Meet the Team - Ceri Putman

Initial Thoughts:
I knew someone who had been on the PZ team last year, so had heard a lot about the Project and their experiences in Zambia. The mixture of sports and counselling, together with the opportunity to see another culture attracted me to the idea. I had done a lot of work experience and charity work at home and wanted to do something completely different, having interned in a London company last summer, (spending hours commuting). I already had experience working with both UK and international charities so this project gave me the chance to do some fieldwork and see where funds were actually distributed. I also would like to work in NGO management in the future so this was an ideal opportunity to see how an NGO works on the ground.


Impressions of Lusaka, Zambia
Lusaka is a city of huge contrasts. On the one hand there are the areas of extreme poverty, which we had prepared ourselves for, but on the other hand it is really commercial, something I hadn’t expected. I wasn’t prepared for the litter, which is everywhere you look. However I also was quite suprised by the similarities between Lusaka and any western city – the adverts, chains of shops, banks etc. I’m concerned about the obvious monopolies that some corporations have, particularly their control of the small market traders.

The Zambians want the same things as us- the girls lusting after handbags/high heels and everyone looking for the latest mobile phone or electronic gadget etc. Though it is nice to think that wherever they are, people are essentially the same, it is worrying that they seem to idealise our Western culture. I think that if they leave their traditional family culture behind and aspire to what they see in the media, they will have similar problems to us in another 50years.

The culture is very welcoming. Zambian people greet strangers in the street and accept you as part of their family. Their hospitality is truly amazing, as they will invite you into their homes or give you whatever they have without expecting anything in return.

Impressions of the Value of the Project:
We have had some very positive feedback from some of the teachers, kids club/support group organisers and members of Sport In Action staff. However the best feedback is when we can make a group of kids laugh, or try to help some HIV positive women to relax for a few hours in their stressful everyday-life. I have been struck by how grateful the children are for us to teach them what we can, as they all want to know when we are able to visit them again.

However, although we see a lot of positive benefits from the work that Sport In Action do, I also feel that the grassroots levels of aid are limited hugely by the overall infrastructure in the country. It can be frustrating at times, but as a relatively small organisation we sadly cannot help everywhere.

On a personal level, it has been a huge learning experience and has made me question where my time and resources may be able to make the most difference, thinking about which chairitable ventures I may be able to support in the future.

Impressions of the Team:
The team work well together, but it does feel like a large group and may be more effective with a team of 10 or even 8, depending on the structure of next year’s project. Considering the mix of student skills, it would be an advantage to bring some netball/basketball/volleyball coaches in the future, as those sports are currently being developed by SIA. Football is very popular, but rugby is less well known so the children find it harder to grasp. Improvements could be made by combined training in both sports coaching and counselling skills, as there is a lot of crossover in practice between the two sides of the project. However, everyone has learnt rapidly both from each other and on the job to be able to take all types of session in a variety of unpredictable situations.
The SIA team have made us very welcome. There are some cultural differences when it comes to organisation, but we have learnt to accommodate each others’ methods and expectations. Our peer leader workshops have gone very well and I have been impressed by the enthusiasm and maturity of some of the younger peer leaders.