During their 6 months volunteering with DAPP Zambia, Carla and Carolina had the opportunity to spend 2 weeks supporting one of DAPP-s Second Hand shops.
Here they tell about their experiences:
We received a job description about several tasks that were expected from us during our days helping in the DAPP Shop in Petauke. From enganging with the costumers and helping them to find suitable items, helping to prepare the shop to get better sales (new ideas, clothe the dummies with attractive clothes, organising the shoes and fallen clothes and hangers) and to work as a team with the people there. This last task got stuck in our mind from the very first moment that we read it in the paper and we had a big the curiosity to know more about each one of them.
Two weeks in a very different project
Our first day began, and we met first Mpundu, who is the manager of the shop. During the day we were supporting at the sales floor and we were organising the clothes and shoes, because everyone knows the shop needs to be kept tidy and organised! It’s a task that never ends and that is necessary in order to continue selling clothes). Here was the time when we had the chance of meeting the staff as well.
The shop runs under the “two week cycle system”: the first week of this cycle was running in our arrival moment. The next days, we were learning and helping to put the labels with the prices to the clothes after the classification that Mpundu did constantly, then we kept them in the bags to be organised in the sales floor later on.
As well, we helped them to count - and recount - the clothes. That it is a process they do frequently with the purpose to have a control of the quantity of clothes they are going to sell. After this process, we were supporting in the task of hanging the clothes and packing them for the next cycle.
Finally, one day the truck with clothes and shoes for the next two cycles arrived to the shop, and we saw the process from unloading the bags to take them inside. Even it is a very hard job to carry the sacks, they were always with good attitude and a smile with some sweat tears around. We tried to carry a bag of shoes, and we already felt the challenge there….
Something interesting for us: they start the morning with a prayer and a small meeting where the balance of the sales was presented, followed by worker’s comments and suggestions or ideas about how to improve as a team in the shop. Being a worker there gives you the opportunity to have access to two meals: breakfast and lunch.
Challenges of really hard work…
During the days in the shop we faced some challenges and highlights that we want to mention here.
As challenges we faced the reality that it is a “proper job” - we finished every day very tired, our bodies were holding the same position most of the time and the tasks that we did were repetitive. We are also still adapting to the heat and to the noise from the generator that gives the power to the shop when the electricity is not working - it is very loud.
However, we have the highlights too. The highlights are more important and we take them with us the most (the good moments that we experienced).
….and Highlights of friendship and new learning
We had the opportunity to get to know a new project from DAPP and to meet with Jean and Martin who are in charge of the DAPP shops in Petauke and Chipata. It was interesting to be part of seeing how it is to be a worker in a shop and what’s behind the scenes, with the Production Team.
As well, we had a great time with the workers and we got to know them a bit more and even shared some meals with them (we had the pleasure to learn with them how to cook nshima and the many options of vegetables or meat they often eat, these moments sharing with them in a more informal and relaxed way were so nice and special for us).
We were laughing a lot in between us and with them and they took some time to teach some shop related Nyanja words. People made the best highlight for us and definitely we had a great time because of the very nice team that the shop has.
Resilience and team work
The people who work in the shop are great, resilient, humble, fresh, empathetic and very strong. During the time there, we got to know each one of them a bit. We saw their actions and expressions and the way they do the things, the bravery to work in spite of the hard tasks and the long working hours. To this, we can add the heat and the stress that sometimes they have to manage with the customers and their responsabilities. From them, we learned that they give the best in order to make things work perfectly; they work together as a team without any kind of difference or hierarchy, independently of how many years they have been working there or the position they have at the shop. Experience is a range, but it is not everything, finally they are people. They told us that they work and share a lot of time during the day, this shop is like their second home and this reality makes them create very beautiful and good bonds.
In addition, they have the curiosity of knowing more about us, for example about our countries, lifestyle, job conditions, opportunities and many other things. But at the same time, in our minds, came up several questions for them like how are their job conditions, what they do in their free time, their habits, hobbies, to know more about of their language, etc.
And, of course, exchanging experiences are enriching moments for both parts.
It’s not easy - but it’s not impossible
We value and appreciate the hard work that they do every day, for them and their families. They want a better future, like one of them said to us: “It’s not easy - but it’s not impossible”.
They have taught us the importance of be grateful, the simplicity of the things, the value of the minimum, to enjoy the moment and the importance to work always together in order to achieve the common goal.
We can say that we felt home, we felt very welcomed by them at their place.
Zikomo Kwambiri. Tizaonana posachedwa abwenzi.
With love, Thandiwe Phiri and Chikondi Ngwenya (our Zambian names!)