Malawi and Mozambuque - Melanie and Friend develop relationships.

A Month in Malawi/Mozambique

Melanie Price and Rosemary Argente went to Malawi in June this year, to access the need for food
and Education, among the less fortunate of Malawi. We covered the whole of Malawi, travelling from the Southern Region, to the Central Region, and then way up to the Northern Region,of Mzuzu. We went to some of the remote areas, where the village children had never seen a Mzungu(white person),before. Malawi is bankrupt, because of Political mismanagement, and lack of rain, which ruined the harvest this year. Their President died, and in general the people were down hearted and wounded..

The old President Bingu,had keeled over and died, suddenly, and now the new President, (by default),Mrs Joyce Banda, has sworn that corruption will end, and unnecessary spending, at Government level, will end. Meanwhile the Country survives on money coming in from donor Countries, like China, Brazil, America, and UK.

Rosemary and I were invited into Parliament to see how bad things really are, and to listen to debates, as to how the MPs were going to solve the monetary problems, and invite Forex to have confidence in the Banks of Malawi.

Malawi has 45 percent Aids, and life span is low as 45years is the average age people live to.. People were dying while we were there, and everyone had a recent bereavement, which was very stressful and sad for all of us. This meant that there were many orphans, and poor children. I saw many children begging, and some children were just abandon, because there was no one to care for them.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM?

We were very concerned at the widows and the disabled men and women that we saw begging on the side of the roads. No human being should endure the humility of just sitting in the sun, and wait for some kind person to give them a kwotcha.

There are 400 kowtcha for £1, so they have a lot of sitting.

Its very difficult when you re blind and disabled. People who had very bad deformities of the limbs, legs and arms not working, twisted and infected. Despair and death written on their faces. I saw a lot of this in Blantyre, and Llolongwi. The state of the ladies who were blind, poor and wretched, broke my heart.

We intend to start an Agriculture programme, in Llolongwi, for the Gogo s, (Grandmothers), so they can at least grow some food for themselves, and possibly for 1/2 other people who are in need, and vulnerable. They in turn can take in some orphans, and give themselves a reason and purpose to live.

While we were there, we saw children eating and selling mice and rats. I decided to buy some, so at least the children could have relief for a day or two. They stand at the side of the highway, out of town, away from the Authorities, and sell their mice and rats for food.

I bought some mice and rats that had been dried out in the sun, and were ready for eating, whole. t I paid 600 kwotcha for 6, thats like £1.40, for 6 on a stick, so I bought 3 sticks full, and paid the children 3 times as much as they had asked. They were so very happy, and even more so, when I gave them back all their mice and rats, to eat for the evening meal, or to resell. The three young boys were ecstatically happy, and could barely believe their good fortune that day. Working in the local communities to see how we can work together to set up micro projects, is the way we are heading. It all starts in the heart f the families, and the local Communities. Malawian folk are just so friendly and genuinely hospitable.

We want to work along with Nkoma Mission Hospital/Orphanage to start once again an extensive Aids awareness Programme, so the next generation is more fully aware of the dangers, and the avoidence, of this terrible disease, that is killing over 50 percent of the people.

We left Malawi, with a big sigh, after giving money to the widows, and the blind and infirm, on the streets, and with plans for the future to grow vegetables, and pulses to relieve hungry and malnutrition. We maybe a drop in the Ocean, but after meeting with MP, Mrs Helen Singh, and MP Edwin Banada, we feel we have put into place a formula of self help and a team of people who are going to make a difference to this beautiful land of Mountains, Valleys, Rivers, and Lakes, that the World has not discovered yet, because of the poverty there. Nevertheless, following in the foot steps of the famous David Livingstone, we were able to Donate,and Raise the St Georges flag, for England, in that ex,British Colony, as we presented it to The Malawian Society in Blantyre, as a sign that, WE ARE STILL HERE TO HELP, and to emblaze the trail for Prosperity for thier Future .

Watch this space for Malawi, as she is thrust into change, and as she arises from the ashes of despair and dispondency,to be the warm heart of Africa once again.