Binga continues to have heavy rains almost daily. The rains sometimes come with harsh thunders and lightening that affects the whole district with power cuts and bad telephone networks. Most roads around the district have been destroyed to very costly maintenance after the season as confirmed by the servicing departments who failed to do the required road works last year due to lack of funding and fuel. These factors also affect tonga.online project's operations as expected by the district. Never the less we are determined to facing the challenges together with stakeholders involved.

Binga ITC:

The centre has managed to network all fifteen computers that are now connected to the internet and all users are enjoying the service although sometimes disturbed by the unstable network. The Centre has been producing students' ID cards as a fundraising project. Basic computer training has started well after the computers were serviced to a normal working condition, with sixteen (16) people, five man and eleven women who include members of different Churches and spouses of main stakeholders completing the course. Horizont3000 has visited the district along with their Binga deployed computer technician Mr Uwe Allgauer, and finalized his attachment to Binga High School. Tonga.online office facilitated the introduction of the technician to local authorities, some computerized schools and to the district's Science and Technology Committee into which Uwe was co-opted as a member based on his IT expertise.

Siachilaba ITC:

The plans for an outreach training with Alpha Smart keyboards in feeder schools with the assistance of computer literate / trained teachers from Siachilaba's feeder schools is being communicated to the concerned schools. Although access to the ITC is given to the whole school, the trainer is giving more attention to the forty-five grade sevens, 20 boys and 25 girls. Four members of the community, 1 man 3 women took the basic computer course this month. The centre is also open on certain times on weekends to cater for the public that is busy during the weekdays. The headmaster has expressed financial constraints in replacing printing cartridge but is negotiating with some suppliers.

Syanzyundu ITC:

The headmaster is still following up on the center's printer at the education regional office in Bulawayo. The IT trainer is having computer lessons with all the school's thirteen classes, a total of 600 students and assisted four community members, two males and two females who had enrolled for the basic computer course. Feeder schools were asked to organize and expose their pupils especially grade sevens to the ITC for computer literacy. All teachers are being encouraged to be computer literate so to be able to teach their classes using the Alpha Smarts that are available at the centre. The trainer has also set a meeting with Chief Saba to help train the Chief's committee, especially the secretary in using the Alpha Smart for their courts minutes and other documents.

Twiimbilane Studio:

The studio has received another amplifier from AZFA and a guitar is still to come. Apart from the ongoing music recording and development, we have assessed and found to have a good number of artists with meaningful music on HIV /AIDS that we thought could be used for awareness and behavior change across the community. The studio department has therefore visited the District Aids Action Coordinator's office (DAAC) for support in the carrying out of some awareness in the form of a live performance at the Binga Business Centre. We feel the event would make the songs useful as well as exposing and giving confidence to the artists. We are working with some artists in putting together some available instruments but the most difficult to find is the drum set and speakers. We also require refreshments/food and transport for the artists who are coming from around the district.  It is our hope that some concerned members of the globe will be able to reach us with the necessary support to start these activities in the next two months.

Simonga Cultural Group:

The group has continued to consult Chief Siachilaba about the year's first beer ceremony, Matenta that they would like to celebrate with all Tonga traditional music. The group had a meeting on 23rd February where they tasked each other to different roles. Women are reproducing or maintaining beads attire for the group and some for marketing. Basket makers are looking for an opportunity to market their goods directly for foreign currency and earn more Zimbabwe dollars with the exchange bank rates.

Tonga.online extension:

Ziliikuchitika, it's happening in Sinazongwe across the river. The trainer, Theo Sianyuka has gone wide with project awareness in Sinazongwe and Mweemba communities of the valley, Mamba Secondary School and other schools with the support of the Honorable Chief Sinazongwe and Mr. and Mrs. Miyanda. The computer technician attached to Binga High by H3000, Mr. Uwe Allgauer has joined hands with Arachnid Design of Bulawayo and traveled to Zambia to making it a success with the installation of 15 computers at Sinazongwe Basic School. The IT Centre is expected to be operational by 3rd March 2006. I feel there is a call from down under the lake waters for the BaTonga people of the valley on both sides to remain united, sharing the same development and catching up with the world. see slideshow

Tonga Music and Simonga broadcast on Austrian Radio One:

There was another chance to listen to Ngoma Buntibe, Kantimbwe and other styles of amazing Tonga music from Zimbabwe and Zambia on Austrian Radio Broadcast Channel 1 / ORF Ö1 Radiokolleg from Monday 13th until Thursday 16th February from 9h45 - 10h00 am daily. This programme was targeting especially schools and other educational and academic institutions and was referring to the Symposium "Zambezi River Music" which was held at Donau University Krems in July last year. ORF journalist Andreas Wolf who made the series in collaboration with Cornelia Pesendorfer and Peter Kuthan conducted also interviews with Austrian composers and musicians Klaus Hollinetz, Werner Puntigam, Peter Androsch, Otto Lechner & Windhund. AZFA is happy having Tonga music and cultural heritage promoted again in Austria - it was a great daily treat.
With special permission of Andreas Wolf and ORF we will get the soundfiles of this special feature series onto mulonga website / resources very soon - check it out! (Peter Kuthan / AZFA)

Conclusion:

Binga district is happy with Tonga.Online's facilitation in the deployment of a computer technician who shall greatly assist in the maintenance of IT services as well as being advisory to the district's science and technology committee with regard to Information Technology. We hope that all partners and stakeholders add most valuable support as we continue to invite donors and sponsors to make the Binga project more successful and beneficial to the community, with more active ITCs and respective capacity development programmes.

David Mungombe
Coordinator-tonga.online project
c/o Binga High School, P Bag 5722, Binga,
Tel / fax: ++263-15-573
kunzwana@mweb.co.zw www.mulonga.net
Seconded by Headmaster-Binga High School