MORE FROM 2019 -SEPTEMBER VISIT

So our website is well under way- real thanks to Scott Renton who joined us this year as a Trustee for his expertise and work in doing this - but it seemed a good idea to update our recent doings. I, Joanna, made the next trip from Scotland in September. An action packed few weeks, some interesting developments. Dr Sheikh from Livingstone had arranged for more training to be delivered to  his staff team and for a previous trainee to get certified as a trainer. This necessitated a 2 week trip to Livingstone - someone has to do it! With the support of the Hospital management and the Ministry of Health Humphrey was seconded from Chainama to do this bit of work with me so not only did 11 Mental Health professionals receive the ZTA training but Mwazanje Mwale, a Clinical Officer in the Mental Health unit, is now a Certified Trainer and Humphrey a Master Trainer able to train other trainers!

Did manage a bit of down time and saw the amazing sight of the Falls with virtually no water as well as rhinos scarily close. Also caught some of the traditional regional ceremony which was taking place around Livingstone at the time.

LIVINGSTONE HOSPITAL, PSYCHIATRIC UNIT

PART OF THE CEREMONY

Either side of this visit I met with colleagues at UTH to discuss how best data about TA use could be collected and had a very productive follow up meeting with some of the people who had attended Liz's training earlier in the year. There is real enthusiasm for more training for people working with children in special education, prison services and the Centres of Excellence. Hope fully we will be able to take this forward during 2020.

ZART WORKSHOP DAY

I joined meetings with ZART and was able to join them for one of the Bongo Hive workshops. These, run by Challenges Zambia and funded as part of this year's Capacity Building work by the Scottish Government have proved very positive and a very good foundation on which to build an operational structure for ZART  over the next couple of years.



I also met with Dr Jacqueline Folotiya about arranging training in Case Study writing. After discussion it was agreed we had not thought through well enough what was needed and did not at that point have the budget to support this. However we have been allowed to reallocate funds from the grant not now needed elsewhere and are hopefully getting this arranged for early 2020.

I also made useful links with the INGO forum so we can link in with other INGOs keeping in the loop and learning from their experience especially about shaping our Safeguarding and other policies.

JACARANDA TIME

Another useful contact was with Sapphira Mulemba at CIDRZ and we hope that will lead to a fruitful partnership. It was good to also catch up with Maragarate Munakampe about the work she is doing as part of the crucial data collection and other MEL systems.
There was a very positive meeting with Zaliwe Banda at the Ministry where the support for expansion of the training was reaffirmed with a plan to extend it to Community Mental Health teams when possible.
It was also good to meet up with other colleagues and friends. ZART and ZTA are certainly becoming a recognised part of the Mental Health scene in Zambia and getting the message out about the training to a wider audience. Keep up the good work!
All in all an interesting four weeks and as always the base at Gossner Mission really appreciated, it is such a peaceful and friendly place to be.