Track Record

BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL - HIGHLIGHTS OF TRACK RECORD:

Bridge International has been implementing community transformation projects that are systemic and sustainable since its inception in June 2003 which address both physical and spiritual needs. Though our goal includes all of Zambia, Bridge began working in four areas in the Copperbelt Province: Kasongo, Maposa, Fisenge and Munkulungwe. Kasongo and Fisenge are in peri-urban areas, Maposa is currently a squatter area in land currently held by the Forestry Department, and all of these three fall under the Luanshya Municipal Council. Munkulungwe, however, is under the Ndola Council and falls under the Lamba tribe area governed by Chief Chiwala. In Munkulungwe, we have been meeting with those living in the bush villages of Lazaro A and Lazaro B.

In 2003 a second vision was also birthed which we call CROSSROADS, which is intercession for the nation. This continues to the present time and has now been absorbed into the overall vision of Bridge. However, in August 2007 this was extended beyond Zambia throughout the continent, particularly sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2004 Bridge accessed K 72 million (roughly $18,000) from Oxfam for land advocacy in Maposa. We have worked tirelessly since then alongside our Bridge Committee, Copperbelt Land Rights Centre, and DECOP, as well as numerous government officials to obtain the release of Maposa Forest to the people living there. As at this time the Forestry Department and Minister of Lands have agreed to release approximately 2/3 of the area. That portion has been surveyed, and beacons are in place for the demarcation of plots.

We have also been given two grants by CHAZ (a Catholic charity) in the amount of K 15 million (roughly $3,750) to implement projects for orphans and vulnerable children. This took the form of enabling some 50 orphans and other vulnerable children to have uniforms and other supplies, plus have their school fees paid, in order that they may obtain their education.

Also in 2004 Bridge undertook a house-to-house survey in all four communities (which comprised 190 households in Kasongo, 225 in Fisenge, 89 in Munkulungwe, and 110 in Maposa - though we did not complete Maposa due to the fact that the Forestry Department was in the process of surveying the land). This was done to obtain statistics and ascertain the overall need in those places. Cooperation from those interviewed was good.

In 2005 the work we were doing required more than our Bridge Committee could handle; therefore we held community meetings at which they elected Sub-committees both in Kasongo and Maposa. These were formed in the areas of Health, Education, Women, Agriculture, and Social. These are active and functioning, with more community-at-large participation.

In June of 2006 we felt we must take the decision to stop working in Fisenge due to the lack of cooperation within our Bridge Committee (owing to tribal factions). And from October 2006 we have had little contact with Munkulungwe, as it became apparent that they had not yet understood we were not there to give them handouts. While we have not broken ties with the people of Lazaro altogether (we are still working with an NGO called Seeds of Hope there), the committees are by and large not functioning. Seeds of Hope sunk boreholes and/or repaired them in Maposa, Kasongo and Munkulungwe (benefiting well over 150 people in those areas to have clean and safe drinking water). In Lazaro there have been evangelistic outreaches as well.

Bridge has assisted with limited start-up capital to begin income-generating activities with nearly all our sub-committees (which have by and large taken the form of garden seed and materials, as well as facilitating some to obtain pigs to raise), and in both Kasongo and Maposa we have assisted our two Agricultural Sub-committees to form cooperatives.

Bridge has involved HIV/AIDS activities throughout its programmes. In the past, we networked with Christian World Outreach and Hope Humana. They conducted sensitisation seminars on HIV/AIDS in Kasongo and Maposa, whilst in Maposa VCT (voluntary testing) was conducted as well. Over 100 people benefited from these initial trainings. However, in March 2006 we implemented our own Health Department within Bridge and are now conducting our own trainings. These trainings have provided us with peer educators and psychosocial counselors in both communities, as well as better informed communities at large. We also participate in the annual World AIDS Day event (which involves an outreach to the citizens by many organizations in Ndola).

In Maposa we have helped organize a church choir contest as a fundraiser for the youth, as well as establish an annual Women’s Traditional Day (to promote abstinence and faithfulness) as a fundraiser for the Women. The Health Department has also organized competitive sports games between the neighboring communities of Kasongo and Maposa.

Bridge has facilitated the establishment of RDC (Rural Development Committee) in Kasongo, and worked with the Luanshya Municipal Council to upgrade it from a squatter area to a legal settlement. As a result of our help in this regard, we have been able to obtain land adjacent to this community where we hope to develop our Zambian Headquarters. Our first crop of maize was harvested in May 2007.

Bridge was also instrumental in teaching the community there how to apply to the Ministry of Education, and they have managed to upgrade their education system (now having a Middle School in addition to their Basic School). The district put up so much money, and the people – despite their poverty – contributed what was akin to $25,000 in amassing stones, making bricks, and providing labor.

In both Kasongo and Maposa we have conducted workshops on Leadership Training, Conflict Resolution, Land Rights Issues, Business Entrepreneurship, and several agricultural seminars held by IDE (under USAID) as well as the Minister of Agriculture. Further, we have invited speakers to share from the Paralegal Office on their rights and responsibilities as citizens, the Ndola Drug Enforcement Committee on the dangers and consequences of alcohol and illegal drugs, and our partners Seeds of Hope have conducted Hygiene & Sanitation classes.

As a way of inserting the spiritual side of our process, we have weekly Bible Studies with our various committees. This evolved from our doing it for them, to them alternating with us, to a new level where they now sometimes surprise us with their selections and depth of insight. Ruth has nearly completed the writing of a two-year Bible study for women, and hopes to implement that in 2008. We also do home visitations of the sick in the communities and pray with them, and are quite frequently prevailed upon for counseling.

In an effort to truly impact the youth and help them obtain a hope with a future, in Kasongo in March 2007 we began Ubulalo Drama Group (simultaneously along with one for youth, the adults have also a group). Our Health Department has also begun youth recreational programmes in both Kasongo and Maposa.

In Kasongo we obtained permission to give talks to grades 5, 6, 7 and 8 at the Basic and Middle School on HIV/AIDS. There was a good and positive response from the two higher grades and therefore we began BYDS (Bridge Youth Discipleship Studies). BYDS is a two-year programme consisting of two components: Bible Basics and Life Skills. We began with 25 students in April 2007.

From our registration as a ministry in June 2003 until March 2007 the core group we worked with in each place was our community-elected Bridge Committee. However, they have now reached the place where they wish to try and govern themselves and therefore, in April 2007 with our encouragement and permission, they held elections, and they now have an executive.

Bridge is underwriting the cost of education for three people at present: Noble Sikalangwe at Mechanics for Africa, Isaac Muteba at School of Nursing at Ndola Central Hospital. We have working agreements with both these young men that they will work as Bridge employees upon their graduation in their field of expertise for at least one year. We have also enrolled an orphan, Constance Miti, in the School for the Blind. In 2008 we plan to underwrite the cost for Chisala Bwalya to attend agricultural college with the understanding that he will be the farm overseer at our new headquarters.

In January 2007 we implemented a ministry tithe based on our monthly income to other local ministries and small NGOs who are doing a similar type of work.

In Kasongo we have working agreements with three volunteer teachers, as well as with three local churches (to use their buildings until such time as Bridge can construct our own) to use as Ubulalo Community School for OVCs. We began classes with 85 orphans and other vulnerable children in March 2007.

We have partnered with Prison Fellowship and are working with ex-prisoners and their families in Maposa. We now have a group meeting once a week for encouragement and counselling under the direction of a local pastor.

In April 2007, after over a year of trying, we were finally successful in obtaining membership with EFZ (Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia) which is the largest governing motherboard of churches and ministries in Zambia. We feel this is a good and positive step forward, not only for networking within the country, but we believe it will help us when we plant our first church early next year.

In May 2007 we began making bricks for construction of our community school and to date we have approximately 1200. We have estimated the need to be over 100,000 bricks to complete all the construction necessary to complete our headquarters complex. We are using local labor and materials for this job.

In September 2007 we joined the ISAAC Network and were invited to conduct training sessions for pastors throughout the continent to reach and educate pastors and their wives who have not had the benefit of formal theological training. We believe this will result in saving countless souls for the Kingdom, as well as perhaps those we reach to undergo behavioral change that would help alleviate the AIDS pandemic.

On the horizon

On the horizonis the development of our national headquarters which, God willing, will include:

planting our first church (our goal is by spring 2008)
establishing a training center (which would include agricultural studies, animal husbandry, literacy training, carpentry, tailoring, parenting, theology classes, etc.)
building ten homes for 5-6 orphans plus a caretaker in each
constructing a community school for orphans and other vulnerable children (though we have already begun the school, the classes are currently meeting in local churches)
constructing a clinic with overnight maternity facilities and trained midwife
constructing our offices
constructing homes for Bridge staff, teachers, clinic staff
constructing chalets for mission volunteers and short-term teams

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The current statistics being what they are, we believe it radically necessary to involve ourselves more and more in programmes for youth and orphans. This does not mean that we will be cutting back on programmes that are already in existence. It does mean we will require additional staff and funding to keep up with the need.

It is our hope that this report has not overwhelmed you, but rather has shown you what we have been able to accomplish (with God’s help and grace) during the relatively short time span in which we have been operating. It is also our hope that you will be inspired to continue to work with us. We are excited about the future, and though the challenges remain many and varied, we continue to look to God as our source knowing that nothing is impossible with Him.

Thank you.
Ruth and Gedaliah for the entire Bridge team
Updated December 2007