Barely two months after Level 2 troops were trained in the shadow of Victoria Falls in Livingstone, eighteen (18) hardworking, talented, skilful and committed young men and women were raised to the level of Leader level 2 at the Glen Craig training base in Pringle Bay. The training that started on the 2nd of November through to 6th in Western Cape (RSA) saw participants from 7 Organisations from 8 countries in 3 regions.
Arriving on the 1st of November, 2010, participants were welcomed by guarding Baboons along the stretch from Cape Town to Pringle Bay. With the sounds of noisy Dolphins and Whales splashing waters of the Ocean, the History of the base that was originally built to house the Italian Prisoners of War was waiting for the Kicking AIDS Out! Family. What a Group! Comprising trainees from different regions like Asia (Vietnam), Carribean (Trindad, St. Vincent) and the SADC-a week was too short.
Like Clarissa Pinkola Estes noted in Phillapa Namutembi Kabalis compilation “whomsoever is still awake at the end of a night of stories, will surely become the wisest person in the world.”
The course for troops in the World War against HIV/AIDS to learn the essential facilitation concepts and skills for working developmentally with groups of people offered 18 gallant troops an opportunity to experience, critically examine, reflect on their own practice and learn to practice a developmental approach to group facilitation. The training that was conducted by three Generals from EduSport Zambia, Sport In Action Zambia and SCORE Zambia had an holistic approach with a belief that just having the right skills or tools is not enough.
As penguins waded through the cold waters, songs and energizers from Vietnam covered the scenic coastal road while games from the open spaces of Botswana and the sandy bushes of Namibia kept all awake. Indeed, no one regrets undertaking this training that makes people look at their temperaments before they are given the “heavy duty ball artillery” to take on the virus. In this quiet environment, close to nature and with Thembi and am touched slogans-one has to listen at three levels as we appreciate the power of storytelling.
Spending five days away from our comfort zones meeting and living with strangers fighting on the same war front is so powerful and re energizing. We are all called upon to read what we got, believe what we read, preach what we believe and practice what we preach.
Let’s take an approach that works from the ‘Inside, Out’, helping groups to sense, surface and appreciate what is living inside. Together we shall win as long as we remember the principles and rules of “dragon boat” then we shall ask-How are you my children?