Why We're Here

Chilenje Clinic, Lusaka
Originally uploaded by Kolleggerium.

About a dozen buildings staffed with about a dozen people each provide comprehensive health services at the Chilenje Clinic. In the HIV ward where we deployed our system, about a few dozen people waited patiently to receive attention. Chilenje is one of about 50 clinics throughout Lusaka. What's this all about?
Here, one in six people are HIV positive. In 2003, 19% of women and 29% of men admitted having taken part in commercial sex, with two thirds of sex-workers being HIV positive. Men of course pay a premium for unprotected sex, and women think that "AIDS may kill me in months or years, but hunger will kill me and my family tomorrow." People practice sexual cleansing - a very common ritual in which a deceased man's relative has sex with his widow, in the belief that this will dispel evil forces. HIV positive men often try the "virgin cure."
Things here are a mess. Male culture is an obvious problem. Even in economic development, most programs focus on providing assistance to women because they are more responsible.

Our system intends to provide continuity of care, recognizing that providing decision making support with complete medical records can save lives. It's not a complicated premise. Why help? Because we can. The broader issues can't be changed directly, but a critical mass of butterfly wings can effect change. This software is a wing that I can flap.

Mukuni Village, old school

Mukuni Village, single family home
Originally uploaded by Kolleggerium.

Near Victoria Falls there is Mukuni, an authentic village where the villagers live as they have for hundreds of years (except for the chief, who owns a Mercedes). I was on my way to the airport after seeing the falls, but asked the taxi to take a detour to see the village. We pulled up to the tree where long ago Dr. Livingstone was greeted by the chief. There, I was welcomed and invited to tour the village.
Primitive huts, a few bars, a prison with barbed wire: all very nice. Then we stepped into one of the huts, already crowded with five people. A large woman (I think her name was Jabba) greeted me and I was introduced to the kinda sleep looking group. The woman explained that the Chibuku had just reached its fourth day of fermentation. Ah, great.
The Chibuku was the contents of a giant barrel dominating the middle of the hut, a local version of beer made from cornmeal. Picking an old coffee cup off the floor, the woman scooped out some Chibuku and handed it to me.
I paused, thinking briefly of my friend Nathan and what he might recommend in the situation, then shrugged and drank. Gritty, sweet, alcoholic, not entirely unlike recently vomited quaker oats. I smiled and thanked them, explaining that I had to leave to get to the airport.

Victoria Falls, from Zimbabwe

Victoria Falls, from Zimbabwe - 43
Originally uploaded by Kolleggerium.

Having failed to really see the falls on Saturday, I set out again on Sunday to take a look from across the border in Zimbabwe. Getting into the Zimbabwe National Park required about $50 for visas/fees and another $50 in curios that I'll throw away.
The art of sales is interesting -- I hadn't been the least persuaded to buy anything until one of the hawkers mentioned that I can't leave Zambia without some copper. Hm. Copper is a cornerstone of the Zambian economy, the economy is doing poorly, I'm here to help, I should trade some cash for some copper. OK, done. Embarrassingly large travel wallet open, I bought a pile of whatever he had at obviously inflated prices.
So, the view of Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe was pretty amazing, quite understandably one of the wonders of the world, even when not in full force. I recommended going with someone special -- it was so moving that I fell in love with myself all over again.

Zambezi River

Zambezi River, Sunset
Originally uploaded by Kolleggerium.

The mighty Zambezi river originates in Northwestern Zambia, flowing over 1600 miles through Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique, where it empties into the Indian Ocean. Victoria Falls is the most noticeable obstacle to using the river for transportation, an unfortunate hindrance to economic development, yet ideal for tourists like me.

Victoria Falls, from Zambia

Victoria Falls, from Zambia
Originally uploaded by Kolleggerium.

Days of hacking through dense jungle, hacking across miles of dangerous tribal lands, hacking where no man has hacked before, is all something I know nothing about. I've been mostly (almost exclusively) hacking code on this trip.

First on this past weekend's tourist agenda was seeing Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders. As this is dry season, the Zambian view of Victoria Falls is as an expansive gorge with a hint of water and spray in the distance, off in Zimbabwe. Still, a better view than in rainy season, when the falls throw enough spray in the air to completely obscure the sight.

I had planned to spend the afternoon at the falls, waiting for sunset. Reconsidering, I ran the gauntlet of curio stalls then headed back to the hotel to make other arrangements.

Inescapable Tourist

Fawlty Towers Oasis
Originally uploaded by Kolleggerium.

Unabashedly committed to the monorail for the weekend, I arrived in the town of Livingston, I presume. Cast Lusaka as Dublin, then Livingstone would play the part of Galway, a more tourist focused town with roaming bands of backpackers. Apt, since from what I can tell the Doctor himself didn't do much of anything, renowned mostly thanks to great PR. There wasn't much time, so after settling in to Fawlty Towers, I got right down to the business of ticking through the tourist agenda. First up, Victoria Falls.

On the Road

Shy Charcoal Salesmen
Originally uploaded by Kolleggerium.

A flight from Lusaka to Livingstone would have cost about $150 and taken an hour, but the schedule is limited and of course I'd miss seeing the country. A train should have been perfect, but the British colonial engineers left a rail that takes 12 hours to cover the same distance. The luxury bus of death I rode on cruised at 140+km/h, weaving around other vehicles while the driver bopped to his one tape of hip-hop, stopping in every small village along the way, yet arriving in Livingstone in about 5 hours.

Though Zambians complain about the miles and miles of boring countryside, newness and growing familiarity endears most anything, and I loved the rural setting. Finally, Zambia.

Broken Windshield

Broken Windshield
Originally uploaded by Kolleggerium.

Early Saturday, I rolled out of bed, washed, changed, grabbed a bag with clothing and camera, then met the taxi I had arranged for the previous night. I thought back to the many times I'd scheduled a shuttle to take me to the airport in Baltimore, usually a no-show. This man met me promptly at 5:30 for a half-hour ride into the city, to earn just $10 (and yes, that's with me overpaying). Point: Zambia.

We arrived at the bus parking lot just as the bus going to Livingstone had fired up the engines. I jumped in front, waved and hopped on board as he rolled away. There was nobody else on the bus. Odd, but cool. Then we pulled around to the bus station where I was supposed to have gotten on the bus. Ah, I see.

While a man took great care spit polishing the cab of the bus with a filthy rotting sponge, about 12 million people packed on board. The monorail was ready to roll.

Monorail Detour

Just got back into Lusaka, having stolen away early Saturday morning on a bus to Livingstone, the Zambian town nearest Victoria Falls. I flew back this afternoon, rejoining my compatriots here in the office. I've got a bit of work to do before the morning, so a full account will have to wait.