Twin Cities Zambia Disability Connection Receives Write-up in Connect

An article on the Twin Cities Zambia Disability Connection was published recently in Connect Magazine, a publication of the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. Here is a link to the article: http://cehd.umn.edu/Pubs/Connect/2008fall/Zambia.html

Editorial on People with Disabilities in Zambia Published in The Times of Zambia

An editorial recently appeared in The Times of Zambia on the need to change the attitudes and actions toward people with disabilities. To read the article, click here.

Zambian Presidential Elections and News Updates

The election of a new president is set to take place in Zambia on October 30, 2008. There are four people running, but only two that are considered to be front runners. Here are a couple of recent articles on Zambia:
Zambian Voter Roll in Dispute

Zambia Faces Uncertain Future

Update on Chawama Special Needs group updated in Friar's Newsletter

Father Patrick recently published an article in the Friar's Newsletter about the work the parish in Chawama is engaged in with people with disabilities. The article appears below:

With deep reflection and experience, Friar Patrick
Chisanga speaks on the trainging he recently
underwent in the USA, (Advanced Leadership
Training Program in Disability Advocacy, Services
and Policy):

I would like to share with you about some activities
going on here at Makeni Friary and Chawama
Parish with regard to the training I did this April in
Minnesota, USA.

As you are aware in August there was a follow-up
visit of our instructors from the USA, who stayed at
our Friary and carried out basic training
programmes here as well as at the Parish.
In agreement with the Parish Priest and his
Executive, I have since slowly began to identify and
meet with people with different disabilities within
Chawama - young-old, men-women, Catholics-non
Catholics; whose need include different degrees of
physical as well as mental developmental
disabilities. The turn-out has always been
overwhelmingly high from the very beginning,
indicating that there is indeed a real need and
pastoral challenge in our area. The number has
since risen to almost 100 people. The team that
visited this August met and spoke with some of them.
They also gave some basic training to a number of
parish community leaders. These have since formed
the core group that is actually identifying and
coordinating these people with various special
needs.

Our first task has been to clarify the expectation of
these people and what we are able to offer.
We emphasise the importance of realising that they
are not alone in this situation and that they can
hear and learn from the experiences of others. Their
voice can also be stronger when they speak as one
united voice. We also deal with the shame, fear and
suspicions that are often associated with such
conditions in the family. Of course, there will be
those with particular medical, mobility, and/or
educational needs, for whom we would have to seek
particular assistance. The USA team is ready to help
when need be.

We are trying as much as we can to empower the
parish community and leadership itself to own and
run this program so as not to burden the community
as well as to guarentee continuity. Some Lusaka
based team members who went with us to the USA
and are directly involved in this ministry are giving
us their support. That is all for now, Thanks and
pace e bene.