effective method of teaching and spreading understanding.


The main economic practice within the community is farming. There is a minimal amount of revenue circulating throughout the community so most goods are traded for other goods or services. All money brought into the community stays in individuals pockets for a brief amount of time and circulates back to the bomas of wince they came. It usually goes from individuals, to tuck shops and from the tuck shops back to the boma. Soaps, detergents, toiletries, softies, sweeties and talk-time are available at the tuck shops and the money these shops receives usually goes back to the wholesalers in the nearest bomas.


There are few businesses that exist within the village. All are run at the freelance level and none are registered with the government. The span of them is tuck-shops, cab drivers, and peasant farmers. Goods from the farmers are sold mostly word to mouth and at the Tuesday market. Cab drivers take anyone usually to the bomas for a high price of at least 15-20 pin. No special goods that are unique to my village are produced and exported with regularity. Farmers and most everyone is poor and can hardly afford the basic tools to up keep their fields and farms. Fertilizers are the most costly needed resource as most of the farming land is infertile from years of farming and without it crops would be minimal and or fruitless. When a crop is unsuccessful or encounters a misfortune a farmer is dependent upon loaning out favors or promises to pay others back. However this is fairly unheard of because most farmers spend the majority of their time in their respected fields and are able to remedy problems immediately as they come such as washouts or insect raids. However the community is always supportive to farmers who fall upon bad luck or crop failure. Neighbors support neighbors and most everyone gets by even in unforgiving circumstances.


The creation and implementation of Co-Ops within the community has also been valuable in obtaining fertilizers for a cheaper price and bringing farmers together to discuss problems and issues that they encounter. By bringing individual farmers together they are recognized by the government and more capable of receiving grants from the government. It also deters thieves as farmers become more likely to look out for one another. Grants and fertilizers that CO-Ops purchase are through the department of agriculture in Petauke.


The main challenges faced by farmers and individuals in the community from obtaining a better way of life is a combination of a lack of education, infrastructure, community government and transportation. Most individuals, especially the adults and older generation have not been educated past the basic level if at all, and most don't even speak English. Their lack of education and language skills make them noncompetitive for many jobs in the bomas or even Lusaka. The lack of infrastructure doesn't attract commerce, industry or business very well into the bomas and the lack of any kind of tax system and local government keeps the revenue flow within the bomas and areas at a minimum. At the most basic level from my diagnosis, I think that a government funded, affordable bus system would do well in helping the nearby communities, especially farmers. This would give them reliable transportation to and from their bomas making it more realistic for them to sell their goods that they produce on their farms. Most often when crops are harvested, farmers lack a means of selling their produce anywhere but within their communities, which limits their selling capabilities and customers spectrum. My counterpart for example harvested 10 bags of onions and when he got an estimate on how much it would cost him to transport all the bags to Petauke it was around 100 pin. This is a steep price considering he could most likely make only about 20 pin from sales, if that.


The level of business knowledge doesn't surpass much more then the basic arithmetic level. Individuals continuously make bad investments that lead to losses and don't recognize a loss until its already been carried out as in the case of my counterpart. They also lack the understanding of supply and demand and don't seek out creative unique ways of gaining income differently from others. An example of this is the fact that most everyone grows the same type of crops and sells them when you venture to the nearby bomas. In the bomas you'll find hoards of tomatoes, onions, cabbage, rape, potatoes stands, and that's mostly it. Apples, avocados, oranges, eggplants and peppers are very rare.


With-in Chataika, there is a market that runs every Tuesday. Vendors come from areas near Sinda and Petauke to sell their goods to locals who can't afford to make the trek to Petauke or Sinda. The goods that are sold here are consistent week to week. Goods such as buckets, clothing, flashlights, metal hardware, ktichen ware and some produce is sold. Local farmers and families within also take the opportunity to sell their crops.


The nearest bomas located just to the East about 20 km is Sinda. Though not quite as comprehensive a bomas as Petauke, you can almost obtain everything here you can in Petauke. Petauke is about 40 km away from my turnoff on the great East road and is greater in span and store selection. Local vendors , Indian store owners, Chinese store owners, and wholesalers can be found at both these markets. They are open, though not every shop, Monday through Sunday from about 8 - 16 hours. Within the community as mentioned a limited selection of goods are available most everyday until about 19 hours. These goods are miscellaneous items such as soaps, toiletries, sweeties, softies and some grocery. Other items can also be purchased from individual families such as vegetables, fruits, eggs, charcoal, and honey. Virtually everything is locally grown aside from the goods in tuck shops which come from nearby bomas. No local produce is exported on grand scales. as no commercial farmers exist within my area. The next largest boma after Petauke that offers a grander selection is Chipata, and after that is Lusaka.


Nshima(corn meal) is the staple food source for all families within my community. It is consumed at every meal and the primary reason why so many are able to survive on so little income. If familes can afford, a relish is usually eaten with Nshima. Usually it is rape (kale) or a vegetable green that a family grows on their farm. On special occasions such as weddings or holidays, a meat is eaten such as chicken or goat. But during standard meals a protein source is usually rare and missing. Not many people within the community eat Breakfast. Mostly just lunch and supper. For breakfast most just have whatever fruit is in season at the time. Lunch usually is eaten anytime from 10-12 hours, and dinner can range from 15- 20 hours. Meals are prepared over fires. The rich can usually afford to cook on braizers with charcoal, while the less fortunate gather wood and kindling to cook over a wood fire. Cooking oil is also very rare within the village setting as most use water instead as their medium.


Restaurants don't exist in the village setting. People are constantly eating at one another's house. Hungry season is a time of year when food is hard to come by for individuals as crops haven't been harvested and are still growing. Relish is usually non-existent and people primarily consume nshima. When people get desperate they usually turn to the more fortunate individuals who are more capable of sharing. The 'have-nots' usually perform favors and services for the 'haves' in order to gain food to get by. The community does well in bonding together and supporting one another in these times of desperation.


Because the community is so poor, banking institutions aren't a popular and realistic entity. There has been a credit institution introduced into the community, but its popularity is low and not many take advantage of its services. The bulk of the banking services are available in Petauke and Chipata, but with the minimal amount of money that individuals have, and with the difficulty of getting to these bomas, their is impracticability to opening an account. Most entrust funds within their houses and trust neighbors and other community members to keep an eye out for strangers and thieves. In Petauke, banks such as Barclays, Zanco, Zooana, Bayview and Narsave are available. Commercial maize farmers, store owners and individuals that earn a paycheck seem to use these services the most though more and more commoners are beginning to open accounts. Very few individuals within my community have banks accounts.


Started within the past two years by my sites former PCV, 2 farming Cooperatives have been establish and are still in practice. They are certified and hold meetings on a regular basis to discuss pressing issues and farming topics that are in vogue to farmers. Its a great way for farmers to combine their knowledge and also to obtain fertilizer and grants from the government. As of now, my community lacks any kind of organized women or youth clubs, but I plan on changing this.


Co-Ops and organizations that are registered are advantageous to individuals because they offer grant money and discounts for relevant goods and resources. These organizations must go through tedious registration process of establishing members, bylaws and meeting schedules before they can be officially recognized as an organization or Co-Op. The high amount of farmers within the area looking to gain recognition by the government makes the department of agriculture in Petauke often times over crowded as many communities are dependent upon government funds to survive. Funding for Co-Ops and clubs is provided both by the local government and foreign NGOs. Grants are very competitive among farmers, yet highly available for womens and youth groups as these are quite scarce within the area and highly encouraged byt he government and womens empowerment NGOs.


Within the community, Headmen are the most capable of calling and organizing meetings on behalf of the community. News is spread word to mouth and meetings have the potential of being called within a day. Meetings are called on behalf of the school, farming Co-Cops, holiday events and other pressing issues that arise. The school and the Co-Op's within are the only two entities that manage funds within the community on the organizational level. The school calls meetings at the start of each term informing the community of fees, changes to the curriculum, new teachers and news. The Co-Op's call meetings to organize payment for Club renewal fees, and fertilizer purchases. Both organizations have a designated treasurer to handle the funds. School fees usually go towards construction costs, and the labor is usually handled by willing and able community members. Some funds for the schools may also come from outside grants.


Other community projects have also been started by the previous PCV's (Chuck) here in the community. A chicken broiler house was created to help raise funds for the school. It was funded by a small grant initiated by Chuck and is now managed and maintained by the community. However, what I have come to learn is that the project still requires further guidance as some of the management practices are becoming neglected. Another project started by Chuck is the introduction and rearing of turkeys within the community. Turkeys are very rare in most areas of Eastern province. Chucks goal was to begin raising them himself and pass on baby turkeys to trusted farmers with the agreement that they, in turn, would pass on their turkey's offspring to other trusted farmers. The goal is to spread the rearing and knowledge of Turkeys as a food source, eventually.


Other projects that have potential for addressing the communities needs is the establishment of women's or youth groups as there is none and yet much available government funds. Rabbit rearing is another potential fund raising scheme that could also do well in helping to raise funds for the school. Other projects that have been brainstormed but not executed have been the creation of bat houses in attempts to collect guano and mosquito traps that require very little resources to make and could help with the control of malaria. Not many projects that have been started can be classified as utter failures, only that they may require a bit more effort or supervision before they can work on their own accord. The chicken broiler house for example needs a bit more organization and guidance before it can be completely successful. The turkey rearing project is a slow going ordeal as baby turkeys are a very difficult hatch-ling to raise and are quite susceptible to the elements with such weak immune systems while young. Many have died since the projects beginnings making the progress slow going.


Meetings through Co-Op's and the school are initiated by the headmen of the village. Community leaders are usually the ones who voice their concerns, however votes are also taken to give voice to the soft-spoken and reserved. Within the community, fish farming is the only form of practiced aquaculture.


To my standards, yet without being able to compare to other outside communities, my community is poor in contrast even to cities such as Lusaka or even Chipata. Though poor they are prosperous, and no one seems to be in very low spirits or to suffer from hunger or dehydration to a sever extent. There is also a community health center in close proximity which does well in aiding the communities health needs, and though drinking water could be to a better sanitized quality, the community seems to get by regardless. However with little opportunities or any to foresee in the near future, the community will most likely be dependent on small farming ventures for years to come and remain in the current financial state they are in.


The support and the collective support that everyone has for one another keeps my communities prosperous. There is a strong sense of community. Stronger then I have ever encountered before that maintains everyone's health and well being. Everyone seems to share a caring and concern towards one another. A sort of 'leave no man behind' kind of mentality that lifts those less fortunate out of their difficult times. Though poor, my community is rich in other ways. Another factor that I believe contributes to my communities prosperous success is the fact that it lacks bars and drinking establishments. Because of which, it has a very mild drinking culture and most individuals strive for productive, sober activities. From what I have witnessed from outside communities, it seems that if bars are available, it attracts the worst behavior out of its communities that lead to lewd, drunk and wasteful behavior.


What makes me most proud of my community is their strong sense of community as mentioned. The fact that a people with so little can be so happy and accepting brings a warm feeling to me that you can't easily find in a capitalist culture like that of the USA. I credit it to their clean living and profound morals. I credit much of their prosperity to their religious upbringing and strong sense of worship and church. It seems that religion has bonded them in many positive ways deterring negative behavior such as drinking, theft and rashness towards one another.


Preventing them from bettering their lives has to do in part to their habits and culture. Their stubborn behavior and unwillingness to try new things and take risks is a very hard aspect of their lives to manipulate and change. They are insistent on following the norm and not experimenting with different techniques of business ventures which prevents many from gaining an upper hand in financial success. Their neglect of timely punctual behavior would make it difficult or impossible to obtain a job in the workforce, and their lack of business knowledge prevents them from breaking through their poverty.


As mentioned earlier, the biggest impediments my communities faces is the lack of education, infrastructure , local government, and transportation. With all of these areas lacking in considerable amounts, it seems unlikely that the communities will be unable to elevate their selves beyond their current financial realm of poverty. Namely I think the first step that should be taken, specifically by the government is the implementation of an affordable public transportation system. With this the people would be enabled to travel with consistency to and from their respected bomas giving them opportunity to find work, obtain information, sell their crops and possibly find education outside of their community.


ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION:


It is not to be dismissed that Eastern province may in fact be the most difficult province in promoting the successful implementation of fish farming. The lack of necessary resources, knowledge, and motivation makes it a great challenge in convincing farmers that it has the potential of elevating their lives. Convincing them to put in the labor, even though they must start a new each year presents many difficulties and tact persuasion. Flawless timely execution is pivotal in the likelihood of their success and their is little room for error and much for failure. The dependence solely upon rainfall is a tough sell and the cultural reality that they are much more suede by example makes convincing a much slower endeavor.


On the other end of the spectrum is that with the successful implementation of even a few ponds, it shouldn't be difficult to get others to climb aboard the bandwagon. Trusting the culture of Zambians following norm behavior, if just a few farmers find success in fish farming, others should follow in like fashion creating a exponential spark interest among others. This is my aim and recipe for success that if I can aid only a few farmers in each community in reaching success through fish farming , then others will be more easily suede and follow.


Potential threats to the impediments of finding success is the reliance upon rainfall. I fear that if in any one season of rain, that if sufficient amounts do not amount, much faith in the practice will be abandoned all together and a negative stigma will be branded upon the whole practice as farmers will have already put in the work to construct a pond without even the chance of being able to raise fish with the lack of water. Therefore its crucial that with these first attempts at implementing fish farming that at least some find success so proof is available on behalf of how fish farming can prove successful.


Because the ultimate goal in fish farming is the heavy harvest at the end of a six month period, the practice is a long term goal to pursue, making much of the time in between susceptible for lack of interest and motivation and abandonment. Keeping farmers attitudes pure and their drives strong will be another challenge that I will have to meet as it will be all to easy for them to give up if their wills aren't strong. Aside from lack of rainfall and the challenge of maintaining their drive, fingerling access is another challenge. As of now all reliance is solely upon DOF and their holding ponds in the village of Nyanja, but if something were to happen to that village's access to fingerlings such as a disease epidemic, acquiring fingerlings would become much more challenging. Therefore I am attempting to propose that each of my communities create a central holding pond to manage and raise fingerlings in an attempt to shed reliance upon the DOF supply.


Other then the needs of infrastructure, local government, education and transportation, a better action plan for water security would also be helpful to the community especially in the dry season. Its a disturbing thought to me that not any community member has an answer to what they would do if all water sources within the community were to dry up. As for education, I do feel that within the next generation or so, all individuals will have a basic knowledge of English as the school is doing well in educating the youth at the basic level, though the implementation of more affordable secondary and higher learning institutions would present even greater opportunity.




EXISTING COMMUNITY PROJECTS:


All of the projects mentioned have been a triumphant first step into bettering the well being of the community. The chicken broiler project has implanted the notion of creating money through self-sufficient means, and hopefully soon a rabbit rearing project will follow promoting more available funds. The turkey project, though in its early stages, has potential of introducing a new healthy, substantial food source to individuals within the community, and other plans towards future projects seem to also offer hope in advancing the communities prosperity. Though some of the projects require some fine tuning, as more and more PCV's reside within the community and have a hand in all the projects, good things are sure to develop.


The further practice and introduction of fish farming should continue in the community as individuals continue to show interest. Beekeeping, though rare, should also be encouraged especially among women's and youth groups. I plan on taking part in introducing a rabbit rearing project at the local school for fund raising as mentioned. The implementation of a centralized holding pond is also a future project I wish to push as I I see it bringing the community one step closer to self sufficiency in the realm of fish farming. Organic composting has been another big focus for me as I see the resources ubiquitous within the village. If farmers were to harness the benefits of organic farming and compost, they would shed their dependence upon fertilizers and find a much more healthy way to condition their soil, fertilize their crops, preserve the environment and increase the longevity of their farms without toxic salt build up. In an effort to lead by example, I have started an organic farm of my own and created compost bins to which I demo how to start compost with local materials and make fertilizer tea in which foliar methods can also be practiced. I also see this as being a potential projects for the school. Rabbit rearing and beekeeping would require minimal amounts of grant money, though compost program could be created using raw materials around the village.


I wish to work with any community member who shows interest, commitment, integrity and responsibility. Everyone is eager to improve their financial situation of their families and their selves, but not everyone has the discipline. I will accept men, women and children into my program as long as they qualify with such characteristics as mentioned. My wish is to start with a heavy guiding hand and eventually work myself out of a job by the time my service is complete. I hope to inspire all those I work with, both in skill and work ethic. There are many projects that I am capable of performing to better the lives of community members on a small scale, but if grand change were to occur, I feel that more substantial changes need to be implemented by the government such as: the erection of more education institutions, construction of more infrastructure for more employment, creation of a stable local government and tax system so revenue can circulate and most realistic, an affordable public transportation system.