February 21, 2011 - Desmond

Today we had some sad news. While in the field we received a radio call informing us that Desmond’s uncle had passed away. Unfortunately, Kingston and I had to be the bearer of bad news. Within 20 minutes Desmond was headed home to tell his family and then travel to where the village where the funeral would be. After 90 minutes of cycling home, Desmond said it would be another 4 to 5 hour bicycle ride. Apparently in the rainy season there is a sharp increase in death in rural areas of Zambia. Let’s keep Desmond and his family in our thoughts and hope that everyone at Kasanka stays healthy.

February 18, 2011 – At Least…

“At least” is a common phrase used by Zambians and it is one of my favorites. It is the opposite of “just okay” which I mentioned in another post means: I am great. When you ask a Zambian how he is doing and he says “at least” it is similar to how we use “I am okay” in the United States. But literally what I think it really means is “I am not great, but at least I am alive”. When I hear “at least” it always brings me back to earth and true reality. I think this will be a phrase I adopt for life.

February 12, 2011 – Fantastic Fundraising - Cosgriff Catholic Memorial School

The fundraising project that "http://www.cosgriff.org/"Cosgriff Catholic Memorial School undertook in January was a great success. Studetns, families, faculty and staff all donated money for both Chalilo and Kafinda basic schools here in Zambia. They raised a total of $1719!! This money will go towards school supplies. In March I will travel to Lusaka to buy 2000 exercise books, 1400 pencils, 1400 pens, boxes of crayons, markers, slate boards, scrabble games, and soccer balls and net balls. I can’t wait to deliver them to the schools.
We are also starting a correspondence exchange between the American and Zambia students. Student in grade 1-8 have written letters to the school children at Cosgriff elementary. We have also taken dozens and dozens of photographs of students, teachers and village life. Thank you Cosgriff!!!!!

February 5, 2011 – Sarah Darlene Hogle Girls Scholarship Fund

As Sarah Hogle’s birthday approaches, I think of ways in which to honor her memory. She was one of my closest and dearest friends. If she were still here she would be turning 32 and I bet she would be having a big bash. Maybe with a theme J.  Unfortunately for those she loved and who loved her we will celebrate and mourn without her. Here at Kinda Camp, I will be raising a glass, of homemade tea wine, to her. 

As I have been working on the community side of the Kasanka Baboon Project and trying to decide how I can make the biggest effect in peoples’ lives, the idea of helping to send girls to grade 9-12, who otherwise would not have the chance, is in the forefront of my mind. As there are no secondary schools in the communities I am working with a student has to travel elsewhere for higher education. In Zambia, school is free up to grade 7-8, after that a family must pay to send their child to high school. Often times the males in the family get the opportunity to further their education while the females are married young and/or stay to help in the village. When girls marry their families receive a bride price and therefore some parents value this more than furthering their daughters education. However I do expect most of the time, that a family would happily send all of their children to secondary school if they had the money.

Many ideas about how to help young girls continue their education have been circling in my head. I would gladly take suggestions from anyone with experience.  I have figured that it would cost 1 million Zambian kwacha/term to send a young girl to a boarding school (this fee includes tuition, boarding, and food). One million kwacha equates to roughly $200 US dollars. Assuming a young woman completes grade 9 through 12 she would need a total of $1600. 

I hope by the end of the year, which will be the beginning of a Zambian school year, I will have set up “The Sarah Darlene Hogle Girls Scholarship Fund”. Through an application process, one girl will be chosen to attend secondary school with her fees paid by the Kasanka Baboon Project.

The best news is... now you can donate to the project online, through paypal. Just visit our website

February 1, 2011 – My Green Huntington Wellies

Huntington rubber boots may be a fashion statement to the undergraduate population at Wash U, but out here n the bush they serve several vital purposes. I love my wellies. During this rainy season I think they may be my most valuable piece of equipment I own. I wear them all day in the field. They keep my feet dry, I can stomp through puddles, and I feel safe walking through the grass knowing that there are snakes around. As I tuck my pants into my socks and then slip my boots on, they are unfortunately not a fashion statement at Kinda Camp.

January 30, 2011 – The word “failed"

Slowly, I am learning Zambian English. For example when you are walking away from someone, say for example to bring something back, you say “I am coming”. If you want something immediately, the word “now “ is not sufficient you must say “non now”! One of the most interesting and different forms of the same word we us I the U.S. and is used in Zambia is “failed”. Failed has severe negative connotations in American English. For example, if one “failed” a class, they likely did not put any effort into it or didn’t realize early that it may have been to advanced of a course to take. 

In Zambia the word “fail” is used much more loosely, or the repercussions of failing are not so bad. For example, if you ask someone to bring you tomatoes from the market, and they come back with none they may say “I failed”. So…perhaps next time they will succeed. Or if they were supposed to arrive for work on a scheduled data, but came two days later their explanation may be “I failed”. And the matter is considered resolved. 

Another phrase that took me time to get used to and David had to explain to me was “Just Okay”. When you ask someone how they are doing in Zambia and they say “Just okay”. That means they are great! What? This still doesn’t make sense to me. In the U.S. if someone told me they were “just okay” I would immediately ask what was wrong. For a while I did this in Zambia, for example when my assistant Desmond returned from his days off and said his family was “just okay” or he was “just okay”, I would be concerned.

January 22, 2011 – Collaboration between Kasanka Baboon Project and J.E. Cosgriff Catholic School

The Kasanka Baboon Project is honored by the support of the J.E. Cosgriff Catholic Memorial School I Salt Lake City Utah. This month for their community project they are raising money for books and supplies as well as taking donations for both the Kafinda and Chalilo Basic Schools just near to the Kasanka National Park main gate. In addition the student at Cosgriff are taking photos and writing letters to the students here in Zambia. We will be exchanging letters, photos and videos as well. This gives students from both countries the ability to learn about one another’s daily lives, what they are learning in school and their interests.  We hope that the correspondence continues throughout the year. If you are interested in donating to this cause please visit our or Cosgriffs websites. www.kasankababoonproject.com www.cosgriff.org