Let’s formalise this ‘Yoga in Zambia’ thing into a new category on this blog. It’s a new project, and it ties in with the original purpose of this blog; to get an education at the deaf school for Ketty. Now not-so-young Ketty! She’s 11 years old now, wow, how the time has flown since a six year old and a sixty-something year old first formed their bond of friendship and started on this fundraising mission.
In the last few posts on this blog, you’ll see more about the Yoga group, of which Ketty is a part. Last year we started Yoga Asana (physical postures and movements) big time… classes between 5 and 25. Ketty has taken to Yoga so much; she’s the driving force behind our evening meditations (19.00 every evening UK time for 15 mins ‘through the ether’ as we can’t be together in person. If anyone who is reading this wants to join us you are so welcome. Ketty I believe will be a great Yoga teacher for deaf and hearing people, both.
You can see the movie I made when I got back in the spring of 2020 on
https://mandalayogaashram.blog/2020/05/19/mandala-yoga-ashram-gets-a-branch-in-africa/
We have dug the foundations, we are making the concrete blocks ourselves, then we will lay them. It’s a labour of love. Please help us buy materials.
Now things have moved apace and with this Covid stuff, well Zambia closed down, tourists stopped passing through on their way to the game parks, and the Lodge stopped paying wages. Gradually everyone went back to their own work, caring for home and family and working the fields for the coming growing season.
The downside was, we lost the use of our lovely big Yoga Hall, so unless people practice on the ground outside (they have done it in their enthusiasm, but now the rainy season comes), we have to arrange something else. There is no other way than to build our own Yoga Hall!
We have nowhere now to practice. 
first sketches 
Marking out foundations 
Everyone helps dig foundations 
Alice works hard 
River sand from the bush 
Cement for the block maker 
making our own blocks
I know I know, the problem of poverty is a huge one but hey, you have to start somewhere. If you are moved to help me, then please donate whatever you can.
Tony
Building is straightforward… you just do it!! Alice has enough land on her bit of the compound to build there, next to her house. We’ll have an open pillared structure with a roof to keep off the rain of course, like the example above. I design with the help of an architect friend.
We need Help. no other way to say it! I know I know, the problem of poverty is a huge one (see my previous posts) but hey, you have to start somewhere. This is me making a start, and if you are moved to help me, then please donate whatever you can. Every little helps. Mostly we need money for materials, and paying our block makers (see picture above). We have the expertise to build ourselves and with my carpentry skills I’ve designed, and can build, the roof trusses. I just need to get out there this winter.
To donate to this project, please go to the DONATE page on this site
Contact me on ulingana2016@gmail.com or using the dialog box below
Here’s a short movie I made for the Mandala Ashram (where I live) website. They support me, especially my mentor Swami Nishchalananda… he’s 100 per cent behind this project.
Thanks so much, love from Us.
Ulingana 