Messages from Malawi

For Christmas I was happy to receive a couple of emails from friends still over in Malawi, Africa, serving with the United States Peace Corps. I am insanely proud of them for continuing on a journey I could not see to the end myself. Here is what they have been experiencing in their own words:

    Merry Xmas and happy New Year.  A bunch of us are in town to pig out and listen to Christmas songs on the IPOD.  Some of the guys made pancakes for breakfast and we will have chicken and mashed potatoes tonight.  It doesn’t feel like Xmas at all because a lot of people still work here and they don’t have money for gifts, decorations, vacation, the weather is warm, can’t go to the mall to shop, but I hear they do have caroling here. 

So December 1 was World AIDS Day and I planned a mini carnival.  Not a single thing that was on the program actually happened, but 400 people came and had a lot of fun.  The staff was really discouraging, though and said that people will not come next year if we organized anything because there were no allowances/stipends.  NGOs (nongovernmental organizations) have created a culture of dependency here.  Whenever they want people to attend trainings, meetings, and work shops, they pay them for each day, accommodations, and food.  Now, no one will participate unless they get something out of it.  It is understandable since they have absolutely nothing here, but it is very frustrating for us. 

      The first week of December was Maternal and Child Health and Malaria Week so we did outreach in the villages.  This means we distributed half bars of soap, a liter of chlorine for safe drinking water, vitamin A and de-worming pills for kids, and mosquito net re-treatment kits.  I am not sure what we do in the states for this type of a health campaign, but I’m sure a hell of a lot more than this.  Also, what do they do when they run out of soap and chlorine?  They get sick because they can’t afford it even though they know better.  

On the upside, I held a CBO (community based organization) training workshop for basic business, managerial, and accounting skills for 2 days.  They asked me to provide lunch, office supplies, and stipends, but I refused.  They still showed up somewhat on time (only an hour late) and stayed all day for both days.  They were really grateful and told me they wanted more sessions like that if I had time/resources; which I have had plenty of since the schools have been on break.  They start January 7 and so I resume as debate club patron, basketball coach, and life skills teacher (self esteem, creative thinking, critical thinking, decision making, conflict resolution, resisting peer pressure, safe sex, etc.). 

Then Lakeview College in the states donated 35 boxes of textbooks (i.e. art, music, Spanish, etc.) and novels to Malawi.  United States Agency for International Development (USAID) gave them to me because my area is so rural and desperately in need.  So those of you who were helping me with the book drive, you don’t have to worry about it—but if you already have some ready, send em my way when you get a chance.  This was after I made the students do an essay contest to win other books I acquired, so I though they wouldn’t appreciate these if we just GAVE them away.  But I never had to compete or beg for textbooks.  I took them for granted.  But they are a right, not a privilege.        What’s more, they don’t have any arts and crafts for Mother’s Day, Xmas, or any other holiday.  I guess they can’t miss it because they never had it, but I noticed and hopefully we will get some soon from the Garden Grove Boys and Girls Club (right Linh?  Thanks a million!).  Besides that, they don’t get stickers or lollipops when they got o the doctor or get shots.  HIV tests are just a part of life here.  Kids don’t even know what it means to be positive, they just know they get free food from the government so they can eat nutritiously.  That makes them happy and they skip along home with their Plumpy Nut Peanut Butter.   

      My student Mvula has been helping me a lot.  She keeps away my new arch nemesis: scorpions.  She and her neighbors have been bringing me mangoes since it is in season and people know I like them.  The kids throw rocks to get the mangoes off the trees or they climb up and shake the branches.  It’s quite a good time.  It’s been raining a lot too.  This means people just seek shelter in other people’s houses and you get to know each other if you don’t already.  And if it is a mealtime, there is always room for you at the table even though they can barely keep food on the table.  The camaraderie is really heartwarming. 

That’s it for now.  Merry Xmas and Happy New Year!!!

- Linda Chau

Linda is one of the most positive, upbeat, caring, and independent people I have ever met. If there is one person I know will make it to Close of Service, it’s definitely her. My good friend Michael Nielsen is another one of these wilderness warriors, able to survive and thrive in just about any situation presented to him. Here is what he has to say:

Subject: Ndikufunilani Kristimasi Yabwino komanso chaka cha 2008 chopambana!

    Seasons greetings all! Hope the subject isn’t too confusing. It’s a wish of a Merry Christmas (though I’m a little belated in that wish, sorry but I like to pretend I have an excuse being in Africa) & also a prosperous New Years. I hope you’re all doing great & having a grand ol’ holiday season with your friends & families whereever you’re finding yourself & that 2007 is coming to a close wonderfully & 2008 will be just as fabulous for you.

    Sorry to many for you for having dropped off the face of the earth but I’m not a huge fan of mass emailings but thought I’d make the attempt to give you all a brief rundown on what I’m up to & hopefully hear back from many of you as well.

Well since arriving in Malawi in June things have been nonstop, but also slow, if you can wrap your mind around that one. We stayed at the Malawian Forestry College & in homestay houses with local village families for the first 2 months learning about the language, culture, & some finer aspects of my job (which is somewhat open ended to the extreme & difficult to explain but I’ll attempt a breif synopsis as to what I’m hoping to do). After that we were officially sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers on the 25th of July & I was whisked away to the village of Mkhuzi in Ntchisi district of central Malawi. It’s in the southwest corner, close to the towns of Mponela in Dowa district & Kamsonga in Ntchisi if you’re up for a challege of finding it but given many in Malawi don’t even know where it is I wouldn’t be too hopeful.

    I’m lucky enough (as are all of us health volunteers & in fact most volunteers in Malawi in general) to be in a brick house with a concrete floor & a tin roof, which is both a blessing & a curse when the rains come as you stay dry but can’t hear yourself think. Trying to get a garden started, where I”m growing pumpkins, carrots, tomatos, & other things & have begun raising chickens with my neighbors help as well so that’s a bit different. Feel like I’ve gone back a bit in a time warp as I’m doing everything at night by candlelight & cooking over a fire 2-3 times a day for meals. Which reminds me if you all come visit you can join me in a tasty local delicacy of mbewa. What may be this tasty ndiwo (side dish eaten with nsima-thick corn porridge) you may ask? Well nothing other than fried field mouse-somewhere between a cross of chicken & pork on the pallette but all the same none too shabby.

    Aside from eating & gardening I spent the first 3 months getting to know my new home & it’s inhabitants & trying to conduct a needs assessement as to what they need & how I can help. Then it was back to the college for a 2 wk. trainging & since then things have been bouncing back & forth with Thanksgiving in Lilongwe at the Ambassador’s house & going into town for meetings to try & get some things up off the ground. The main things it’s looking like I’m going to try to accomplish over the next 19 months I have left (can’t believe I’ve already been in Africa for 7 months) consist of trying to get all the different groups working in my community on orphan care, HIV/AIDs, etc. to actually talk to each other & know what everybody’s doing so that should be a fun lil’ challenge.

    On top of that I’m trying to get a nutrition project up & running, & a program to try & encourage HIV testing by receiving malaria nets in hopes of killing two birds with one stone-tho it’s amazing how difficult it can be getting things off the ground. I’m also working with a couple of local beekeeping clubs so may have access to some homegrown honey soon which will be fun.

    Other than that it’s just been a lot of reading, knitting, & chatting with the neighbors etc. I’ve had fun trying to explain american culuter & learning more about Malawi-which may hit a new point this January as I might try to help out & teach a subject or two at the local primary school-which will only be a trick given the fact they don’t really know english at that point so I guess we’ll see how well I’ve learned Chichewa.

    Um I know I’ve kind of been jumping all over the place & it’s been a really sparce email but looks like it’s getting a little long & don’t want to be held accountable for all of your eyestrains on this joyous Boxing Day so I’ll wish you all Happy Holidays again & stay in touch. Hope you’re all well & have a great week of hopeful relaxation.

Peace & love,

Mikey

I think what is most important to take from such words is to keep others in mind in this time of giving. There are so many other people around the world without food, clothing, shelter, and medicine, let alone the luxuries of Christmas trees, gifts, feasts and all of the other accouterments of the season. I would urge all readers to not only give to family and friends, but to give at least a little to charities or those in need in any way, shape or form – and to continue doing so year round. The small deeds we do go a long way when we all contribute.

Happy Holidays to all!

~ by peacewriter313 on December 26, 2007.