School’s Out

Schools closed on Friday for the Christmas break.  Pupils received their end of term reports.  Some children took their reports to show the women at the Women’s Development Centre.  The women are very keen to know how the children are doing.  Once again we spent the afternoon playing games and chatting; some children played with the rubber ball we bought near the rubber plantation while others tidied the grounds.   The planning for the Christmas Party on 23 December has started.

Some people may remember a few years ago I showed a film of James and his young friends making a football out of plastic bags.  James is now at secondary school and he is in the photo below wearing a red top. 

Visiting with Allan & Lucy from SPRODETA

We also popped into Kacheche Secondary school to hand in some jotters.  The school was very quiet because all of the student were sitting the end of term exams.  We were impressed by the school library which was created by the local community.  Now it houses school books issued by the government, however the school is keen to receive any books to extend the reading material for students.

 

 

 

I never tire of seeing the landscape here in Malawi; beautiful banana plants, maize plants, slash and burn, goats roaming, tall trees and the dusty red soil.  Very soon the landscape here will change due to the rains flooding the area thus making the road impassable.  Let’s hope the tobacco plants survive!

 

 
 

SPRODETA has trained people in agriculture and breeding of goats.  We visited a lady who was given 2 goats from SPRODETA in the hope kids will be born and they can be sold to give her a source of income to help her children.

 

 


We went to see the tobacco plants and banana trees.  The workers always have a smile and a greeting for us.  Everything here is labour intensive, compared to back home.  Just now the workers tending the tobacco plants have to walk to the well, carrying 2 tin water cans and go down several metres to collect water.  Back and forward we watch them go about their task in the blazing hot sun.
 

 


There is also a new project being developed – Fish Farming.  Currently the men are preparing the ground for the fish reservoir.  There’s a lot of digging, transporting soil and lifting bricks.  It will take many, many months to prepare; work will cease during the rainy season.
 

I was interested when I saw women down at one of the wells.  The water here is a muddy colour; not clear.  We were told they will use the water for washing clothes and dishes and for cooking.  In a few cases this water may also be used for drinking.  The images of the Water Aid adverts immediately came to mind.  We see these things on T.V. but to witness in reality cuts you right through to the core.  Once again, I am reminded of how fortunate we are to have clear running water which we just take for granted.
 

Donations from Largs

 Last week, Allan Kumwenda from SPRODETA (Small Producers Development & Transporters Association) drove us to see some of the projects they have in the Mzimba District.  One of their aims is to help people in remote areas and to give children the opportunity to be educated.  In doing this they also look at the homes and how the family can be assisted to become self- sufficient to support the children.  Allan took us to see a rural school, situated several kilometres off the main road to Rumphi, between the hills. 

We were given the task of presenting boxes of beautiful story books on behalf of the Largs Rotary.  You can imagine our surprise when we recognised the schools – Kelburn Primary and Brisbane Primary.  I was honoured to present these books over on behalf of the schools and the Rotary.  It was even more wonderful to see the joy in the childrens’ faces when they saw the beautiful books.  Books are precious at home but they are scarce here and it feels like you have given Golden Treasure.  

 

 

 

The DHT who had been at the school for 17 years expressed his thanks and told us how much the school has been helped.  Initially he was teaching outside under the tree but now there are 4 good classrooms and 170 pupils.

 

For anyone who is interested, books, pencils etc. can be shipped out to Malawi through Ravenstrust (see website) for a small donation or we will be home in June for a few weeks and we will be happy to bring some items back with us for our partner schools and others. 

 

 

 

New Babies

Before Tom left for home we visited the maternity ward at St. John’s hospital to see the new babies and give them gifts from friends in Scotland.  There were 10 new arrivals.  In fact one baby was just a few hours old.  All the mums were delighted to receive the beautiful hand knitted outfits and clothes.  Ruth, one of the big sisters was in luck because we also had a beautiful pink outfit of jumper top and sun hat which was just right the size for her.

 

 

Fr. Phillip has told us that they are looking to find out if a baby will be born just before Christmas Day so that he/she will receive gifts at the Mass on Christmas Day.

 

Farewell Tom

We had a 5 hour road journey from Mzuzu to Lilongwe where we stayed for a couple of nights before Tom departed.  Now that Tom is safely back home, I wonder if he is missing the various music we listened and sang along to throughout the various car journeys; Zambian, Malawian and Gospel music…