Charles Kalameera – HIV and AIDS adviser – Project Adviser – Zambia
Charles Kalmeera works for the Home Based Care Consortium in the Garden Compound just outside Lusaka. The compound is home to over 100,000 people. The Home Based Care Consortium provides care in the community and home for those infected or affected by HIV and AIDS. The consortium depends on the voluntary work of its carers, the majority of whom are women.
Background
VK Home Based Care is the leading member of the consortium and played a major part in making Charles placement a reality. Charles now divides his week between five different organisations, trying to increase funding, set up systems to help monitor and evaluate progress, support the community volunteers in their efforts to sensitise the community to the issues surrounding HIV and AIDS and set up income-generating activities for those living with HIV and AIDS. Here he talks about his first year in Lusaka
Adapting to the situation
“In the beginning it wasn’t easy working with five different organisations who were located in different parts of the compound. Getting around was difficult and took up a lot of my time. But two months into my placement I got a motorbike from VSO and things were a lot easier. Changing the attitudes of some of the projects about what I was here to do was challenging but I learnt that if I moved with them then we could work together.
“I definitely think being an African volunteer has been an advantage for me. Even with the language barrier the organisations and people I work with have really responded to what it is I’m trying to do and I felt at home from the beginning. I’ve picked up some Chichewa and I understand a lot, my biggest problem now is learning to respond!
Attitude changes
“Over the last year I’ve seen each of the organisations change it’s attitude, particularly about setting objectives and learning to mobilise the small grants they get to gain the greatest outcomes. With VK Home Based Care my biggest challenge this year is to make sure the organisations secures some funding to buy it’s own land and building so that they are not so dependent on outside funding. Next year I want to consolidate on everything I’ve put in place this year. Make sure that the micro-finance projects and management structures are working, and those they’ll keep working.
“When I started my placement I spent a lot of time writing funding proposals for the organisations. I quickly set up a team to do this and I’ve been training them for the last few months. They are now confident to write the proposals themselves that is a big step forward and means that when I leave the funding won’t leave with me.
The challenge of the weather!
“One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced, which I’d never have thought about before I came here, is the weather! During the rainy season it’s really difficult to get around the compound as all the dirt tracks are flooded and the sewers overflow. Having the motorbike is great but it doesn’t mean I don’t end up soaking in rain!”