Last picture of the intrepid group after arriving in Heathrow (after 20 hours travelling!).
It shows how relaxed and together they all are, even after the first ‘photo shoot’ went wrong with Mr Call’s camera having an error!
Seven lessons now completed in school and Malawi does seem quite a long way away – especially the warm sunny weather – but they are all still buzzing about the trip and sharing stories with their friends.
Tionana!
Day 12 – Tree Planting
Fisherman’s Rest is dedicated to the repopulation of the forests that once covered Malawi. So the team and FR spent the afternoon potting new saplings ready for planting when the rainy season starts next month.
Day 13 – Trip to Blue Zebra
Summing up the trip – we tried to do so in just three words (or possibly a sentence!)
Moving and motivating…..NS
An inspiring experience……NW
Unforgettable eye opener……..JB
I’ll be back……..SW
Grateful, Eye-opening, Joy………JD
Perspective, Unforgettable, Different…….SS
Thankful, Energetic, Unforgettable……..KL
Memorable, Eye-opening, ‘Mango-ful’……..JB
Life-altering experience…..GC
Inspiring and life-changing……..IW
Wonderful, Unforgettable, Uplifting……..GS
Lots of fun……JH
The happiness of everyone I met, was truly heartwarming and inspiring…..HV
The Malawian children’s carefree singing was utterly heartwarming……AB
Amazing people, place and experiences…….WW
Heart-melting Malawian Children……..TZ
Sense of community……MM
Jaw-dropping memories made……WC
Striking…….AM
Heart-warming and memorable…….MP
TBC……..HB
An eye-opening experience…….WG
Heart-warming, Inspiring, Sun-cream……EM
Different colour, same heart…….TJ
Colourful, Life-changing, Inspirational……..OF
Monktonians at their best………RG
Fulfilling, Enriching, Up-hill……..DB
Thought-provoking, Joyous, Familiar……..SC
Lost for words…….NC
Engaged, Exuberant, Excellent companions……..MA
Blog by Millie, Natalya, Jennifer and Jessie
The day started with a much needed lie in with breakfast at 7:45. After a 1 hour and 45 minute journey through the valley we arrived at Tyamike orphanage, excited to meet the children. We were greeted by 100 smiling faces including ‘Papa Will’ and Pam who are a loving, generous Canadian couple who dedicated their lives to create this children’s home. When we arrived, we were given a small tour from Will, who told us how he created the orphanage which seemed like a friendly little village.
Once the tour had concluded, we headed into the assembly hall where the sea of expectant children were gathered, waiting for the teachers to break into song. After we all introduced ourselves to the children, the women created a circle in the middle of the room and started to sing and dance, inviting everyone to join in to the gradually growing circle. After the initial song we started our usual assembly on the story of David and Goliath, which was received well amongst the children. All the children were in different houses, similar to Monkton, and within these houses there were choirs and we saw 4 groups get up and perform songs to an encouraging audience.
After the 2 hour long church service/assembly, we all made our way towards the playground where there was a game of football and netball on the go in which the kids got stuck into very quickly. Quite a few of the younger children were quite apprehensive to play sports therefore some of us played with the children on the sidelines, where there were parachutes and skipping ropes to entertain. We introduced a new game to the children which was hand hockey as they had never played it before, which was taken on very well with many children getting involved and having fun.
A bell was rung to signal lunchtime and the children all spread out and guided 2 of us per house to eat lunch with them. When going inside of the house it consisted mostly of 2 bedrooms, a sink, and a table with a few chairs round. The lunch consisted of nsima (a classic malawian dish) and a goat stew which the children gobbled up in seconds obviously hungry from the sport we had previously played. After the main dish we were all given a plate of delicious mangoes which were divided equally between the children, each having 2.
After an eventful day, finishing off with a game and a quick dance off, we said our goodbyes and headed back off towards Fisherman’s Rest. However on the way back one of the minibuses broke down on top of a hill which wasn’t the worst place to break down due to an incredible view of the sunset whilst trying and enjoying sugar canes. After waiting an hour, help came and took us all back to Fishermen’s where homemade pizza was awaiting from the man-made pizza oven. Once finishing off the pizza’s we ended the night with a celebratory cake for Mr. Call’s birthday.
Blog by Jude and Tim – Madzi Alipo (Water is ready)
Yesterday, some of us had the pleasure of helping repair a borehole pump. This is perhaps one of the most satisfying experiences I’ve ever had. The borehole had been out for around 2 weeks which meant the people in the local vicinity had to walk absurd distances to retrieve water from a river. After working out the problem we then had to start prepping the pipes to then be assembled. The assembly took place as the pipes were being inserted into the main pipe. This meant slowly lowering sections of pipe down 46m into the ground. Each new piece adhered to the next. After learning some more about the mechanics we then were able to assist building and inserting the pump. Once this was in place were were able to assemble the head of the pump. After it was all put together we were able to put it to the test. The moment water started to come out we all cheered along with the community and a large crowd of children all watching. This gave all of us that helped to repair the borehole a large sense of achievement. It also made us feel we were making a real difference to many families lives. We then left being satisfied with the job and were waved off with a warm goodbye from the community
Photographs of Teaching and Soap Making
Today, we visited Chikwawa prison at the bottom of the rift valley escarpment beneath Fisherman’s Rest. Nobody quite knew what to expect going into this experience, and having been told that many inmates have been waiting for their trial for many years, many of us were a bit nervous.
The warm welcome of the inmates and prison guards was a surprise for many of us. The inmates seemed to love the entertainment we prepared, with a bible story and a few songs including the House music winning “Don’t stop me now” by Queen. The prison choir also had prepared a few songs, and their enthusiastic and engaging performance topped all of our expectations. After playing football and visiting their library, we went into some of the cells to give out loafs of bread. It was shocking to see how many inmates (about 80 per cell with just one open toilet in it) were living in such a small space. We played them at football, frisbee and hand hockey
Overall it was a very humbling experience, and one of the most valuable ones on this trip, seeing how happy and enthusiastic the inmates were to sing and learn with us, even though they were living such a difficult life in prison.
Photos from Will C from the Majete Game Park
and a wonderful finish to the day…
Blog written by Sara and Karen
Yesterday, we went to Chimwabvi School where the facilities, like the library and classrooms are well built. The children have a better learning environment in which they can understand more during lessons. They were so involved and tried their best to complete the task that we had given them.
After the lessons, we helped out, building the secondary school (as seen in the previous blog photos). We understand we have a good learning environment and that we should treasure it.
We went to the local markets which were crowded. The sellers sell wooden products, paintings and accessories. They tried hard to sell their products to us. We got an interesting and useful experience as we bargained with the sellers.
Bike Ride by Amelia
After a relaxing few hours by the pool, we headed off on the bike ride. We sped 3,200 ft (12 miles) down the side of the African Rift Valley. We went super fast!!! I loved cycling through the villages and waving at the children who yelled cheerfully, “Muzungu” (White person).
The views that we saw were indescribable with the glistening Shire River just visible in the distance. When we reached the market at the end of the cycle ride, we were overwhelmed by the traders and the variety of produce on offer. We tried the local maize (basically popcorn on a stick!) and some tasty chips. After this quick break we caught a ride on a lorry and trailer and returned to Fishermans. To cool off, we ran straight to the pool and jumped in fully clothed!!
WASH Project by Will C
Yesterday, a group of eight of us took part in the WASH survey that Fishermans carry out in the local community whereby they ask questions on water and sanitation hygiene in different households. They first carried out the questionnaire in October of last year and concluded that the WASH in all households was very poor and needed to be addressed. They introduced schemes such as the Changa Changa Moto (a fuel efficient stove), toilet improvements and further resources such as building boreholes to reduce travel times for people to collect water.
We split off into four different groups and spread out to scattered households in a very small village in the middle of nowhere. Myself and Will G carried out two surveys on which we saw a huge improvement on last year’s survey as the people were taking advantage of what Fishermans had provided for them such as concrete slabs to construct safer toilets, and trees to provide shelter and help with reforestation. The lady we questioned was so grateful of what Fishermans had done for her, by reducing the walking distance to get get water from 2 hours a day to only a three minute walk to a borehole, that she gifted us with at least two dozen mangos! We looked round the households to check that these where in fact being used which we were pleased to see they were. However, as we inspected the borehole, we saw that there was a large water shortage as the pump was just spitting out water.
As we made our walk back, we were shocked at how few pumps were working. The situation was so bad that we saw two kids and a young woman that had been waiting for hours at a small hole that they had dug up to wait for water to come. Each person uses around 20 liters of water per day. That takes a very long time to fill up a bucket and for most people a very long time to transport it on their heads. This job falls to young girls as men are said to get ‘too old’ as they hit puberty to be able to carry water. That means at least 2 trips per day carrying water for miles. This really hit me as back at home we can just turn a tap on and waste as much water as we want when here it is so precious and every drop counts. Yet every person I have seen has smiled and waved at us not seeming to be sad with their situation as all. We can learn so much more from these people than we can teach them.
My Girl Project by Holly
Yesterday afternoon most of the girls travelled back to Kachere ll primary school to assist some of the Fisherman’s Rest staff with the ‘My Girl’ Project. Project My Girl was set up by Fishermans to educate local teenage girls (and boys) about the menstrual cycle and offer support to the girls. The project also includes giving each girl a ‘period pack’ which contains a cloth sanitary pad (complete with absorbent pads) and a couple of pairs of knickers. When the girls receive their packs, they are instructed on how to care for their packs, and themselves during their period. Sessions also cover what the menstrual cycle is and aim to dispel the African superstitions surrounding periods.
When we arrived, we were greeted by smiling faces and were invited into their classroom. Then, we introduced ourselves (our name, how old we were and what we wanted to be when we were older) and listened as the other girls did the same. It was interesting to see that we had similar interests and to meet girls the same age as us. Then, we all joined in to sing and dance as we sang the classic One Direction ‘what makes you beautiful’ followed by a new dancing game – ‘shake your booty’. This caused many giggles as we realised that we have a lot to learn in the African dancing department!
Once we had calmed down, we sat down and the girls were asked to write down any questions they had surrounding periods. These were then translated and given to us to answer. This was a great opportunity for us to teach the girls that periods are normal and that all around the world, women and girls share the experience. It was important for the girls to know that they should not feel embarrassed or afraid when they are on their period and that they should talk to their parents, female teachers or friends about it.
In Malawi, many girls drop out of school when they start their period and we had many questions on whether it is okay to come to school on your period. We made sure to tell the girls that there is no reason why they can not come to school whilst they are menstruating and encouraged them that coming to school is the best thing as it is very important that we keep learning. Also, for many girls in Malawi they feel that when they are on their period, the boys in their school make fun of them, laughing and teasing them. We encouraged the girls to speak to their teachers as they are there to help and it was lovely to see how much the teachers cared for the girls and their passion for ending STIGMA around periods in Malawi.
Following this discussion, some of us helped the girls fetch water from the pump as others filled the buckets with pineapple juice. This was then served to the girls along with some bread. After we had finished, we all started singing and dancing again featuring the reoccurring game ‘like-I-do’. Before we knew it, it was time to say ‘tionana!’ (goodbye, see you later!) to the girls and head back to the Lodge for dinner.
Today’s blog by Natalia and Will W….
This morning we visited Kachere Primary, the school we raised the money for to fund the phala porridge for the pupils for the next 12 months, our first school visit of the trip. Kachere is a primary school with 4 to 9 year olds however there were a significant amount of teenagers who have not managed to pass their exams to enter secondary school. When we arrived we were greeted by a large group of singing and dancing children ready to start school. Then we held a short assembly in which we sang our God is a great big God, a reading by Millie with acting performed by Ethan as David and Sadie as Goliath followed by a brief talk by Tilly and a prayer by Amelia.
We then learnt where the money we raised was going in the kitchen Monkton built on the last trip by serving the phala to all the 500 children of the school, also trying some ourselves- although smokey it wasn’t that bad. We then split into 5 groups of 5 to teach lessons, including Geography and PE. In geography, we used inflatable globe to teach the children about the 7 continents and the outside world, which they knew little/nothing about including what the globe was. In PE we played football and netball which they were very good at as they play often; however, we also introduced them to roller ball which after getting used to, they enjoyed a lot.
Before we left they challenged us to a large football and netball match, which we lost both. In the football we played 11 a side on a hilly uneven pitch, ending in a 1-0 win to them- just. In netball we had to adjust to a very hilly and rocky pitch with no lines but still just about recognised the game and had fun!
After Malawian spring rolls for lunch we had another Chichewa lesson to refresh our memories, we split off into different projects for the afternoon, including a downhill bike ride, the building of some changa changa motos which are very fuel efficient wood burning stoves, brick building, mango tree grafting and helping out at the community center. The brick building included some manual labour, learning how hydroforming can be used to build bricks instead of taking precious wood to cook bricks. Although very different to building techniques in the UK, it still included machinery and a lot of shoveling dirt. Some of us visited the community centre for the second time and had the chance to teach a class of mums some English. We also played with the children again and helped feed them phala and then got a ride back up the hill in the pick up returning for pool, dinner and an early night.
Saturday 20th October
Today’s blog by Will G and Tilly…..
Leaving school at 12:00 we didn’t know quite what we were in for. An exciting 26 hours awaiting…. the first plane flight wasn’t too bad, as we were able to sleep for most of it, but, come morning, that was counteracted by a six hour waiting game for our next flight. We set off from Nairobi at 10;00 on Friday morning and touched down in Malawi at 2:00. Greeted by Joe and the Fishermen’s Rest crew. During the 45 minute journey to the resort, we saw local people and markets all along the roads. With a variety of buildings from modern car garages and offices to shacks on the side of the road with corrugated iron roofs, we were all quite shocked in what we saw.
This morning we went on a walk around the estate of Fisherman’s Rest whilst learning traditional skills such as making rope and tooth brushes out of different types of trees. Sadly these virtues have slowly disintegrated around the country due to the easy access options in shops which will eventually rankup unnecessary prices. We then chilled out for a couple of hours by the pool.
After lunch we had a short workshop learning how to speak the local language, which deemed to be extremely helpful when we met the children at the learning centre. Before meeting anyone, we were shown around the centre seeing the small rooms with little supplies and indents within the wall. It quickly became clear that whilst this pre-school was quite privileged, it was nowhere near the standards of British schools.
The children all were lit up with smiles, and exceedingly keen to play games with all of us. We sang songs, gathered in circles and split into groups to involve ourselves as much as we could with the children. We then served ‘phala’ to the children – I have never seen such a swarm of children as when ‘phala’ was eventually called out. Throughout the afternoon we got to know all the kids, shared games, songs and lots and lots of hugs. Upon leaving, we all were determined to make sure that we would go back later in the week. It really was an amazing experience, and one that we’re sure none of us will forget anytime soon.
Monkton in Malawi 2018 