MISSIONARY AND GUZZI BIKER:
PAOLO PUPILLO IN ZAMBIA
Don Paolo Pupillo lives in Zambia, where he conducts his mission with the help of his Moto Guzzi Nevada. The Moto Guzzi World Club has organised a solidarity operation for him, in cooperation with the Order of the Guzzi Knights of Malta (formed in 2013, for charity and solidarity initiatives). Don Paolo wants to fight a serious social scourge: road accidents, caused usually by failure to comply with the most basic road safety rules, such as not driving in unsuitable psycho-physical conditions. He is organising road safety driving courses, called: Kweenzya Kucilila Mulawo, which in the Chitonga language means: “driving in accordance with the law”. The Moto Guzzi World Club has re-named the program “Operation KKM solidarity”. Guzzi bikers can contribute to the initiative at Club meetings and events. Acknowledging the friendship and support he has received, the missionary has founded the Moto Guzzi Club Zambia of which he is president and sole member, with local supporters.
LIFE IN SIAVONGA
In this short video, missionary Paolo Pupillo tells the interviewer about life in the poor district of Siavonga, in Zambia, a few miles from Lake Kariba. He has lived in St. Mathias since 2009; the many villages he looks after are located in a very large area, covering hundreds of kilometres, where he often moves around on his motorcycle.
Zambia, missionary Paolo Pupillo in the poor district of Siavonga
TRANSLATION OF THE VIDEO INTERVIEW: Q. Does someone manage to leave the area, to improve their lives? A. Yes, some people manage, it’s difficult but some people manage; above all, I’d say it’s people who have a job, especially in areas linked to tourism and at the hospital, and can give their children the opportunity to study. A son or daughter who has received an education has the chance to leave the area. Q. How many of the youngsters here manage to study? A. All of them attend primary school, but after that no one. It’s difficult…Q. How much does it cost to go to school? A. For them it costs about a million a year in local money, the equivalent to two or three months’ local salary, and many people have large families, so it’s difficult for them to give all their kids an education.
WINGS OF THE EAGLE
The coincidence is obvious: missionary Paolo Pupillo is a Guzzi biker; the eagle is the symbol of the famous Italian motorcycle brand; the eagle appears on the flag of Zambia where he works to help those in need; and an eagle protectively embracing Africa is the symbol of the Italian no-profit association “Ali d’aquila”. The group formed by lay volunteers promotes educational, economic and social projects and support Don Paolo’s work in Zambia.
TRAVELLING IN ZAMBIA
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF DR LIVINGSTONE
For the multimedia channel of The Times newspaper, Jason Von Berg has produced a report entitled “Travel to Zambia”, where he recommends the African country as a destination to get away from urban stress. Zambia offers spectacular scenery, from the celebrated Victoria Falls to the Zambesi river.
Travel to Zambia
In this video, Jason rides to the city of Livingstone, named after the famous Scottish explorer David Livingstone (who was also a medical missionary). Livingstone was the first European to explore the area, in the mid-19th century, and to see the great waterfall, which he renamed in honour of Queen Victoria. The remark made by Welsh journalist Henry Morton Stanley who been sent to find Livingstone, and met him near Lake Tanganyika, has gone down in history, a restrained: “Doctor Livingstone, I presume”, as if they were at a party, whereas in fact they were the only two Europeans in Africa for a radius of hundreds of miles.
