Merry Festive Season!!

But say a prayer to pray for the other ones 

At Christmastime 

It's hard, but when you're having fun 

There's a world outside your window 

And it's a world of dread and fear 

Where the only water flowing is the bitter sting of tears 

And the Christmas bells that ring there 

Are the clanging chimes of doom 

Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you 

And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime 

The greatest gift they'll get this year is life 

Oh, where nothing ever grows, no rain or rivers flow 

Do they know it's Christmastime at all?

-Bob Geldof, Midge Ure

“Do they know it's Christmas time at all?”

While this song has never quite sat well with either of us, it feels even more condescending than ever. We can only speak for Malawi, but yes, they know it is Christmas time. They also know it is the start of the New Year. They don't call it “Holiday Season” or “Christmas Season” they call it the “Festive Season”.

There are no trees or lights or in most households gifts on Christmas morning. There is Christmas music on the radio, Chrismas Eve and Christmas Morning services, and a lot of families will make special food around the Festive Season like rice instead of nsima. Christmas here may look different but they do know it is happening. The majority of Malawi has been infiltrated with Christian theology, so again, they know.

It is the beginning of rainy season and right in the middle of the hunger season and the height of crime season. But to say “the only gift they'll get this year is life”, not so accurate. Just like in the sates there is a lot of pressure for families to make this time of year special, but because of the season this is the time of year food is scarce and money is limited so unfortunately, there is a rise in robberies to make the ends meet. However, on a day to day basis Malawi, nicknamed “The Warm Heart of Africa”, is known for their hospitable nature. They are friendly and helpful and no matter what the day is if their neighbor is in need they help. There is plenty of life here and sometimes it is difficult but I would argue that the greatest gift they give each other is the day to day generosity that comes from a communal life style.

The rains stopped around August so most families are living on reserves. Most of Malawi's revenue is based in agriculture so there is little money around this time. No rain, no crops. (Of course this is a practice we are working to change, but that is for another post.)

“Where nothing ever grows, no rain or rivers flow”.

This year, December 20th, it started to rain. And now every road is a river. Our front yard, though mostly weeds, is green, lush and thriving. We are just starting to get real food from our garden. The few plants we were able to keep alive are starting to really produce. Our neighbor's maize is starting to sprout and the fields are bright green. It took only two weeks of rain for all of this to happen. When it rains it pours and the fields and crops respond. There is actually little that won't grow here. The people here might not grow a large variety but that doesn't mean it's barren.

Christmas time for us, looked a little different. I just finished Malawi Music Project (I promise to update!) and met Matt in Karonga District at our friend Amy's site, which is along the lake, to celebrate Christmas with friends in-lieu of family. From there, we went to Kande where I read books while Matt became scuba certified. To celebrate the New Year we headed to Nkhata Bay. At all of these places we saw Malawians vacationing and celebrating. There were families enjoying the lake and taking time to do something special. This is not a common experience for most Malaiwians, but it is a reminder that things are not always what we see on TV. Children with distended bellies and flies stuck to their face is not the whole picture of Africa.*

“And there won't be snow in Africa this Christmas time”.

Duh. The climate of Malawi does not particularly lend its self to snow. In some the northern, mountains they occasionally get frost. Snow, however, might indicate a larger problem, especially since right now, it's summer time.

*Disclaimer: Africa is not a country. The views and opinions in this post and blog are specific to Malawi, a small land locked country in the continent of Africa, and does not accurately express Africa as a whole.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas from the warm heart of Africa. While we couldn't celebrate with out friends and family in the states we are at the Lake with our Peace Corps Family. We hope everyone has a great Christmas day!

Kid's Korner: How do you poop?

Question: How do you poop?

The same way you do! But perhaps you were asking how is human waste disposed of.

Short Answer: In Malawi, the answer depends on where you live. Indoor plumbing is very common within the major cities so, just like in the USA, pull a lever and away it goes. Out in the villages people dig pit latrines called a chimbuzi.

A chimbuzi with a fancy hand washing station.

A slightly more complicated answer: A chimbuzi is just like an outhouse. (Ask your grandparents.) A large pit is dug, then boards are placed over the pit leaving a small hole for the waste. Then a layer of mud or concrete is placed on top of the boards to create a floor. Finally mud or bricks are used to create the walls and a roof is placed on top. After many years, once the pit has filled to the top, the pit is capped and a new pit is dug else where. Often trees are planted near the pits so that the nutrients in the waste can be utilized.

A chim hole

How to use a chimbuzi

The we like to be different answer: While we have a chimbuzi, we don't use it. We wanted to be able to use the nutrients (fertilizer) in the waste so we collect ours in a bucket. Each time we use it we 'flush' with a handful of ash and a handful of leaves to control smell and absorb liquid. When the bucket gets full we take it out and add it to our compost pile. The waste is broken down by bacteria and worms into nutrients (fertilizer) that the plants can use and removes harmful bacteria that can get us sick. We then add it back into our garden for more food.

Composting Toilet with bucket inside.

Not everyone in Malawi has a way to get rid of their waste so they partake in what is called "open defecation" (pooping on the ground). Also, in certain parts of the country, seasonal rains flood out the latrines so they are unusable leading to open defecation. As Peace Corps Volunteers it is our job is to teach about positive waste management. How to use and build pit latrines or alternative systems like compost toilets.

But how do you use the bathroom when you're in the car? No gas stations here so, you pull over on the side of the road and drop trou!

Next time on Kids Korner: 

If you don't have electricity, how do you cook?

Happy Thanksgiving from Malawi!

Here in Malawi most people are just starting to plant for the upcoming growing season but since it is the fourth Thursday in November it is a great chance to share some American Culture with some of our Malawian friends.

We made this for you!

Tara and I were joined by five other Peace Corps Volunteers for a few days of wonderful cooking and feasting. One activity of the day was to draw the male and female reproductive organs. Tara is teaching youth about 'Their Changing Bodies' this weekend at the Clinic's Youth Friendly Health Services. 

Genitalia are fun!

We also kept her family's tradition of drinking mimosas alive.

It wasn't enough.

Today we invited both of our counterparts along with our landlord and his family. We cooked some Thanksgiving staples like Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, and Sweet Potato Pie but did not cook a Turkey. One, because half of us are vegetarian and two, no one wanted to slaughter and eviscerate a turkey.

What a sweet spread!

We shared with them that the purpose of Thanksgiving is to spend time with lots of family, be thankful for all that we have, and continue a tradition celebrating the end of the growing season and a bountiful harvest. Some of the things that people were thankful for were a chance to meet new friends, having so many friends to share the day with, and having great friends and great food.

Feast Time!

Success is SLOW

"What are you guys actually doing there?"

"What are you working on?" 

"Is the the work hard?" 

All of these are questions we get on a semi-regular bases from folks back home.  So I thought I would share with you a quick story from one of my projects.  At some point we will update all of our amazing admirers on all of our projects.  It's just that right now, we're not 100% sure what all of our projects are!!   

During my first four months at site I had numerous challenges and struggles. At times, it has felt like the challenges outweigh the successes. Some of the things that have been easier to adapt to than others are cooking on a fire, carrying water, not having electricity and bathing in a bucket. Some of the more difficult things are being isolated, walking an hour to find food/vegetables, only having access to food/vegetables once a week, feeling like the community does not want us, and not having neighbors. Through all this I feel like I have two major successes during my first four months at site:  being a counselor at Camp GLOW 2014 and co-facilitating my first child projection/child rights training. Since I have already shared with you about GLOW I thought I could fill you all in on something that is happening in our community.  My first training stands out in my mind as my personal best success. Though it was a difficult day, when it was over I felt like I was in Malawi for all the right reasons.

The training consisted of 19 teachers from three different schools and was mostly men. The topics covered ranged from basic human rights, to child abuse, to the role of a duty bearer in the case of child abuse. One of the topics found us discussing some of the situations that might put a child or a woman at risk of abuse. This brought up three disturbing myths:
1) Males cannot be raped.
2) Promoting condom usage leads to more sex, which leads to more STDs, pregnancy and HIV.
3) Children and women are abused for a reason; they would not be abused if they had not done something to solicit the attention.

All of these myths bothered me and set me on the defensive at first but it did not take long for me to feel thankful that I was there when they did come out. My colleagues leading the training with me, while not in agreement, did not contradict these opinions. As each topic arose I was able to have lengthy discussion as to why these were false and to have the teachers come up with realistic opportunities to discuss them with their learners.

The one that took the most amount of time in discussion was number three. Half of the participants, both male and female, felt that if a person was abused physically, emotionally, and especially sexually they must have done something to lead to that result. Whether it was doing a chore incorrectly that would demand physical punishment or wearing short skirts and flirting with a teacher there was always a scenario that would lead to it ultimately being the victim’s fault that abuse had taken place. At one point, to make sure I was understanding, I posed the question: “In the case of abuse who is at fault, the abused or the abuser?”. There was an overwhelming response that it was the abused fault “If she didn’t want to be raped, why would she wear short skirts?” is what one male teacher said to me.

Again, while this was disappointing to hear from a group of teachers I was so happy that it came out in a child protection setting. We were able to discuss the definition of “power”, “abuse”, “rape”, and “duty bearer” in a way that was culturally appropriate but also made sure that the essence of these words and definition, on a global scale, were not missed. Not every teacher left that training with a changed mind, but a few did. Later I posed the question: “Do you think anyone wakes up in the morning and says ‘I want to be abused today’?”. Some of the participants that had earlier stated that it was the abused fault changed their answers and said of course not.

It was hard and frustrating but so rewarding to be able to use my previous skills and passions and apply them to the work I am doing and will continue to do in Malawi. I not only broadened my knowledge and understanding of a topic I am familiar with but I was able to transfer some of my knowledge to others.   

Finally Doing African Things

We recently took a vacation to Kuti Community Wildlife Park in Salima, Malawi.  Instead of being a government owned national park or game reserve, Kuti is a nonprofit trust that is working with the surrounding communities to protect the reserve.  The reserve also hosts a Peace Corps Volunteer who is assisting with outreach and education for the communities.  The park is focusing on deforestation since Malawi has the world's 5th highest deforestation rate.  In addition to planting trees, the park is teaching the community how to make fuel briquettes out of waste materials and how to make mbaulas (clay stoves) that require less fuel than an open fire.  These projects help the communities use less firewood and also provide them with some income.  For more information about Kuti go to www.kuti-malawi.org

Nothing is more adorable than a father and son outing.

Kuti differs from the National Parks and Game Reserves in the lack of large dangerous mammals.  There are no Lion, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, or Elephant.  This is actually a huge benefit.  We were free to hike around the park on our own without a guide or guard, getting as close to the animals as they would allow us.  We were able to see, but not get photographs of all, Giraffe, Zebra, Sable, Warthog, Impala, Nyala, Wildebeest, Baboon and Vervet Monkey.

This is his good side.

Along with all of these wonderful sights we spent 3 days in a beautiful cabin (equipped with hot showers!!) We started our days by waking up at 4 AM having some coffee and trying to see all the animals in the park.  Our days were then jam packed with activities such as cooking lunch and getting ready for our evening ‘safari’.   The highlights of the trip were being able to get within 10 m of the Giraffes and eating wonderful food for a few days.  

The best walks are the ones to the bar

Some extra photos can be found here: http://goo.gl/ynirLl

Almost immediately after returning to our site after our vacation, we (along with 38 other volunteers) had an opportunity to assist Liwonde National Park with a Large Mammal Count.  Over the course of two days we counted hundreds of animals mostly waterbuck but we did also see warthog, elephant and wildebeest.  All PCVs split into pairs, accompanied by a pair of guards to spend one morning in a hide, and the other morning walking a transect of the park.  During our hide day, we had to move position to get out of the path of the elephants. Seeing elephants march in real life is just like this:  http://goo.gl/0zGBwp While preforming our transect we got way to close to a group of elephants and startled a small herd of wildebeest.

We're going to need a bigger fence.

More photos here: http://goo.gl/YxpLlQ

Camp GLOW 2014

In August I had the honor to participate in one of the most amazing, humbling experiences of my life. For a week and a half there was no place that would have rather been. I was given the privilege to to be a camp counselor to 11 secondary school aged girls at Camp GLOW! (Girls Leading Our World).

Camp GLOW is an international Peace Corps initiative that targets high school aged females and focuses on empowering these young women to be leaders in their family, communities, and in society. The camp looks different in each country, however, they all have the universal theme of empowering girls in cultures where being a girl has the potential to make your opportunities much slimmer than if you were a boy.

Our camp covered topics like self esteem and beauty, gender based violence, HIV/AIDS, malaria, careers, professional development, leadership skills, and how to share this with other girls! This is a lot to cover in a week, but we had a blast doing it! By the end of the week, even the quietest of girls, were laughing, having fun and were completely different than when they had arrived.

The camp targets secondary school girls (high school). In Malawi, secondary school girls can range in age from 14-24. We had girls from all sorts of backgrounds there. Some were from a more privileged background, some were from really rural villages, some spoke excellent English, some spoke little to none, some had children, some were pregnant. By the end of the week it didn't matter where these girls had come from or where they were going to, they had leaned the importance of supporting and empowering each other to be the best versions of themselves.

It was amazing to see these girls understand that one empowered woman does not change make, but we must encourage and empower each other as we climb. Hence the theme “Lift as You Climb”. We covered a lot of topics but the coordinators tried very hard to make sure that the theme of empowerment was through out every topic and included the element of empowering others. (the coordinating team for 2014 did an excellent job!) I cannot explain how powerful it was to see these girls from various cultural backgrounds and circumstances hold each other up.

They showed so much courage and perseverance. Out of my 11 campers over half of them had a story of someone mistreating them at some point in their lives. Sometimes it was family, a teacher, or a community member. As these girls began to learn of opportunities and see examples of other Malawian women who were successful you could see the shift in their attitudes. For them to know that women, just like them, from similar backgrounds could achieve great things was a game changer for them, especially those from the rural villages.

The challenging part for them moving forward is that they have transformed and literally have a GLOW about them, but their communities have not changed. The people and communities of Malawi, did not come to Camp GLOW and realize that all people are important, that all people have the same rights, and that all people deserve to be respected. While these beautiful, strong, courageous, intelligent girls have learned all of these things, they have a hard battle ahead of them.

BUT as we speak, these strong, motivated, empowered young women are starting clubs in their own villages and sharing this message they learned at GLOW. There were 66 girls in attendance and already a handful of them are starting clubs of 10 or more girls.

This is going to be a hard and long battle but the beautiful thing is that no one is alone, and these girls understand the importance of bringing others with them. As they improve and empower themselves they are being conscious of the fact that this is a big task and no one can do it alone.   

Shine Girl SHINE!!!!

In case you have not seen the GLOW 2014 youtube check it out!! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbIjZ-Kwj9g