HOW DOES ISUBILO DO ITS WORK?
SECTION TWO
One of the aims of Isubilo is to put people back on their feet economically. Isubilo works hard to bring back self-sufficiency to the many who have been disenfranchised by AIDS and other chronic sicknesses.
Zambia is blessed with an abundance of good land and water. There is a solid economic future in agriculture for those who wish to apply themselves. Isubilo has had an agricultural component from its inception helping clients to be more self-sufficient by encouraging them to grow vegetables in their back yards for their own use and to sell. In addition every year, clients, volunteers and sometimes staff have been given loans of seed and fertilizer to grow maize for their staple diet, many providing for their whole year’s needs.
We were delighted when 17 hectares of land very close to the Isubilo Centre became available for purchase. The plot has a perennial stream running through with soil ideal for horticulture on the one side and the other ideal for cash crops. We were able to acquire the land to develop with the aim of training some of our clients in agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, fish farming and handling finances. Through this programme we wish to empower whole families to leave dependency and be active participants in the economy of the nation.
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A team visits the local prison weekly to give spiritual help and instill biblical morals and principles. Practical help is provided which includes a regular supply of medication and improving living conditions by spraying for lice and pests, unblocking drains and decorating dorms. A small library has been provided. On release a number of prisoners have been assisted to reintegrate into society. They are put in touch with churches in their locality and given practical assistance soft loans plus agricultural expertise.
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An underweight clinic is held at Isubilo to cater for the smallest ones in our society. We try to take on any child under 5 years old that needs extra attention for some reason or other. This may be because the child’s mother has died or is just too ill to care for the child. Often relatives are unable to provide adequate nutrition due to poverty. Baby milk and nutritional foods are often way beyond the means of families trying to cope with extra mouths to feed. Some of our children are on Antiretroviral Treatment as well as medicine for TB. We give these children extra food and, at the same time, discuss any problems that the carers are having as some of the drug regimes can be quite complicated.
The children come to the clinic once a week where we monitor their weight gain and general health, provide toys for play while we give a talk on a topic like nutrition or hygiene. This is followed by a meal of porridge enriched with some food supplement like Moringa leaves or peanuts.
The clinic is able to help about 30 children at the moment and it is always a happy time for all of us involved!
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Most local schools have insufficient resources to provide adequate education. Help such as refurbishing desks, electrification, provision of sports facilities and classroom aids is given as Isubilo resources allow.
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Isubilo has football, netball, volleyball and table tennis teams all of which compete in local competitions. These teams encourage a sense of identity, teamwork, discipline and commitment and keep young people more productively occupied. A number of sports kits have been donated and local matches arranged.
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Isubilo has a borehole providing water for the needs of the Centre as well as a constant clean water supply for the local population. Long queues are found at our gate daily indicating the inadequacy of the town supply.
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A drama team is available to give presentations on AIDS awareness to schools and churches. Meetings which include health topics and discussion are also held for Isubilo staff and volunteers monthly.
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A mill has been installed to produce high quality mealie-meal for Isubilo use, to grind maize for the local population as well as to produce mealie-meal for sale at a lower cost as a service to the community.
The machine is presently temporarily housed in a building too small for efficient milling. A purpose-built mill house is under construction on the Isubilo plot.
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BACK TO SECTION ONE
