Streetkids Unlimited

New malaria treatment

2009-01-16T23:13:00.004+02:00

Data confirm absence of side effects and benefit of the simpler treatment schedule:

The results of two new large scale trials show that the combination of dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine (DHA+PQP) not only is effective against uncomplicated malaria in a way which is comparable to other artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), but it also protects patients against new infections for at least two months after treatment. The DHA/PQP combination is very well tolerated with no significant side effects. These notable results were presented at the 57^th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene.

Read it all.

Zambia's President Mwanawasa dies in France

2008-08-19T14:13:00.002+02:00

Reuters writes:

Lusaka (Reuters) — Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa died in a French hospital on Tuesday after suffering a stroke in July, Vice President Rupiah Banda said.

»Fellow countrymen, with deep sorrow and grief, I would like to inform the people of Zambia that our president Dr. Levy Patrick Mwanawasa died this morning at 1030 hours (0830 GMT)«, Banda said on state television.

»I also wish to inform the nation that national mourning starts today and will be for seven days.«

Banda is expected to take over as acting president according to Zambia's constitution and elections would be called.

R.I.P.

Kabwe one of the ten worst polluted places

2007-09-15T11:32:00.000+02:00

A study by the Blacksmith Institute found Kabwe to be one of the ten worst polluted places in the world due mostly to heavy metal (mostly zinc and lead) tailings making their way into the local water supply:

Kabwe, the second largest city in Zambia, is located about 150 km north of the nation's capital, Lusaka, and is one of six towns in the Copperbelt, once Zambia's thriving industrial base. In 1902, rich deposits of lead were discovered there. Mining and smelting commenced soon after and ran almost continuously until 1994 without addressing the potential dangers of lead contamination. The mine and smelter are no longer operating but have left a city poisoned by debilitating concentrations of lead dust in the soil and by metals in the water. In one study, the dispersal in soils of lead, cadmium, copper, and zinc extended over a 20 km radius at levels much higher than those recommended by the World Health Organization.

A small waterway runs from the mine to the center of town and has been used to carry waste from the once active smelter. There are no safeguards or restrictions on use of the waterway and local children use it for bathing. In addition to contaminated water, dry, dusty, lead-laced soils near workers' home are a significant source of contamination for the locals. Most workers and residents are exposed to toxic levels of lead through inhaling dust in these areas.

In some neighbourhoods in Kabwe, blood concentrations of 200 µg/dl or more have been recorded in children and records show average blood levels of children range between 50 and 100 µg/dl. On average, children's blood lead levels in Kabwe are 5 to 10 times the permissible EPA maximum and in many cases are close to those regarded as potentially fatal. Children who play in the soil and young men who scavenge the mines for scraps of metal are most susceptible to lead produced by the mine and smelter.

Loans that change lives

2007-09-05T12:05:00.000+02:00

Stevia

2007-07-24T10:01:00.000+02:00

While there is little doubt that stevia is going to be the next big thing in non-sugar sweeteners, I wonder: Could stevia become a source of income for rural Zambia? Or is the climate in Zambia too hot or too arid for growing this sweet herb?

Wikipedia

2007-07-15T15:21:00.000+02:00

Wikipedia has the following relevant articles:

Blog Africa

2007-07-07T10:33:00.000+02:00

Blog Africa, now a part of Global Voices, has a listing of Africa-related blogs. Anything posted to any of the blogs in the aggregator will end up on the main page of BlogAfrica and in the rss feed BlogAfrica offers as output.

If you are blogging from an African country or about African issues, you could request that your blog be included in the aggregator.

Breaking bones

2007-06-06T16:54:00.000+02:00

As I strolled the town centre last sunday morning, I passed through Broadway which is a haven of street kids. I came across agroup of them fast asleep (they were about twelve) and they were sprawled all over like they had been knocked out by something. Two of them, a bigger boy and a smaller one were fighting over a bottle of bostik glue. Apparently the bigger boy wanted to grab the bottle from the smaller one who wasn't willing to give it away without a fight. So I inquired what the fuss was all about because it wasn't a worthy fight considering the stuff was suicidal.

They answered, “You see, uncle, the guys sleeping here can't wake up even if you shoved them about.” I asked why that was so and he went to say that they are unable to sleep during the night because it's so cold that you feel like your bones are breaking. He said bostic was the only thing that was keeping then warm and once it ran out, you were a goner. Try cuddling or putting on any form of warm clothing and it doesn't work. Fires are inviting policemen so we are doing away from them. We have to sleep low i.e. in hiding so basically we sleep in trenches or run down buildings were the police can't reach us. It's cold and it's the worst part of the year cos we long for warm shelter. Government is not doing enough for us cos even their program to send us to skills training camps is not suitable for us so we have no option but to run away. Uncle, you should try by all means to find a way out for us because we are willing to take up progressive programs.

I looked him deep in the eyes and asked him to convince me by quitting sniffing at bolstic. He grinned and assured me that once things became ok for him, he will quit. We made a deal. I looked at the other guys. They were still sleeping. I sadly bade farewell and moved on.

Safety and efficacy of Coartem

2006-08-22T14:40:00.000+02:00

Yesterday Mulenga et al. published an article in Malaria Journal on the safety and efficacy of lumefantrine–artemether (Coartem® / Riamet®) for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Zambian adults, showing that this new first line regimen is far more efficient than Fansidar in treating uncomplicated malaria in adults.

Great, let's hope and pray that Coartem will become generally available throughout Zambia at affordable prices (one course currently goes for 7 pins and is rarely found in clinics or chemists).

Coartem is procured through who. The faq says:

Q: If this is humanitarian act by Novartis, why charge at all?
A: Novartis is charging on a not-for-profit basis, at a price which, primarily covers the cost of manufacture. At the special who price a treatment course costs us$2.4 for an adult and us$0.90 for the youngest age-group.

Photo album

2006-08-22T14:24:00.000+02:00

There is now a small photo album taken in Ndola during the month of the total solar eclipse in 2001. Enjoy!

Moving on

2005-12-24T09:51:00.000+02:00

Hopefully to greener pastures…

Gome sent me this:

Richard and his friends have plans to study at university. Richard wishes to study Law, James economics, Remmy accounting, while the other intend to do medicine. The jobs I'm arranging for them are aimed at assisting them with upkeep while they save something to go towards their study expenses when they go to university or college.

Kamfwa is still in touch with me. He cannot go back to school because he is a young man now. He learnt carpentry while in remand and he says lack of tools is hampering him from practicing the trade.

As at now we focus more on those going to school due to meagre resources hence we cannot provide regular meals as it was the case sometime back.

We will have a small Christmas celebration service on Sunday 25th December followed by a meal. I expect approximately 100 children to attend. We will use the occassion to give them fatherly advice.

Best wishes for a merry Christmas and a blessed new year 2006.

Sundry news

2005-12-03T20:18:00.000+02:00

Rain, rain, rain…

Gome writes:

It's raining here now and kids on the street are having a very rough time as they have no where dry to sleep coupled with massive hunger. They are living on mangos and throw away foodstuffs from bins. There's been a sudden influx of kids most of who where under our care a few years ago but left for other cities. It's painful to walk in town because there are kids at every turn asking for food of a Kwacha.

Richard, the twins and the other boy James finally completed their final exams on 27th November. This marks another milestone. We will now try our best to get them employment while they wait for their results so that they can be able to save some money from their incomes to pay college fees when they are admitted.

Kamfwa's mum passed away early this year but he is doing a bit of business in Chipulukusu selling salaula, toys and such small merchandise. He also sells sweets in town through his friend. We've spoken a great to him with the hope that he will not squander the opportunity to rebuild his shattered past.

Malaria jab's long-term promise

2005-11-15T18:29:00.000+02:00

Vaccine protects children for 18 months

BBC reports:

A malaria vaccine has been found to protect children in Africa from serious disease for at least 18 months.
Researchers working in Mozambique found the jab cut the risk of clinical malaria by 35% and nearly halved the risk of serious malaria.

Let's pray this will be an important step towards reaching one of the UN millennium goals.

In other news BBC reports:

Fungi native to East Africa could be used as a new tool in the fight against malaria, recent studies suggest.
An international team of scientists from the Netherlands, Tanzania and the UK say their technique could significantly reduce malaria cases.

SNAFU

2005-02-04T07:46:00.000+02:00

Otherwise I'm hopeful…

Gome writes:

The festivities went well with almost 100 children getting warm clothing and meals on Christmas and New Year's days. We also handed out some anti malaria pills and dewormers. Further we visited some of the kids' families and helped out with medicines and a little food.

It's raining really hard though it's warm during the day. The kids on the street are hard hit because trenches are wet and they are chased from corridors, so they have to sleep upright by leaning against the wall so they could easily escape when confronted by watchmen.

As for the school going children they have been chased so I have been out all week begging for time as I look for help to settle something. People who volunteered to assist some of the kids have not come forward yet. This year has been hard because even books have been difficult to get. Otherwise I am hopeful the situation will improve soon.

Zambia reaps bumper crop

2004-09-08T12:18:00.000+02:00

70,000 metric tons exported to Malawi

I just found these good news on BBC News:

After years of drought, Zambia has produced so much maize it is exporting its surplus to its neighbours.

The country experienced one of its worst-ever harvests in 2002, which left almost half the Zambian population short of food.

But this year 70,000 metric tons have already been exported to Malawi, said the deputy agriculture minister.

He attributed the exceptional harvest to good rains and government aid for small-scale farmers.

Yay! :-)

The tale of a young vagabond

2004-08-24T11:30:00.000+02:00

Gome writes:

He was giving the ladies at the door a tough time when I arrived for church service early last Sunday morning. His shirt was a cake of blood and food crumbs, evidence that he had been in skirmishes as well as picking in bins. His hair was crumpled and his skin as grey as ash. It was apparent he was sleeping in trenches or on burnt out heaps of ashes. I looked at him and though he recognised me he simply ignored me, insisting he wanted to go inside the church hall so he could pray to God, but the ladies stood their ground for he was in a bad state. I tried to reason with him but he turned a deaf ear on me. Only after protracted persuations did he give up. I had managed to promise him my used clothes and tackies if he could in turn wash up. So that was the deal to be honoured this Thursday.

His name is Chileshe, another young, promising and intelligent boy who was with us a few years ago. He had aspired to be a pilot and had worked hard in school work at our make shift school. Seeing that his dreams could not be fulfilled due to lack of support to further his school career as well as meet personal and educational needs, he had drifted into the canyon that most boys his age did, the era of cheap drugs and living an outlaw's life. Unfortunately, Chileshe became insane and is now a vagabond, call it a tramp, at his age. I weep at the early demise of another innocent child.

Poor Zambia postpones polls

2004-08-07T05:03:00.000+02:00

Democracy can be expensive

From BBC News:

Local elections in Zambia have been postponed because the government cannot afford to hold them.

The polls had been due in November but have been put back by two years.

Local Government Minister Sylvia Masebo said the $64m it would cost to stage the elections would be better spent on roads and hospitals.

A boy's tale

2004-08-06T12:33:00.000+02:00

Gome writes:

A few weeks ago, I was on my way to see an acquaintance and had to get on a bus. At the bus stop in town, I jumped onto a minibus but had to wait for it to fill up as I was the first passenger.

As I waited, along came a boy carrying a sizable number of plastic bags full of sweets, biscuits and such stuff which he was selling to commuters. He came up to me and we looked each other straight in the face. Our eyes met and the recognition in both of us was apparent. The boy was one of the kids we had looked after and taken to school a few years ago. I remember very well that he was one of the most promising among his peers and got wonderful grades at school. What then had happened?

“Uncle Gome!” he exclaimed. I ignored the greeting and sternly asked him what he was doing, hawking instead of being in class. “Well,” he said, “You have not provided any school uniforms and books for me the past three years and besides that there is the issue of school fees.” “Did you have to drop out of school just like that?” I inquired. “I had no choice,” he replied. “How about your mum?” I pressed. “Mum tried to help but couldn't cope coz she is too poor and as you know there's my sisters and brothers to take care of as well. Dad didn't leave us any estate when he died. These sweets you see are the only source of livelihood for the whole family. If you can come to my aid again, I will gladly go back to school. You used to give us food but you no longer do so. I wouldn't be here if you hadn't stopped your good gestures,” he ended.

I couldn't reply but he saw the driver getting ready to start off so he offered me two sweets. I contemplated declining the items but I could see that he would be deeply hurt so I reluctantly got them he smiled and the driver revved off.

I realised the children need long term assistance if they are to get out of their present predicament as well as be secure. Programs have to run continuosly because once they cease, the children return to square one.

Winter and cold

2004-07-06T18:24:00.000+02:00

Brrr…

Gome sent me this:

The kids and I are fine and streching up from this long Trade Fair holiday. It's very cold here and I haven't been feeling quite well. The kids who are out on the streets are terribly affected and they have to make do with Bostik glue to keep warm. It's a sorry sight but nothing can be done about it since they need practical help in the form of shelter, food and warmth — i.e., clothes and blankets.

Given, Kamfwa, Chilufya

2004-04-20T06:54:00.000+02:00

Solar eclipse

2001-06-21T15:11:00.000+02:00

Yours truly and a bunch of abantu during the solar eclipse at Chisamba, north of Lusaka. Great experience! There's a webcast over at the exploratorium.

streetkids.dk

2000-02-22T12:34:00.000+02:00

The domain streetkids.dk has been registered by yours truly, and will serve as support for the Streetkids Unlimited non-profit streetkids project located in Ndola of Zambia.