Missionary speaks at meeting
BY RENÉ MCCRACKEN

Larry Sinclair introduced a Rotarian from Zambia, Africa at the April 18 meeting. Elke Kroeger-Radcliffe although German born and Australian educated, has found that her true calling lies in the heart of Africa. She began mission work teaching nursing with the Saint Francis Mission Hospital 14 years ago. The mission has grown into a fully functioning sustainable village surrounding the community center she operates.

Tikondane Community Center serves approximately 20,500 people with 75 percent of them below the age of 18. Of course AIDS, TB, Malaria, and hunger are all common issues dealt with in Zambia. Because Zambia is the poorest country in the world with 85 percent unemployment, horrible soil types, and very few neccessities, one might wonder why anyone would choose to live there. The speaker said, "they are the greatest people in the world and welcome visitors with open arms and simply desperately need someone to care just a little." Tikondane is a community center run for and by the people of Katete. It has a thriving community school and adult education program and there are various income generating activities such as the garden and skill training initiatives, as well as important community development work, the implementation of which Tikondane has pioneered. Tikondane Community Center was registered as a CBO (Community Based Organization, a small version of an NGO) in Lusaka in July l999. It is a grassroots venture started by Zambians who adopted Elke's mission of fighting the poverty through education, especially targeting women.

Today there are 84 people from the surrounding mud huts working in some 20 income-generating activities, getting their skill training on-the-job and acquiring various formal qualifications that will make an actual difference directing not only their own lives, but also those of their fellow Zambians towards a positive future.

Persons interested in learning more about Tikondane or Zambia may contact www.tikondane.org or elketiko@ hotmail.co.uk.