Blogs from Central, Malawi, Africa - page 9

Gentry and Blessings found me the best resthouse to stay in. When I said I really liked it I heard Blessings breath a sigh of relief. It’s an example of how hospitable and caring they really are. It’s very clean and well presented. Erin the guest house lady is so very welcoming and kind. Although, I’ve learnt not to trust anything that’s attached to a wall! Oh and having power is a privilege too! Tonight the power has been off for 3 hours already. Thankfully my laptop is charged! During my chat with Erin she asked me ‘How’s Kate Middleton and do I like Mr Cameron’. We chatted for a while about life in Malawi and made some comparisons to the UK. I asked Erin what wild animals she’d seen in Malawi and I was astonished ... read more

I thought I'd start my blog by telling you about the roller coaster of emotions I've experienced leading up to my new adventure! Yes my teeth really have been chattering! I've always had a strong desire to help others and since surviving breast cancer 6.5 years ago (yes the half makes a difference) I've also developed a strong desire for new experiences and adventure. Basically living life fully! So what better way to fulfill both desires than volunteering for charities overseas! www.afid.org.uk in a nutshell is a social enterprise that helps find qualified accountants who are willing to volunteer their time to help charities strengthen their bookkeeping and accounting systems. It's essential because the information that comes out of their accounting systems affects decisions that are made and that includes whether donor... read more

I can't believe that I have now been away for almost four weeks. Whilst I miss home, family and friends and have found myself longing for the cool cleaAdair of Aberdeenshire more than once time is flying by and I will be sad to leave my new African friends when the time comes. On the Friday of my second week I spent a day with Johns Zkosi,ones of the CHurch Elders, visiting Mvungoti ward to see the brickmaking and community gardenworkfolk another Elder, Levson. The red dirt road from M'Buka to Mvungoti was teaming with life as we made our way to meet with Levson and our journey included passing through a really busy market. After parking up in what seemelike the only available shade a young girl guided us to where Levson was working. As ... read more

Almost at the end of my second week - the time has flown and I have done so much, had so many new and incredible experiences it is hard to know where to start but a highlight of this week has been a visit to the Mission for Hope crisis nursery was a highlight. The nursery cares for babies in crisis, where the family are unable to care for them, some have been abandoned or their mothers have died in or shortly after childbirth. Where possible, the nursery aims to care for the babies up until they are about 2, working during this with then the extended family for the child to return to them. Responsibility for the children of extended family is strong in the culture of Malawians and many of the families I have ... read more

We took turns to help the cooks, Sinai and Kinessa, two women from the local village, with the lunchtime meal for all the workers. I was ok at chopping onions and tomatoes, and then went with one of the women to the borehole 500 yards away. We waited our turn and pumped the lever up and down to fill the large bucket, then Kinessa helped put it on my head. I had a small scarf to twist into a circle to hold it steady, which wasn't nearly big enough. The village woemn can carry water this way, often without holding the bucket, but i needed to hold it. Water was slopping down my back, and once water starts slopping, it's difficult to keep it steady. Other village woemn ran out of their houses to laugh at ... read more