Continuing Production on "Zambian Forge"

I have decided that, even though I am now back in the USA, I am going to continue using this blog to post production notes for the refugee film project, still under the working title "Zambian Forge". So keep a continuing watch on this site to see how it is proceeding.

This film documents a group of Americans, primarily university students, who spend 6 weeks volunteering at UNHCR refugee settlements. The volunteer organization is the "World Refugee Academy" (WRA) and the program's name is "FORGE". The unique part of this program is that the volunteers not only donate their time, but also design the programs put into place, and fundraise the capital to make the programs possible. The programs implemented and covered in the documentary are:

1. A library was built at the high school in the refugee settlement, with over 20,000 volumes shipped from the USA.. the largest in NW Zambia or southern Angola.

2. A community education program and sports league. Football, Netball, and Basketball courts are built throughout the settlement, equipment is provided, and teams are organized into leagues. The program not only teaches young refugees about physical education, but draws members of the high school to the games to teach to the participants and community members assembled.

3. HIV/AIDS education.

4. A "Women's Empowerment" group.

5. This documentary! :) Not only did I cover the Forge volunteers and their activities, but I also documented many of the refugees I met and aid worked from organizations such as UNHCR.

If you are interested, you can learn more about the WRA and Forge here:
http://www.worldrefugeeacademy.org/

Thanks!
David

Carnivore

I'll back in the USA now, but I still must comment on my last big adventure in Nairobi, the resteraunt "Carnivore".

People who know me well - actually anyone who has ever had more than a couple meals with me - knows that I'm the antithesis of a vegetarian. My nicknames in Zambia were "Meat" and, appropriately enough, "Carnivore". About 6 different people, at different times, told me that this eating experience in Nairobi was designed expressly for me. How could I pass it up? So, it's 10 times what I spent on most of my meals in Kenya - sometimes you need to splurge for experience.

The anticipation was high as Norah, Josephine (another Poli Sci student at the university), and I headed to Carnivore. We actually got there early, and had to wait in the bar for an hour as they finished cooking and prepared to serve. And what a way they serve too! They cook the food (read - meat) on giant spits on a bbq bigger than any kitchen in any house I've ever lived in. The night I was there, the "exotic" meats were unfortunately only crocodile and ostrich, and gazelle meatballs. I had been hoping for Zebra, a quest unfulfilled in South Africa on Semester at Sea. There was also pork, chicken, beef, and lamb, and a serving tray full of side dishes and sauces. In the middle of this tray is a white flag saying "Carnivore" and as long as the flag is up, the servers continue to stop by your table and carve off meat. It is a fixed-price menu, all you can eat. Everything was delicious. I especially like the ostrich, rare. I had three helpings over the 3 hours of ingestion. Even though we were one of the first tables seated, the place was half-empty again by the time I surrended my flag, currently in my backpack :)

The only problem was one I consistently encountered in Kenya. Carnivore charged me for a glass of wine I didn't have, and in my meat-induced bliss, I failed to notice when I paid the bill - only realizing it later when I was calculating the exchange for the price of the meal. I have to say, almost every touristic destination I went to in Kenya either attempted to bill me for something I didn't order, or charge me more than the prices on the menu. This appears to be a common scheme to watch out for if you plan to travel there.

Even so, the cost of the dinner itself was only $20, a fraction of what you would have to spend for a substantially less generous meal here in the US, so it is a meal I will remember happily. I even bought a Carnivore t-shirt.. ;)