As the sun starts to fall for the last time on this trip we can reflect on an absolutely amazing trip.  We have achieved our objectives and managed to complete another school too and still got Friday afternoon to relax and have a walk round Kaunda Square, the local compound next to our cottages.

Yesterday we installed three computers at Kiine so they now have 8 in the classroom which makes it a lot easier for the children to have access.  While Alisdair and Emma worked at Kiine I went back across town to BIGOCA to return the 2 laptops we had to take away to get the windows licences activated.  On the way back we stopped at Kumbayah to pick the in country team up and had a chance to catch up again with Amos.

After lunch we all went out to visit MacDonalds Farm project and give them 5 laptops for the boys to use for extra schoolwork and revision of some subjects as well as giving them the opportunity to learn about computers.  As always they went out of their way to make us feel very welcome and they are very grateful for the laptops.

Today was our final visit and having 6 pc's left we decided to visit the Mary Aitken Head School and place these in there empty computer lab.  This visit was very special and the cheer that went up when we showed them what we had brought was phenomenal.  The girls sang for us and made us so welcome it brought a tear to my eye.  This project was on our September list but we managed to get it done early.

Reflecting on the week I think we have been overwhelmed by the appreciation of the children and schools and all we brought were a few old computers from the UK (well 50 installed by 3 of us (+ Chika once he was trained) in 4 and a half days) We have overcome a few technical issues and only ended up with one failed PC and one failed laptop which we are bringing back for repair.  But most of all we have been kept motivated by the enthusiasm of the local people.

The children of Zambia are desperate for an education and by providing computers we can help them get a skill to hopefully help them find work when they leave school.

We leave Lusaka in the morning flying down to Harare before going on to Addis Ababa and then back to the UK and hopefully arriving early on Sunday morning.

Good morning everyone this morning we have been putting the 6 computers at Fountain of Hope with Benjamin and Newton.  Kenny was busy meeting this seasons Mission Direct staff team.  We did get a good surprise when Vasco popped in to say hello.

They now have 12 computers in the classrooms which doubles the availability for IT education at this school for some of the most vulnerable children in Lusaka.

I have also had the pleasure of a trip to the local Computer express for a few bits and pieces but could only get 5m VGA monitor leads - so we can now confuse the kids by wiring them up to different computers lol

We will be taking some lunch shortly before going to Sport in Action this afternoon.

I write this as Alisdair co-ordinates all the children for the photos for MD and Re-wired sneaking onto the wifi at FOH.

Take care and catch up soon ..

ps - installing monitors which are the property of the University of Sussex today (I presume they were donated otherwise I know nothing ...)

Another day has passed and another set of problems overcome.

The morning was spent over in Matero at the BIGOCA school where we set out to give them 6 laptops only to find that Computers 4 Africa had not activated the Windows 7 installations they had done for some of them.  Anyway we managed to build the laptops they needed and brought 2 back with us tonight to activate from the internet access we have here.

Alisdair organised to get the kids in the room and teachers for a set of photos which we will hopefully be sharing soon.  After an hour showing the teachers what software we had left them and how to use it we spent some time with the children as they had lunch before heading off to our second call of the day.

At Crown of Life school we shared in lunch with them of rice and chicken before setting to and configuring the 5 laptops to them.  Once complete the whole school turned up in the hall to see and again Alisdair choreographed the photos and got kids sitting at the laptops, teachers over looking them.  Having said a few words to them they sang a very beautiful song for us with all the kids joining in.  Then as if by magic the final bell of the day rang and the whole hall cleared in seconds - except for the 4 kids using the laptops who were too engrossed to notice.  The teachers almost had to prise their hands off them so we could pack away.

All in all a great day 11 computers installed, great kids and Bishop Peter at BIGOCA was so welcoming and helpful we were truly blessed today.

All these children want is a chance to make a better life and I think today was brilliant.

Anyway dinner is calling and then preparing for tomorrow at Fountain of Hope and Sports In Action so 13 machines to do tomorrow ...

Take care and we'll catch up again soon.

Here we are at the EFZ school and just finished the install of 10 computers for them.  Alisdair is now appointed team photographer.

After a few technical issues we have made it - one failing power supply, one failing CD drive and one overheating machine - fixed by cleaning out many years of dust from the fan!  We have one butchered machine at the moment but will look at fixing in the next day or two.

Now ready to show teachers what they have to work with before sorting equipment for next 3 or 4 visits.

Tomorrow we will got BIGOCA and Crown of Life School.

As for the weather - it looks like the team brought british summer with them as it is very grey and rainy today - unheard of at this time of year!

Well it is Saturday already and the team of 2 IT experts arrive tomorrow and will be on their way to the airport as I write this.

Today we have been to investigate the work done at Fountain of Hope and they are ready for us.  The container has been welded up, floor blocked off from sabotage from beneath, electricity installed, benches installed based on the Colin Westlake model installed 18 months ago in the other container.  On Monday they are going to paint the container before we go and put the PC's in later in the week.  The internet café is still running along steadily and we may need to look at a plan to give it more of a profile to increase numbers coming in as it is covering its costs at the moment but we need it to make money.

I have now managed to build one laptop and one desktop ready to walk through with the team and should have the checklists ready in time for Monday.

Called in at the big shopping complex, Manda Hill, for coffee at the Mug and Bean followed by a trip to the hardware store for extension leads with surge protectors in an effort to stop the computers blowing up as the power is up and down like a yoyo here at times.  Also looked at networking kit for Sport in Action to connect the desktop PC's to the internet connection they have. 

Following lunch we took in a trip to the Arcades where we watched the Zambia v Sudan world cup qualifier which was a little disappointing as Zambia should have won but only managed a 1-1 draw. We did take in a nice dessert and coffee to fill in the time.  We did have the kids in tow - Rebecca, Mwanye, Tuliso, Philip who spent their time in the play room.

Well a quiet night tonight followed by a trip to the local church in Chamba Valley in the morning before we head off to the airport to meet Emma and Alisdair as they arrive from their around the world trip from Heathrow to Addis Ababa to Harare to Lusaka courtesy of Ethiopian Airlines.  Lucky them.

Our first job on Monday is down at the EFZ school where we have 10 PC's to set up for them (that is 5 each for the team with me overseeing Martyn Ryan style ..) followed by some training for the teachers at around 15:30. We will also pick up some more equipment for the next couple of days installations.

Just waiting to finalise the trip to MacDonalds farm and then everything should drop into place and a programme for the team prepared.

Well here I am in hot and sunny Lusaka. Arrived yesterday lunchtime via Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines - got to ride the new 787 Dreamliner - wow they are nice.

Visited Dennis at EFZ yesterday afternoon to check out the shipment and everything appears to have arrived.  Brought a few bits back with me to have a look over and work out a build programme.  It is a mixture of Dell and IBM Vista laptops and Dell Desktops.  The workstations they have built for the desktops at EFZ are super and will serve the purpose - it does help having a joinery workshop with lots of willing students.

Caught up with Abe twice as he brought his laptop for me to look at the second time - needs a power supply which should be coming over at the weekend.

After an early night we went up to Kiine school to check out the computers they have and make a note of the build and config we did last time and let them know we will drop in another 4 later this week.

We then took the bumpy route over to Matero compound to visit Bishop Peter at the BIGOCA school to make sure they are ready for us to install next week and wow have they done some work in the last few days - plastered a room installed power points and also provided desks and a metal door. 

Next job is to phone around the various other projects and finalise the plan for next week and start working on the laptops and desktops we brought back yesterday, when the power comes back on.

Will catch up again soon.

Well just about packed now and ready to head off to the airport in the next 30 minutes for my evening flight to Lusaka via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Should land around lunchtime tomorrow and then start the final preparations for the team when they arrive on Sunday to keep them busy all week with 7 projects and almost 50 computers to install.

Hopefully catch up with some old friends at the projects.

Will update as and when I get chance over the next week or so.

Thanks to everyone who has supported us so far, it is really appreciated.

As the song goes - "We're ready to go ..."
Chris

www.re-wired.org