Zambia Society Trust Social Gathering

We were delighted that 58 members and friends were able to attend our social gathering at the Zambia High Commission on Saturday 31st May, and are very grateful to Her Excellency the High Commissioner Macenje Mazoka both for allowing us to use the building and for coming and addressing the meeting after a long overnight flight from Costa Rica where she had been attending a conference. Our thanks are also due to Pat Tembo, one of our trustees, who also flew in that morning from Tanzania and had the energy to chase around London to provide us with Zambian food and drink - chikanda, vitumbuwas and bottles of munkoyo!

After a light buffet lunch, Monica Mulenga and David Gordon gave us a very interesting presentation on the work of The Book Bus in Kitwe, where mobile libraries and their teams of reading mentors are bringing the joy of reading to children in local schools and communities and inspiring them to become confident and literate readers for life. The children love the books and their teachers are seeing the benefits too. They report that school attendances are up and reading levels have improved greatly.

We were also pleased to welcome several representatives of other charities working in Zambia, including Future Pillars Zambia, Zambia Orphans Aid, Village Water and the Diocese of Bath and Wells.