AFRICA-MADAGASCAR
KENYA - A success story(Fr. Ken FORSTER served for several years in the OMI Lacombe Province’s mission in Kenya. He tells of his pleasure in seeing the success of one of the young men that he knew there.)
I had the privilege of visiting Kenya after an absence of three and a half years this past October. I accompanied a Mission Awareness Tour. Twelve Canadians joined me to experience the hospitality and welcome of the Kenyan people. It was a blessing for me to visit with friends and see the continued dedication of my Oblate Brothers who minister there. One of my remarkable days there found me having a cup of tea with a “grateful” young man now in his mid-thirties. Douglas Ikunda had been associated with us and contemplated becoming an Oblate. That was not to be. Later he received an inheritance of a couple of acres of land at his uncle’s passing. We loaned him money to buy tea seedlings to enable him to get his new land into production a year or two earlier than would have been possible without that assistance. Douglas has paid off the loan and his tea is now almost at full maturity to produce optimum kilos. He has a small house and hopes to buy a milking cow this year. After tending his tea meticulously for the past nine years, he will have a net annual income of $2500 for his annual salary. He is just so grateful for our assistance and the blessings given by God to himself and his family. (www.omilacombe.ca, December 18, 2009)
ZAMBIA - Radio Liseli reaches out to school childrenOblate Radio Liseli has launched a new program which reaches out to the schools within Mongu district. This is a program in which primary and secondary schools as well as colleges are given an opportunity to share their historical backgrounds, their success stories, the challenges being faced by the schools and future plans. Other programs being presented by schools include drama, inter-schools debates and programs on the local culture.
The educational programs are aired every Tuesday and Saturday. They are fully supported by the management of Oblate Radio Liseli and the District Education Board Secretary under the Ministry of Education.
Meanwhile, the United States Ambassador to Zambia, Mr. Donald Booth, was on a familiarization tour of the Western Province and took time to see a number of projects that are supported by the U.S government. Some of the projects he visited include a clinic in Nanjucha and a rice growing project supported by the Diocese of Mongu Development Centre (DMDC).
Ambassador Booth also visited Oblate Radio Liseli where he spoke to the Station Manager, Mr. Bella Zulu, who explained to him about the growth of the station and the challenges it faces. Mr. Zulu said the station has partnered with the United States Government in making education accessible to all children through one of the programs aired on the radio called “Learning at Taonga Market”. This program has enabled children to attend formal school on radio under the keen eye of a trained mentor (OMI ZAMBIA November-December 2009)
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