Mine Primary School celebrates opening of new Kabalika Hall

Completed exterior of Kabalika Hall

Maureen Sikoobwe, Head Teacher of Mufulira Mine Primary School in Mufulira, dreamt of a hall with capacity enough for most of her 1000 pupils.

Today the hall is built, and her vision has become reality.

In about 2009, when I first visited Mine Basic, as it was then called, things were not as they are now. Each day the 'senta', or toxic sulphur gas emissions, from the Mopani copper smelter visible from the school would drift in on the wind. Children coughed and spluttered in class, and teachers held their 'chitenge' costumes to their mouths while teaching.

A Climate Change group at Mine Primary, led by charismatic teacher Godfridah Mwimbe, and sponsored by the British Council, believed things need not be this way. They advocated for change and in time by 2014, the smelter-owners installed and commissioned gas capture equipment making the air much cleaner. 

I was involved with the advocacy, but it was the teachers and children who made the difference; and I hoped one day to repay my debt to them for their courage.

To me, Maureen's idea of a hall typified what could be possible and sustainable - a project that would look forward to a more pollution-free future, the income of which could be ploughed back into teaching aids.

The construction of the hall took three years and was realised thanks to the commitment and hard work of Mr Ebrony Peteli, a former driller and businessman, who persevered with a project that few would have thought possible.

Ebrony Peteli and Dr Robin Gleek inspecting progress on Kabalika Hall, April 2019

The foundation slab in March 2017

After a school contest in which children were invited to enter ideas, this marvellous building has been called Kabalika, which means 'sunbright' in the Bemba tongue, and speaks of the aspirations of this community.  

At the heart of the poor part of Mufulira known as Kantanshi, the hall will be used by both school and community. For the children, it will be used for assemblies, national examinations, theatre productions. For the community -weddings and kitchen parties.

Having seen the orderly building work over the three years of its construction, I know this to be a building in Zambian style; one which will shield the school community from hot sun in summer with high air vents in the roof, and from inundation in the rainy season.

In a few days' time, the last fittings of fire extinguishers and chairs will be in position, and the authorities will sign off the building for public use. A month or so later, it will host the Annual Public Speaking contest, involving all 13 secondary schools in Mufulira and organized by the Theosophical Society. Two children from each school will speak for no more than five minutes, unaided by microphones or notes, on subjects ranging from climate change (causes and effects), the role of religion in the modern world, man as architect of his own destiny, and juvenile delinquency. The winning school will vie for a trophy while every child reaching the finals winning will receive Kwacha 150 prize money with the winner receiving K750.

So it is that this hall will start its life building skills, giving pride, and driving new hopes and dreams.

Chairs for the hall 2019

by Anthony Lipmann 29.09.2020