A lot has happened since I last wrote. The project has progressed, local colleagues have come and gone, the weather and environment has changed and, as always, I have learned new things. The project is progressing by leaps and bounds. We started with visits to 9 communities in November but, after a fair bit of research into local prevalence rates, many visits with village chiefs, coordination with hospital volunteers, and advertising (posters, word of mouth, announcements in local churches etc.) we have now doubled that number. Our schedule is constantly changing as we try to make space [View Full Entry]

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“Mwalira mvula, mwalira matope” Since I last wrote, here in Malawi we’re in a New Year and a new season - the rainy season. It’s the second month of the rains that will likely continue through until May. Malawi is looking beautiful. The countryside has changed so much so quickly and everything is lush and green. These are the rains that many have hoped for over the past several months as food has become increasingly scarce. Many villagers were using just the husks of the maize to make their staple Nsima, some were living off just the Okra that usually serves [View Full Entry]

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In the first 2 weeks we have visited 9 villages, counseled and tested 258 people (of which 9 were HIV positive), performed 47 CD4 tests (on new and previously diagnosed patients), referred 6 people for ARV treatment and distributed CPT to 9. The conditions, resources, staffing, set-up, patient population, education and attitude has been different everywhere. We have been pleasantly surprised with some responses and events that we have experienced and surprised in a different way by challenges we couldn't have even imagined we would meet. Patient demographics alone are not straightforwar [View Full Entry]

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This time i'm just going to let my pictures tell some of my stories..... [View Full Entry]

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I have been quite amazed to find out how aware Malawians are of the term 'CD4 count'. They even have a name for it in Chichewa - Chitetezo Cha Mthupi. They know what the number means for them, and they know that same number off the top of their head. CD4 counts are difficult to obtain in Malawi and the locals here consider themselves very lucky that they can have a CD4 test at St Gabriel's for free. People actually come from all around for this privelidge, even from the capital to this small village of Namitete. Word has definitely gotten [View Full Entry]

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“South Africans are good at building houses” I am very pleased to be able to say that several weeks of working with a local Clearing Agent and the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) have paid off. Our project truck has finally been ‘let go’ and we were able to bring her home last night. One additional thing that resulted from all of this bureaucracy is that I spent so much time at the offices of the Clearing Agent that I have made a few new friends in the staff there and have received a dinner invitation! The reactions from the hospital staff [View Full Entry]

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“Well officer, this is a little unusual isn’t it?” Too many events have happened over the course of the past few weeks for one entry so I am breaking up my latest news from Malawi into a couple of chapters! My good friend and ex-colleague Todd is over visiting from San Diego for a few weeks. He is helping me a lot with work (more of that in the next entry) but we had a public holiday the other day, to celebrate the end of Ramadan, so we took a little road trip to Ntchitsi Forest Reserve. There is an interesting [View Full Entry]

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Life on Malawian Time I would call it African time (as a lot of people do) but that’s quite a generalization so I’ll call it Malawian Time, as even the Malawians call it this. I have been experiencing more of this than usual recently so thought I’d write a little bit about it. I have so far spent one evening and two days in Lilongwe working on picking up my Temporary Employment Permit (confirmed as having been approved for 3 years) and clearing our project vehicle, which has arrived in the country. The fruits of my labor? The vehicle remains seated [View Full Entry]

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I told my mum and dad I had a little surprise coming for them and all would be revealed with this entry. Well, I know I did introductions last time but I have to do some more. Could we please give a warm welcome to Terry and Heather Simon (or Telly and Heathero as they are known to the locals). Yes mum and dad (Heather and Terry for those of you who don't know them) you now also have Malawian counterparts. They’re cousins actually, born within a week of each other. I met Heather in the hospital the day she was [View Full Entry]

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First I'll introduce myself - Dzina langa ndi Joanna Raeside, ndimachokera ku Scotland. Ndili ndi zaka 29. Ndidabwera ku Malawi mwezi wasanu kugwira ntchito ku PointCare. Ndimakhala ku St Gabriel's Hospital ku Namitete. Ndikufuna kuphunzira kuyankhula, kuwelenga ndi kulemba Chichewa. Pang'ono pang'ono.... (My name is Joanna Raeside. I'm from Scotland. I am 29 years old. I came to Malawi in May to work for PointCare. I'm living at St Gabriel's Hospital in Namitete. I want to learn to speak, read, and write Chichewa. Slowly slowly (one step at a time)..... Getting there! There are cu [View Full Entry]

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