April mixture

I'm writing this from Kitwe, a Copperbelt town about 5 hours north of Lusaka by big bus, where I am enjoying a week's vacation with good friends.  
The Copperbelt region is one of the older colonial areas of Zambia and the main towns of Ndola and Kitwe boast some attractive older buildings, more trees and parks, asphalt roads and paved pavements than I'm used to.
After Independence, Rhodesia became Zambia in the north and Zimbabwe in the south; Zimbabwe having the agricultural wealth and big farms while Zambia being the more industrial, based on copper.  Copper is Zambia's main mineral wealth though emeralds and other gems are also mined here.  Sadly, the world copper price was very low after Independence, contributing to the poverty of this struggling new country.  Currently, high demands have led to high prices and many countries are involved in Zambia's mining endeavours; possibly once again Zambia is not reaping her just deserts?

While I was here, I was sorry to hear that the local Community School, run by one of the  Borromeo Sisters for the OVCs (orphans and vulnerable children, either HIV+ themselves or orphaned by Aids) was broken into and some property, mostly cables and the children's cups, plates and spoons (300 of each) was stolen.  Building work was in progress and a gap in the rear wall had been left closed but secured only by wire instead of a padlock.  Now bricked up....  I don't want to think of the desperation (or evil) of someone who would steal from these kids and their school.  Now to source for new eating utensils; only the equivalent of £200 but  ZK 1 600 is quite a sum, about one month's teacher's salary.  Not that the teachers at Guardian Angels get salaries: as volunteers they get allowances the school can afford.  The government has promised (frequently) to pay those good people who teach in community Schools all over this country as there are insufficient places in government schools to provide for all Zambian kids.  But they are still waiting.  Community schools generally achieve good results; Guardian Angels has a high success rate in the grade 7 exams that pupils must pass in order to progress to secondary school.  And this is the time of year when exams are being written- good luck and blessings, kids!