PRESS RELEASES

Americans Donate Books To Mark Opening Of Terranova Coffee Estate School Library In Mazabuka

 

Lusaka

July 10, 2007

 

The U.S. Ambassador to Zambia, Carmen Martinez, recently participated with visiting American school teachers in donating a collection of books to mark the opening of a new library at Terranova School in Mazabuka.  The Terranova School received donations from the students, parents, and teachers of Woodward Academy, a private school in Atlanta, Georgia, to build classrooms, a library and supply books.

 

The fund-raising efforts, spearheaded by American math teacher Marguerite Nunnally, are the latest in a series of efforts by Woodward faculty members and students to support the school run by Terranova Coffee Estate in Mazabuka.  According to an article on the Woodward web site, Shepherd M. Chilala, a seventh-grader wrote a heartfelt note to Ms. Nunnally in September for previous shipments of books and supplies from Woodward Academy.  He stated: “Now because I know how to read and write, everything is just okay.”  Ms. Nunnally was accompanied by Woodward faculty member George Dietz and Ambassador Martinez at the ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of the library.

 

In her remarks to the Terranova students and teachers, Ambassador Martinez stressed the importance of education and the role of libraries in expanding knowledge and opening doors to opportunities.  She added that as a student she spent a lot of time in libraries and she encouraged all the students to read books and take advantage of the library.  After watching traditional dances and plays performed by children, the Ambassador praised the generosity of the students and teachers of Woodward Academy in Atlanta and Mr. and Mrs. Colin Street, owners of Terranova, for giving the children of the farm workers easy access to information resources. The coffee farm also supports a local clinic and contributes to wildlife management in the Lower Zambezi National Park and to Chikankata Hospital, one of the region’s leading AIDS research facilities.

Terranova Coffee Estates grows 250 hectares of coffee and supplies more than 100 tons of coffee to Starbucks, America’s leading coffee retailer, every year. A portion of the coffee sale goes to maintaining the school.  In April, the Ambassador toured the production fields and processing facilities of Terranova Coffee Farm and underscored the role of the U.S. Government in encouraging the development of business and export opportunities in Zambia.  The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has worked with the Zambia Coffee Growers Association and the Zambia Coffee Board to facilitate the country’s membership in the Eastern African Fine Coffees Association, resulting in increased exposure to lucrative international markets and improved production and processing technologies. 

 

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