Sport as symbol

It's easy to dismiss sport in the face of poverty and death every day, but often sport brings messages and hope in a way that other means cannot:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7119072.stm

World AIDS Day ride

I know it's going to be cold in Chicago, but don't forget your red ribbons on Saturday ... scroll down to the bottom of the news from today:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/nov07/nov28news3

Smithsonian magazine

Thanks to Raul, our poet librarian, for the heads up on this one: Smithsonian, November issue:

Point. Shoot. See
"In Zambia, a New York City photographer teaches kids orphaned by AIDS how to take pictures. They teach him a lesson about living."
by Jess Blumberg

Thanks Raul!

Chikumbuso

Good news/bad news

Interesting news from the UN today -- a reduction in the total number of HIV/AIDS infections, and the analysis that southern Africa has plateaued a bit. Note that there are still EIGHT countries in sub-Saharan Africa with adult prevalence rates over 15%, including Zambia:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7103163.stm

Back Stateside

It's still a bit strange to be back Stateside, even 72 hours later. Nothing is quite the same, that's for sure!

In an epilogue to my trip, I arrived back in time to participate in an event up in Madison yesterday -- a bike race, where we also displayed for World Bicycle Relief. The people there were so kind, and it was a thrill to be able to share my experiences with them. A great way to get back at it, so to speak!

I've got some observations posted over at http://cstrout.blogspot.com/, and I'll be staying updated on both fronts as we continue our year-end push and get our next projects off the ground. Stay tuned for more soon!

Re-entry

It's Friday, and I'm on my way back to the States. I hate to do this, but please check out my personal blog for photos and story from my last day in Lusaka -- I'm a bit too emotional to try to put together a second entry today.

Cheers!

http://cstrout.blogspot.com

We can only move forward!

These are the photos from our incredible day yesterday, but be sure to check out the video below for a real feeling of what it was like. I will also posted views of Lusaka and the region on my personal blog: http://cstrout.blogspot.com/.

We started out bright and early, leaving from Lusaka -- the city streets were deserted, and we were soon outside of town. As we traveled along the road, we would pass through villages and towns; we knew we were getting close when groups of school children would be walking along the road. Grades 1-7 are free here, although they must purchase their uniforms and books, which is a deterrent in some cases.

Eventually we made our way south through Kafue, and on to Mazabuka and Monze. There, we met up with the World Bicycle Relief truck at the World Vision district headquarters.

And then we headed into the bush. It was stunning!

We arrived at the small village to find a crowd of people in the insaka, awaiting our arrival. Before long, we could hear singing coming up the road -- a truck full of cargivers was making its way nearer. It was amazing -- they pulled up, and the energy was palpable ... all this before they even saw one bicycle!

The singing and dancing continued after they got off the truck. My favorite was a song dedicated to their caregiving: we will move forward, forward, and cannot go back. These volunteers are in it for the long haul, and care for their brethren out of the kindness of their hearts. Watching this was the point at which I broke down crying -- it was so overwhelming.

The truck opened, and a field mechanic began unloading the bikes. The excitement ratched up a notch as the doors opened, and the first bikes came out.

We lined them up next to the insaka.

Eventually the full fleet was out in the hot sun, with World Bicycle Relief Chief Mechanic Baldwin Banda checking to make sure they were in top-notch condition. Baldwin was hired from his bike stand on the side of the road, and is one of the smartest people you will ever meet. He's also a killer-fast racer: No. 2 on the Zambian national squad, having raced all over Africa and Europe. He's on hiatus to help us with World Bicycle Relief, but you can be sure he'll receive some kit soon!

The group gathered to sign contracts and to talk through maintenance requirements and service. We also got a chance to speak, and I have to say, I was at a loss for words. It was all I could do to thank them for the work they do, and thank them for welcoming us into their lives. I assured them that folks back home take heart in the work that they do, and appreciate it!!

Then it was time to hand out the bikes!

Abson (one of our guys in Lusaka), a World Vision staffer, and Dave (our other guy on the ground) got in the act as well.

I was surprised to see young men receiving the bikes -- these are peer educators, working to break down the misinformation about HIV/AIDS through the RAPIDS program. Very cool.

And many of the caregivers had children themselves. They were adorable! But then my heart was broken to hear them cough -- a deep, bronchial cough that can only mean they're fighting something themselves ...

And finally, the caregivers rode away, some of them on the bikes, others catching rides with us back over the hills (their bikes were loaded onto their truck). It was so incredible to be a part of this, and to experience the joy that each bicycle brings!

Today's distribution, Gwembe District

What an absolutely incredible day! More tomorrow -- for now, check this out!!

Why race?

It seemed to me to be a bit of an extravagence when Dave told me I was going to be riding and racing this week. I was coming here to experience "Africa," and to see our programs in action, not spend a recreational weekend playing expat.

And then, yesterday, I got to see first-hand just what sport can mean to people. When Dave got up and said a few words at the awards ceremony, World Bicycle Relief got a huge cheer -- admittedly, less for our program than our pledge of support to the Association. But in being aligned with such a project, in whatever form it may take, is another avenue in which we can make a difference in the lives of the youth of this country.

The main reason for that, in my mind, is that it's being done the right way. Instead of the Zimbabwe cyclocross model -- in which several athletes were taken from Zim to Belgium to compete on the 'cross world cup circuit, and became a two-season reality TV show -- Sean, Rick and the rest of the Association are truly committed to developing grass-roots racing, and to keeping the racing here, on the Continent, as part of the UCI's efforts at spreading cycling around the world. Sure, they want to succeed in a sporting sense -- to be a part of a young man's life who wins a UCI race -- but along the way they are also building self-esteem and hope, proving meals and support, and giving an outlet for these young men (and women!).

It's hard to say what form our relationship with the Association will take, but I can say that I'm happy there is at least a connection. This weekend was a wonderful opportunity to build some relationships, with the coach, the president, the former president and others (not to mention the Munali Coffee family!), and to hear first-hand that they are supportive of the form our programs have taken here. These are people who are from here, or have been here a while, and to know that they believe in the way we're doing things means a lot.

(For a full race report and a couple more photos, visit my personal blog: http://cstrout.blogspot.com/)

Inspirational messages are everywhere here, often with Christian messages. The Athletes in Action logo incoporates a Christian cross, and its signage was very much about envisioning a future.

The World Bicycle Relief team, with Jesper (a PhD candidate in health from Sweden), me, Rick (the Zambian national coach), and Rick's son Sebastian, with his home-made World Bicycle Relief banner. Seb is wearing the jersey of Standard Chartered bank, the main supporter of the Association and the series.

Following the race, participants are treated to lunch -- often the only full meal they will get all day. It's a form of charity, but also a way to increase participation and build on the messages the Association tries to instill of hope and future.

The Zambian National Women's Champion! As in the States, there is a struggle to build women's cycling here. At one race they had 20 participants; yesterday, there was but one. The Association is committed to enrolling more in the future.

And the Zambian National Champion! This young man rode off the front of the group to close an 8-minute gap to rival riders on his own, then went on to win by several minutes. Along the way, he passed first over an intermediate sprint point. So he won money for his race efforts -- and that's him on the banner behind, for which Standard Chartered signed a contract and paid him yesterday to license his image. This may not be the big business it is on the ProTour level, but the same principles apply -- oh, and by the way, he will be using his money to add cement blocks to his house.

Finally, a shot of the "Most Improved Rider" of the year, a young man who rides his heart out with just one arm. He has no left arm below the elbow, and rests it on a time trial pad while controling the bike with his right hand. And he was a motor -- he was with the group through about 120kms of 150. Incredible. Providing an opportunity for him to use his ability is just one of the good things the Association is doing.

The signs

As we drive around, there are signs everywhere.

On buses: "God is Great," "Live Happy," "No Fear."

On the side of the road: "Y'ello Zambia" (a telecom ad), "Live an inexpensive life" (for a supermarket)

And the most disturbing ones, the ones about HIV/AIDS. Giant bilboards scattered throughout the city. Downtown, we saw yesterday the one that haunts me now, a photo of a young girl in 3/4 profile, sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest:

"Sex with me does not cure AIDS."

As with so many of the signs, this one has a double meaning, and it's scary. On the one hand, it highlights the fact that young girls are abused because they are not yet infected. But by the same token, it also draws out one of the many misconceptions that abound regarding HIV/AIDS -- that sex with young children will actually cure the disease.

I found out today that there are between 30,000 and 40,000 "traditional healers" here in Zambia. Traditional medicine is alive and well here, and while Western medicine may not always have the answers, breaking down the misconceptions on disease and health is one of the constant challenges in trying to move this country forward. There are some horrible "cures" here, that unfortunately often include the exploitation of another human being. Like I said, Western thinking may not always be the answer. But it's important to help educate people in disease prevention, else the future continues to be nonexistant.

I'll try to grab photos of some of the signs in the next few days. In the meantime, reflect on just how much your children, and your family's children, and the children of your friends, neighbors and communities, mean to you. They truly do reprensent the future.

Not so normal

A sobering moment came last night when Dave and I were sitting around in the cool evening air, in the insaka behind his house, sharing stories. We were talking about lunch yesterday, the nshima and garnish we shared with the RAPIDS folks:

"For some of them, even in RAPIDS, that was probably the only full meal they have all day."

A light breakfast of tea and a piece of bread, and then a heavy, marginally nutritious meal at lunch, and that would be their food for the day. Even the folks who work in an office. Life seems so "normal" ... and then you remember that 80% of the people in the office have a child in their home that is not theirs biologically -- they are caring for nephews and nieces, or children of friends who have died from disease.

(Nshima is pure starch, a mix of corn and maize, with basically no nutritional value. Its one attribute is that it expands in your stomach, and you feel full. That's why so many of the folks doubled up on it yesterday at lunch, I learned. And it's a challenge for relief organizations trying to teach nutrition -- nshima is such a part of their lives here, that they will often not eat a meal without it.)

Death surrounds you here: tombstones are sold to those who can afford them in the open market on the main road, cemeteries are vast, with people literally pounding rocks for gravel on the side of the road in front of them. But for all that, the people are kind, and the folks at RAPIDS are truly making a difference. I had a chance today to speak to Immanuel, the young man who conducts the business/life skills training as part of the World Bicycle Relief field mechanics training, and it was beautiful to share how excited people in the States are for his work, and to hear in kind just how much of an impact his work is having on the mechanics in the field. For many of them, "they do not live their lives deliberately," having no planning and just hoping that something good will come to them. After even only 2 days of working with Immanuel, the change is palpable, and they can begin to see a future, and "the ideas are flowing."

(An interesting side note of our conversation: often in the States when you speak of your business future, you say to someone, "where do you see yourself in a year, 3 years, 5 years?" We have all had that conversation. It was jarring, therefore, when Immanuel said "And I say to them, where do you see yourself in 3 months, 6 months, one year?" That is the horizon that these folks live with.)

So although life here is as it is in any city, with any "business," it is not so normal after all. And despite the obvious gravity of the situation, there is not an air of hopelessness -- rather, it is a determination that there can be a future for Zambia and its people.

This is the view of the RAPIDS compound from "out back" at the World Bicycle Relief offices. The "small insaka" where we had lunch is there on the right.

And this is the World Bicycle Relief headquarters in Lusaka -- the yellow building in back. We have two offices in that building, with Dave on one side and Abson on the other. This is also the home of the RAPIDS transportation folks, and the small cooking kitchen -- every Monday through Thursday, they start cooking at 10 a.m., and Dave and Abson get to smell it all the way until it's served at 1 p.m. -- talk about a distraction!

Remember when you were in college and tried to get your professors to have class outside? This is sort of like that. This is the "large insaka," where meetings are held. It is also the location of Friday devotions, a sort of morning staff meeting/devotional (World Vision/RAPIDS is faith-based after all) each week. I'm afraid I made us late this morning, and we missed most of it! Woops!

The business of bicycles

Just who are the people in your neighborhood? I got to meet some of them today.

We spent most of the day in the World Bicycle Relief offices, which are co-located in the World Vision RAPIDS office compound. It's an interesting setup -- open, outdoor campus with office clusters and two large, covered patios. Lunch is served Monday through Thursday, the common Zambian meal of nshima and garnish. Nshima is a cornmeal paste a bit thicker than mashed potatoes; garnish is a meat side and a few vegetables, with a heavy gravy (sauce-based, rather than flour based.) Oh, and you eat it with your hand.

The World Vision folks are very nice, and it was great to finally put some faces to names. It's strange, being a visitor but also a World Bicycle Relief employee -- I'm not here on holiday, so business is conducted around me, but the atmosphere is so foreign (and I'm so jet-lagged) that I can't help but feel like I'm just staring and listening, more like I'm a tourist than a colleague.

Then this afternoon we ran a few errands, including visiting the offices of Tata Zambia and Harmos, the micro-finance arm of the Vision Fund in Zambia. Both visits were eye-opening -- the process of Leah's photos coming to life in front of me continues, especially as we toured the assembly operation at Tata. By Western standards, it's not much to look at, but it's clear in speaking about the program that we offer the assemblers an opportunity they otherwise would not have, and that is a good thing.

More program notes later; right now I'm just sort of soaking it all in. It's good to know that we work with such nice people, who clearly want us to succeed on behalf of their countrymen.

On the way

Spent the last couple of days nailing down the Annual Appeal, it will be awesome when we get it out to our donor base. I think it will really connect folks with the work we're doing, in an intimate way they may not otherwise experience. Very cool.

I'm on my way to Lusaka now, sitting in a London Starbucks. The flight over was uneventful, and with enough joe I'm feeling pretty good for it being 5 a.m. Chicago time. The layover here is 11 hours, and the Heathrow Express train has you in Paddington in 15 minutes -- leaving more than enough time to explore Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. It's a georgeous day out, so why am I inside?

Big boost

Quick update: The MSNBC blog from Mr. Larson resulted in a huge bump for World Bicycle Relief -- in terms of web traffic, inquiries, and contributions. His heartfelt story touched a chord with folks, and they have responded. It's so great to see so many people realize The Power of Bicycles!

I'm in Phoenix now, home on Monday, and leave Tuesday for Zambia. Wow. We're on the cusp of launching our annual appeal, and so many other great things are happening ... I'm not sure where to begin!