I have been posting about Malawi and related issues for the better part of a year now. Over the last six months, I have been posting about observations and thoughts taken from the hand written journal that I kept during my trip. Much of the focus of my writing on Malawi over the months since returning from Malawi has been in this blog, and I am at or near the end of what I can write about in this forum. While I have one or two possible writing projects that I will be working on privately and offline, I will be posting here about other things.
To be honest, I’m not quite sure what direction my blogging will take. So, my posts may be more along the lines of “random ramblings about what I am happen to thinking about at the moment.
Added on November 29, 2017 The writing projects on Malawi that I had envisioned when I finished writing about Malawi never materialized. Nonetheless, I am a better person for the two weeks that I spent in Malawi.
CAL FIRE (CDF) S2T Tanker 71 working Sawtooth Complex Fire (2006)
Sawtooth Complex Fire (Sept. 2006), San Bernardino County CA. Photo Credit: U.S. Forest Service
Showing posts with label Malawi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Malawi. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Nearing the end of writing about Malawi
I have known for a while that I am nearing the end of my blog entries based on my trip to Malawi last summer. At least this may be the end of this phase of my writing about Malawi. There are a couple of more things that I want to write about. One is my last afternoon in Malawi where we visited a program in Lilongwe, Youthcare Ministries, that has a residential/education program for young teenage boys. Those of you who read my postings from Malawi know that I was somewhat emotionally exhausted by this time of our trip. And I was homesick, counting the hours until I could start my trip home. I felt like I could not absorb anymore. Then we arrived at the Youthcare Ministries residential.
I met the boys in residence, toured the facilities including the residence and the classroom, and talked to the teachers. I was so glad that we visited. In some ways this was a highlight of my trip. I’m not quite sure why. Perhaps it was because as an urban planner who spent a couple of years working in urban America, I could “understand” what they are trying to do at Youthcare Ministries; to take children off of the “streets” and the associated lifestyles and give them a chance for something better.
I felt the hope because the boys are smart, friendly, and articulate. I can’t imagine what their lives were like before coming to Youthcare, but it was immediately clear to all of us how far these boys had come. So, there really was a feeling of hope. And when, even after six months have passed since my trip ended, I find myself despairing over some of what I saw, felt, and experienced in Malawi, I have only to remember the faces of these boys and the hope embodied in each of these fine young men.
I met the boys in residence, toured the facilities including the residence and the classroom, and talked to the teachers. I was so glad that we visited. In some ways this was a highlight of my trip. I’m not quite sure why. Perhaps it was because as an urban planner who spent a couple of years working in urban America, I could “understand” what they are trying to do at Youthcare Ministries; to take children off of the “streets” and the associated lifestyles and give them a chance for something better.
I felt the hope because the boys are smart, friendly, and articulate. I can’t imagine what their lives were like before coming to Youthcare, but it was immediately clear to all of us how far these boys had come. So, there really was a feeling of hope. And when, even after six months have passed since my trip ended, I find myself despairing over some of what I saw, felt, and experienced in Malawi, I have only to remember the faces of these boys and the hope embodied in each of these fine young men.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Education in Malawi
One of the things that interested me while I was in Malawi was the difference in the education system as compared with America. Primary school, roughly equivalent to what we call kindergarten through eighth grade in America, is free. I am fairly certain that the government sponsors primary education, During our travels, we saw many school children, many dressed in uniforms, walking to and from school.
A Saturday children’s program we visited on our second full day in Malawi used the grounds of a primary school. The building was small. It appeared that all grades shared one classroom. If memory serves, there were few, if any, of the accoutrements in the school that we are accustomed to in America. Before traveling to Malawi I knew that school supplies that we take for granted here in America –– books, papers, pens and the like –– are often hard to come by. Many of us traveled with pens and pencils to distribute to children. Many Malawian children attend at least some primary school.
The situation is quite different for secondary schools. We were told that for every 10 to 12 primary schools there is one government sponsored secondary school. Entrance is by exam, where the exams are extremely competitive. I could be wrong, but it is my understanding that government–sponsored secondary schools are free.
There are also private secondary schools. While admittance is also exam–driven, I got the impression that the exams for private secondary schools were not as competitive as for the government sponsored secondary schools.
Sad to say, there is a gender disparity in secondary schools. One figure we heard is if 15 girls start secondary school in what they call form 1, only one will graduate.
There are four grades, or “forms” in secondary schools. I got the impression that students enter form 1 around the age of 11 or 12. After form 2, they must pass a test. If they fail, they either repeat the test, or they or out of school. After the graduate form 4, they must pass another test if they want to go to the University. The government pays the university fees for qualifying students. Students typically start university at the age of 16.
Many of the community–based programs that we visited try to include money for a couple of secondary school scholarships in their budgets. These scholarships then go to teenagers in the villages where they work.
A Saturday children’s program we visited on our second full day in Malawi used the grounds of a primary school. The building was small. It appeared that all grades shared one classroom. If memory serves, there were few, if any, of the accoutrements in the school that we are accustomed to in America. Before traveling to Malawi I knew that school supplies that we take for granted here in America –– books, papers, pens and the like –– are often hard to come by. Many of us traveled with pens and pencils to distribute to children. Many Malawian children attend at least some primary school.
The situation is quite different for secondary schools. We were told that for every 10 to 12 primary schools there is one government sponsored secondary school. Entrance is by exam, where the exams are extremely competitive. I could be wrong, but it is my understanding that government–sponsored secondary schools are free.
There are also private secondary schools. While admittance is also exam–driven, I got the impression that the exams for private secondary schools were not as competitive as for the government sponsored secondary schools.
Sad to say, there is a gender disparity in secondary schools. One figure we heard is if 15 girls start secondary school in what they call form 1, only one will graduate.
There are four grades, or “forms” in secondary schools. I got the impression that students enter form 1 around the age of 11 or 12. After form 2, they must pass a test. If they fail, they either repeat the test, or they or out of school. After the graduate form 4, they must pass another test if they want to go to the University. The government pays the university fees for qualifying students. Students typically start university at the age of 16.
Many of the community–based programs that we visited try to include money for a couple of secondary school scholarships in their budgets. These scholarships then go to teenagers in the villages where they work.
Monday, November 12, 2007
People I met, part II
The other day I wrote about some of the people I met in passing while I was in Malawi. There were many people that we met who worked with Malawi-based organizations. In this group I include people that we met with over dinner as well as representatives from the community-based organizations we visited, and a couple of hospitals.
They are all extraordinary people with the same generosity of spirit and warmth that I wrote about elsewhere. They took time out of busy schedules to meet with us and answered our questions. Some of them acted as tour guides, showing us how to get to the remote villages where they worked. I always felt welcomed, never once feeling like we were imposing. Quite the contrary.
I wish that I could find the words to express that spending time with each and everyone of these folk had a profound and lasting impact on me. As the weeks have gone by, I have found myself thinking about each and everyone of them. When I do, I offer a prayer.
They are all extraordinary people with the same generosity of spirit and warmth that I wrote about elsewhere. They took time out of busy schedules to meet with us and answered our questions. Some of them acted as tour guides, showing us how to get to the remote villages where they worked. I always felt welcomed, never once feeling like we were imposing. Quite the contrary.
I wish that I could find the words to express that spending time with each and everyone of these folk had a profound and lasting impact on me. As the weeks have gone by, I have found myself thinking about each and everyone of them. When I do, I offer a prayer.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
People I met
I have been reviewing my blog entries over the last couple of days. I don’t think that I have done justice to all the wonderful people that I had the occasion to spend some time with during my two weeks in Malawi last June. I am not just talking about the staff and volunteers working with the various programs that we visited, all but a couple being funded by the Global Aids Interfaith Alliance (GAIA). There were also people we met along the way: staff in the various hotels and lodges where we stayed, the children and adults we met in the villages we visited, storekeepers, customs officials at the airport in Lilongwe, South African Air employees at the airport, people we met in restaurants, etc. As I write this over four months after I returned home from Malawi, I am certain that there are people that I have left out of this list.
In some cases the people who stand out the most to me, over four months later, are the ones who are nameless, with whom I had the very briefest of encounters.
There was the smiling warm welcome of the customs officials at the airport the day we arrived.
All the children who mugged for our cameras.
The entire congregation at the Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church in Salima where we worshipped our first Sunday.
The foreign currency exchange teller the one time I exchanged currency at a bank. He had a nice smile.
The two young men at Senga Bay who sold me some beads.
A woman who worked at the Malawi Department of Health who told me where the restroom was. I did not know where to go, so I asked a woman in an office. She was very nice.
A couple of female police officers.
The students at the Lydia Projects secondary school.
One of the managers at the Hotel we stayed in Zomba.
The waiter who brought me some bread to eat during a power failure because I was feeling queasy from taking my malaria pill on an empty stomach.
A woman tending pigs in one of the piggeries we visited.
Some boys learning carpentry.
Our guide for our two-hour trip on the Shire River in Lilondwe.
A child with AIDS sitting in his mothers lap.
A village chief.
A young Malawian man who is a mountain biker.
Our guide at the Mua Mission who told us about tribal customs in Malawi, and how they differed from region to region.
Girls jumping rope.
After clearing customs at the airport in Lilongwe for the first leg of my flight home, Lilongwe to Johannesburg, I found that the rest room in that portion of the airport was closed. The customs official let me back into the main terminal to go to the restroom without having to clear customs a second time.
In some cases the people who stand out the most to me, over four months later, are the ones who are nameless, with whom I had the very briefest of encounters.
There was the smiling warm welcome of the customs officials at the airport the day we arrived.
All the children who mugged for our cameras.
The entire congregation at the Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Church in Salima where we worshipped our first Sunday.
The foreign currency exchange teller the one time I exchanged currency at a bank. He had a nice smile.
The two young men at Senga Bay who sold me some beads.
A woman who worked at the Malawi Department of Health who told me where the restroom was. I did not know where to go, so I asked a woman in an office. She was very nice.
A couple of female police officers.
The students at the Lydia Projects secondary school.
One of the managers at the Hotel we stayed in Zomba.
The waiter who brought me some bread to eat during a power failure because I was feeling queasy from taking my malaria pill on an empty stomach.
A woman tending pigs in one of the piggeries we visited.
Some boys learning carpentry.
Our guide for our two-hour trip on the Shire River in Lilondwe.
A child with AIDS sitting in his mothers lap.
A village chief.
A young Malawian man who is a mountain biker.
Our guide at the Mua Mission who told us about tribal customs in Malawi, and how they differed from region to region.
Girls jumping rope.
After clearing customs at the airport in Lilongwe for the first leg of my flight home, Lilongwe to Johannesburg, I found that the rest room in that portion of the airport was closed. The customs official let me back into the main terminal to go to the restroom without having to clear customs a second time.
Friday, November 02, 2007
When people die
I was going through the journal I kept while I was in Malawi looking for my notes on the education system in Malawi, when I ran across something that I have been meaning to write about. That is, what happens to the possessions, including a house, when someone in Malawi dies.
In America, unless there is what is known as a Last Will and Testament providing otherwise, the house, possession, money, etc. will probably go to the spouse and children (or other family members) after the decedents debts are paid. I am being extraordinarily simple minded in that statement because I want to make a comparison to the Malawian way of doing things. We heard a couple of stories of how it works in Malawi. To put it simply, in Malawi the brothers of a man who dies can come and take the dead man’s property, leaving his wife and children with nothing. There was the young man, D, whom we met early in our trip. D had to leave the University in his third year when his father died to help support his family.
Another women we met, C, was finishing her Ph.D. at the time we met her. Her first husband died, and his family came and took everything. C was left with nothing. She worked hard, eventually going to graduate school where she met the man who became her second husband. C told us that there is a new law that says that the wife and children can keep the dead husband’s property.
In America, unless there is what is known as a Last Will and Testament providing otherwise, the house, possession, money, etc. will probably go to the spouse and children (or other family members) after the decedents debts are paid. I am being extraordinarily simple minded in that statement because I want to make a comparison to the Malawian way of doing things. We heard a couple of stories of how it works in Malawi. To put it simply, in Malawi the brothers of a man who dies can come and take the dead man’s property, leaving his wife and children with nothing. There was the young man, D, whom we met early in our trip. D had to leave the University in his third year when his father died to help support his family.
Another women we met, C, was finishing her Ph.D. at the time we met her. Her first husband died, and his family came and took everything. C was left with nothing. She worked hard, eventually going to graduate school where she met the man who became her second husband. C told us that there is a new law that says that the wife and children can keep the dead husband’s property.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Fish, part 3
One of the highlights of our trip was our two–hour boat ride on the Shire River. We got a chance to see fisherman first hand. Two or three men or older boys man a small wooden boat. I believe that the boats were similar to what I would call a row boats with one man standing in the stern (back) working the fishing nets. We saw several fishing boats during our two–hour cruise on the river.
We also saw large groups of people at a couple of sites along the river. According to both Luzu and our captain, the people gathered at these sites were wholesalers or distributors. The fishermen sell their catch to these wholesalers or distributors. They in turn, sell the catch to other distributors who then sell the fish to restaurants, grocery stores, or smaller operators who sell at open–air markets. Or they may sell the fish on their own without going through a middleman.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Fish, part 2
On our first full day in Malawi, we went to open a open air market in Malawi. And you guessed, there were lots and lots of fish for sale, sardines and tilapia (or chambo)
mostly. Two things interested us, one was that the fish sellers displayed the fish in very interesting decorative patterns. I’m sorry that I did not take any pictures, so you’ll have to take my word for it. I still have the image of circular patterns of sardines. Real pretty.
More interesting was that the fish on display was not on ice. And there was no refrigeration. We asked our friend at CARD and Luzu about this. Turns out that the sellers and the buyers know just how long fish keeps without ice or refrigeration. Buyers may have coolers and they can purchase ice blocks.
I had chambo, a whole chambo in Zomba. It is quite tasty. By a whole chambo, I mean whole, including the head. I couldn’t deal with the eyes. Someone told me that the eyes are good, but I decided to pass on the eyes.
mostly. Two things interested us, one was that the fish sellers displayed the fish in very interesting decorative patterns. I’m sorry that I did not take any pictures, so you’ll have to take my word for it. I still have the image of circular patterns of sardines. Real pretty.
More interesting was that the fish on display was not on ice. And there was no refrigeration. We asked our friend at CARD and Luzu about this. Turns out that the sellers and the buyers know just how long fish keeps without ice or refrigeration. Buyers may have coolers and they can purchase ice blocks.
I had chambo, a whole chambo in Zomba. It is quite tasty. By a whole chambo, I mean whole, including the head. I couldn’t deal with the eyes. Someone told me that the eyes are good, but I decided to pass on the eyes.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Fish, part 1
We are big fish eaters, eating fish a couple of times a week. Like many other Americans, I go to the store to by my fish. In some cases, the fish has been prepared in some way, salmon is marinated, crab cakes are made, or fish is breaded. Yes, I am somewhat embarrassed to say that I do not marinate nor do I bread my own fish. We spend a little more for the fish we buy, but it is worth it. One of our few luxuries.
Thanks to federal regulations, I know the country of origin of the fish I buy and whether the fish is what they call “wild” or “farm raised.” It always tickles me to buy “wild” swordfish because I do not think that swordfish is raised on fish farms. But the law is the law. We like farm–raised salmon over wild salmon because farm raised salmon are fatter than their wild relatives.
Sometimes I think about where the fish comes from and the loss to fish populations. I know that I should not eat swordfish, because the swordfish population is severely depleted from over fishing. So, I compromise and only buy swordfish once or twice a month.
And we like to go to fish hatcheries. Don’t ask me why. We just do. Deep sea fishing, well let’s just say I had one bad experience on a fishing boat off of the Jersey shore watching people torture this poor blue fish. I prayed that I would not catch any thing, and I did not. And to this day, I rarely eat blue fish.
So, when I travel, I check out the fish. I know that my Lake in Vermont is stocked with trout. The Rivers near me are stocked with trout. I find out where I can buy good fresh fish, and when the fish deliveries come in.
When I traveled to Malawi, one of the first things that I noticed was fish. Fish was sold by in the open–air market in Lilongwe. Stay tuned for more on fish in Malawi, tomorrow.
Thanks to federal regulations, I know the country of origin of the fish I buy and whether the fish is what they call “wild” or “farm raised.” It always tickles me to buy “wild” swordfish because I do not think that swordfish is raised on fish farms. But the law is the law. We like farm–raised salmon over wild salmon because farm raised salmon are fatter than their wild relatives.
Sometimes I think about where the fish comes from and the loss to fish populations. I know that I should not eat swordfish, because the swordfish population is severely depleted from over fishing. So, I compromise and only buy swordfish once or twice a month.
And we like to go to fish hatcheries. Don’t ask me why. We just do. Deep sea fishing, well let’s just say I had one bad experience on a fishing boat off of the Jersey shore watching people torture this poor blue fish. I prayed that I would not catch any thing, and I did not. And to this day, I rarely eat blue fish.
So, when I travel, I check out the fish. I know that my Lake in Vermont is stocked with trout. The Rivers near me are stocked with trout. I find out where I can buy good fresh fish, and when the fish deliveries come in.
When I traveled to Malawi, one of the first things that I noticed was fish. Fish was sold by in the open–air market in Lilongwe. Stay tuned for more on fish in Malawi, tomorrow.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Goats
I think that I already written about the large number of goats that we saw during our travels in Malawi. If I recall I wrote about the large numbers of goats that we saw on my second or third day in Malawi.
Fairly early during our two-week stay in Malawi, we realized that Malawians rarely used goats for their milk. Given the great poverty and the attendant hunger and malnourishment that goes along with poverty, some of us wondered why goats were not used for milk. I learned from some of my fellow Malawi travelers that goats are high milk producers. When we asked Malawians that we meet about this, many did not know. Some may have offered that some of the goats we saw were wild, but my notes may well be a little fuzzy on this particular point.
Our friends at CARD offered an answer to the question of why goats were not used for milk. The answer is that most families have cultural resistance to this because in their way of thinking, goats are only for meat. At least one of the agricultural programs in Colleges in Malawi are working on a goat dairy program. But this is on a small scale.
I should add that I don’t recall seeing many dairy cows in Malawi.
Fairly early during our two-week stay in Malawi, we realized that Malawians rarely used goats for their milk. Given the great poverty and the attendant hunger and malnourishment that goes along with poverty, some of us wondered why goats were not used for milk. I learned from some of my fellow Malawi travelers that goats are high milk producers. When we asked Malawians that we meet about this, many did not know. Some may have offered that some of the goats we saw were wild, but my notes may well be a little fuzzy on this particular point.
Our friends at CARD offered an answer to the question of why goats were not used for milk. The answer is that most families have cultural resistance to this because in their way of thinking, goats are only for meat. At least one of the agricultural programs in Colleges in Malawi are working on a goat dairy program. But this is on a small scale.
I should add that I don’t recall seeing many dairy cows in Malawi.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Food Security in Malawi
On the morning of our last day in Blantyre (June 25), we had our second meeting of our trip with staff members of the Churches Action for Relief and Development (CARD). CARD is affiliated with the Global Aids Interfaith Alliance (GAIA), working in the southern region of Malawi. The staff was a fount of information on a variety of issues relating to life in Malawi. While we were waiting for others to join us, we had a chance to pick the brains of these CARD staff members. I will write about a couple of the issues that we talked about in the next couple of blog entries.
My notes are a little sparse in places, so please bear with me. We were about 10 or 11 days into our trip at this point. At this juncture, I was mentally exhausted and very homesick so I was not journaling with the vigor and intensity that I was earlier in the trip.
The first item in my notes from that day falls under the broad issue of food security.
The context for writing about food security in Malawi is simple. There is not always enough food, especially when there has been a drought as there was a couple of years ago. Or when droughts are not an issue, excessive rains during the November to May rainy season can lead to excessive runoff and even floods.
Included among the discussion points were:
1. Is there enough food to sustain a family through a drought;
2. Nutritional value of the food;
3. Accessibility of the food, who gets the food, in a particular household; and
4. The right of children.
CARD does the following:
1. Responds to emergencies, i.e. something the people were not expecting such as drought, and floods.
2. Works with villagers on ways that their village can work towards being self-sustaining including: goat production, crop production, and water sanitation.
HIV/AIDS is an added pressure in the case when one income earner is lost due to illness or death.
I was interested to find out that something on the order of 40% of (family) harvest loss of is due to post-harvest infestation in the form of mice and insects. Chemicals are utilized, although I suspect that this come at an added cost that might be out of the reach of many families. A number of natural remedies are used. Ground up leaves from a certain trees or ashes are mixed with the maize to ward off weevils. This seems to work. Ashes are also mixed in with the potato crop to prevent weevil infestation.
One model for rodent control that we discussed could come through communal grain banks. Here individuals come together as a group and construct a brick structure – bricks can be made by hand – with rodent guards. The idea is that the individuals in the group will come up with an agreement on storing and then using grains and other groups. I got the impression that this model is not yet widely used, if at all. But it is an interesting one. And if the bricks can be made by hand and then cured by fire – to stand up through the rainy season, I think that this could be a very cost-effective solution for rodent control.
My notes are a little sparse in places, so please bear with me. We were about 10 or 11 days into our trip at this point. At this juncture, I was mentally exhausted and very homesick so I was not journaling with the vigor and intensity that I was earlier in the trip.
The first item in my notes from that day falls under the broad issue of food security.
The context for writing about food security in Malawi is simple. There is not always enough food, especially when there has been a drought as there was a couple of years ago. Or when droughts are not an issue, excessive rains during the November to May rainy season can lead to excessive runoff and even floods.
Included among the discussion points were:
1. Is there enough food to sustain a family through a drought;
2. Nutritional value of the food;
3. Accessibility of the food, who gets the food, in a particular household; and
4. The right of children.
CARD does the following:
1. Responds to emergencies, i.e. something the people were not expecting such as drought, and floods.
2. Works with villagers on ways that their village can work towards being self-sustaining including: goat production, crop production, and water sanitation.
HIV/AIDS is an added pressure in the case when one income earner is lost due to illness or death.
I was interested to find out that something on the order of 40% of (family) harvest loss of is due to post-harvest infestation in the form of mice and insects. Chemicals are utilized, although I suspect that this come at an added cost that might be out of the reach of many families. A number of natural remedies are used. Ground up leaves from a certain trees or ashes are mixed with the maize to ward off weevils. This seems to work. Ashes are also mixed in with the potato crop to prevent weevil infestation.
One model for rodent control that we discussed could come through communal grain banks. Here individuals come together as a group and construct a brick structure – bricks can be made by hand – with rodent guards. The idea is that the individuals in the group will come up with an agreement on storing and then using grains and other groups. I got the impression that this model is not yet widely used, if at all. But it is an interesting one. And if the bricks can be made by hand and then cured by fire – to stand up through the rainy season, I think that this could be a very cost-effective solution for rodent control.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Resuming blogging
If you have been following my blog, then you know that I have not posted anything in over two weeks. I spent some of this time starting to write some private reflections based on my recent trip to Malawi. But the last of those writings were about ten days ago. I have been in a relatively dry period in regards to any writing. I am not here to go into a prolonged analysis of the whys and the wherefores of this dry period. Rather, I am ready to move on and continue with posts to my blog.
I am not exactly sure what I will be writing about here. It may or may not be about Malawi. I think I am at a turning point in my blogging about Malawi. If I am to post on a more regular basis and, at the same time, take time when I am preparing an entry on Malawi, I might want to intersperse my Malawi entries with reflections on other things.
I am not exactly sure what I will be writing about here. It may or may not be about Malawi. I think I am at a turning point in my blogging about Malawi. If I am to post on a more regular basis and, at the same time, take time when I am preparing an entry on Malawi, I might want to intersperse my Malawi entries with reflections on other things.
Monday, October 01, 2007
Power Blackouts and Malaria Medication
By our third or fourth day in Malawi, we experienced our first power blackout. This one lasted about one hour. By the end of our first week, we had experienced three more. All around the dinner hour, at least what was our dinner hour. We tended to eat on the late side, sitting down somewhere around 6:30 to 7PM. Eating out in Malawi, often requires a longer wait for food than I am accustomed to in America. Sometimes we would not finish eating until 9:30 or 10PM at night.
Some places had generators, others did not. At the hotel where we stayed in Zomba, they had no generator. Between the power failure that meant that they could not cook, and needing to take my nightly malaria pill with food, I was not a happy camper. I usually had a package of nuts of a power bar in my bag for such a purpose, but had opted to leave all this in my hotel room. Silly me. The one night I really needed the power bar so I could take my malaria pill, I did not have it. I took the malaria pill about an hour or so after the “designated time”, designated because I was under physician’s orders to leave 12 hours between my malaria pill and my thyroid pill.
Some more time passed, and I started to feel nauseous from taking the malaria pill without food. I mentioned this Don, who is a physician, and he helped procure some bread from the kitchen so I could settle my stomach. It worked, and our food came not long after.
It was not until sometime in our second week that I found out the reasons for the power blackouts. That is, I asked Luzu. We were in Malawi during their dry season. Much of Malawi’s power comes from hydroelectric power. The problem is that during the dry season, there often is not enough hydro power to fulfill the demand for electricity. So, they have scheduled power blackouts that are advertised in the paper. The theory is that, assuming you can get a newspaper, you will know when your neighborhood is going to be blacked out and you can plan accordingly. I forgot to ask Luzu, how the word of the planned blackouts gets around to those who do not have newspapers. Perhaps the radio is used, or failing that there is always word of mouth. In any event, I finally had my answer.
Some places had generators, others did not. At the hotel where we stayed in Zomba, they had no generator. Between the power failure that meant that they could not cook, and needing to take my nightly malaria pill with food, I was not a happy camper. I usually had a package of nuts of a power bar in my bag for such a purpose, but had opted to leave all this in my hotel room. Silly me. The one night I really needed the power bar so I could take my malaria pill, I did not have it. I took the malaria pill about an hour or so after the “designated time”, designated because I was under physician’s orders to leave 12 hours between my malaria pill and my thyroid pill.
Some more time passed, and I started to feel nauseous from taking the malaria pill without food. I mentioned this Don, who is a physician, and he helped procure some bread from the kitchen so I could settle my stomach. It worked, and our food came not long after.
It was not until sometime in our second week that I found out the reasons for the power blackouts. That is, I asked Luzu. We were in Malawi during their dry season. Much of Malawi’s power comes from hydroelectric power. The problem is that during the dry season, there often is not enough hydro power to fulfill the demand for electricity. So, they have scheduled power blackouts that are advertised in the paper. The theory is that, assuming you can get a newspaper, you will know when your neighborhood is going to be blacked out and you can plan accordingly. I forgot to ask Luzu, how the word of the planned blackouts gets around to those who do not have newspapers. Perhaps the radio is used, or failing that there is always word of mouth. In any event, I finally had my answer.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Camaraderie in Malawi
There were eleven of us in the transformational journey group that traveled to Malawi. We ranged in age from 22to the mid-60s with eight women and three men. Seven were from the Pasadena/Los Angeles area, of these seven; five are members of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena. Stephanie who joined us from South Africa grew up in Pasadena. I believe that her parents are good friends of Don and Mary. I am from New Jersey, while Adam and Rachel were most recently living in Tennessee (I think).
I had never met any of these wonderful people in person prior to traveling to Malawi. The one exception was Don Thomas, whom I had corresponded with over e-mail for about one year. Don had mentioned in an e-mail about how those of us traveling to Malawi together would become “life-long friends.” I had no idea how true his words would become.
To say that I was pleasantly surprised by how safe I felt with the other ten people in our Malawi transformational journey group is an understatement. From the get go, it was as if I had known the other nine people in our group for a long time (Jean joined us on our fifth full day in Malawi). The “normal” walls and barriers that Isometimes put up between others and myself were not there. Sometimes it takes a little while before I feel “safe enough” in a new situation to “knock down the barriers that I erect that may prevent people from getting to know me. Not this time, there were no barriers. In fact, on our first plane ride together from Johannesburg to Lilongwe, a couple of us remarked to the other about how safe we felt with each other.
A couple of days after we arrived, we were commenting on how it felt like we had known each other for “a long time.” While all of us were careful to respect each other’s boundaries, I felt a sense of safety, a sense of community. We were on this journey together and we took care of each other. A couple of us felt “sick”, mostly stomach problems, but nothing major. We never got stuck on a poorly maintained, badly rutted dirt road in a remote section of Malawi. If any of things were to happen, we would have taken care of each other.
I have not seen anybody since I got back. I miss everyone. Many are on the west coast. Don and Mary are embarking on a new adventure in New York City for the remainder of the year. I hope to see them before they go back to the west coast. Adam and Rachael are leaving Malawi on September 20th for Europe and the Middle East. I think that Stephanie is back in South Africa. Tim and Jane have family not far from me, I hope to see them when they visit.
I am assured that we will be friends forever. And even if it has been years since we last saw each other, it will be as if it was yesterday.
I had never met any of these wonderful people in person prior to traveling to Malawi. The one exception was Don Thomas, whom I had corresponded with over e-mail for about one year. Don had mentioned in an e-mail about how those of us traveling to Malawi together would become “life-long friends.” I had no idea how true his words would become.
To say that I was pleasantly surprised by how safe I felt with the other ten people in our Malawi transformational journey group is an understatement. From the get go, it was as if I had known the other nine people in our group for a long time (Jean joined us on our fifth full day in Malawi). The “normal” walls and barriers that Isometimes put up between others and myself were not there. Sometimes it takes a little while before I feel “safe enough” in a new situation to “knock down the barriers that I erect that may prevent people from getting to know me. Not this time, there were no barriers. In fact, on our first plane ride together from Johannesburg to Lilongwe, a couple of us remarked to the other about how safe we felt with each other.
A couple of days after we arrived, we were commenting on how it felt like we had known each other for “a long time.” While all of us were careful to respect each other’s boundaries, I felt a sense of safety, a sense of community. We were on this journey together and we took care of each other. A couple of us felt “sick”, mostly stomach problems, but nothing major. We never got stuck on a poorly maintained, badly rutted dirt road in a remote section of Malawi. If any of things were to happen, we would have taken care of each other.
I have not seen anybody since I got back. I miss everyone. Many are on the west coast. Don and Mary are embarking on a new adventure in New York City for the remainder of the year. I hope to see them before they go back to the west coast. Adam and Rachael are leaving Malawi on September 20th for Europe and the Middle East. I think that Stephanie is back in South Africa. Tim and Jane have family not far from me, I hope to see them when they visit.
I am assured that we will be friends forever. And even if it has been years since we last saw each other, it will be as if it was yesterday.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Tires
On our second full day in Malawi Luzu had to get the spare tire on the van fixed. This was the day we drove from Lilongwe to Senga Bay with two visits in the Salima area. As we approached Salima I recall noticing a group of young men at the side of road repairing bicycle and automobile tires. A tire repair shop without walls, so to speak. Our first stop was in the town center of Salima for the ATM and a grocery store.. When we had finished our errands in town, Luzu announced that he needed to get the spare tire on the van fixed, that it would only take an hour. Luzu dropped us off at our first stop of the day, the Salima Aids Support Orginazation (SAS0) before driving off to get the tire taken care.
Well before we ready to leave SASO, Luzu reappeared with the van. When we were done, those of us who were riding in the van piled in. Don and his wife and his two passengers got into the car and we were off. Luzu stopped at the same “tire repair shop without walls that I had noticed on our approach to Salima, paid the young men, got the spare and reattached the spare to the back of the van,
I did not think about getting the spare tire fixed at the time. After all, no matter where you live keeping your spare in good repair is a common sense. After all, no one wants to be caught by the side of the road with a flat tire and an unusable spare.
It took a visit to my mechanic the other day to have him repair a flat tire to get me thinking about what it might be like to be caught in remote Malawi on an unpaved road with out a good spare. Not fun. Even with a good spare, it might be difficult to jack up the car on a badly rutted dirt road. Nothing like that happened.
To be honest, it was Ed’s – my mechanic – interest in Malawi that gave me the idea to write about getting the spare tire on the van fixed. Ed, if you are reading this, this is for you.
Well before we ready to leave SASO, Luzu reappeared with the van. When we were done, those of us who were riding in the van piled in. Don and his wife and his two passengers got into the car and we were off. Luzu stopped at the same “tire repair shop without walls that I had noticed on our approach to Salima, paid the young men, got the spare and reattached the spare to the back of the van,
I did not think about getting the spare tire fixed at the time. After all, no matter where you live keeping your spare in good repair is a common sense. After all, no one wants to be caught by the side of the road with a flat tire and an unusable spare.
It took a visit to my mechanic the other day to have him repair a flat tire to get me thinking about what it might be like to be caught in remote Malawi on an unpaved road with out a good spare. Not fun. Even with a good spare, it might be difficult to jack up the car on a badly rutted dirt road. Nothing like that happened.
To be honest, it was Ed’s – my mechanic – interest in Malawi that gave me the idea to write about getting the spare tire on the van fixed. Ed, if you are reading this, this is for you.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Riding in pickup trucks
I experienced another first while I was traveling in Malawi, seeing 20 people or more crammed in the open back cargo area of a pickup truck. Yes, you are reading this correctly. As we drove around central and southern Malawi such trucks crammed with passengers in the exposed cargo area were common sights.
Here in America, riding in the open cargo area of a pickup truck is illegal in many States. As a result I see fewer pickup trucks carrying passengers in the open cargo area than I did when I was younger. But, I have never ever seen more than a few people riding in an open cargo area. Perhaps four at the most, and they were always – if memory serves – sitting down in the bed of the cargo area,. I don’t think that I ever saw anyone sitting on the “rim” of the cargo area.
Another common form of transportation in Malawi involves people the owner or daily renter of pickup truck cramming as many paying passengers as they can in the cargo area of the truck and dropping them off along a route. People will be sitting in the bed of the cargo area as well as all around the rim. I’m not making this stuff up.
The Malawians have a name for this, but I deleted the e-mail from Stephanie where she reported on her experience riding as a passenger in the back of a pickup truck along with the translation to the local language.
I wondered what keeps people who are sitting on the rim of the cargo areas from falling off, especially on a rutted dirt road. But what do I know?
Here in America, riding in the open cargo area of a pickup truck is illegal in many States. As a result I see fewer pickup trucks carrying passengers in the open cargo area than I did when I was younger. But, I have never ever seen more than a few people riding in an open cargo area. Perhaps four at the most, and they were always – if memory serves – sitting down in the bed of the cargo area,. I don’t think that I ever saw anyone sitting on the “rim” of the cargo area.
Another common form of transportation in Malawi involves people the owner or daily renter of pickup truck cramming as many paying passengers as they can in the cargo area of the truck and dropping them off along a route. People will be sitting in the bed of the cargo area as well as all around the rim. I’m not making this stuff up.
The Malawians have a name for this, but I deleted the e-mail from Stephanie where she reported on her experience riding as a passenger in the back of a pickup truck along with the translation to the local language.
I wondered what keeps people who are sitting on the rim of the cargo areas from falling off, especially on a rutted dirt road. But what do I know?
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Minibuses in Malawi
Common forms of transportation in Malawi are minibuses. The van that our group rented, driven by Luzu, was about the size of what I would call a cargo van, but our van had about four rows of usable seats. The last row was taken up by our luggage, so lets say the van could fit 10 to 12 passengers and luggage comfortably. If memory serves, minibuses are larger, perhaps a little the small buses (about one-half the size of school buses) often used in America for senior citizens and disabled persons transportation programs, Churches, Children’s programs and the like.
While we were reasonably comfortable in our van, even with our luggage and an extra two passengers, every minibus I saw was literally packed full of people with children riding on the laps of their caretakers, other passengers holding bags in their laps, etc. In addition to being crowded with passengers, minibus drivers always traveled at a high rate of speed. Luzu always let them go past him and was quite good at dodging minibuses when they pulled over to disgorge passengers.
I asked Luzu about the minibuses when I was riding shotgun on day. There seem to be fixed minibus routes both within cities such as Lilongwe and between towns and cities, e.g. Lilongwe to Zomba or Lilongwe to Selma. He went on to explain that the drivers rent the vehicle for the day from the owner for a fixed rate. The more trips that the driver can complete, the more money they can take home. I recall that the daily rental fee is not “cheap” giving the drivers even more motivation to make more trips. And they compete with other minibuses on the same route. So if a driver can get to the destination first, they can beat out their competition.
I received an email from Stephanie a few days after I returned to America. She reported on a trip she took to go scuba diving in Lake Malawi where she traveled part of the way by minibus. I can no longer find her email, having deleted it by accident. I do remember that her account of this portion of her trip was in line with the crowded minibuses that I observed. I recall that she enjoyed this crowded ride, in part because she was sitting next to an adult with a baby on their lap. She spent part of the ride allowing the baby to hold onto her finger.
While we were reasonably comfortable in our van, even with our luggage and an extra two passengers, every minibus I saw was literally packed full of people with children riding on the laps of their caretakers, other passengers holding bags in their laps, etc. In addition to being crowded with passengers, minibus drivers always traveled at a high rate of speed. Luzu always let them go past him and was quite good at dodging minibuses when they pulled over to disgorge passengers.
I asked Luzu about the minibuses when I was riding shotgun on day. There seem to be fixed minibus routes both within cities such as Lilongwe and between towns and cities, e.g. Lilongwe to Zomba or Lilongwe to Selma. He went on to explain that the drivers rent the vehicle for the day from the owner for a fixed rate. The more trips that the driver can complete, the more money they can take home. I recall that the daily rental fee is not “cheap” giving the drivers even more motivation to make more trips. And they compete with other minibuses on the same route. So if a driver can get to the destination first, they can beat out their competition.
I received an email from Stephanie a few days after I returned to America. She reported on a trip she took to go scuba diving in Lake Malawi where she traveled part of the way by minibus. I can no longer find her email, having deleted it by accident. I do remember that her account of this portion of her trip was in line with the crowded minibuses that I observed. I recall that she enjoyed this crowded ride, in part because she was sitting next to an adult with a baby on their lap. She spent part of the ride allowing the baby to hold onto her finger.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Sharing the road
When I first got to Malawi, sharing the road with walkers, people on bicycles, ox carts, goats took some getting used to. The scene on the road as we approached a settlement of any size with market stalls an/or stores was unreal. There would be many more walkers and bicyclists than in rural areas. And I’m not talking about two lines of people walking down either side of the road. There would be people walking two or three abreast on each side of the street, along lines of minibuses disgorging passengers, bicycles darting in and out of traffic, and walkers making the "mad dash" across the street. Our drivers were very adept at navigating through these busy areas.
On the outskirts of the towns and in rural areas, there were the ever present goats that would dart in front of our van. Neither Luzu nor Don hit a goat. Walkers were always present, although in rural areas they would walk one or two abreast, often on dirt paths that ran along the road.
I lived in urban areas for about seven years in my twenties. In New York City where I lived the longest, I rode a bicycle sharing the road with cars, trucks, and buses. Not necessarily minding my manners, but getting away with it. If you are driving near a dairy farm in a rural area, you may have to stop while the cows cross the street to or from a barn or a field. You may have to slow down to follow a slow moving piece of farm equipment until it is safe to pass. Visitors to some National Parks in America and elsewhere may have to share the road with various types of indigenous wildlife. Nothing I had seen to date in America prepared me for what it means to share the road in Malawi.
About half way through our trip while I was riding shotgun with Luzu, he commented to me that “in Malawi we share the road.” Roads in Malawi are for everybody, not just cars, vans, and the like. There will only be something resembling “sidewalks”Only in larger towns and cities such as Lilongwe, Blantyre, and Zomba were then anything that resembled "sidewalks."
When I came home and drove around my town, I immediately noticed how quiet the streets were. Even crowded American interstate highways have taken on a new meaning.
On the outskirts of the towns and in rural areas, there were the ever present goats that would dart in front of our van. Neither Luzu nor Don hit a goat. Walkers were always present, although in rural areas they would walk one or two abreast, often on dirt paths that ran along the road.
I lived in urban areas for about seven years in my twenties. In New York City where I lived the longest, I rode a bicycle sharing the road with cars, trucks, and buses. Not necessarily minding my manners, but getting away with it. If you are driving near a dairy farm in a rural area, you may have to stop while the cows cross the street to or from a barn or a field. You may have to slow down to follow a slow moving piece of farm equipment until it is safe to pass. Visitors to some National Parks in America and elsewhere may have to share the road with various types of indigenous wildlife. Nothing I had seen to date in America prepared me for what it means to share the road in Malawi.
About half way through our trip while I was riding shotgun with Luzu, he commented to me that “in Malawi we share the road.” Roads in Malawi are for everybody, not just cars, vans, and the like. There will only be something resembling “sidewalks”Only in larger towns and cities such as Lilongwe, Blantyre, and Zomba were then anything that resembled "sidewalks."
When I came home and drove around my town, I immediately noticed how quiet the streets were. Even crowded American interstate highways have taken on a new meaning.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Private Toilets and cell telephones
I went back and read the first posts I made from Malawi on June 14 (the day of my arrival) and June 15 (my first full day). The idea being that I wanted to compare what I wrote in my blog for those two days with hand written entries in the small journal that I carried around with me in Malawi. The idea behind this exercise is to provide new fodder for my blog.
You may recall that the first order of business on June 15 was to an open air market in Lilongwe. One thing I did not write about were, what at first glance appeared to be, public toilets. If I recall, these toilets were located just outside the entrance to the market. Given my interest in clean water and sanitation, I was quite interested in finding more about these toilets, so I asked Luzu. He told me that yes, these were flush toilets, and that people had to pay to use them. He went on to explain that the reason there is a fee to use the toilets is because if no fee is charged then the toilets fall into to disrepair. The fees cover, among other things, the cost of maintaining the facilities. I intended to go back to the market and see this facility close-up, paying the fee to do so. I never made it back.
In my early entries from Malawi, I listed my observations while riding in the van So, I have written about the many roadside stalls that I saw during our travels. By the end of our trip, they were a routine sight. People selling goods ranging from cell phone minutes to mice on a stick to vegetables to hand made furniture to coffins. On that first drive from the airport to Wendels, I noticed that a large number of small booths (or kiosks) with signage saying “celltel” or something similar. If memory serves, “celltel” is one of the cellular providers in Malawi. People at these booths had cellular telephones, selling time to individuals who wanted to place a call. In addition, some of these booths sold what are known as sim cards.
Unlike my cellular telephone that I can only use with a specific cellular carrier, unlocked cellular telephones can be purchased which can be used with a variety of cellular carriers. Activating an unlocked cell phone involves purchasing something called a sim card that contains a certain amount of airtime. When the airtime is used up, you purchase another sim card. The use of sim cards seems commonplace in Malawi. Americans can purchase an “unlocked cell phone” in Malawi at a much lower cost than in the U.S. However, to a Malawian, even a phone that is inexpensive to an American is going to be quite expensive. The cost of a cell telephone could explain the apparent popularity of “celtel” booths, especially around the cities and larger towns. If a Malawian could not afford one a cell phone, the “celltel” booths provided an opportunity to place a call. I never did find out what people charged for the use of their cell phone. My unanswered question is could a Malawian of average means, which probably means they are extremely poor, easily afford to purchase a couple of minutes of cell phone time at a “celltel” booth?
You may recall that the first order of business on June 15 was to an open air market in Lilongwe. One thing I did not write about were, what at first glance appeared to be, public toilets. If I recall, these toilets were located just outside the entrance to the market. Given my interest in clean water and sanitation, I was quite interested in finding more about these toilets, so I asked Luzu. He told me that yes, these were flush toilets, and that people had to pay to use them. He went on to explain that the reason there is a fee to use the toilets is because if no fee is charged then the toilets fall into to disrepair. The fees cover, among other things, the cost of maintaining the facilities. I intended to go back to the market and see this facility close-up, paying the fee to do so. I never made it back.
In my early entries from Malawi, I listed my observations while riding in the van So, I have written about the many roadside stalls that I saw during our travels. By the end of our trip, they were a routine sight. People selling goods ranging from cell phone minutes to mice on a stick to vegetables to hand made furniture to coffins. On that first drive from the airport to Wendels, I noticed that a large number of small booths (or kiosks) with signage saying “celltel” or something similar. If memory serves, “celltel” is one of the cellular providers in Malawi. People at these booths had cellular telephones, selling time to individuals who wanted to place a call. In addition, some of these booths sold what are known as sim cards.
Unlike my cellular telephone that I can only use with a specific cellular carrier, unlocked cellular telephones can be purchased which can be used with a variety of cellular carriers. Activating an unlocked cell phone involves purchasing something called a sim card that contains a certain amount of airtime. When the airtime is used up, you purchase another sim card. The use of sim cards seems commonplace in Malawi. Americans can purchase an “unlocked cell phone” in Malawi at a much lower cost than in the U.S. However, to a Malawian, even a phone that is inexpensive to an American is going to be quite expensive. The cost of a cell telephone could explain the apparent popularity of “celtel” booths, especially around the cities and larger towns. If a Malawian could not afford one a cell phone, the “celltel” booths provided an opportunity to place a call. I never did find out what people charged for the use of their cell phone. My unanswered question is could a Malawian of average means, which probably means they are extremely poor, easily afford to purchase a couple of minutes of cell phone time at a “celltel” booth?
Saturday, August 25, 2007
A little more about Luzu
I want to spend a little more time telling you about Luzu, one of our two drivers in Malawi. One of the things about Luzu that was interesting is that he grew up in northern Malawi, and we spent all of our time in central and southern Malawi. So, he talked a little about some of the customs and traditions that he grew up with. For example, the language is different and how village chiefs are elected is also different.
At some point he ended up in the Lilongwe area, I am sure that he told us how he ended up there, but because I did not write it down, I don’t recall the story. Anyway, he currently lives with his wife, two daughters, a (great) nephew and other relatives in an area known as Likumi about 8 km outside of Lilongwe. He took all of us to his house, actually a small compound on our next to last full day in Lilongwe.
Luzu works for a nongovernmental organization (NGA) in Malawi that works with wildlife preservation. In addition, at the time we visited him he had two kinds of chickens, about 400 layers and 500 broilers. His wife, whom I also met along with his youngest daughter, works for the government (I think). So, the chickens bring in extra cash. In a recent e-mail, Luzu reported that he sold the layers because they stopped laying eggs. He keeps the broilers for two months before selling them off and replaces them with a new batch of broilers. In addition, he had one or two roosters and some guinea fowl. I was very impressed with how clean and well cared for his chickens were along with the fact that they mix the chicken food themselves. He had a couple of young men who may have been part of his “extended” family who helped with the chickens.
They also had some fruit trees, and space for a vegetable garden.
I was quite impressed with his resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and his generosity of spirit. I met his wife, and although we only spent a little while together, I felt as if I had known her for a long time, a kind of “kinship” that is very special and perhaps very “African.” Whatever words I use to try to describe this are wholly inadequate. I hope you get the idea She too shares Luzu’s resourcefulness, self-sufficiency and generosity of spirit. My only regret is that I was too tired to think about getting someone to take a picture of his wife and me.
Both of his daughters are in school. I know that his oldest daughter is in secondary school and his youngest daughter may be getting ready for secondary school. I can tell that they will go far.
At some point he ended up in the Lilongwe area, I am sure that he told us how he ended up there, but because I did not write it down, I don’t recall the story. Anyway, he currently lives with his wife, two daughters, a (great) nephew and other relatives in an area known as Likumi about 8 km outside of Lilongwe. He took all of us to his house, actually a small compound on our next to last full day in Lilongwe.
Luzu works for a nongovernmental organization (NGA) in Malawi that works with wildlife preservation. In addition, at the time we visited him he had two kinds of chickens, about 400 layers and 500 broilers. His wife, whom I also met along with his youngest daughter, works for the government (I think). So, the chickens bring in extra cash. In a recent e-mail, Luzu reported that he sold the layers because they stopped laying eggs. He keeps the broilers for two months before selling them off and replaces them with a new batch of broilers. In addition, he had one or two roosters and some guinea fowl. I was very impressed with how clean and well cared for his chickens were along with the fact that they mix the chicken food themselves. He had a couple of young men who may have been part of his “extended” family who helped with the chickens.
They also had some fruit trees, and space for a vegetable garden.
I was quite impressed with his resourcefulness, self-sufficiency, and his generosity of spirit. I met his wife, and although we only spent a little while together, I felt as if I had known her for a long time, a kind of “kinship” that is very special and perhaps very “African.” Whatever words I use to try to describe this are wholly inadequate. I hope you get the idea She too shares Luzu’s resourcefulness, self-sufficiency and generosity of spirit. My only regret is that I was too tired to think about getting someone to take a picture of his wife and me.
Both of his daughters are in school. I know that his oldest daughter is in secondary school and his youngest daughter may be getting ready for secondary school. I can tell that they will go far.
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