The Universal Primary Educational goal of 2015 will not be achieved if government does not address the challenges that have eroded the educational sector.
Government should pay attention to the requirements that enhance effective learning.
Zambia has been ranked among the countries in the sub region that allocate the lowest proportion of its Gross Domestic Product to the education sector.
The water problems at most learning institutions have proved government’s lack of concern to the education sector.
In July, there was a critical water shortage at Namuswa Basic School in Choma.
The water shortage forced some girl pupils to prematurely abandon school.
The fetching of water from outside the school by the pupils had adversely affected learning.
The head teacher at the school explained that the boreholes at the school were non-functional and that the persistent water problem had been reported to the authorities in the district, but they had no solution.
In October, Pemba Boarding High School also in Choma faced the same problem of water.
Again the district commissioner was informed but he seemed to have no solution.
And now, Evelyn Hone College has been indefinitely closed due to water shortage at the institution.
This is not the first time the institution is facing this problem.
The University of Zambia has also on several occasions faced such problems.
The problem of water has been on-going and it is only when it escalates that the government tries to intervene.
It is said that for development to take place, people should be educated in order to handle resources in a rational manner.
But one wonders how people can have quality education if problems of water persist at institutions of learning.
It is high time the government looked into the plight of the education sector in the country.
Friday, January 4, 2008
wealth and youths
Zambian women should not engage in commercial sexual activities to earn a living, but use their God given potentials to transform themselves into women of integrity, Mary Katongo, a third year mature “tuwee” at the University of Zambia has said.
Mercy said it is high time women rose to the occasion by using their integrity through developing entrepreneurship skills.
“Women should be of integrity in all aspects of their lives.”
She has urged women to use resources within according to how God blessed them to transform their lives and those of the communities near them.
She added that women should learn to live within the budgets to avoid falling prey to vices, which affect their integrity, hence, the need to train them in all spheres of life.
Mercy has warned against abusing women and encouraged the victims to report to the nearest law agency once they are abused to bring the culprits to book.
Women should be taught the dangers of HIV/AIDS and the importance of returning to School as a way of improving their lives.
The women have been challenged not to lower their integrity by accepting bribes in their pursuit to better life but should acquire wealth in an acceptable Godly manner.
She said this could only be done if women themselves realised the importance of acquiring wealth in proper Christian manner, unlike driving posh cars using wrong means such as bribery or selling their bodies for sexual activities.
Mercy said it is high time women rose to the occasion by using their integrity through developing entrepreneurship skills.
“Women should be of integrity in all aspects of their lives.”
She has urged women to use resources within according to how God blessed them to transform their lives and those of the communities near them.
She added that women should learn to live within the budgets to avoid falling prey to vices, which affect their integrity, hence, the need to train them in all spheres of life.
Mercy has warned against abusing women and encouraged the victims to report to the nearest law agency once they are abused to bring the culprits to book.
Women should be taught the dangers of HIV/AIDS and the importance of returning to School as a way of improving their lives.
The women have been challenged not to lower their integrity by accepting bribes in their pursuit to better life but should acquire wealth in an acceptable Godly manner.
She said this could only be done if women themselves realised the importance of acquiring wealth in proper Christian manner, unlike driving posh cars using wrong means such as bribery or selling their bodies for sexual activities.
library
The University of Zambia (UNZA) Acting Chief Librarian has said educational standards in the country will not improve to reach international levels if libraries continue to be under funded.
Speaking in an interview with the Lusaka Star, UNZA Acting Chief Librarian Akakandelwa Akakandelwa said wide access to up-to-date information through libraries is the only way students can understand in detail what they are taught during lectures.
Dr. Akakandelwa said UNZA library has limited current books despite being the National Reference Centre and largest library in the country.
He pointed out that it is unfortunate that restocking of the library has not been prioritized due to limited funding to the university by government.
Dr. Akakandelwa said restocking of books needs to done constantly as times are changing and new information has to be provided to suit the current global situations.
He appealed to UNZA management to consider getting a portion of school fees for every semester so as to facilitate constant funding to improve library services.
He added that there has been no budgetary allocation for purchase of new books for the past 20 years as the money given to the library by UNZA administration is exhausted on paying salaries to library staff.
"The library has been relying on book donations from Book Aid International (BIA), Swedish International Aid (SIDA) and the Finish Development Agency (FINIDA) among others," he said.
Dr. Akakandelwa thanked the donors for the books but said that most of these are not directly connected to the university curriculum.
He however, disclosed that the library management has tried to enhance its services by affiliating with the Zambia Library Consortium (ZALICO) which has been in existence for almost four years.
Dr. Akakandelwa said that it is through the consortium that the library has managed to provide about three thousand free electronic books by subscribing to different websites for an amount a single library can not afford.
He urged library users to utilise the online copies as they can be accessed without a password.
However, he bemoaned the under utilisation of online copies as shown by the number of users visiting the sites.
And UNZA former Vice Chancellor Robert Serpell said there is need to teach students how to use the internet for research if they are to fully appreciate the online information.
Prof. Serpell said most of the online journals are too technical for Undergraduate students to clearly understand.
He said most of the information is secondary and takes someone who understands the concepts of primary information to get more sense out of it.
He added that screening software should be introduced in the university in order to detect plagiarism of information from the internet.
Prof. Serpell said data obtained from the internet can easily be plagiarized than from books.
He said the screening method has helped reduce plagiarism cases even in universities which have well stocked libraries such as the University of West Cape in South Africa.
University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) President, Sage Siamuwika said it is unfortunate that the library is not mainly a research place as intended but a study place.
He said management should prioritise library services if the university is to meet the needs of different stakeholders the library serves.
He disclosed that the union is working with the library management in trying to upgrade the library through the installation of more computers connected to internet.
Mr. Siamuwika said more computers will soon be put in the library so that students can use online copies accessed through the library website.
And a fourth year student in the School of Law, Inutu Akolwa has urged UNZASU and library management to speed up the process of putting more computers to back up the library stock.
Ms Akolwa said books recommended on course outlines are limited in the library.
"When the recommended book is available, it has to be shared by five to ten students who have to finish their assignment at the same time," she said.
Ms. Akolwa pointed out that she usually depends on the National Assembly Library which has exclusive usage.
She wondered how students who may not be privileged to use other well stocked libraries can produce quality academic work to earn them good marks.
"In University, we have to rely on research and not understanding things from our own context without empirical information," she said.
.
Speaking in an interview with the Lusaka Star, UNZA Acting Chief Librarian Akakandelwa Akakandelwa said wide access to up-to-date information through libraries is the only way students can understand in detail what they are taught during lectures.
Dr. Akakandelwa said UNZA library has limited current books despite being the National Reference Centre and largest library in the country.
He pointed out that it is unfortunate that restocking of the library has not been prioritized due to limited funding to the university by government.
Dr. Akakandelwa said restocking of books needs to done constantly as times are changing and new information has to be provided to suit the current global situations.
He appealed to UNZA management to consider getting a portion of school fees for every semester so as to facilitate constant funding to improve library services.
He added that there has been no budgetary allocation for purchase of new books for the past 20 years as the money given to the library by UNZA administration is exhausted on paying salaries to library staff.
"The library has been relying on book donations from Book Aid International (BIA), Swedish International Aid (SIDA) and the Finish Development Agency (FINIDA) among others," he said.
Dr. Akakandelwa thanked the donors for the books but said that most of these are not directly connected to the university curriculum.
He however, disclosed that the library management has tried to enhance its services by affiliating with the Zambia Library Consortium (ZALICO) which has been in existence for almost four years.
Dr. Akakandelwa said that it is through the consortium that the library has managed to provide about three thousand free electronic books by subscribing to different websites for an amount a single library can not afford.
He urged library users to utilise the online copies as they can be accessed without a password.
However, he bemoaned the under utilisation of online copies as shown by the number of users visiting the sites.
And UNZA former Vice Chancellor Robert Serpell said there is need to teach students how to use the internet for research if they are to fully appreciate the online information.
Prof. Serpell said most of the online journals are too technical for Undergraduate students to clearly understand.
He said most of the information is secondary and takes someone who understands the concepts of primary information to get more sense out of it.
He added that screening software should be introduced in the university in order to detect plagiarism of information from the internet.
Prof. Serpell said data obtained from the internet can easily be plagiarized than from books.
He said the screening method has helped reduce plagiarism cases even in universities which have well stocked libraries such as the University of West Cape in South Africa.
University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) President, Sage Siamuwika said it is unfortunate that the library is not mainly a research place as intended but a study place.
He said management should prioritise library services if the university is to meet the needs of different stakeholders the library serves.
He disclosed that the union is working with the library management in trying to upgrade the library through the installation of more computers connected to internet.
Mr. Siamuwika said more computers will soon be put in the library so that students can use online copies accessed through the library website.
And a fourth year student in the School of Law, Inutu Akolwa has urged UNZASU and library management to speed up the process of putting more computers to back up the library stock.
Ms Akolwa said books recommended on course outlines are limited in the library.
"When the recommended book is available, it has to be shared by five to ten students who have to finish their assignment at the same time," she said.
Ms. Akolwa pointed out that she usually depends on the National Assembly Library which has exclusive usage.
She wondered how students who may not be privileged to use other well stocked libraries can produce quality academic work to earn them good marks.
"In University, we have to rely on research and not understanding things from our own context without empirical information," she said.
.
library
The University of Zambia (UNZA) Acting Chief Librarian has said educational standards in the country will not improve to reach international levels if libraries continue to be under funded.
Speaking in an interview with the Lusaka Star, UNZA Acting Chief Librarian Akakandelwa Akakandelwa said wide access to up-to-date information through libraries is the only way students can understand in detail what they are taught during lectures.
Dr. Akakandelwa said UNZA library has limited current books despite being the National Reference Centre and largest library in the country.
He pointed out that it is unfortunate that restocking of the library has not been prioritized due to limited funding to the university by government.
Dr. Akakandelwa said restocking of books needs to done constantly as times are changing and new information has to be provided to suit the current global situations.
He appealed to UNZA management to consider getting a portion of school fees for every semester so as to facilitate constant funding to improve library services.
He added that there has been no budgetary allocation for purchase of new books for the past 20 years as the money given to the library by UNZA administration is exhausted on paying salaries to library staff.
"The library has been relying on book donations from Book Aid International (BIA), Swedish International Aid (SIDA) and the Finish Development Agency (FINIDA) among others," he said.
Dr. Akakandelwa thanked the donors for the books but said that most of these are not directly connected to the university curriculum.
He however, disclosed that the library management has tried to enhance its services by affiliating with the Zambia Library Consortium (ZALICO) which has been in existence for almost four years.
Dr. Akakandelwa said that it is through the consortium that the library has managed to provide about three thousand free electronic books by subscribing to different websites for an amount a single library can not afford.
He urged library users to utilise the online copies as they can be accessed without a password.
However, he bemoaned the under utilisation of online copies as shown by the number of users visiting the sites.
And UNZA former Vice Chancellor Robert Serpell said there is need to teach students how to use the internet for research if they are to fully appreciate the online information.
Prof. Serpell said most of the online journals are too technical for Undergraduate students to clearly understand.
He said most of the information is secondary and takes someone who understands the concepts of primary information to get more sense out of it.
He added that screening software should be introduced in the university in order to detect plagiarism of information from the internet.
Prof. Serpell said data obtained from the internet can easily be plagiarized than from books.
He said the screening method has helped reduce plagiarism cases even in universities which have well stocked libraries such as the University of West Cape in South Africa.
University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) President, Sage Siamuwika said it is unfortunate that the library is not mainly a research place as intended but a study place.
He said management should prioritise library services if the university is to meet the needs of different stakeholders the library serves.
He disclosed that the union is working with the library management in trying to upgrade the library through the installation of more computers connected to internet.
Mr. Siamuwika said more computers will soon be put in the library so that students can use online copies accessed through the library website.
And a fourth year student in the School of Law, Inutu Akolwa has urged UNZASU and library management to speed up the process of putting more computers to back up the library stock.
Ms Akolwa said books recommended on course outlines are limited in the library.
"When the recommended book is available, it has to be shared by five to ten students who have to finish their assignment at the same time," she said.
Ms. Akolwa pointed out that she usually depends on the National Assembly Library which has exclusive usage.
She wondered how students who may not be privileged to use other well stocked libraries can produce quality academic work to earn them good marks.
"In University, we have to rely on research and not understanding things from our own context without empirical information," she said.
.
Speaking in an interview with the Lusaka Star, UNZA Acting Chief Librarian Akakandelwa Akakandelwa said wide access to up-to-date information through libraries is the only way students can understand in detail what they are taught during lectures.
Dr. Akakandelwa said UNZA library has limited current books despite being the National Reference Centre and largest library in the country.
He pointed out that it is unfortunate that restocking of the library has not been prioritized due to limited funding to the university by government.
Dr. Akakandelwa said restocking of books needs to done constantly as times are changing and new information has to be provided to suit the current global situations.
He appealed to UNZA management to consider getting a portion of school fees for every semester so as to facilitate constant funding to improve library services.
He added that there has been no budgetary allocation for purchase of new books for the past 20 years as the money given to the library by UNZA administration is exhausted on paying salaries to library staff.
"The library has been relying on book donations from Book Aid International (BIA), Swedish International Aid (SIDA) and the Finish Development Agency (FINIDA) among others," he said.
Dr. Akakandelwa thanked the donors for the books but said that most of these are not directly connected to the university curriculum.
He however, disclosed that the library management has tried to enhance its services by affiliating with the Zambia Library Consortium (ZALICO) which has been in existence for almost four years.
Dr. Akakandelwa said that it is through the consortium that the library has managed to provide about three thousand free electronic books by subscribing to different websites for an amount a single library can not afford.
He urged library users to utilise the online copies as they can be accessed without a password.
However, he bemoaned the under utilisation of online copies as shown by the number of users visiting the sites.
And UNZA former Vice Chancellor Robert Serpell said there is need to teach students how to use the internet for research if they are to fully appreciate the online information.
Prof. Serpell said most of the online journals are too technical for Undergraduate students to clearly understand.
He said most of the information is secondary and takes someone who understands the concepts of primary information to get more sense out of it.
He added that screening software should be introduced in the university in order to detect plagiarism of information from the internet.
Prof. Serpell said data obtained from the internet can easily be plagiarized than from books.
He said the screening method has helped reduce plagiarism cases even in universities which have well stocked libraries such as the University of West Cape in South Africa.
University of Zambia Students Union (UNZASU) President, Sage Siamuwika said it is unfortunate that the library is not mainly a research place as intended but a study place.
He said management should prioritise library services if the university is to meet the needs of different stakeholders the library serves.
He disclosed that the union is working with the library management in trying to upgrade the library through the installation of more computers connected to internet.
Mr. Siamuwika said more computers will soon be put in the library so that students can use online copies accessed through the library website.
And a fourth year student in the School of Law, Inutu Akolwa has urged UNZASU and library management to speed up the process of putting more computers to back up the library stock.
Ms Akolwa said books recommended on course outlines are limited in the library.
"When the recommended book is available, it has to be shared by five to ten students who have to finish their assignment at the same time," she said.
Ms. Akolwa pointed out that she usually depends on the National Assembly Library which has exclusive usage.
She wondered how students who may not be privileged to use other well stocked libraries can produce quality academic work to earn them good marks.
"In University, we have to rely on research and not understanding things from our own context without empirical information," she said.
.
AIDS challenges among youths
“I wish I was the only HIV positive person on earth today because I can definitely keep the promise and my doing so would let me die with the virus thereby eliminating AIDS from the earth for good. If I was the only person having it, it could end with me.”
These are the words of Bernard Kampolombo a second year student in the School of Education at the University of Zambia (UNZA). Bernard is HIV positive and as he utters these words he says them with an indescribable passion. The look in his eyes says he means them with all his heart.
The first time you meet Bernard you would think otherwise about his HIV status. He is a lively healthy looking person with a huge sense of humour. He is a down to earth kind of person. He says most people do not exactly believe him once he discloses his status. And you cannot really blame them because even his body physique is like that of an athletic person.
Born in the North Western Province of Zambia 34 years ago, Bernard says his life has taken a new turn ever since he found out he was positive. He recalls the fateful day in July of 2005 when he learnt of his status at a time when he was in a serious relationship with a girl he was so much in love with and wanted to marry.
Because he loved his fiancée so much, Bernard decided that they go for an HIV test before they tied the knot. His fiancée did not see the need for the test because as a couple they had been faithful to each other and had abstained from sex since their relationship began. But eventually she agreed to go for the test. With the trust they had in one another, they decided to go for the testing together. They wanted their results to be announced in each other’s presence.
For Bernard, taking the HIV test was also just like one of those by the way things that everyone does in life. He says for him it was just a process that he had to go through, not because he thought he was positive. The thought of being positive never even crossed his mind. Little did he know that behind that test lay something that would end up determining whatever decision he made in life from then on.
When the counselor brought their test results and announced that he was positive, Bernard was shocked and for the first time in his adult life he cried.
“I cried for over thirty minutes. That is the longest time I have ever cried in my adult life,” he says.
Bernard explains that he felt like he was just having a bad dream at that moment and he even wished someone could just pinch to wake him up and tell him it was all a dream. But it was reality. He was shaken to the core of his heart and could not believe it. And the counselor attending to them also thought the results were wrong and might have been switched for another clients’. She told him he did not look one bit positive. To make sure of this, she took the results for confirmation with lab technician who had done the test and yes Bernard’s results had not been switched. He was HIV positive. That was the reality of the moment.
He felt like everything he had been building career wise was now shattered. Bernard is a teacher and had acquired teaching Diploma (Science) and certificate from Nkrumah and Solwezi teachers’ training College respectively. His dream in life was to become a teacher. All his life he had wanted to aim high and teaching just seemed like the route to his success in life. He was trying to build a personality for himself and the knowledge of being HIV positive made him feel his dreams had been shattered.
The big questions that kept resounding in his mind at that moment were how? when? and who? He was confused. He says he knew all the ways that people acquired the virus and the major way was through having unprotected sex with an infected person. Yes, he had had unprotected sex way back in the 1990s. He recalls that the first time he had sex was in grade seven in 1990 and it was just something he did just because he and his peers on a school football team had done when they went out for games. The relationship with the girl he first had sex with was not even a serious one. It was just child’s play.
Bernard seems to be sure that if he had indeed gotten infected when he had sex for the second time in 1991 in grade eight. He explains that this relationship was not one that he had planned or wished to get into. It just happened. One of his peers had organised a girl for him and she seemed more than willing to be in a relationship with him. As usual, he did not love the girl. It was just about experimenting with sex as most teenagers do; trying to explore the unknown. Bernard remembers having unprotected sex with this girl on two occasions.
“A few months after these sexual encounters I got a sexually transmitted infection (STI),” he adds. He quickly got the STI treated, but months later he developed Herpes Zoster on his abdomen which he also got treated himself.
All this time, it had not occurred to Bernard that all these illnesses were linked to the fact that his immune system was slowly deteriorating. The HIV was taking his toll.
However, suffering from the STI made Bernard vow never to indulge in sex because he says the treatment process for the STI was the most painful thing he had ever experienced.
“I decided that if sex could bring me such pain I would never have it until I was ready and that was until I was married. So, since Grade eight I abstained,” This is the more reason why he was confused about where the virus had come from.
Bernard had turned a new leaf. His academic performance became excellent and he used to spend most of his time in books and as such managed to pass to go to Grade ten with flying colours. He was made prefect in grade eleven and was the jets chairperson. He was a shining example of what a perfect student and morally upright person is. Most of his fellow pupils used to look up to him. He was their role model.
“If I was told to put my life records on a billboard years after grade 8, I think I can do it with pleasure because I am so sure I led a clean and morally upright life,” he emphasizes.
He did have female friends after grade eight and just friendship is it was; no strings attached. No sex. Even as he went through Nkrumah and Solwezi colleges he was still as disciplined. Temptations would come, but he always managed to over come them by just standing his ground and simply remembering the vow he had made to himself.
Days after the HIV diagnosis Bernard could not sleep most nights and so he turned to sleeping tablets to take him to sleep every night. In addition, for the first time in his life he turned to alcohol to forget his troubles. He had withdrawn from most social activities. “I could lock myself up in my room and just drink the hard stuff mostly spirits as these could get me high and then take me to sleep,” he recollects.
Slowly, Bernard started accepting his status and decided not to dwell on spilt milk but to move on in life because this was a situation he could not do anything about. The deed was done.
In the same year (2005) that he found out his status, Bernard got accepted to study at the University of Zambia and this turned out to be a debate for him. Whether to go to UNZA or not. He wondered what the point of coming to UNZA was if he was positive. He actually thought once positive your life is over.
After a lot of thought, he decided to go UNZA in the hope that the studies would help him forget about what he was going through. He thought being busy with schoolwork would relieve him of the burden of thinking about his status. Meanwhile, he started taking Antiretroviral Drugs because after taking the reconfirming HIV status test which was also positive, his CD4 count had gone down to 60 way below the normal of over 200.The doctor attending to him actually told him it was a miracle that he was still healthy and not suffering from any opportunistic infections.
And when he came to UNZA in 2006 he was worried about his ARVS running out as he had registered with a clinic from back home. This really worried him so he decided to go to UNZA Clinic to find out about whether they gave ARVS to students and to his amazement there was more in store for him apart from the drugs. He was asked whether he could help reach out to students on HIV related issues considering that he was positive. Without hesitation he agreed to be a Health Promoter under Zambia Malawi Namibia Western Cape University (ZAMANAWE), an organisation that coordinates HIV/AIDS Activities in the four named Universities. This meant he had to go public about his status.
Bernard was very comfortable about going public about his status, which is quite a daunting thing to do for most HIV positive people. He decided that if his life had changed it was time to make the most of it. And he thought teaching others about HIV/AIDS was the best way to go about it. The only problem he was facing was that after telling some of his friends about it some of them were advised him not to.
“While I appreciated their advice, I decided that this was not up to my friends but up to me and so on 1st December of 2006 which was World AIDS day I made my first public appearance and it felt good and rewarding,” he recalls.
Reaching out to others about HIV /AIDS to Bernard feels like it is a responsibility he had to take up. “It is my life project,” he says. It is feels like a new field and I am not going to give up on it. People have to learn about HIV / AIDS.” He adds that, even if three out of ten people listen to him it is fine because he will live to remember that he taught someone something that would save their life.
Bernard says he has spoken to a number of students about HIV/AIDS within UNZA and numerous other schools and he admits that he has had challenges especially where most of them would rather not go for VCT.
“VCT is something people should take seriously; it helps save your life. It has to be a responsibility that some one takes up because of the ones he or she loves,” he adds. He says most people could be HIV positive without knowing and will only realise it when its too late which was what happened to him, but was lucky enough to be put on ARVS that have been sustaining his life so far.
“You can be healthy for a number of years without realising that you are carrying the virus. Am a perfect example; it took the virus almost 17 years to manifest, but it was there all the time.
Bernard admits that life has not been easy as a person and student living with the virus, but he says he just takes one day at a time remembering that he has a role to play of teaching others about HIV /AIDS and sharing his life experiences. Life has given him a different direction and he feels he has to give himself up for one or two lives.
And it looks like Bernard’s efforts are paying up. Just recently on this year’s World AIDS Day, he scooped the ‘UNZA Award’ for best UNZA Health Promoter. He says this award is a great inspiration to him as he is even more motivated to teach more people about the pandemic.
His major appeal to young people is for them to abstain from sex until they get married, which he did after grade 8 only for him, it was already too late. He was already infected with the virus. He adds that in this era of information explosion parents should also take up the role of telling their children about HIV/AIDS and the dangers of unprotected sex. He says it is high time that parents started calling a spade a spade.
“Issues of sex have to be talked about openly in the homes, there is no time to beat about the bush,” he says. Bernard adds that the family is the route to the community and once families know about HIV/AIDS they can relay it to communities and the communities will in turn relay the knowledge to the nation at large.
“Spreading, AIDS is like setting fire to the same forest you are in, because not taking precautions will make you infect all those innocent people in the world including your own family members,” he says.
He adds that talking about AIDS and other sexual issues seriously will help us save many people that are at risk of getting burnt especially the young ones who are also our future leaders.
“That is why I wish I was the only HIV positive person on earth because I would ensure that it ended with me. As such, right now am being faithful to all humanity in that am abstaining considering that am infected, am also teaching others about HIV, abstinence, faithfulness, condom use and the importance of going for VCT in good time. I am not setting the fire to the forest I am in,” he states.
It is clear that the sky is the limit for Bernard Kampolombo; his dream of reaching out to people about HIV/AIDS is exactly what his ‘life project’ is all about.
These are the words of Bernard Kampolombo a second year student in the School of Education at the University of Zambia (UNZA). Bernard is HIV positive and as he utters these words he says them with an indescribable passion. The look in his eyes says he means them with all his heart.
The first time you meet Bernard you would think otherwise about his HIV status. He is a lively healthy looking person with a huge sense of humour. He is a down to earth kind of person. He says most people do not exactly believe him once he discloses his status. And you cannot really blame them because even his body physique is like that of an athletic person.
Born in the North Western Province of Zambia 34 years ago, Bernard says his life has taken a new turn ever since he found out he was positive. He recalls the fateful day in July of 2005 when he learnt of his status at a time when he was in a serious relationship with a girl he was so much in love with and wanted to marry.
Because he loved his fiancée so much, Bernard decided that they go for an HIV test before they tied the knot. His fiancée did not see the need for the test because as a couple they had been faithful to each other and had abstained from sex since their relationship began. But eventually she agreed to go for the test. With the trust they had in one another, they decided to go for the testing together. They wanted their results to be announced in each other’s presence.
For Bernard, taking the HIV test was also just like one of those by the way things that everyone does in life. He says for him it was just a process that he had to go through, not because he thought he was positive. The thought of being positive never even crossed his mind. Little did he know that behind that test lay something that would end up determining whatever decision he made in life from then on.
When the counselor brought their test results and announced that he was positive, Bernard was shocked and for the first time in his adult life he cried.
“I cried for over thirty minutes. That is the longest time I have ever cried in my adult life,” he says.
Bernard explains that he felt like he was just having a bad dream at that moment and he even wished someone could just pinch to wake him up and tell him it was all a dream. But it was reality. He was shaken to the core of his heart and could not believe it. And the counselor attending to them also thought the results were wrong and might have been switched for another clients’. She told him he did not look one bit positive. To make sure of this, she took the results for confirmation with lab technician who had done the test and yes Bernard’s results had not been switched. He was HIV positive. That was the reality of the moment.
He felt like everything he had been building career wise was now shattered. Bernard is a teacher and had acquired teaching Diploma (Science) and certificate from Nkrumah and Solwezi teachers’ training College respectively. His dream in life was to become a teacher. All his life he had wanted to aim high and teaching just seemed like the route to his success in life. He was trying to build a personality for himself and the knowledge of being HIV positive made him feel his dreams had been shattered.
The big questions that kept resounding in his mind at that moment were how? when? and who? He was confused. He says he knew all the ways that people acquired the virus and the major way was through having unprotected sex with an infected person. Yes, he had had unprotected sex way back in the 1990s. He recalls that the first time he had sex was in grade seven in 1990 and it was just something he did just because he and his peers on a school football team had done when they went out for games. The relationship with the girl he first had sex with was not even a serious one. It was just child’s play.
Bernard seems to be sure that if he had indeed gotten infected when he had sex for the second time in 1991 in grade eight. He explains that this relationship was not one that he had planned or wished to get into. It just happened. One of his peers had organised a girl for him and she seemed more than willing to be in a relationship with him. As usual, he did not love the girl. It was just about experimenting with sex as most teenagers do; trying to explore the unknown. Bernard remembers having unprotected sex with this girl on two occasions.
“A few months after these sexual encounters I got a sexually transmitted infection (STI),” he adds. He quickly got the STI treated, but months later he developed Herpes Zoster on his abdomen which he also got treated himself.
All this time, it had not occurred to Bernard that all these illnesses were linked to the fact that his immune system was slowly deteriorating. The HIV was taking his toll.
However, suffering from the STI made Bernard vow never to indulge in sex because he says the treatment process for the STI was the most painful thing he had ever experienced.
“I decided that if sex could bring me such pain I would never have it until I was ready and that was until I was married. So, since Grade eight I abstained,” This is the more reason why he was confused about where the virus had come from.
Bernard had turned a new leaf. His academic performance became excellent and he used to spend most of his time in books and as such managed to pass to go to Grade ten with flying colours. He was made prefect in grade eleven and was the jets chairperson. He was a shining example of what a perfect student and morally upright person is. Most of his fellow pupils used to look up to him. He was their role model.
“If I was told to put my life records on a billboard years after grade 8, I think I can do it with pleasure because I am so sure I led a clean and morally upright life,” he emphasizes.
He did have female friends after grade eight and just friendship is it was; no strings attached. No sex. Even as he went through Nkrumah and Solwezi colleges he was still as disciplined. Temptations would come, but he always managed to over come them by just standing his ground and simply remembering the vow he had made to himself.
Days after the HIV diagnosis Bernard could not sleep most nights and so he turned to sleeping tablets to take him to sleep every night. In addition, for the first time in his life he turned to alcohol to forget his troubles. He had withdrawn from most social activities. “I could lock myself up in my room and just drink the hard stuff mostly spirits as these could get me high and then take me to sleep,” he recollects.
Slowly, Bernard started accepting his status and decided not to dwell on spilt milk but to move on in life because this was a situation he could not do anything about. The deed was done.
In the same year (2005) that he found out his status, Bernard got accepted to study at the University of Zambia and this turned out to be a debate for him. Whether to go to UNZA or not. He wondered what the point of coming to UNZA was if he was positive. He actually thought once positive your life is over.
After a lot of thought, he decided to go UNZA in the hope that the studies would help him forget about what he was going through. He thought being busy with schoolwork would relieve him of the burden of thinking about his status. Meanwhile, he started taking Antiretroviral Drugs because after taking the reconfirming HIV status test which was also positive, his CD4 count had gone down to 60 way below the normal of over 200.The doctor attending to him actually told him it was a miracle that he was still healthy and not suffering from any opportunistic infections.
And when he came to UNZA in 2006 he was worried about his ARVS running out as he had registered with a clinic from back home. This really worried him so he decided to go to UNZA Clinic to find out about whether they gave ARVS to students and to his amazement there was more in store for him apart from the drugs. He was asked whether he could help reach out to students on HIV related issues considering that he was positive. Without hesitation he agreed to be a Health Promoter under Zambia Malawi Namibia Western Cape University (ZAMANAWE), an organisation that coordinates HIV/AIDS Activities in the four named Universities. This meant he had to go public about his status.
Bernard was very comfortable about going public about his status, which is quite a daunting thing to do for most HIV positive people. He decided that if his life had changed it was time to make the most of it. And he thought teaching others about HIV/AIDS was the best way to go about it. The only problem he was facing was that after telling some of his friends about it some of them were advised him not to.
“While I appreciated their advice, I decided that this was not up to my friends but up to me and so on 1st December of 2006 which was World AIDS day I made my first public appearance and it felt good and rewarding,” he recalls.
Reaching out to others about HIV /AIDS to Bernard feels like it is a responsibility he had to take up. “It is my life project,” he says. It is feels like a new field and I am not going to give up on it. People have to learn about HIV / AIDS.” He adds that, even if three out of ten people listen to him it is fine because he will live to remember that he taught someone something that would save their life.
Bernard says he has spoken to a number of students about HIV/AIDS within UNZA and numerous other schools and he admits that he has had challenges especially where most of them would rather not go for VCT.
“VCT is something people should take seriously; it helps save your life. It has to be a responsibility that some one takes up because of the ones he or she loves,” he adds. He says most people could be HIV positive without knowing and will only realise it when its too late which was what happened to him, but was lucky enough to be put on ARVS that have been sustaining his life so far.
“You can be healthy for a number of years without realising that you are carrying the virus. Am a perfect example; it took the virus almost 17 years to manifest, but it was there all the time.
Bernard admits that life has not been easy as a person and student living with the virus, but he says he just takes one day at a time remembering that he has a role to play of teaching others about HIV /AIDS and sharing his life experiences. Life has given him a different direction and he feels he has to give himself up for one or two lives.
And it looks like Bernard’s efforts are paying up. Just recently on this year’s World AIDS Day, he scooped the ‘UNZA Award’ for best UNZA Health Promoter. He says this award is a great inspiration to him as he is even more motivated to teach more people about the pandemic.
His major appeal to young people is for them to abstain from sex until they get married, which he did after grade 8 only for him, it was already too late. He was already infected with the virus. He adds that in this era of information explosion parents should also take up the role of telling their children about HIV/AIDS and the dangers of unprotected sex. He says it is high time that parents started calling a spade a spade.
“Issues of sex have to be talked about openly in the homes, there is no time to beat about the bush,” he says. Bernard adds that the family is the route to the community and once families know about HIV/AIDS they can relay it to communities and the communities will in turn relay the knowledge to the nation at large.
“Spreading, AIDS is like setting fire to the same forest you are in, because not taking precautions will make you infect all those innocent people in the world including your own family members,” he says.
He adds that talking about AIDS and other sexual issues seriously will help us save many people that are at risk of getting burnt especially the young ones who are also our future leaders.
“That is why I wish I was the only HIV positive person on earth because I would ensure that it ended with me. As such, right now am being faithful to all humanity in that am abstaining considering that am infected, am also teaching others about HIV, abstinence, faithfulness, condom use and the importance of going for VCT in good time. I am not setting the fire to the forest I am in,” he states.
It is clear that the sky is the limit for Bernard Kampolombo; his dream of reaching out to people about HIV/AIDS is exactly what his ‘life project’ is all about.
which music do you go for as a young people
Reggae Feature Lusaka Star
Music is music, no matter what kind of music it is still music.
Album: Talking Blues
Musician: Bob Marley
Reggae music is finally coming to an age where its musicians and fans would no longer be seen as lay about, vagabonds and scroungers.
With the new generation ragamuffin and ragatone taking the world of music by storm, many have had to change their past misconceptions about reggae music and consider it from a new perspective.
Reggae is a music that originally started in Jamaica by the drumming of the slaves, but can trace its roots to West Africa.
Sociologist Anthony Giddens notes that the slaves managed to keep alive the tradition of African drumming by integrating it with the European musical styles imposed by the slave owners at times.
Giddens continues to say that the emergence of the Rastafarian movement proved crucial for the development of reggae. The movement merged its themes with the Burru style of drumming which produced a unique music calling out to an end of oppression and liberation.
The music as it is now is miles ahead of what was known as reggae in the 1950s. Though the music could be said to be becoming more radical with the Bobo faction within the movement out rightly chanting against the social evils in society, it can also be said to be joining ranks with hip-hop and rhythm and blues (R and B).
In the recent past, old timers in the ragamuffin scenes like Beenieman, Shaggy and Bounty Killer have been introducing more hip-hop beats in to their songs and even doing collaborations with hip-hop and R and B musicians.
Bounty Killer who is one of the popular old school ragamuffin musicians has over the years done a string of songs with hip-hop musicians such as Busta Rhymes, Jero da Damaja, and the Fugees. Beenieman, another old school raga musician, recently did a song with Janet Jackson, and Dermain Marley (Juniour Gong) has done a song along side Mr. Chicks of the Lost Boys, and the female hip-hop rapper Eve.
The collaborations between reggae musicians and musicians from other genres of music is not a new concept in reggae, as it has been attempted by legendary reggae musician Peter Tosh who did the song Don’t Look Back with Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones.
Bob Marley’s son Junior Gong presents an interesting case in reggae music, with most reggae fans and disk jockeys uncertain on whether to classify his music as reggae or hip-hop. Same applies to the musician Wayne Wonder and Shaggy.
Junior Gong together with his brother Kymani Marley, who is also riding high in the reggae chats have in deed proved that talent can run through a family.
Comparing the two musicians with the rest of the Marley’s family only exposes one to disappointments in terms of music. Most of Bob Marley’s family have tried being musicians but have not achieved much in their attempts. Bob’s mother (Cedela Marley), wife (Rita Marley), and the children who formed the band Melody Makers under the guidance of Ziggy Marley have not been a hit in the music industry.
However, the merging of reggae with other music forms is not a new phenomenon. Giddens observes that it was an amalgamation of different music styles that made reggae possible.
He says that in the late 1950s, West Indian musicians began mixing Rastafarian rhythms and lyrics with elements of American jazz and black R and B. This combination eventually developed into ‘Ska’ music, and then, in the late 1960s, into reggae.
Giddens continues to note that in the 1980s and 1990s, reggae was fused with hip-hop to produce new sounds, as can be heard in the work of the groups Wu-Tang Clan and the Fugees.
The change in reggae within itself to create a variety of forms can be credited to producers and musicians who have been willing to experiment with beats and vocals.
Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare have been identified as being among the most influential producers who led to the rise of the modern dancehall. Their work as part of Peter Tosh’s hand could best be described as ground breaking and indicated the start of a new style within reggae music.
The two producers, with Tosh’s encouragement came up with new beats that included instruments that were not used in reggae and tried new ideas with the arrangement of beats.
It is also through the willingness of musicians to try out new ideas that reggae has been able to grow to its current status.
From the days of Daddy I-Roy, who was one of the first reggae musicians to chant reggae lyrics over the radio, at a time when Bob Marley only had a dream of becoming a musician, the music has come a long way with new categories of the music being established.
These categories include variety such as roots reggae, dancehall, ragamuffin, chant, and more recently ragatone and new generation ragamuffin.
Marcia Griffins, one of the former member of the I-Three (back-up vocals in Bob Marley’s band), credits the new generation ragamuffin artists like Elephantman and Lexxus as having open new venues in which reggae can attract more fans.
Ragatone, on the other hand, is an interesting mix of music that has aspects of ragamuffin, techno (rave/dance) and Latino hip-hop.
Earlier on, ragatone did borrow heavily from the ragamuffin rhythm, with the prominent among them being the Bam-bam beat (as previously used by musicians such as Pliers in the song Bam-bam).
However, the ragatone beats are advancing by the day with established musicians such as Enrique Iglesias and R. Kelly trying their hands on the music genre.
It is, however, sad to note that as reggae advances, most of the songs that are being produced are neglecting the underlying messages that formed the basis of the music, which are equal rights, justice and respect for all mankind.
Music is music, no matter what kind of music it is still music.
Album: Talking Blues
Musician: Bob Marley
Reggae music is finally coming to an age where its musicians and fans would no longer be seen as lay about, vagabonds and scroungers.
With the new generation ragamuffin and ragatone taking the world of music by storm, many have had to change their past misconceptions about reggae music and consider it from a new perspective.
Reggae is a music that originally started in Jamaica by the drumming of the slaves, but can trace its roots to West Africa.
Sociologist Anthony Giddens notes that the slaves managed to keep alive the tradition of African drumming by integrating it with the European musical styles imposed by the slave owners at times.
Giddens continues to say that the emergence of the Rastafarian movement proved crucial for the development of reggae. The movement merged its themes with the Burru style of drumming which produced a unique music calling out to an end of oppression and liberation.
The music as it is now is miles ahead of what was known as reggae in the 1950s. Though the music could be said to be becoming more radical with the Bobo faction within the movement out rightly chanting against the social evils in society, it can also be said to be joining ranks with hip-hop and rhythm and blues (R and B).
In the recent past, old timers in the ragamuffin scenes like Beenieman, Shaggy and Bounty Killer have been introducing more hip-hop beats in to their songs and even doing collaborations with hip-hop and R and B musicians.
Bounty Killer who is one of the popular old school ragamuffin musicians has over the years done a string of songs with hip-hop musicians such as Busta Rhymes, Jero da Damaja, and the Fugees. Beenieman, another old school raga musician, recently did a song with Janet Jackson, and Dermain Marley (Juniour Gong) has done a song along side Mr. Chicks of the Lost Boys, and the female hip-hop rapper Eve.
The collaborations between reggae musicians and musicians from other genres of music is not a new concept in reggae, as it has been attempted by legendary reggae musician Peter Tosh who did the song Don’t Look Back with Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones.
Bob Marley’s son Junior Gong presents an interesting case in reggae music, with most reggae fans and disk jockeys uncertain on whether to classify his music as reggae or hip-hop. Same applies to the musician Wayne Wonder and Shaggy.
Junior Gong together with his brother Kymani Marley, who is also riding high in the reggae chats have in deed proved that talent can run through a family.
Comparing the two musicians with the rest of the Marley’s family only exposes one to disappointments in terms of music. Most of Bob Marley’s family have tried being musicians but have not achieved much in their attempts. Bob’s mother (Cedela Marley), wife (Rita Marley), and the children who formed the band Melody Makers under the guidance of Ziggy Marley have not been a hit in the music industry.
However, the merging of reggae with other music forms is not a new phenomenon. Giddens observes that it was an amalgamation of different music styles that made reggae possible.
He says that in the late 1950s, West Indian musicians began mixing Rastafarian rhythms and lyrics with elements of American jazz and black R and B. This combination eventually developed into ‘Ska’ music, and then, in the late 1960s, into reggae.
Giddens continues to note that in the 1980s and 1990s, reggae was fused with hip-hop to produce new sounds, as can be heard in the work of the groups Wu-Tang Clan and the Fugees.
The change in reggae within itself to create a variety of forms can be credited to producers and musicians who have been willing to experiment with beats and vocals.
Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare have been identified as being among the most influential producers who led to the rise of the modern dancehall. Their work as part of Peter Tosh’s hand could best be described as ground breaking and indicated the start of a new style within reggae music.
The two producers, with Tosh’s encouragement came up with new beats that included instruments that were not used in reggae and tried new ideas with the arrangement of beats.
It is also through the willingness of musicians to try out new ideas that reggae has been able to grow to its current status.
From the days of Daddy I-Roy, who was one of the first reggae musicians to chant reggae lyrics over the radio, at a time when Bob Marley only had a dream of becoming a musician, the music has come a long way with new categories of the music being established.
These categories include variety such as roots reggae, dancehall, ragamuffin, chant, and more recently ragatone and new generation ragamuffin.
Marcia Griffins, one of the former member of the I-Three (back-up vocals in Bob Marley’s band), credits the new generation ragamuffin artists like Elephantman and Lexxus as having open new venues in which reggae can attract more fans.
Ragatone, on the other hand, is an interesting mix of music that has aspects of ragamuffin, techno (rave/dance) and Latino hip-hop.
Earlier on, ragatone did borrow heavily from the ragamuffin rhythm, with the prominent among them being the Bam-bam beat (as previously used by musicians such as Pliers in the song Bam-bam).
However, the ragatone beats are advancing by the day with established musicians such as Enrique Iglesias and R. Kelly trying their hands on the music genre.
It is, however, sad to note that as reggae advances, most of the songs that are being produced are neglecting the underlying messages that formed the basis of the music, which are equal rights, justice and respect for all mankind.
youths seeking a place in society
The return of Crystal Shaun
When Crystal Shaun did a single with K’ Million in 2003 Uleibukisha, people expected another release immediately, but to their disappointment it never did .But this disappointment will soon be wiped out with Crystal’s come back album this December called ‘‘the return”. He has returned from almost over three years of absence from the Zambian music scene.
Crystal Shaun released his debut album in 2003 Bapongoshi .His new album has been inspired by reggae, raga and calypso type of music which includes love songs among others. These songs come with a big blast because he features most of Zambia’s prominent musicians like K’Million who sings with him in a song called ‘Ndiwe’ that is currently hitting the airwaves and which has been received by the public with great enthusiasm. Kelvin Mwesa also features in a song titled ‘Sembe’, a sad song about a girl who dumps her boyfriend for a rich man but later regrets her decision and begs for reconciliation with her boyfriend.
‘‘What inspired me to do Ndiwe was that I see many people who are in love today telling other people that that’s my wife or that’s my girlfriend, but never really showing how they are really proud of being in relationships with their partners. It should go beyond just calling someone your girlfriend or boyfriend, actions have to be linked to this,” he says proudly showing off the picture of his girlfriend on his cell phone screen.
He says it through little actions like these that you show how committed you are to your partner.
The long awaited album which was supposed to be released sometime back met a lot of drawbacks. At some point in time this year Crystal Shaun’s music project was infected by virus in the studios he was recording from. That meant he had to start all over again.
“And before I could get back to the studios my sister became sick and later died. Before I could recover from that my brother Safeli lost a son, this happened within a short time. Later on I lost my uncle; so much happened and that meant I had to be in Mpika all that time. It was a sad period for me and that’s why I have decided to do a happy album because it was going to get my happiness back,” he adds.
He says as such he is not going to do any sad songs on the ‘Return’ and that it going to be something that will keep on coming back to his fans even after they listen to them.
“When my father died I wrote a song Pakakokola, and every time my mother listens to that song she cries, that’s why this is a happy album for my happy fans out there,’ he says.
Other artists featured in his album are Damino, Runnel and Chatu from Namanje.
The album is being recorded under Slim Beats studios and will be distributed by Super Shine.
Crystal Shaun says there is will be no need for people to pirate the songs because he will be giving them at a give away price. The CDs and tapes will sale at reduced prices compared to the normal market price at hand in Zambia.
He says piracy is an evil vice that needs to be eradicated in Zambia because it is making most artists to lose out on a lot of profits and their fans are getting poor quality music because of the piracy.
The ever smiling and active Shaun spends most of his free time at home watering the lawns, cutting flowers and spending his time with his sisters and he says going out for him means he is out their performing. He likes cooking too, especially his favourite food Ubwali Ne Finshimu as long he prepares it him self.
When Crystal Shaun did a single with K’ Million in 2003 Uleibukisha, people expected another release immediately, but to their disappointment it never did .But this disappointment will soon be wiped out with Crystal’s come back album this December called ‘‘the return”. He has returned from almost over three years of absence from the Zambian music scene.
Crystal Shaun released his debut album in 2003 Bapongoshi .His new album has been inspired by reggae, raga and calypso type of music which includes love songs among others. These songs come with a big blast because he features most of Zambia’s prominent musicians like K’Million who sings with him in a song called ‘Ndiwe’ that is currently hitting the airwaves and which has been received by the public with great enthusiasm. Kelvin Mwesa also features in a song titled ‘Sembe’, a sad song about a girl who dumps her boyfriend for a rich man but later regrets her decision and begs for reconciliation with her boyfriend.
‘‘What inspired me to do Ndiwe was that I see many people who are in love today telling other people that that’s my wife or that’s my girlfriend, but never really showing how they are really proud of being in relationships with their partners. It should go beyond just calling someone your girlfriend or boyfriend, actions have to be linked to this,” he says proudly showing off the picture of his girlfriend on his cell phone screen.
He says it through little actions like these that you show how committed you are to your partner.
The long awaited album which was supposed to be released sometime back met a lot of drawbacks. At some point in time this year Crystal Shaun’s music project was infected by virus in the studios he was recording from. That meant he had to start all over again.
“And before I could get back to the studios my sister became sick and later died. Before I could recover from that my brother Safeli lost a son, this happened within a short time. Later on I lost my uncle; so much happened and that meant I had to be in Mpika all that time. It was a sad period for me and that’s why I have decided to do a happy album because it was going to get my happiness back,” he adds.
He says as such he is not going to do any sad songs on the ‘Return’ and that it going to be something that will keep on coming back to his fans even after they listen to them.
“When my father died I wrote a song Pakakokola, and every time my mother listens to that song she cries, that’s why this is a happy album for my happy fans out there,’ he says.
Other artists featured in his album are Damino, Runnel and Chatu from Namanje.
The album is being recorded under Slim Beats studios and will be distributed by Super Shine.
Crystal Shaun says there is will be no need for people to pirate the songs because he will be giving them at a give away price. The CDs and tapes will sale at reduced prices compared to the normal market price at hand in Zambia.
He says piracy is an evil vice that needs to be eradicated in Zambia because it is making most artists to lose out on a lot of profits and their fans are getting poor quality music because of the piracy.
The ever smiling and active Shaun spends most of his free time at home watering the lawns, cutting flowers and spending his time with his sisters and he says going out for him means he is out their performing. He likes cooking too, especially his favourite food Ubwali Ne Finshimu as long he prepares it him self.
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