Inverness County Cares will conduct community presentations on their six-week visit to schools for the blind and visually impaired, in Zambia. Come and learn about their life, the challenges they face, their resilience and how donations from Canada have changed their lives.
Six weary but joyful travellers from Inverness County Cares (ICC) have returned home after a transformative journey to Zambia. Traveling as ambassadors for our local members, the people of Inverness County, and Canada, the team was welcomed with open arms and sincere gratitude for the gifts and support sent from home.
The team included John Gillies, John MacInnis, Winnie Rankin, Charlotte Rankin, Colleen MacLeod, and the legendary Betty Jane Cameron. At 87, Betty Jane remains a pillar of ICC. Her unique talents in music, nursing, and midwifery added a deeply personal touch to the time spent with students, staff, and villagers. Having visited three times over the last six years, she has been a firsthand witness to the incredible progress made at St. Mary’s and St. Odilia schools thanks to Canadian generosity.
Music is the heartbeat of these schools. The students have a deep hunger to create, and this year, the ICC team was greeted by a full brass band, a thrilling sign of how much the program has flourished. Beyond the brass, the schools now boast electric guitars, amps, and microphones, giving the students a modern “rock” sound.
Betty Jane’s small music room was a constant hub of activity. She mentored local teachers and coached students on the guitar, flute, and violin. The progress in just two years was remarkable.
Students with visual impairments often showed a unique gift for the flute and violin. Without the need for visual markers, they relied on sound and vibration to find their placement. Betty Jane noted that one of her biggest thrills was watching the “surprise and delight” on a student’s face when they found that perfect, correct note.
Students like Blessing, who is totally blind, sing with professional-level skill. For her and many others at the margins of society, including those with albinism or physical disabilities—music provides a vital sense of purpose and confidence.
Betty Jane noted that the music often happened naturally. “I was never able to count the students,” she said, “as everyone came when they could.” By the time she left, many had mastered local songs and universal favorites like “Hot Cross Buns”—a song that became a favorite after Winnie Rankin baked real ones for the children to taste!
The team also focused on practical wellness. Betty Jane led First Aid courses at each school using training manikins and reference books donated by the Red Cross, Hesperian Health Guides, and local Inverness County Fire Departments.
The sessions were full of engagement and laughter, especially the surprised looks when the manikin’s chest rose during practice! Students and staff were fascinated to learn that even a school tie could be used as a sturdy sling in an emergency.
A local nurse named Maureen helped conduct the training in the native Bemba language for over 20 participants, including teachers, groundskeepers, and house-parents. Together, they established fully stocked first-aid kits that are now safely stored and accessible to the whole school community.
The team also delivered a large supply of bandages, medications, and blood pressure machines. These were shared between the school convents and Sister Margaret Mary at the newly opened Little Flower Clinic , a facility dedicated to caring for vulnerable mothers and children.
The standard of living at these schools is visibly improving, a testament to the power of partnership. Our partner, Chalice, provides the essential foundation by sponsoring most of the children and covering their basic needs. Inverness County Cares then “puts the icing on the cake,” providing the specialized instruments, medical equipment, and training that help these students truly thrive.
This journey proved once again that music, health, and kindness are universal languages that can bridge the distance between Inverness County and Zambia.
Inverness County Cares will be conducting community presentations to talk about their adventures and highlight the incredible support Canadians have given to Zambia. When a schedule is created it will be posted on our webpage and blog.
Inverness County Cares (ICC) is a local charitable organization, founded in 2012 and based in Inverness County, NS, Canada. ICC works in partnership with Chalice.ca, a Canadian charity, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Chalice provides guidance and assistance to help ICC provide a better life for the children at the Kawambwa schools. The Kawambwa Project involves supporting two schools for albino and visually impaired students, in Northern Zambia. Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website https://invernesscountycares.com When using E-transfer, please include your mailing address for CRA tax receipts and a thank you message. E-transfer address: invernesscountycares@gmail.comor send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided.
Betty Jane with Sr Margaret Mary at the Little Flower Maternity ClinicBetty Jane conducting a First Aid workshopA bunch of sally children.Betty Jane working with Xavier and PaulFirst child has albinism, second is blind and third has albinism.Both children have albinism.
Despite a snowstorm which delayed our original departure by a day and mechanical difficulties delaying our flight to Addis Abba, we reached Zambia although on a different time schedule than anticipated. We spent two days in Kisisi near Lusaka, to get our feet under us. While there we met with old friends from out last stay, the Little Servant Sisters of Mary Immaculate. They have an amazing complex where the they manage the many aspects of their operation. Orchards, vegetables, farm animals, bakery, nursing home, school, retreat centre and convent are just part of their domain.
We arrived in Mansa on Saturday and were met by Sr Marjory, Newman and Louis our driver. The drive back to Kawambwa was lengthy because the road conditions were not the best, especially during the rainy season.
We were welcomed enthusiastically by the Sisters of the Child Jesus in Kawambwa. We all stayed at the convent and took our meals with the sisters. The school has about 115 students all with some type of visual impairment. They range from totally blind to various eye afflictions which limit their sight and children with albinism. We were able to provide the school with significant upgrades to the school infrastructure and a new well. We interacted with the children on an ongoing basis and gained an appreciation of the challenges they face in a school that needs some of the most basic teaching supports.
We all contributed in our respective skill areas, education, food services, health care, music and the trades. We worked with, well drillers, plumbers, electricians, painters, glazers, and carpenters to provide infrastructure repairs. We encountered lots of good trades people who got the jobs done but with minimum tools to work with!
On Saturday February 21st we travelled from Kawambwa to Mporokoso. We stopped at the Little Flower Maternity Clinic, the Tetekela Orphanage and the Mother House of the Sisters of the Child Jesus. We also met with Leroy, the president of the Kasama Rotary Club where we discussed a possible partnership with the Rotary Club on student’s eye care.
The St Odilia School in Mporokoso equally captured our hearts as did the St Mary’s children and sisters. The sisters of the Child Jesus administer both schools and manage a vast complex of schools, health centres, farms and residences. The schools have a very good reputation, despite their scarcity of what we consider essential teaching aids and curriculum supports. The students, teachers and sisters at both schools are remarkable. They have built schools with a very good reputation catering to children with special visual needs.
The students at both schools have so much potential, with many serious students with inquiring minds, thirsty for knowledge and a seeking a path to building their country into a global success story. Zambia is steadily shaping a new economic narrative, one driven not only by its vast natural resources, but increasingly by its young, educated population. With over half of its citizens under the age of 25, the country’s emerging economy is closely tied to the ambitions, innovation, and resilience of its students.
The St Odilia and St Mary’s Schools are providing the best education possible. Students are serious and appreciate the opportunity to reach for their goals and despite less-than-ideal classroom conditions, they are succeeding. Graduated alumni feature many successful career paths.
The partnership of Chalice and Inverness County Cares (ICC) has changed the whole landscape of the schools and given the students many advantages which were not possible before this cooperative endeavour began. The people of Inverness County, Nova Scotia and Canada have opened their hearts and supported the schools in many ways.
The gratitude shown for your assistance is beyond description. We hear of it every day, from the sisters who now have solar power to keep the schools running when the many power interruptions occur. From albino students who now have sunscreen, hats and sun glasses to protect them. From students who now have some reprieve from the sweltering heat radiating from the metal roofs in their classrooms. From the sisters who now have reliable transportation.
From both school bodies who feel safe because of the wall fence which protects them from danger. From sisters and students who have clean running water. The list goes on, with many more instances of your generosity.
Thank you for sponsoring children through Chalice, donating to Chalice and ICC, supporting ICC by giving us your refundable bottles and cans. Our supporters are the people making this happen, ICC is the messenger. Follow us at icczambia.blogspot.com.
Inverness County Cares (ICC) is a local charitable organization, founded in 2012 and based in Inverness County, NS, Canada. ICC works in partnership with Chalice.ca, a Canadian charity, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Chalice provides guidance and assistance to help ICC provide a better life for the children at the Kawambwa schools. The Kawambwa Project involves supporting two schools for albino and visually impaired students, in Northern Zambia. Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website https://invernesscountycares.com When using E-transfer, please include your mailing address for CRA tax receipts and a thank you message. E-transfer address: invernesscountycares@gmail.com or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided.
Blind students with white canes and hats.Sr Auxillia, John MacInnis, John Gillies and Goodson discuss infrastructure.Blind students using 3D printed braille assistsVery happy girls with their new dresses made by the Judique Monday Crafters.Winnie Rankin, Betty Jane Cameron, John MacInnis, Bishop Patrick, John Gillies, Charlotte Rankin, Colleen MacLeod, Sr Marjory, front, St Agnes.
Inverness County Cares (ICC) wishes to thank all the kind and generous people from our communities and far away who have responded to the needs of the children at the two Zambian schools for the blind, visually impaired and persons with albinism. We are overwhelmed by the generosity of so many.
The Zambia travellers are but a cog in the total ICC organization. We have a strong supportive group who attend monthly meetings (in person or virtually) with many working behind the scenes.
Our largest current fundraiser is the refundable bottle and can collection. It takes a sizeable team to maintain the trailers, stack the items for maximum room, transfer the contents of the stationary trailers to the one trailer that is road worthy, haul the trailers to the Port Hawkesbury and Port Hood depots and unload the donations. To transport the trailer, we use a F350 truck loaned to us, by kind supporters, for trips to the depot.
Other members chair meetings, write grant applications to foundations and organizations, design and produce our promotional materials, write newspaper articles and maintain our web presence, keep in contact with our partners Chalice and the SHOW Committee at Dalbrae, and write personal thank you notes to donors. We thank our treasurer and our partners at Chalice for keeping track of our resources and issuing CRA tax receipts. Others prepare food, host our meetings and come to our community information sessions. We appreciate the publicity generated by the Inverness Oran and the Port Hawkesbury Reporter who print our monthly articles. In the past during our pizza sales a multitude of community members joined our team to manage, organize and produce over 320 pizzas in one day.
We thank our community members and those from afield who generously donate substantial amounts of money and materials. We are so humbled by their support.
One current example of extended community assistance are the people who meet at the Story Tellers Gallery in Judique, every Monday to create crafts. They have donated 42 delightfully fashioned, dresses created for the little girls at the schools for the blind, persons with albinism and the visually impaired. These dresses follow the specifications recommended by, “Dress a Girl Around the World”.
Presently the school has very minimum braille support materials. The travellers will bring with them a treasury of braille assists some provided by CNIB and APSEA. A generous private donor with a 3D printer has created a substantial amount of braille learning aids, slates, scrabble games, dice and other assists.
Our baggage will be bulging with small musical instruments, reading glasses, sports jerseys, medical equipment, hats, games, team uniforms, school supplies, balls with bells inside for the blind and visually impaired. Another thoughtful donor has supplied us with 84 safety sunglasses which are perfect to protect eyes and shut out the painful rays of sunlight.We have been gifted medication from medical providers and pharmacies; free medical books from Hesperian Gratis and religious congregations, foundations, and church groups have given money and religious articles, and lots of prayers.
The generous monetary donations we have received from near and far will be used to renovate and repair infrastructure at the schools. In addition, we expect more needs will be identified as we assess the situation on arrival. Those prioritized by the school administrators will be attended to first. When in Zambia all members are prepared to use their areas of expertise to help the schools.
Follow our adventures (February 2-March 16th) on our blog.
icczambia.blogspot.com
Inverness County Cares (ICC) is a local charitable organization, founded in 2012 and based in Inverness County, NS, Canada. ICC works in partnership with Chalice.ca, a Canadian charity, based in Bedford, Nova Scotia. Chalice provides guidance and assistance to help ICC provide a better life for the children at the Kawambwa schools. The Kawambwa Project involves supporting two schools for albino and visually impaired students, in Northern Zambia. Inverness County Cares always welcomes new members. Individuals who wish to donate, can use the donate button on our website https://invernesscountycares.com When using E-transfer, please include your mailing address for CRA tax receipts and a thank you message. E-transfer address: invernesscountycares@gmail.com or send a cheque to Inverness County Cares, 5414 Route 19, Judique, NS, Canada, B0E1P0. Taxation receipts provided
Students listening to a storyJeannie MacDonald and Judy Sandham.Sheila MacDonell, Cathy Cotton, Jeanne MacDonald, Marion Graham, Charlotte Rankin, Judy Sandham busy working on the dressesfor Zambia.
