TravelStream™ news feed for member davisc. on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/davisc. en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:46:32 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/davisc./1/1235069400/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/davisc./1/1235069400/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/davisc./1/1235069400/tpod.html Wed, 29 Apr 2009 01:46:32 -0400 Malawi, Africa LifeNets Intl.

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Balaka, Malawi

I have a moving office between Area 25 (the LifeNets home office) and Crossroads Hotel. Those fortunate enough to normally have electricity across Malawi are facing power outages daily. We're losing power at home every night usually beginning at 8pm until 3am (prime blogging time). Prepared businesses like Crossroads depend on generators to keep happy customers. This week retail sales are down over 13% nationwide as registers cannot operate, landlines are down and food is going bad in the refrigerator section. This is a national crisis, right? But government refuses to comment. Locals just roll their eyes and move on with their day. Escom, the government-owned power source, has only two power plants. One of these is out of service due to damage from excess trash stuck in the turbines. So all of Malawi is being powered by ONE plant! The photo on the front page showed machines covered with debris and engulfed in dirty water. Hopefully there are plans to expand the power support structure for Malawi. It's difficult enough for businesses to put fire in the bellies of employees WITHOUT having to worry about lighting. This isn't the emphasis of today's blog but I just wanted to share a little about the situation here.

Today's blog details the work of Dr. Sam and Esther Chilopara in the LifeNets built Chizeni Health Clinic in Balaka. I went there over the weekend-visiting with the couple and their most prominent patients. Emotionally, this was my toughest research effort yet. While interviewing mothers, answers to "your most common challenge" became trite. "Starvation," was the simple answer from more than a dozen women. As we talked, children sucked on the milkess breasts of their mothers and cried from disappointment and chronic hunger. But the main killer of both body and spirit is lack of vision. They have "hope" but no kind of PLAN to change their circumstance. The Chiloparas give these women and children emergency aid-food, free health services and school supplies-at Chinzeni clinic. But they also supply VISION which is the rarest of all resources. Nearly every patient at Chizeni receives a Good News magazine--a free publication of vision by UCG. For employment guidance, Mrs. Chilopara does what she can to impart wisdom to youth (see WISDOM FROM MRS. CHILOPARA). While this entry should be sobering, it should not leave readers depressed or discouraged. LifeNets International's mission is to invest in people and projects that have a strong, visionary foundation to make positive strides for even the most impoverished people. And with that, enjoy "Charity at Chizeni Clinic."


1. CHIZENI HEALTH SERVICES
2. MATILDA, AVOCADOS AND PENCILS
3. LATE NIGHT GOODIES
4. VILLAGE WELCOMING
5. ROTATIONS ON THE GROUND
6. UNDER THE MANGO TREE
7. WISDOM FROM MRS. CHILOPARA


CHIZENI HEALTH SERVICES

Dr. Sam Chilopara and his wife Esther, a nurse, operate the Chizeni ("Heal Me") Health Clinic for the greater Balaka area. LifeNets built the clinic in 2003 to serve the city and surrounding rural villages. A plaque on the back wall reads: "Born to serve and dedicated to spend a lifetime in relieving human suffering." Apparently, Dr. Chilopara and his wife don't take this vow lightly. Both are nearly 80 with no plans to stop seeing patients and are still the lifeblood of the community. In addition to the 5,000+ patients they see per month, Dr. Sam and Esther Chilopara visit women and children in a nearby village on a weekly basis.

"In total, there are about 220," said Mrs. Chilopara referring to those who began receiving food and school supplies monthly in 2001. Not all are orphans and widows but all are extremely poor. And I spent the next three days learning about them.



MATILDA, AVOCADOS and SCHOOL SUPPLIES

"She came at the point of death due to starvation...her weight that of a new born baby." - Dr. Chilopara

Mrs. Kubik, LifeNets co-founder, gave me a commission to meet Matilda, her child buddy in Balaka. Seven years ago at the age of one, Matilda was brought to the clinic dying of starvation. She had the weight of an infant and her organs were failing. This early trauma caused brain damage. Now, at ten she sat across from me in a bright aqua dress beside Dr. Chilopara. Scared and confused, she needed the help of her mother and Dr. Chilopara to answer my questions. Matilda is the second youngest of six. She has both mother and father, but lives in "extreme poverty," as Dr. Chilopara described. Her mother tries to find "piece-works" (or "pieces of work" since there is no employment or jobs in rural villages) while her father cannot use his fingers and stays at home. Her mother finds piece-work usually a few times a week and is able to bring home K500/week (USD 3.57) which is more than most I talked with. Normally this money would go toward expenses other than food such as school supplies, clothes, soap and the like. But the current maize crops are failing to yield any harvest. The family did not make the expense to buy fertilizer and will now suffer from NO harvest. No corn means no food. Milled corn and water are the only ingredients in sima--which makes up at least 95% of their diet. So now Matilda lives without school supplies so she can eat cassava (a common root) a few times a week. There ARE days no one in the family eats.

She said her favorite color is red. I was wearing a red dress and don't know if that had any influence. She smiled and rocked her legs in excitement during the unusual interview.

"What are your goals for your children?," I asked Matilda's mother. "To get the highest education they can get," she replied. She and her husband stopped education at eighth grade (when students begin paying tuition fees) and her older children stopped at the same ceiling.

"What is the biggest challenge to this goal?" I continued.
"No money...we just cannot manage," she replied.
"What has to happen to achieve that goal," I asked.
"We need money."
"But what if things don't change?"
"We hope they change."
"How long have you been at this level of poverty?"
"Thirty-one years."

Other than education, she couldn't list another goal for her children. She hoped they would receive funds. She has no plan for them if (or when) they stop schooling. They don't have options. In the village they just hang around, help their mothers, get married, pregnant, etc. Once of age (around 16), they try to find "piece-work" cultivating others gardens. But since few have gardens, one can find work only a few times per week.

And the cycle continues.

Matilda knelt down and nearly kissed my hand goodbye. I gave her a hug on behalf of Mrs. Kubik and she showed a big smile. Mrs. Kubik, Matilda says hi.

She sat down with the scattered children on the front porch. After interviewing another mother and child, I joined them. Mrs. Chilopara brought out a big box and the children clapped like it was Feast season. She held up an avocado, notebook and pencil for the first school-age beneficiary. Child after child walked up to receive their gifts. Some sat back down with their mothers and others with fellow orphans. Now they added both variety to their diet and supplies for their studies. They held their avocados and school supplies proudly (pictured).



LATE NIGHT GOODIES

I also received tasty gifts at the Chiloparas home. Mrs. Chilopara doesn't bake cookies, but small sweet muffins. These little baked goods served with tea were my first fluffy trifles to enjoy in Malawi.

Dr. Chilopara is a voracious reader and most of his book shelf is filled with early church literature and bible anthologies of the like. In the mid nineties he was asked by WWCG to burn his books to bring in the "new way." Well he didn't. I began reading the autobiography of HWA (bashfully for the first time) and it's now on my MUST READ list to find ASAP after landing at SEA-TAC. We had a Sabbath feast and slept soundly in mosquito nets (without cockroaches).



VILLAGE WELCOMING

Village women can dance. We drove up to the site where over 220 women and children from surrounding rural communities organize every week. They gathered to greet me. With a strong drum rhythm, they sounded in a song of welcome. I joined the circle and tied to catch the beat. We soon sat in our respective seats and the chief introduced these women of his village. Dr. Chilopara introduced me. Three years ago this July, I was involved in a fundraising effort with UCG youth in Portland, Oregon selling cherries that brought over 2,000 mosquito nets to this community. Dr. Chilopara reminded the women that I was the girl. In the village, the malaria cases drastically decreased that year. The women were ebullient and eager to give thanks. Since then, no new mosquito nets have been distributed and most live without. Some spoke of malaria among their biggest challenges in the profiles below.



ROTATIONS ON THE GROUND

Sets of four children per age group sat on the laps of their mothers or guardians as I asked questions about their well being. Mrs. Chilopara translated, Dr. Chilopara observed and Wordworth filmed. First I met Ferbia Wilson (age 2), Odala Wemba (11 months), Fieda Konjelote (age 2), Dave Bwanan (age 3), Idrissa Dickson (age 4) and Rahamani Rajab (age 1). There are more, but I think your heart might explode. Below are their profiles that are all too common. For uplift, make sure you read the last sentence with favorite playthings, activities and colors.

Ferbia Wilson (pictured)

Ferbia is two and has both mother and father, but lives in destitute poverty. She has four siblings and eats sima (milled corn and water) four to five times a week (less than once a day) during lunch time only. Her mother looked particularly pail. The Chiloparas asked about her mom's condition. She was suppose to receive a pint of blood in December, but failed to find a relative who would donate. As we were talking she was still suffering from dangerously low blood levels. She could faint at anytime. Ferbia also looked anemic and feverish. Ferbia's 15-year-old sibling is in 4th grade. Both parents stopped education at low primary education and stay at home with no work and source of income. With no milk, Ferbia thrashed her mother's breasts, frustrated and hungry. I gave Ferbia a chocolate protein bar and the mother a bag of nuts. For fun, Ferbia likes to play with toy cars that her father makes.

Odala Wemba (pictured)

Odala is nearly one year and has a mother but no father. Her father recently died from a brain injury. She has three siblings. The family can usually take food of milled corn once a day during lunch hours. On her belly button, there is a huge bump. This kind of hernia is very common in villages and is the result of mishandling by the midwife at birth. Her mother is able to earn around $0.30 - $0.60 / day. She said that she "fails to look after her children and cannot provide for herself." Odala was wearing a cute white dress and has chubby ankles. (Both are compliments).

Fieda Konjelute

Fieda is two years with four older siblings. Her mother is divorced, for reasons she wouldn't say, and is dependent on her 86-year-old father for financial support. He's a contractor and occasionally gets jobs. Her mother complained of having no food and not feeling safe with what they have. Fieda played with a beaded necklace around her neck. "She's a dancer," said Fieda's mother. "She's a beautiful dancer with her sisters."

Dave Bwanan

Dave is three years old and has two siblings. He has both mother and father, but the father doesn't work and the mother brings home about $0.35/week from piece-work. She grows her own maize. Sometimes Dave doesn't get any meals at home. With the failing crops, she buys cassava as soon as she gets money - a true example of living "hand to mouth." Most of the times her children go to school without food. She and her husband stopped education after primary school. Dave has staff infections on his face. For fun, Dave plays football (soccer) with his older brother. "He's a footballer" said his mother. I gave him a banana to eat, but he saved it. The mother took a bite and she said she couldn't remember the taste of banana.

Idrissa Dickson

Idrissa is four and sat on the lap of his mother. His father died a few years ago. He has three siblings. His mother finds piece-work cultivating others' gardens. They can afford sima once a day after school. Idrissa gets malaria three times a month. He suffered from boils all over but they are healing now. For fun, Idrissa likes to sing school songs (but he was too scared to sing in front of me). His favorite color is blue.

Rahamani Rajab

Rahamani is just one year and three days. His father died in the last year from HIV symptoms. His nine year old brother is in kindergarten after starting school last year. The mother's biggest challenge is dealing with the frequent illnesses of her children. She finds money by drawing water for someone else and sometimes sells firewood. She finds such work twice a week, earning K150/job ($1.08). For fun, Rahamani "likes to crawl," his mother said smiling.



Sharing more might be overkill. Being there is a bit different. Each woman expressed her challenges a bit differently, yet they can sound very much the same. I should also mention that the Chiloparas thought that some may be inflating their income or how often they find work. Truly, they're all desperate. When the Chiloparas come to the village, it's like seeing angels.

My interviews are at the mercy of my camera batteries. After 12 interviews or so, we danced and sang goodbye songs and they carried their babies the 3+/- kilometers home.

We had no power at the Chiloparas home that night.



UNDER THE MANGO TREE

The next morning I sat under the mango tree of a widow with seven children. I somewhat expected her to be "better-off" because of all her energy. (She was a top performer in the previous days' festivities so I asked if I could visit her home.) She, three of her children, the village organizer, Mrs. Chilopara and I sat intimately together on a straw mat. Her children played soccer in the background. In all they make their own team, and look like great athletes. To my delight, her 18-year-old son wore Oregon Duck Nike shorts and I explained that I was an Oregonian!

Just as Matilda's mother expressed only HOPE for her children, this mother had no idea how her son could get work outside of the home. But from what I learned, he has marketable skills! He makes wood furnishings for the home, but sells his labor at next to nothing under his uncles business. He has no capital to build on his own. As the only breadwinner for his family, his mother depends on him to find the small amount of piecework available once or twice a week. Again, they cultivate gardens for $0.30 - $0.50 / week. When I asked him what he WANTS to do, his dream job, he replied, "to be a driver." His younger brother echoed the same thing. But it costs MK45,000 (US 321.43) to go to driving school and there is no living as a minibus driver.

A DRIVER! I repeat, that is his AMBITION. Why? Because in the village, that's the success they see...they see the cars driving by and think that must be the "good life." Mrs. Chilopara tried to guide the boy in his native tongue. Only today as I wrote this blog did I translate her wisdom with Wordsworth's help.



WISDOM FROM MRS. CHILOPARA

"Why don't you choose to be a mechanic where you can be called direct from your village? You can say 'Come here! This vehicle has a fault.' When you go there you will definitely have something in terms of pay and this is on a daily basis because vehicles will be moving down the road daily. Secondly...there is building. If you can go for building, people from the village will be coming to you to say 'we have a contract, can you go for it?' Not only one can come to you to ask for a building contract. You'll be getting money every time. I've talked about mechanic, secondly building, now carpentry....making furniture, chairs and other things. I feel this can be profitable to you. You know people will be coming, 'please make a bed for me...please make a chair for me'. Why can't you pick from the three of these. In driving there is nothing..."

She spoke with passion. She wants him to hold the reins and drive his life. Children in America have things like "career day" and "take your child to work day" where from an early age we can dream big. Schools have resource centers and guidance counselors. But in Malawi, "job" and "career" is replaced by "piece-work" and HOPE is the primary resume buzz word.

...speaking of jobs, back in Lilongwe, I connected with the Malawi Congress of Trade Unions which surveys the market saturation and penetration of all legal industries across Malawi. They agreed to pass on the valuable statistics. This is needed information and will help LifeNets do more for graduates and guiding students.

This week I visited Malawi Adventist College, Malawi College of Accountancy, K&M College of Accountancy, Beston College of Accountancy and MacMaine Business College-all of which we have scholarship recipients. More on scholarships soon!

Thanks for reading. You made it to THE END!
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Lilongwe, Malawi

With six hard-working girls in the household, it's hard to take care of myself. My clothes are washed by the Rashid's niece and sister Fanny and Harriet as good as any Whirlpool. My breakfast is prepared by Ellen, tea and dinner is served by Mrs. Rashid and plates are washed by Linda. The security guard, Daniel, takes my money to the LifeNets grocery store (pictured) to buy telephone units and cream. So, in trying to stay active, I moved my morning jump rope regiment to the afternoon and Mr. Rashid and I begin running in the morning at 4:45am. Yes, that's early but it's imperative that we leave no later than 5:00 so we're back by daybreak so that I'm less visible on the street. Last week I told Mr. Rashid that I ran a marathon a year-and-a-half ago and he took it as some sort of challenge. Score! The first day we started at 6:00 and by 6:30 we were close to a major taxi pick-up stop with riders hollering at the staggering African running behind the white girl. In the light, someone with evil intentions could more easily track down our home. We don't want to be robbed. Being a good guardian, and competitive runner, Mr. Rashid decided we should begin at 4:45.

I'm getting used to the fragrance of mosquito repellent, and as a result I've only been bitten once. My malaria medication makes me nauseous, but the combination of Trader Joe's Almond Butter and Malawi honey on a slice of wheat bread is just the "spoon full of sugar to make the medicine go down." I'm malaria free - but I wish I could say the same for Loveness, Harris and Harriet's son Joshua who all have the common symptoms of lack of appetite, hot/cold sweats and headaches.

Interviews at Government of Malawi

Workers in the Ministry of Education are beginning to recognize me as a familiar face. It has taken a few weeks but beginning today I have clearance to conduct wide-spread interviews in schools. My proposal letter indicating the research objectives and methodology, passed through the many department heads who must grant their approval. The memorandum by the Minster of Education, Science and Technology will be sent to all school officials in three of the five educational districts of Malawi. As an addition to LifeNets' research objectives, the Minister stated that this research will be used by the Government of Malawi as they try to understand the situation in schools. Relevant, valid and insightful research may be used as a reference by officials advocating education reform policies. My objectives are still to provide LifeNets with the most relevant data to further develop the scholarship program but it's great if the Government of Malawi and the people of Malawi can benefit in the process.

Today I interviewed the Head of Higher Education who acts as the voice for the two public universities in Malawi. Government is responsible for funding all workings of the university-teachers' salaries, infrastructure, teaching and learning materials-in addition to providing full tuition loans for over 75% of all students. With so many expenses, the government cannot extend access for many students to achieve a four-year degree. When I asked how many Malawians have a college degree, he stated that with a population of 14 million, only 2,000 Malawians graduate from an accredited university each year. This number was an improvement from previous years. (In comparison, Seattle, WA, USA has a population of 3.2 million and graduates over 30,000 students each year). There are other private higher education institutions in Malawi, but these offer certificates and diplomas, which are NOT recognized by government. So, how do you get into the University of Malawi? Grab a bed!

Nearly all university students live on campus. As a result, government pays a much larger amount to educate one student due to housing and other living costs: "You know our enrollment is increasing but our admission is based on bed space so we are limited by that...And maybe it is high-time that stopped using bed space as a criterion for selection," says Mr. Bisika.

Last week I interviewed the head of student financial need for all of higher education--also in the Ministry. In his own words, "My main duties are to coordinate loans for needy students who are studying at public universities in Malawi. So our loans are targeted towards those who are needy and they cover tuition, books and stationary. That's all." Nearly all students are needy. The Government of Malawi loans 75% of all enrolled students at the two public universities--University of Malawi or Mzuzu University--enough to cover tuition and MK10,000 ($71.43USD) for books and school supplies. Both are granted upon application. Loans cover tuition costs--MK25,000 ( $178.57USD) for UM and MK55,000 ($392.86USD) for MU. These loans are need-based only and must be repaid within six years of graduation.

FINDING WORK TO PAY FOR SCHOOL

While many college students in the US pay more for books during a semester than Malawians do for an entire year's education, these students scrape their pockets to find these kinds of funds. As one LifeNets scholarship recipient was reminding me today, even the most "mediocre" job is very hard to come by. Victor, a computer studies student at the National College of Information Technology, wants to continue his education all the way to the doctorate level, but cannot find a job to scrape together the funds. "I've applied to over 60 jobs in the last three months...It takes an average of three months to hear back," he said.



Thanks for reading! I know you want to hear more from the students. As I continue to transcribe my video and audio interviews, so I can provide quotes that speak for themselves. I'll have more student and scholarship recipient content coming your way soon.
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Lilongwe, Malawi

During our second meeting, LifeNets Livlihood Development Grant recipient Loveness Luwanja requested something other than hair supplies or furniture for her salon. She requested that I find her a friend. To her, a friend is someone whom she can correspond with and get to know. Loveness is the wife of James Luwanja and mother to a biting two year old, Harris. The Luwanja family lives seven minutes walking distance from the LifeNets home office.

On Sunday I went "house hunting" with the family in search of a new home to rent. Last week one room in the four-room house collapsed during the heavy rains. They remain upbeat, but we didn't find any rentals in their price range. James was telling me about the real estate prices in this area. Prices are high so nearly everyone rents.

"It's about $15,000 US dollars to buy a house [in this neighborhood]. Is it that expensive to buy a house in the USA?" he asked. (Well even in the housing slump, luckily our home values haven't plummeted to peanuts.)
"No," I replied. "It's quite a bit more than that."
While our peanut shacks would be glamorous for the Malawian family, our wages are much higher so that we can afford the $150,000+ homes. To the Luwanja family, such living is only seen on the nationally broadcasted Chinese soap operas.

Today I dropped by to see Loveness after my appointments this afternoon. Oui. She was in a very bad state--resting on the floor with Harris and obviously bed ridden. Last night she was feeling faintly and this morning came down with Malaria. She has been doing too much walking searching for a house. Please be thinking of her.

If you would like to befriend Loveness, please send me a message so I can introduce you. No, unfortunately she's not on Facebook or Linked In so we're going to have to do this the old fashioned way.
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Lilongwe, Malawi

Hello and thanks for following!

I am writing to you for a third time as I continue meeting interesting people and experiencing a different mode of living in Lilongwe, Malawi. On this Monday afternoon I'm enjoying the warm summer sun and talkative chirps of our neighborhood birds (although the sounds of play from Paul & Simeon overtake the whistles of our flying friends). Diverson, who drives me to my appointments, just dropped me off from Skyway Business College where I conducted a focus group discussion with four enrolled students...but more on that later. Today's entry will give you a taste for the dichotomy of Malawi living: typified in the very rich (gates of the vice president), the middle class (struggling students), and the majority of Malawians living in poverty (cholera infested population living in the backyard of high profile officials.) But don't let these stories that tug your heart strings fog your reading glasses. Persevere and read on! Focus! I want to involve you in my evolving perspective. Most of all...Enjoy.


MANSION AND DUMP.

It was on the way to the nearest hospital that I saw the dichotomy of African living. Diverson rushed his diabetic aunt to receive immediate care after she went into a coma from low blood pressure. The following observation takes place in the car on the way to visit her. We were on our way, with just a few miles from the hospital when we hit an unusually nice stretch of paved road. While we say, there may be "dirt on the road," in Malawi there is "road on some dirt.". Riding in the car has been enough of a roller-coaster ride to keep any child entertained. But at this moment I was able to drink out of my water bottle without spilling for a change. It was great. Then I saw why. To my left we soon passed the front gates of the Vice President's home--a kingly mansion made of choice stone and cement. Malawi VP Cassim Chilumpha was under house arrest for several months in 2006 after the President Bingu wa Mutharika accused him of treason (citation from Wikipedia). He created an underground political party that competed with the current administration and plotted to "overthrow" the current President (aka assassinate). The courts held him under house arrest in his home until February 2007. By the looks of it, his short-term prison couldn't have been all that bad.

But "bad" isn't vile enough to describe the smell, let alone the sight, of the community village down the road. Just around the corner we started on the typical barren road, passing one of the dirtiest areas in Malawi. You may have heard of the Cholera outbreak in much of Africa, including Malawi. This strip of land had the most concentrated number of victims in the country. The flood waters are high and trash is everywhere. I rolled up the windows from the stench of garbage, dead animals and miscellaneous odors. Of course the local children know no difference. Kids were playing without clothes on, let alone shoes. They jumped and played in the large pools of rain water similar to how young children play in the kiddy pools at Walt Disney World's Typhoon Lagoon water park. It was a somber sight. On the way back from the hospital, I had to get a picture of both landscapes.

While politicians earn inflated incomes, the government employs most of the country on wages that cannot satisfy the basic standard of living for a Malawian family of five, let alone the typical numbers of eight or more. See this example of a very good wage. Diverson is applying for a distinguished government job as Foreign Services Officer against stiff competition. He has his master's degree in business and computer sciences from UK, while other applicants are finance officers and lawyers. You'd think that compensation would support comfortable living. Well, the offered monthly salary is MK49,000/month (at a MK140 to $1 US dollar exchange rate that is $350/month!). Pitiful, right? But that's over $50 more that the average annual salary for most Malawians. The IMF reported that the average Malawian makes $299 per year. I have a perspective of a USA outsider. Wordsworth Rashid, my guardian, makes $92.80/month as a special education teacher. Cost of living: housing is much cheaper, food prices are a bit lower, appliances such as a TV and computer are comparable to US prices and gas is upwards of $6.80/gal. Obviously, most do not have a car. On that $350/month, Diverson will try to support his wife and children in the UK and his extended family in a rural village. Like many, he's desperate for work and will take any job. For the time being, I'm paying for him to take me around the country from my student financial assistant package to do this research, labor not included. Of course I wish I could do more. For now, my major contribution is through this research.

HOPE FOR THE "MIDDLE CLASS": EDUCATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

I'm getting a taste for the spirit in Malawi students. They are faced with pressure to make more of themselves. It's a privilege to record the ambitious stories of these youth close to my age. In the West, it is obvious that our parents, teachers and family friends want us to do well, and we may feel "like we need to make our parents proud." But Malawi scholars are reminded of the groaning pains from their family and friends in the nearby villages. This drives them to do more.

"I want to build an organization that will target the rural masses. They always depend on handouts from their relatives who are well-to-do. My aim is to empower them by giving them skills so they can find something on their own. After that I can support my relatives who are looking to me because I am the only person in my village that has gone forward with my education," said Skyway third year student Winess Gumbo getting her Advanced Diploma in Rural Community Development.

Winess was one of four students who spoke about their education at Skyway and employment aspirations during an hour-and-a-half focus group session. Next to her were Patrick Kadiwa (Rural Community Development, Advanced Diploma), David Mhango (Accounting, Certificate) and Chinweme Chawma (Financial Accounting, Certificate). Patrick echoed that he chose to study Rural Community Development because it is highly marketable and gives him the highest chances for employment or entrepreneurship. His education has never been financed from relatives but philanthropic donors--a priest, a doctor and now a "white man from Scotland."

"I want to make economic and social change in Malawi. That is what I am interested in," he said.

Fortunately, rural community development is as interesting as it is marketable. The same cannot be said for David. It's never been his dream to become an accountant, but that of his uncle who is paying for his education. He feels a sense of duty to study what his uncle wishes since he provides him the opportunity to go to school. Accountants are in high demand and he has the aspiration of starting his own firm so that he can help pay for his brothers and cousins in the village get an education.

"They will depend on me when I am older," he stresses. Of course in the West we might see "doing what we love" as the best formula for success, but I think that David's motivation rooted in gratitude will get him far and may even feed all the mouths depending on it. Conversely, Chinweme said that she enjoys accounting and being an accountant has been her career goal since she was a child (I don't think many of my accounting colleagues at SU would say the same). She expects she will find employment and be able to support her family. She hopes to be a certified accountant after studying in Europe and returning to be a role model for Malawian girls.

And these were just the assertions from students at Skyway...

I've interviewed two students attending the Polytechnic College, a constituent college of University of Malawi which is widely regarded as the top school for higher learning in Malawi. I met George who later introduced me to his friend Gerald. The last day I presented my letter to the Principal Secretary of Education at the Ministry of Education, George was working in the waiting room. He was peering at a computer screen behind a set of very thick glasses. Wordsworth has his certificate in special needs education for the visually impaired. He was much more interested in looking at George than at the Nigerian soap-opera on the TV. He introduced himself. George is a third year student in Polytechnic's environmental health program. Of course it was hard for me to sit there absently (I tend to draw attention for some reason.) I chimed in and unintentionally began my first in-depth interview. One hour later, Diverson arrived to pick us up just as George was detailing the sad state of his school computer lab. To serve 2,500 students, the computer lab has 20 computers. "All teachers demand written assignments after each lecture," he lamented. He would wait 1-2 hours every day for a computer. So like many students, he books appointments with friends who have laptops to borrow his or her computer for a few hours. He knew three students with laptops. Each laptop owner would lend to 15-20 students per week, free of charge. Nice friends. George and the students at Skyway Business College had a similar drive to succeed. His father passed away from psychiatric causes and his mother can't pay the school fees. He's being assisted by his brother who is the manager of a civil engineering firm. When asked what he wants to do after he graduates, George said he wanted to be an entrepreneur and invest in the stock market. ...risky and environmentally friendly. I see big need (and international demand) for companies developing products in environmental science for developing economies. George could fulfill a big need.

The sum total of my student interviews has left me hungry for more. This week I should be receiving clearance from the Ministry of Education to begin wide-spread interviews in schools. Check back for similar stories to come and more on LifeNets scholarship recipients.


CHRISTIAN FOCUS

At church on Sabbath, the Lilongwe congregational choir (and their new addition--me) sang "It Won't Be Long Now." Mr. Rashid gave a sermonette on our mission to FOCUS, exemplified in the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. The topic came from an email forward I received from my father c/o Mr. Segall. He thought it would be a good reminder of the frame of mind I must have here in Malawi. Dad, thank you for that and I am happy that Mr. Rashid helped others benefit from the message in that email.

FOOD AND DENTAL FLOSS

I'm enjoying Sima (which is like mashed potatoes made from corn meal), chicken, rice, beans, concentrated orange soda (which Wordsworth is trying to convince me provides the vitamin C for Malawians but I don't buy it), lots of bottled water, Malawian honey, and instant coffee. Most of our food is seasoned with oil and tomato juice. And I brought Trader Joe's goodies (nuts, protein bars and almond butter) so the Rashid household can also enjoy some new flavors. Today I bought pineapple from a road-side boy and am looking forward to the juicy sweetness.


If you made it this far, thanks for following my excursions, observations and insights of Malawi life, people and culture. Come back soon!
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Lilongwe, Malawi

And I thought we had rain in the Northwest! I'm in Malawi, Africa in late summer experiencing what they call the "rainy season," where approximately 3 inches of water fall each day and thunder and lighting sound a grand finale. But the natural water faucet pours life so that a spectacular green that surrounds every village and mountain this time of year.

South Africa is beautiful. I stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Tony and Brenda Levy during my overnight layover and was able to get a brief introduction to the city. I included an iPhone billboard near the Johannesburg airport for all my Apple guru friends and fellow marketing majors.

My first week has been a shock (that it itself rather predictable). I was expecting to be taken back by images of hunger, disease and weakness that abound in developing countries. And after visiting a new friend's rural village, I've seen enough hungry faces, but I've also been pleasantly surprised by the bright personality of most Malawians. I am staying with the family of Wordsworth and Roslyn Rashid in the LifeNets home office. They put the "HOME" in "home office." Their boys, Simeon (5) and Paul (8) run to open the tin gate when Diverson Chonde drops me off each afternoon. I have all the amenities: bed, mattress, mosquito net, toilet, bathtub and even a fan. My sleep has been restful, sleeping in until 5:30 while the rest of the family wakes up at 4:30 or earlier. My brother Benjamin was nice enough to equip me with three jump ropes to use during my trip. Ben, I've been sticking to a good morning jump program. Thanks!

Research is resuming. Right now I am waiting for clearance from the Secretary of Education to interview students and faculty in Malawian secondary schools and colleges. Chief method advisors in the Ministry of Education were very helpful to edit my letter to the Secretary. Once I receive clearance, I will begin interviewing students, teachers and faculty about academic programs. During my time at the Ministry, the Associate Director of Education told of the extremely low probability that college graduates enter the industries he or she study: "What are the chances?!?" he exasperated. "Graduates become teachers, mostly in primary education, not the engineers or business people they studied to become."

In the mean time, I have interview representatives at World Vision and have an appointment with Catholic Relief Services tomorrow to learn what inside research has been done which give insights on education in Malawi. For example, USA donors who sponsor children throughout his or her entire education-even university studied-do so because that student has done "well." What are the criteria for doing "well"? High test scores, employment, internships, community involvement etc. World Vision places high importance on test scores, spiritual development and community involvement. Better understanding how other organizations follow their aid recipients will greatly help LifeNets.

As far as I've experienced here, the international community expects Americans to have a pretty defined brand image of themselves. But do we know where we come from and what we represent? It would be in vein for me to answer "yes." Wordsworth has given me a new framework from which to analyze my heritage. I hope to write more on this in future entries as I think it is an interesting reflection for many.

Goodwill abounds among the people in Malawi. One student told me that the best thing about the country is it's people. That has certainly been the case so far. In a few days I will attend church service with members of the same faith, who usually worship on the opposite part of the globe. Now its my family that is far...and I am welcomed by my brothers and sisters in Malawi. I am thankful for these relationships. They take the SICK out of "home sick" and I feel at home.

Thanks for viewing. Come back soon!

P.S. I'm new at blogging. Give me feedback to let me know how I'm doing. I'd like to improve. Thanks!
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Lilongwe, Malawi

Hello:

Nearly one week ago, I stepped off the plane of Lilongwe Airport to begin the research program of a lifetime! For the next two months I will be living and working in Malawi as part of the International Development Internship Program at Seattle University in collaboration with LifeNets. Thank you, LifeNets, for this opportunity!

LifeNets has real research needs in the region. Scholarships are given to students attending high school and college but little is known about the academic curriculum and the prospects for employment after graduation. Most of my research will aim to learn more about scholarship recipients, the challenges they face, they're goals and likelihood to get a job.

Below is an outline of my research agenda:

1. Case studies on scholarship recipients
A. Background: family, school, debt
B. Field of study
C. Similar program availability in Malawi
D. Program curriculum
E. Past LifeNets assistance
F. Problems faced
G. Future support needed from LifeNets
H. Employment opportunities after graduation
I. Expected pay after graduation at new job
J. Projected ability to give back or serve LifeNets
2. Interviews with teachers and academic professionals
3. Interviews with employers and aspiring business people
4. Employment opportunity analysis

In addition to helping LifeNets learn more about the development of scholarship recipients, they asked me to teach elementary and intermediate business skills to LifeNets Livelihood Development Grant recipients. Lessons will include customized accounting, finance and marketing information to benefit small business owners. We want to make sure that the grocery store clerk or local honey seller knows his or her profit after a hard day's work!

I am thrilled to aid LifeNets in this capacity. Check here to see updated information on the research process. I'll try to keep personal anecdotes to a minimum. However, I hope that seldom revelations can help us reflect on what it means to live in the West and appreciate the open door of opportunity we enjoy.

Check back soon!
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Lilongwe, Malawi

Beach! On Sunday Dickson (Diverson's younger brother who is a driver), Wordsworth and I are driving eastbound to Salima - near the beautiful banks of Lake Malawi. If you Google "Malawi," you mainly see images of this vast fresh water lake and the Swiss Family Robinson surroundings. As you may know, LifeNets has a good relationship with Rotary International. Rotary is looking to work with LifeNets to drill wells in areas of need. LifeNets identified two village near Salima where building a well would lift a huge burden of collecting water. On Sunday we will be meeting the village chief to discuss the opportunity for a well and what it would mean for the community. The woman who will manage the construction also has plans to build a clinic in the area. I will sleep in a village for the first time. All of rural Malawi operates in villages. And even the "suburbs" of Lilongwe and Blantyre have a village chief; even if he has less direct control of the community. On Wednesday I participated in my first funeral. The mother of church member Alfred Gama died over the weekend. The chief of the village delivered the sermon. There are over 3,000 people that live in the community (Area 25) and at least a few hundred dropped-in. Funerals last for days. We went to see Alfred on Tuesday, when the ceremony began, and returned on Wednesday. I spent Wednesday morning with just a few church women to prepare a traditional meal for Alfred. Over the wood fire and in a big pot I prepared sima for the first time. Sima (corn flour, salt and water) is the staple food for most Africans all over the continent. At least one person, a little girl (pictured) thought that I made very good sima.

Monday we will visit Salima Secondary School , Salima Technical College and Mvera Secondary School where I will capture the school environment and talk with students, administrators and teachers. With the endorsement to conduct such research from the Principal Secretary of Education, schools are more than inviting. Though, my challenges in capturing REAL life may be a bit more difficult with administrators trying to prop up students and classrooms. Who knows what measures will be taken-I can only hope that students are not reprimanded in unusual ways for expressing the situation and challenges they face. I worry because reporters have been uncovering a lot of malpractice in schools and posting them in local news.

The Nation, Malawi's national newspaper, reported that a primary (elementary) school in Blantyre is offering part-time lessons to eighth graders at K450 per month (US$3.21). Yes, it's only $3.21 but it's supposed to be FREE under government law. Students who fail to pay the fees and are forced to go home in the afternoon. According to the head-teacher only 30 out of 200 are able to pay the fees. Oh, you've got to hear the head-teacher come-back: "I am surprised that whoever tipped you did not tell you that we also hold morning revision classes from 6:00 am to 7:30 am free of charge and we have about 80 - 90 pupils in attendance every morning." So if you want a free education you have to arrive by 6:00 am. Parents say that's too early, "especially this season when some people ambush girl children in maize fields in the area." An anonymous teacher in the school told reporters that "the morning classes are held only once or twice a week and less than 10 children attend while the part-time studies are administered everyday even during the holidays." This teacher also called this a "sort of money-making scheme" and that eighth grade teachers share the money with the head teacher and her deputy. And there's more! These teachers favor the paying students and pass out the international approved tests (most tests are not produced by the schools themselves) before the test date so that paying students can erroneously pass. Parent who cannot pay the K450 are constantly complaining that their children are failing.

The likelihood that I uncover any conspicuous on-goings is pretty shallow since I'm spending such a brief time in schools, but I'm preparing for anything.

Accountancy, Computer Studies, Journalism and Information Systems

LifeNets scholarship recipients are coming to the LifeNets home office in Area 25 to talk about school, work and village life over a cup of tea. In the office, behind my desk I've draped a dark-blue sheet and WHALA! I have an anchor room. So far I've talked with Chongwe, Vincint, Isaac, Geoffrey, Ken and Leah in interviews that range from 50 min to 2 hours. They are just a few of the 20+ scholars LifeNets funds in Lilongwe. Each conversation is very different: Isaac spoke for some 10 minutes about how he pays the bills by selling eggs outside his home--"WE SELL EGGS HERE"-until he returns back to the National College of Information Technology after the summer break. Geoffrey and I worked on a business plan for his home-run CD burning and typing business-"WE BURN AND TYPE HERE". (You can start to see a marketing pattern and the brand problem). Vincint is teaching accounting at a local business college (Headway Business College) as he saves his money before applying to the University of Malawi next winter. His goal is to become a chartered accountant and to teach village people the value of budgeting and making a profit.

[BREAK]

...on that subject-making a profit with the goal to reinvest...this is perhaps the most undervalued principal in business here in Malawi. During the tobacco growing seasons, commercial growers get rich and the prices of goods goes haywire. People are spending on goods they cannot afford-stolen radios, DVD payers, computers and luxury foods. In the villages, surpluses are sold at very low prices (like 50kgs of corn for one chicken) rather than saving the money for times of famine. During the hot season in Jan/Feb people are starving and would buy 20kgs for a chicken. Profit is created for immediate enjoyment. Debt in the village is fatal...unlike the thousands of Americans like me who have credit card debt and can still live a comfortable life. The African farmer, far from the Seattle banker, is teaching me about managing my resources (which are millions in comparison to his earnings.)

Food in schools is bit of a sore subject. During Isaac's final year at a boarding high-school, a group of students outraged about eating vegetables again, took their anger out by stoning the head teachers home. Vegetables were not supposed to be on the schedule. They were eating meat a couple times a week and vegetables and sima all other meals. When they were served vegetables instead of the scheduled meat dish, they got violent. School was shut down for three weeks until police could identify the juvenile delinquents. These three weeks were critical to doing well on the final exams. Isaac said that he thinks not attending school really hindered his performance on the exam. He did not get into University of Malawi, but with the aid of LifeNets, has been funded to attend even a more reputable computer studies program at National College of Information Technology. Things certainly worked out well for him!

More on student challenges, successes, LifeNets impact and goals to come!

Thanks for following and have a great weekend.
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Salima, Malawi

Today you get a healthy portion of BLOG since this will be my only entry for the week. But I made it skim friendly for those who want to go heavy on the school visits and light on the cockroaches*.

1. LDG: SERVING LAKE MALAWI WITH WATER
2. LDG: CLINIC FOR 5,000
3. SWIMMIN' AT SUNSET
4. MWADZUKA BWANJI? (How was the night?)*
5. HIGH SCHOOL PERSPECIVES
6. PICTURE DETAILS LDGs


My trip to Salima (Lake Malawi) was great...packed full of interviews, school visits, and even a little swimming. Below you'll get a taste of each--hearing from village chiefs on the scarcity of water, LifeNets development grant applicant Nesta Phiri on building a rural clinic, and school administrators, teachers and students reflecting the challenges in providing, facilitating and receiving quality high school education. Tomorrow I depart to Balaka, Malawi to visit the clinic of Dr. Chilopora and the LifeNets orphanage nearby. When UCG youth in Portland, Oregon raised $5,000 for mosquito nets in 2006, LifeNets sent the money to Dr. Chilopora who bought over 2000 mosquito nets for the surrounding village. The village chief wrote to the Kubiks later that year to announce Malaria killed no man, woman or child since receiving the mosquito nets. Thanks again PDX youth! As a leader of that fundraising effort, I'm thrilled to visit the community and will happily capture the faces of children you protected from the malaria-carrying insects. You'll see more on that in next weeks' blog. But now on chiefs and children...

1. LIFENETS DEVELOPMENT GRANT: SERVING LAKE VILLAGES WITH WATER

Imagine the green of Kauai and the blue ocean of the Florida Keys and that's the land and sky of east Malawi. The beauty of the black, sandy beaches deserves a Ritz Carleton hotel. But just like many tropical destinations, the locals live in astonishing poverty--even from the perspective of other Malawians living in the world's third poorest country. Desperate villages surround the lake living without clean water.

"More than 5,000 individuals would benefit from a well," said Katambo village chief, Davison Jimson during our interview (through Wordsworth's translation) on Sunday afternoon. Chief Jimson and the retired chief, Larsha Wllie Kapisenie sat down to teach me about the need for water in their village. LifeNets plans to grant funds to Nesta Phiri to build a clinic in Katambo. In addition, LifeNets will partner with Rotary International to drill a borehole near the clinic for the village. To sustain over 5,000 people, the village has two boreholes and no clinic. The girls responsible for gathering water are limited by the amount they can carry on their head. They walk long distances in the dark, early morning on an empty stomach.

"Girls don't go to school because there is no food," lamented an older woman sitting in the audience at my feet on a straw-weaved mat. "They don't have the energy. They just gather water and sleep."

Many females resort to gathering water in the nearby river to save time and hassle from waiting in long lines at the distant borehole. But as you can imagine, drinking contaminated river water is the source of a number of problems--namely cholera and diarrhea. I naively asked what services the government provides. They chuckled. "The health department tells us that we shouldn't drink from the river...but throughout our lives we feel like the government has not satisfied our needs at all," says he village chief. Many Americans echo that last statement about their own government. But our complaints don't usually affect the health of our liver.

The chief of Mzembela Village which would also receive a borehole added that people drink from the nearby river where dead animals and human corpses are dumped: "Because of the problem we have, yes we drink. What else can we do?"

If girls leave at 6am, most times they return at 12pm without water. The older women push them out of line. When school girls leave early (5am or earlier) for the boreholes, they face another beast-malicious men. "...especially when girls wake up very early [for school], they cannot face a lion at this time...the lion is a man...the hyena is a man, so when they meet a man along the road, they cannot face them. They can be mishandled...or raped." The village chief emphasizes the importance of education to his village. People who stay in this village have no source of employment. Some sell tobacco or hand-made goods but most grow maize and sleep to fend off the hunger pains. With education, people can move to the city to hunt for employment and send their family remittances.

During my talks with village chiefs over water scarcity, my personal 5 Liter bottles were in the car; still chilled from freezing over night. My walk to fetch water is less than 20 meters. There is no danger of facing malicious men on the way to get a drink or older women wanting to get theirs first. It's clean, refreshing and plentiful. What a luxury.

2. LDG: CLINIC FOR 5,000

Nest Phiri has big plans for her clinic. They sound small--her tools will only be a weighing scale (standing and hanging), stethoscope, blood pressure machine, thermometers, kidney dish, forceps, and scissors maybe plasters and bandages for wound dressings. Her staff will consist of a medical assistant, herself as a nurse, a cleaner and a watchman. They plan to provide medical treatments and drugs for "simple diseases" like malaria and diarrhea...for over 5,000 villagers! People will travel far to receive treatment and Mrs. Phiri wants to provide drugs at an affordable price. Patients will be educated on how to prevent such diseases as malaria. With the help of LifeNets, the Katambo village may have a clinic and borehole by this time next year. This will source new lifeblood to a community of thousands.

3. SWIMMIN' AT SUNSET

Along Salima's main strip--lined with fish vendors, road bike shops and taxis--I bought two trout for dinner, transported them on the car side mirror (pictured), and quickly dropped them off with Wordsworth's relatives be cooked. The sun was setting as we hurried to Lake Malawi for a swim. Most Malawians cannot afford transport to the lake (about $27 round-trip from Lilongwe) so we treated the adventure like a trip to Walt Disney World. With less than an hour of play time, we splashed and raced in the warm water. I taught Wordsworth Freestyle and Breastroke and described how surfers catch a wave while the others took pictures and played on the swings. When dark came, the local artists said I would be eaten by hippos and they arrayed their artwork and jewelry on the sand for sale. I bought four beautiful oil paintings and two necklaces for MK3,800 ($22.35) from boys who claimed this money would support their high school education. Before leaving, we each had to drink a bottle of Fanta (since Fanta is orange, Wordsworth still thinks that it must be good source of Vitamin C for Malawians.) The total cost was MK750 and we paid MK1000 but the bartender left us for 20 minutes without bringing the change. This trickery is common. Giving a tip is not common. He won't get a tip so he abandons customers without giving them their change. Wordsworth hunted him down and retrieved the stolen money. The change of MK250 (US $1.79) is what Wordsworth makes in 5 hours as a primary school teacher. He can't afford to leave that kind of tip.

4. MWADZUKA BWANJI? (How was the night?)

We ate our fish, sima, rice and beans at 9:30pm after getting back from the lake. "You haven't eaten Chambo (fish) until you eat the head!" Wordsworth exclaims as he ate the brains, gills, teeth and bones of the entire fish head. (So far, his wife Roslyn is the only one I've met who doesn't eat the calcium-rich fish bones. Most eat bones since milk is very expensive and only a luxury.)

As Wordsworth would say, "I fought the sleepies away" to read the first part of UCG booklet "WHAT IS OUR DESTINY?" to his relatives Sampson, Ulema and little Ruth. They like me reading, but it takes 30 min to discuss two pages after turning to all the scriptures.

I slept soundly with the multitude of inch-long cockroaches*. Only once did I ask Solomon to graciously extract one caught INSIDE my mosquito net. They seemed to enjoy the veil as they slid down it like a slip-and-slide throughout the night. EWE...

So, that was my first night in a village. I was pampered with the best accommodations in the house: a mosquito net, pad, blankets, soap and tissue paper and I went to bed with a full belly (which has become a bit slimmer since I arrived one month ago). We left early in the morning after our sunrise run on the open road.

5. HIGH-SCHOOL PERSPECTIVES

Salima Secondary School (Government) & Mvera Secondary School (Community)



--from the teacher--

I was late for my 7:00am Geography class at the government-funded Salima Secondary School (high school / boarding school). Though I was not in the school uniform, I tried to blend into Mr. Kapanda's senior geography classroom. The 60+ students were learning about Denmark and small-scale farming methods. Mr. Kapanda put a world atlas on the chalkboard adjacent to the graffiti covered walls and talked enthusiastically in effort to capture student interest. Students took notes on the stationary provided by the school. At 7:40AM students rushed to the second of their eight classes that day and Mr. Kapanda sat down to answer some questions.

"I teach geography, home economics and biology," said Mr. Kapanda who graduated from a prestigious government university with a degree in geography six years ago. Now he's expected to teach biology while he hasn't taken biology since high school. This makes some lessons very challenging to teach. Students rely on Mr. Kapanda's oral description because there is no laboratory to do hands-on learning.

"I don't have knowledge of biology at that tertiary level, so I don't know what takes place in a laboratory," said Mr. Kapanda. "The biggest challenge is the pupil to teacher ratio...as you saw, there are just too many students to answer their questions....there are issues of vocabulary with no ample description for terms in their language...and we are using textbooks that the headmaster used when going to school over 30 years ago!" (And still there is only ONE older-than-dirt textbook for 120 students.)

In summary: "most students fail to understand what we are trying to teach...this is a national problem."

All these conditions frustrate teachers. "Most Malawian teachers are not dedicated because of so many factors that I cannot even mention...To be here in my sixth year is very unusual."



--from the students-

Students face many motivational challenges. At school many are thinking of their struggling families back home. If students have made it to high school, they have already excelled in the Malawian culture. Now, parents and grandparents have already begun to depend on them as the bread-winners of the family.

"I want to be a doctor," said Peter Kambule, a senior at Salima Secondary School. "Mathematics and physical science are my favorite subjects...I like playing football and chatting with my friends...and then I study for four hours per day. I am familiar with a computer and get to go on for about one hour per week."

Peter sounds like a student worthy of being a "breadwinner" for any parent. But the pressure gets to him. "In my family, there are nine [children]. Eight are in school. Four are here [at Salima Secondary School]. My parents have to pay for all of us and they have a hard time coming up with the money." Peter's situation is very common. His friend Zachariah said that he has to ask his friends for money to pay the school fees.

When I asked, "Do you feel you are doing well here in school?" they both responded, "no." They think about their family struggling to make due back on the village farms.

An investment from an outside donor like LifeNets alleviates so much stress on students. At Mvera Community-Day Secondary School is LifeNets scholarship recipient Chufundo. He wants to be an electrician after graduating from university. His favorite classes are the hard sciences-like math and physics. When he speaks, the words fight through a strong stutter. He said that his biggest challenge is social alienation. Thankfully, with the help of LifeNets he has money for school fees, boarding and transport and he can focus on school rather than harboring the financial guilt so many other teenage students bare. Rather, Chufundo is proud that he can ASSIST his parents! He goes home on holidays and is able to aid his mother in caring for his disabled father in a wheelchair. LifeNets will continue to pay for his education until he graduates from Mvera next November.

--from the administrator-

Administrators sweat about holes missing in their institutions: laboratories, internet, updated textbooks, one special-needs teachers, and protein. It seems that the administrations should be working harder to rake in the money, but even the government aided schools have shallow funds. So since there are not enough "Teaching and Learning resources," the administration focuses on sparking DISCIPLINE, MOTIVATION and DEDICATION within the spirit of the school community. Unfortunately, the rest they merely hope for...
____________________________________________________________________

Again, it was a great trip to Salima and Lake Malawi. Next week will feature Dr. Chilopora's clinic and the LifeNets orphanage.

Thanks for persevering to THE END!


6. PICTURE DETAILS: LDGs

1. Recipient: Katambo village (chiefs pictured) via Nesta Phiri (pictured)
Project: Borehole

2. Recipient: Mzembela Village (chief & wife pictured) via Grace Ben (pictured)
Project: Borehole

3. Recipient: Wordsworth Rashid
Project: Grocery store

4. Recipient: Loveness Luwanja
Project: Salon

5. Recipient: Mr. Njewa
Gift: Wheelchair

6. Recipient: Area 23 via Njewa family
Project: Rebecca's Well
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Blantyre, Malawi

You're reading the last comprehensive blog of the International Development Internship Program in Malawi! I leave for Seattle, Washington, USA in only five days and finalizing the research efforts of LifeNets. I've recorded the challenges and opportunities for students and aspiring business owners. You've been reading their stories and visions to help. As a result we've shared the experience. Thanks for reading.

Last week the LifeNets coordinator Mr. Salawila kept me bouncing around Blantyre as I researched LifeNets operations in that region. After finishing the "office work," the LifeNets staff took outdoor excursions through two wilderness capitals: Mt. Mulanje and the Liwonde National Park. Today's blog highlights three LifeNets beneficiaries in Blantyre and the natural wonders encountered on our return to Lilongwe.

Briefly, I'd like to share a personal reflection in light of this internship. Tomorrow I turn the ripe old age of 21. It's not an important event, but I confessed my age to the Blantyre UCG members last Sabbath and spoke briefly about how youth can do "big things," as some new friends have asked in light of my time here. Each day I'm reaping rewards from a strong family support. Maybe I can do "big things," as they phrase it, because I succeeded in doing the little things well with the help and instruction of my parents. On the surface that sounds trite. But it's through helping me overcome challenges everyday they loved me. Thanks for teaching me that lesson, early! It's helped me maintain clarity and focus. The bible says that those who seek correction are crowned with wisdom. What a tool for youth! Thankfully, I had a family in Malawi who also cared to give me guidance. Their help and sound wisdom has helped keep me safe. For the external dangers, I rely on God and His angels for protection-certainly unable to face on my own. But by learning to love sound instruction, any youth can "be strong and of good courage" to do "big things." Just a little lesson I've learned on this adventure.

Lilongwe members of UCG, LifeNets beneficiaries and I will say goodbye and celebrate our short time together on Saturday night. They have taught me so much about living and working in a developing country. About family and faith. And overcoming.

There are still many more LifeNets scholarship and business grant recipients. In my next and final entry, you'll see a photo gallery and list of their names. In all, I interviewed 43 LifeNets beneficiaries: 26 scholarship recipients and 18 business grant recipients. After seeing the faces, feel free to email me if you would like to know more about their efforts. With that, enjoy "Blantyre and Baboons."

1. MANES CHIRWA - age 34 and finishing high school
2. MIRACLE KACHALI -- Business Administration scholarship recipient
3. HONEY SWEET WITH APPRECIATION-- business grant
4. MT. MULANJE AND LIWONDE NATIONAL PARK



MANES CHIRWA

Many girls don't finish their high school education. Some get married and have kids. They lack skills and struggle to get find any work, let a lone a job. Manes Chirwa is over 30 and married with four children without a high school diploma. But with a LifeNets scholarship, she's now accomplishing this achievement. At Love of God Private Secondary School, Manes will soon take exams to finish her senior year and earn the Malawi School Certificate of Education needed to get a job. You can imagine the challenges to care for a family and deal with the social alienation from teenagers at school as a "mature student." But Manes had a big smile of determination as she told me about what this scholarship means to her.

GOAL: She's never worked but is firmly fixed on achieving her goal to become a secretary.

"I've realized that school is important, and I want to start [a] job," Manes said in broken English.

She decided to continue her education long ago, but failed to find money for school fees. Now she has the chance through a LifeNets scholarship.

FIGHTING THROUGH THE CHALLENGES: Her husband runs a hardware business and earns about K15,000/month ($107). "I can say that we have enough for today's food," she said about their current financial position. A secretary position earning around K6,000/month ($43) will really help the family with other needs.

The family is already reaping benefits from her education: "When I am reading, the children say, 'mom, can I go and read?' and we all read together."

VISION TO HELP: "I encourage others to go to school. I had a friend who said that she was too big to go to school," said Manes. "But I told her, 'no, you have to go to school.'" She's firm that education is the key to success and she wants to help others just as LifeNets did for her.




MIRACLE KACHALI

"My parents are both farmers...not commercial farmers, but subsistence farmers. We don't do much of the selling. My father can't manage to help us go to school...but he tries his best."

Miracle is in her second year in the business administration diploma program, now at Malawi College of Accountancy, Blantyre campus. She achieved her certificate (first year) at Mzuzu University-a government school of higher education of competitive entry. "Mom and dad went to the feast [of tabernacles] in 2007, and that's where they learned about the scholarship program. Last year all of us kids got to attend the feast and I met Mr. and Mrs. Kubik," she said. This January, Miracle began her first term as a LifeNets scholarship recipient, and she's thrilled for the chance.

GOALS: "When I finish, mainly I want to start my own business. [Right now] I want to know how life is when you are trying to administrate something....if I go much further I want to be a chartered accountant. I decided that a long time ago. I wanted to go further with accounts, so that's when I started to plan."

FIGHTING THROUGH THE CHALLENGES. Girls in Malawi marry at an early age. Many drop out of high school to wed and have children. Miracle said that she wants to be an exemplary example of strength for other girls-that they too can achieve a high education through sweat and perseverance. She cites that at school "sometimes we are defeated by boys" and that girls can loose their focus when the get to school and are involved in "immoral behaviors...those are some of the challenges."

"Here in Malawi, most of the girls, we ladies, we are not taken seriously in schools. They regard us that we can't go ahead with our education most of the time. But for me, I'm fighting hard to set the right example amongst the girls to show that we girls, we can also make it...we can make a difference in whatever we do."

More especially, she's fighting to set the right example to her younger sister who is living back home. Miracle laughs and speaks in a high voice to imitate her sister: "Oh, sissy's working hard and I should fight hard as well." She hopes her sister says.

VISION TO HELP: Miracle wants to be a role model to those in the village and help those girls in rural communities go to school. She says that "just as I have been helped, I want to do that for other people." And if there is the chance, Miracle wants to be part of LifeNets in the future: "I want help them as they have just done to me." After she finishes her course in business she said she can go and teach people around Malawi.

THANKS! : "We can see people's lives really changing. It's really been wonderful. One of the examples is me. I know that when I pass, I am changing. Life will be better for me. People's lives are being improved. It's something great. Thank you to all the people of LifeNets, up north. God should continue blessing them."


HONEY SWEET WITH APPRECIATION

Miracle's grandfather, Gilton Chakhaza, packages and sells honey under his own label called KASO ("something appreciated") Pure Honey. Nearly 80, Mr. Chakhaza is very energized by his small business. LifeNets provided Mr. Chakhaza with funds to run his business February 2008 which supplied the capital for his storage vats and 200 liter processing containers filled with honey, jars, seals and labels. Telling me about his process, he said that he "buys from the bee-keepers and bee-farmers [in the mountains] and bring it here to process it." Normally, honey is scarce during the rainy season but Mr. Chakahaza said that "thanks to LifeNets, I can have honey all year around."

Now he's self-sufficient on profits. A 250g honey jar makes him a profit of K250 ($1.79) with a sales price of K500. For the past few months, sales have been low-around 30 per month-but are normally around 50. Even though this seems little, the business is helping him "quite a lot." The success of his small business has helped him provide more for him and the many children he cares for.

"Sometimes we don't have food and someone comes and buys a bottle....I'll say, 'ah, Miracle, we have food,'" he said thankfully.

I bought six jars of KASO honey with the intention to give as gifts from Malawi back home. But coming from Blantyre they made a sticky mess in my clothes and book bag. ...So Mr. Rashid will be able replace bleached sugar with KASO honey for a few months-a substitute much too expensive to enjoy everyday.




MT. MOLANJE AND LIWONDE NATIONAL PARK
Within an hour driving distance from Blantyre is the third tallest mountain in Africa, Mt. Molanje (pictured above) with deep red dirt, thick tropical forests and warm spring waterfalls. The LifeNets board members and I took a two hour trek up the mountain. At 65, Mr. Salawila had never hiked and never been to a mountain. This was also a first for Mr. Rashid, the Lilongwe based coordinator whom I've been staying with. We were all ecstatic. Friends of Mr. Salawila know how he shakes his hands when he laughs-as if he's trying to make them dry. Many times we just looked at each other and he exploded in laughter. It's so massive; we couldn't see the summit through the fog. The water falls were like drain pipes from the clouds. Tea plantations lay for miles in the valley below.

Between Blantyre and Lilongwe we visited the Liwonde National Park, a 220 sq mile wildlife reserve. This safari was also a first for all-both native Malawians and USA foreigner. After a serene outdoor lunch at a visitors lodge inside the park, a guide crammed in the back of our full five-passenger car to identify the surrounding trees and animals around the park. There weren't any chickens crossing the road, but rather baboons, impala, water buck and warthogs. Unlike Kenya, the horizon isn't a desert-like savanna but rather a palm-spotted lagoon. Elephants abound during the dry season, but avoid walking around through the mud during the current rainy months. But we could see their trail. Bobo trees (like the one pictured) are chewed like sugar cane by the floppy-eared beast sucking for water during the drought of summer. Poachers have killed many lions and rhinos by poisoning water in the drinking holes. Sadly, few poachers are caught.

Most Malawians will never see the rich natural wonders of their country due to entrance fees and transport expenses. I wish they could bring their families to see the mountain and animals. I can only imagine the fun Paul (8) and Simeon (5) would have swimming in the waterfall and watching baboons play.



Thank you for your interest in my blog as you read of LifeNets education, business and health investment in Malawi. It's been a great privilege to learn how these developments are changing the lives of many lacking opportunity. The environment is tough and demands hard work! But diligent recipients are working to better their lives so that they can help others. As one scholarship recipient stated, LifeNets is "the net of our lives."
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Lilongwe, Malawi

Blog #10-Promise Part II and Businesses without Boarders

LifeNets, thanks for the chance to learn from and with you the last two months. When I reflect on my aim with the International Development Internship Program, I'm doing it!

A. Understanding conditions of under-development...check.
B. Assessing the values and outcomes that plague a people...check.
C. Helping to plant seeds for profitable investments
(in this case scholarships and business grants)...check.

The LifeNets administration in Malawi does not only plant the seed, they also help cultivate the soil through guidance and evaluation. With grit and sweat, these recipients can make real development changes in their lives. Doing so inspires others and profits can become a four-fold harvest. (As was the case with Livelihood Grant Recipient Alfred Gama who will enjoy four times the revenues from this year's produce after using fertilizer and seed provided by LifeNets-pictured). When a recipient is diligent to fight idleness, even a small investment can make him or her beacon of a community.

In a few hours I'm heading to Blantyre (the commercial city of Malawi) to learn about the scholarship recipients and Livelihood Development Grant recipients in that region. I'll return next Tuesday to end my work in Lilongwe before flying out on March 17th.

Today's blog introduces two LifeNets scholarship recipients, Isaac and Gift, and one Livelihood Development Grant recipient, Roslyn Rashid. Each investment has an interesting story. In closing, see results from the "Business 101: Planning and Managing your small business" where 30 applicants gathered to learn strategies of budgeting, spending, record keeping, saving, business ethics, and customer care. Even lessons that seem "common sense" like setting a wage, were taken as VITAL lessons to prevent squandering funds. Businesses are scrawny when owners don't implement basic measures to manage money-like making a budget, tracking purchases and sales and the like. Even with my humble experience and education, I was able to pass on some tools.

Enjoy the following!

1. ROSLYN RASHID (Livelihood Development Grant)
2. ISSAC MULEPA (Scholarship-Computer studies)
3. GIFT CHIKWERA (Scholarship-Educations)
4. BUSINESS 101: PLANNING AND MANAGING YOUR SMALL BUSINESS


ROSLYN RASHID

With her LifeNets Livelihood Development Grant, Roslyn started a hot business selling frozen popsicles called "Fizzies" with the small investment of K30,000 (USD 214.29). "During hot season, it's a very hot business," she says. No kidding! During summer, she's making more than twice the salary of a primary school teacher (her regular "9 to 5").

Her fizzies are made with a flavored powder (like Kool-Aid offered in coca-cola, raspberry and pineapple) and the tart fruit from the bobo trees mixed in water and put into plastic packages. "The bobo fruit is the secret ingredient," she says. She tries to make them extra sweet to attract more children. Her target market is children ages 3 - 13 and she sells mostly at her school (while at 20 I'm also a frequent customer...pineapple is my favorite). During the hot season, she'll make 500 per day and sell out. Selling at K5/each, that means she's making K10,000 after four days selling. With raw material costs of K1,000, she's making over K36,000/month PROFIT during the summer months. (Her normal salary is K15,000/month as a teacher). And even now she's still generating considerable income during the rainy season.

"Has this increased your livelihood?" I asked.
"Yes, really quite a lot" she replied. "And I'm very thankful."

With the extra money, Roslyn feels like she can better provide for the seven children and young women living at her home (three children of her own and four relatives) with food and other necessities.

Though, I have to mention she has some thieves: "my boys take and just drink...without paying," she said laughing.


ISSAC MULEPA

"I like computers so much," said Isaac during our nearly two hour interview. "That has been a long-time dream. I always wanted to do something that goes with computers...I like programming, I like web design, I like systems development. I'm so in love with this thing."

Isaac is on holiday from his first year at the National College of Information Technology-a prestigious government institution with the most competitive computer sciences course in Malawi. The examination board is established in over 40 countries and offers courses up to the PhD level (while not in any Malawi institution). To score "average" on these exams, is regarded a high distinction compared to parallel programs. He just got his exam scores back and he passed all subjects.

"I want to be an IT officer or a systems analyst," he told me.
Most people in his field graduate from the certificate or diploma levels. He's confident that he will be able to find a job as in a leading IT role once he graduates from NCIT.
"If you really want an organization to trust you with web design or programming, you really need a degree right here in Malawi." There are less than 80 graduating in Malawi with a degree in computer studies each year.

CHALLENGES: He said that LifeNets solved his greatest challenge. He had no computer. "I have to be on the computer at least four hours every night-doing the programming thing-doing things I just learned at school...or else I won't make it..."
Before receiving a laptop from LifeNets, Isaac was going to the internet café everyday to prepare for his weekly exams. Isaac described the conditions as "ridiculous." He was paying K5/minute...so one hour is K300 and four hours is K1,200 or $8.57 (you may remember that the average salary is about K12,000/month or $85.71 so a student cannot manage to spend $2 per day, let alone $8.50).

"If I didn't have the school fees, I wouldn't go to school"

VISION TO HELP: "When God has blessed you with something, you have to help other people. I'll help those people in need...those people who don't have money with school fees, I will certainly help with that. I've thought with coming up with an orphanage. There are a lot of parents dying of HIV/AIDS and leaving their children.

"With LifeNets, it's people from other countries contributing to make LifeNets grow. From the outcome of my success, I will certainly help LifeNets because it's LifeNets that got me to that position."



GIFT CHIKWERA

Gift is in his second year at Malawi Adventist University located in the hills about 40 minutes outside the capital Lilongwe. In two years he plans to achieve his education degree and begin working. Gift wants to become a high school teacher of English and Bible Knowledge-ready to face the challenge of teaching bible knowledge in a country divided by Christianity and Islam. And then pursue his Masters degree after saving funds. "I think it's the best thing in life to continue your education."

HISTORY: At birth, Gift was already fatherless and six years later his mother died. He was raised my relatives who struggled to raise many children. They cannot attain funds for transport to and from town, let alone the luxury of higher education. LifeNets began funding Gift to attend school in 2004 during high school.

VISION TO HELP: Gift is an orphan and grew up in an orphanage.

"It is still really clicking in my mind to help someone who has no hope. I really ask God to help me achieve my goal because there are a lot of children out there who are lacking fees to pursue their education. To me it is a relief, as I am an orphan, there was nobody there to help me but because of LifeNets I am here continuing my education. So it is my desire to help someone, more especially an orphan who has nothing to pay for school fees."

THANKS! "I am here because of LifeNets. That means that there are some people out there who are taking their money to help us. That doesn't mean that they have a lot of money but it's just a matter of helping other people and I appreciate it...so that spirit is still in my mind that I should help LifeNets and some other needy people."

LifeNets provides funds for school fees, exam fees and transport for Gift. He also faced continual challenges to complete school work without a computer. On my way to Blantyre, I will deliver a laptop computer from LifeNets to Gift.


BUSINESS WITHOUT BOARDERS

"One new thing I learned was business ethics"
"I am going to set my wages. I am going to save my money in the bank. All these were not done before. Thanks very much." - Business 102 participant


On Sunday, fifteen LifeNets grant recipients and prospects along with fifteen members of the Malawi Congress of Trade Union gathered with me to learn some basic principals of planning and managing a small business. My humble qualifications may have little weight in the American marketplace, but one attendant told me I could be a minister in Malawi. She was probably exaggerating, but even an eager undergraduate and intern can impart tremendous knowledge to an enthusiastic audience wanting to grow his or her business. Here's a sample of the represented industries:

- restaurant
- farming (from maize to mushrooms)
- cosmetics
- clothing resale
- grocery or "mini-mart" type shops
- hair salon
- plumbing

We covered the basics: goals, budgeting, spending, record keeping, saving, business ethics, and customer care. Applying the finance, accounting and marketing to the developing world takes a little fineness, but the principals are the same. It's always tempting to spend money as soon as you make it-from the US CEO to the mushroom farmer-so the most rigorous discipline to learn is responsible and diligent management of funds. This includes managing and supervising your employees to setting your personal wages. When owners look at revenues, many only see money and confuse it with profits. Rather than reinvest into the business, most hoard the money on personal expenditures.

Attendants created a budget, wrote business goals and created a "business network." What was supposed to last three hours, lasted over five but they were still hungry for more. Linking with the Malawi Congress of Trade Union was a great partnership and LifeNets attendants benefited from the diversity. Attendants swapped contact info and said they'd follow up to learn and benefit from one another in the future.





Many thanks again, to LifeNets and all those who have been following my activities in Malawi. I'll get back to you with one or two more entries before my departure to USA on March 17th. Have a great week.
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