MAKWAWA MALAWI NEWSLETTER 2004

1. MAKWAWA MALAWINEWSLETTER2004 Just a little goes a long way Please be generous with your donations Charity Number : 1096827

2. HERE WE ARE AGAIN • After twelve hours on a plane and three hours in our semi-sponsored 4WD from Avis Car Rental, we arrived at Liwonde National Park • As Leigh was five months pregnant, it was Steve’s first trip to Africa and Hilary’s first return trip to her country of birth after 40 years, we acclimatised by being pampered at Mvuu Lodge for a night • A monkey took every opportunity to pinch our breakfast or the sugar bowl • From the river boat we watched from a distance of 20 yards five young bull elephants mock-fighting in the water while their 100 strong herd observed from the reeds • The laughing Hippos tried in vain to stop us sleeping

3. A TIME CAPSULEBY Hilary & Steve Makwawa Scout Headquarters in 1956 The water source in 2003 • The house looks like a time capsule from the 1950’s that has been tenderly preserved by Shay and the Scout Association – a bit old and a bit tatty. We had cold showers and a flushing toilet if the stream was still running and the direct feeding pipe was not blocked with leaves. ‘’If it rains in May, there will be water until Christmas.’’ The rains stopped in April! • Our attempts to erect a water container were thwarted as a ready made tank was not available in Malawi and despite Steve’s efforts in Zomba market, the Africans could not make us one either. Maybe next time! • We cooked on Mum’s wood stove – it was a challenge to keep it going- but it gave us good practise for our trip to Nyika Plateau where we slept in a tent or straw hut and cooked and made tea in a tin can over an open fire • There was no electricity, no phone, bed at 8pm (after a quick game of Scrabble or chess) and up at 6am

4. BALLOONS ‘N’ TEDDIES

5. .....and Seeds • As we missed the sowing season last year, we decided to take packets of assorted seeds with us this time. This meant that the villagers had an alternative crop to maize, which would be available to eat until the maize harvest in March 2004. After making endless enquiries through Government agencies and seed suppliers, Sutton Seeds kindly donated an enormous box containing at least 1500 packets of seeds. We spent hours sorting them out into bundles of 10, containing different varieties of seeds including cabbage, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, onions, radishes and rocket. During a circuit of the village we distributed the seeds and had some fun handing out balloons and teddy bears to the kids • We hope we have not changed the economic climate of the region by dishing out all these seeds but maybe the village now has its own vegetable market • The only person to receive fortified maize was our favourite 93 year old, Dorothy, who survived last year’s drought. But now the back wall of her house has fallen over! Sorting the seeds

6. ‘AFRICA TIME’ • “Robert & Leigh had warned us about ‘Africa time’. We soon found out that it is difficult getting things done.’’ (Steve) • Eventually we managed to organize the materials for rebuilding the roof of the Scout Meeting Hall but then we had to get it there! • The 25kg of nails, five bags of cement, four gallons of creosote, two gallons of paint and necessary brushes were no problem • The 60 planks of wood and three cubic metres of sand were a different proposition • The refurbishment was completed for Christmas 2003 Hilary & Ester at the Thompson Scout Hall Some of the wood Some of the sand No roof…but nearly there

7. CHARITY SHOP • We have five genuine African mahogany and hardwood chess sets for sale at £50 each. First come, first served… all proceeds to the charity • These are all made by Patrick and his family. The five sets we purchased pay for the University fees for one of his sons for one term

8. EDUCATION • Basic education is provided by the Malawian Government. You can continue to go to Primary School at any age if you wish. Any further education has to be paid for by parents. Due to the lack of employment and hence funds very few Malawian children go beyond the first stage • We were allowed to join the children in their classroom for their morning maths lesson. In total there are 600 pupils aged between 5 and 14 at the Primary School, 50 per class, and extremely well behaved (at least when we were there)

9. SCHOOL TIME Teachers Felix & Patrick with footballs, pens, pencils, books and crayons for the Primary School The view from the school A student with a home-made abacus The only picture we have of Steve!

10. SPONSORING STUDENTS • In view of the education system, we decided to ask the Primary School teachers to identify two bright children in their care (one boy and one girl) whose parents would not be able to afford Secondary education. We were delighted to meet with Mary Manemba and Grant Chibwei and we agreed to sponsor their schooling. Mary wishes to be a nurse and Grant wants to join the Army. This sponsorship will be for four years at £200 per annum • IS ANYONE INTERESTED IN SPONSORING A STUDENT? • And then there was Betha. Dear Betha has been pestering us to sponsor her to do a Higher Education course for the last three years. At last we have come to an agreement to help her out. She will be going on a Bookkeeping and Accounts course at The Zomba Institute of Professional Studies (ZIPS- what a great name!) and, if she passes that, an Accounting & Finance Diploma Leigh and Robert with Grant and Mary Betha with Robert

11. ONGOINGACTIVITIES • Leigh is currently in contact with a group of five village women who wish to set up The Makwawa Business Club. Each woman will receive a loan to enable her to start up a small scale business which will operate as a grass roots female village banking scheme. The Charity intends to lend them the initial money • We attended post-natal classes for approximately 100 local new mothers. Here they use music as a teaching aid which makes for a lively meeting. We also learnt that the nearest Maternity Unit was 20 kilometres away in Zomba and there was no method of transport .This means that if there are complications in labor ,the lives of women and their unborn children are at risk due the lack of local medical care. In view of this we discussed with the Domasi Mission Health Centre the possibility of helping with a Maternity Unit in the local vicinity. Luckily, in February 2004 at the Portland Hospital in London, we came across Grace, a qualified midwife who worked at Zomba Hospital and has been supporting maternity work in Malawi for over fifteen years. She is willing to help us by using her contacts, medical and local knowledge to assist in obtaining what basic equipment is required and in deciding where it is required • …. And the water reservoir Post Natal Classes Leigh getting measured up • DOES ANYONE WANT A PEN PAL…. • ….OR AN UNPAID TEACHING JOB AT THE PRIMARY SCHOOL FOR A TERM? Get off …..It’s my hat

12. YOUR DONATIONS PLEASE BE GENEROUS - THESE PEOPLE NEED YOUR HELP A standing order form is attached or you can send cheques to: Makwawa Malawi 32 Courtfield Rise West Wickham Kent BR4 9BE

14. Acknowledgements The Trustees would like to thank:- Hilary and Steve Gates for their help on the trip, and Peter Naylor for his editing skills And the people of Makwawa and Mponda And our donors including:- The congregations of the Parish of Holy Trinity, South Chatham Claremond Construction Ltd 3D Eye Ltd The Burning Ember Group Ltd Mr & Mrs P Naylor & Family Mrs J G Morgan Miss Sally Williams Mr & Mrs D Gladstone Mr & Mrs A Seth Ms A Emir N Baelz Miss R McLaren Ms F Bi Mr & Mrs Bryden Mr & Mrs M Fleming Mr & Mrs P Rogers G Crane Ms Worsley Mrs P A White Mrs & Mrs E Arnaud Mr & Mrs P Teale T Morris Mr & Mrs M Navias Michelle & Des T Umemura Ms D Osgood Mr & Mrs A McMillan Ms Donnelly P J Cullen L Oxley Mr & Mrs A Holby T Bassi Ms S McFarlane Mr & Mrs P Marsden Mr & Mrs T N Carter Ms C Darwin W Richmond Mr & Mrs J Moody Mrs E M Boswell Ms M Belcher J Laidlaw Mr & Mrs G McMullan D Valder & Ms E Jannikoun Mr & Mrs D Barlow L R Smith K Bayliff Ms J Benns J C D Rowles D E Deroner Mrs A Werner-Anderson Mrs A Benger Mrs F A Belcher Mr & Mrs Cotman Pickhurst Junior School Parent Teacher Association