Drew's African Odyssey - Mwange Refugee Camp, Zambia

I write this journal tonight filled with a very heavy heart. Our guard and a very close friend and trusted Right to Play worker, Mr. Chanda Davis, committed suicide last night in his village of Chishwambwa. We received the news this morning from our other guard, Mr. Chanda Lupiya, who lives in the village next to Davis. He hung himself from a Mango tree beside his hut and was later found by his cousin. Mr. Davis leaves behind two wives and six children...

As I was in Kawambwa today for our interagency meeting with the Implementing Partners in the Kala camp, I didn't get the news till I arrived home tonight. Sophie was with the family and his body for most of the day, and went to his burial and reception. It's hard to believe we've experienced two deaths in two days. and we're having a tough time of it. As is the tradition in Zambia, the employer is expected to pay for the furnishings of an employees funeral including the coffin, cloth material to cover the coffin and food and drink for the guests. We had to tell the family that being a very small organization, we could not pay for everything.

It's a very sad day. Mr Davis was a very warm spirited man and worked very hard for us. We knew he had serious personal problems which is why everyone is thinking about what more they could have done for him.

Seems death is all around me here.

Posted by: Drew Gardiner / 2:32 PM