A day in Mazabuka

After the schools opened two weeks ago I’ve been a lot busier, working as a sport volunteer for NIF and ZAAA, it’s been good, but it’s a shame I’m leaving so soon. Today, Saturday, 24 May 2014, I went to Mazabuka, which is “the sweetest city in Zambia” ‘cause of their sugarcane farming. I was sent there with the 06:30 bus to observe a Kids Athletics competition, you might ask me why I was sent there to observe and not organize, but that is because we don’t always trust it’s done properly...

A few days earlier I had e-mailed the organizer and asked when it would start, and he had replied with “It will start at 9:00 exactly”, and I was well impressed, since “nothing” starts on time here in Zambia/Africa.
Well… after 2.5 hours on the bus I arrived Bozaboka (at 9:00), slightly worried we would miss the first part of the competition, but deep inside me I knew I would have plenty of time see the start. At 9:30 I arrived the field and very few kids had showed up, and few coaches as well, they were still waiting I was told, “the problem is transport, they have to walk” was their excuse. I’ve heard it so many times…

This is how it looked when I arrived, at 9:30

So when we got there we set up the competition

Setting up the equipment

Around 11 o’clock the program started, but there were speeches and prayers first, before we could start. I had to help out, since it seemed like most of the coaches had forgotten what they had learned at the Kids Athletic course. I stepped in and assisted, which I gladly did, but I noticed I was the only one recording results, so the team I had responsibility for technically won the competition. The last part of the competition was “endurance” which is supposed to last for 8 minutes, but the winners finished in less than 30 seconds, and when there was still 2 teams left running the organizers stopped them before it had lasted 2 minutes… I laughed out loud to be honest.

Speeches

Teams ready

Sprint hurdles

Now it’s 16:30 and I’m back in Kabwata, Lusaka. It was very frustrating to be in Mazabuka this morning, but when kids were in activity it was more fun and the time flew. The bus ride back was comfortable and it reminded me that I’m still in Africa. Living in Lusaka make you forget that you are so far from home, and so deep in a contingent which is 30-40 years behind our development and way of thinking. A simple bus ride 30 minutes out of the city will make you see the mud-huts and kids playing with rocks. Something that is really unique and special, which I might never see again after I go home to Norway in two weeks time.