Our dear friends and fellow students,

The ZASU committee writes to inform you that each member of the union is supposed to pay an annual subscription fee of 40 US dollars. You have to realize that, by virtue of you being a student from Zambia, you are automatically a member of this union. The monies will be paid biannually, i.e. two times in a year. Each time, a member is supposed to pay 20 US dollars. It was decided that the monies will be deducted directly from the students’ top-up allowances in January and September. If you are in agreement with this arrangement, you will be required to write your name and sign in the provided spaces below. The names will later be submitted to the accountant at the Embassy.

The ZASU committee is intent on creating a fund that will serve the following purposes:

Bearing in mind that there is no guarantee as to whether the students will be invited for these celebrations anymore, the student committee decided that we, the students, should start organizing these celebrations on our own. This will be the clear manifestation of our patriotism. If the Ambassador consents to our request, we will be using the embassy premises as the venue for these celebrations.

During the course of the year, the student committee will be organizing two meetings, at which ALL the union members will be expected to attend. As ZASU grows and encompasses other towns; there will be our fellow student from other towns in attendance, too. These meetings will accord us the rare opportunity to discuss and try to resolve the problems the Zambian student is facing in this foreign country. Everyone will have a say as regards what they think should best be done in all issues. At one of these meetings, we will be having elections in which the new student committee will be elected. Organizing such events will require funds to buy beverages and snacks and organize accommodation for the visiting students from other towns. If things go as planned, these meetings will also be held at the embassy.

There have been cases in which students have gotten sick or ran into troubles that require funds, and the embassy has been unable to help financially. Since we are striving towards unity, based on the ‘one Zambia, one Nation’ principle, we will be able to help our fellow students in need with this fund. It might be you in trouble, who knows. The funds shall only be lent to the student and will later be deducted from their allowances. Rest assured, the monies will only be in cases that the committee will deem ‘special’ and urgently in need of funds. To do this, there will be a sitting in which the need to release the monies will be discussed.

The letter you are just reading is on paper and ink was used. This is just one of the many letters you are to receive from the committee informing you of the decisions made, suggestions brought forth, when and where we will be meeting, etc. This also shall require monies.

At each general meeting, the treasurer will be giving an accounts report. Each member has the right to demand for an explanation where he feels that the monies where spent unnecessarily.

We wish to remind you, dear friend and fellow student, that the subion fee is non-refundable. We regret, however, to write that, in case of refusal to pay the subion fee, the union will not be in position to help you should the need to do so arise and you will not be allowed to attend the events that will be organized using the funds others contributed.

It is time, dear friends, that we united as a people and did a lot of things together, and preventing those in power from infringing on our rights. So let us strive towards unity by concentrating on things that unite us whilst getting rid of those things that will divide us. We thank you in advance.