Harry and Jess Update
As many of you will know we are out in Malawi for 4 months to help support the developments within Mbedza Project Support. For our first few weeks here, we have been shadowing Peatry and Nina to get a better understanding of how things operate in Malawi. The most important point we have noted so far is: just like a meeting in the UK would require tea & coffee, any meeting in Malawi requires a fizzy drink and a cake. Needless to say, our waistlines are taking a hit!
We are both new to Malawi in the rainy season and last week we lost two days to torrential rain; the villages cut off as the mud tracks turned to rivers. While we still had lots to do at home, cabin fever was setting in and we were all glad to get back out into the communities we work with. The rainy season means it is stunningly green; every view being postcard worthy, and the avocados are in abundance and only 20p each!
We have thrown ourselves into Malawian life: making our own nsima, hand washing our clothes and even having weekly Chichewa lessons. We will be Malawian in no time, so we are told. Our language teacher Arnold has expressed the importance of practising at home daily, if only being trained teachers meant we always completed our homework!
These are exciting times for MPS. A new stove project is about to begin and many of our tree nurseries are ready to be planted out. It's been a real joy seeing Peatry and Nina in action when talking to chiefs, Village Development Committees and their interactions with our beneficiaries. It is clear that they are so well respected in their roles and the impact of the work they do is profound.
We are looking forward to seeing what the next few months bring (a little less rain would be welcome so we can navigate the dirt roads!) including a warm welcome to some of our fellow UK visitors. Richard Scott will be joining us in March to work with us and Daphney on a short MOSES film and we have 6 friends joining us in April for the Easter 2020 visit.
Zikomo Kwambiri,
Harry and Jess.
