Rose’s mother was the second of nine children, and Joyce the sixth child in her family. When parents die leaving behind large families, it places a nearly impossible responsibility on older grandparents who are already struggling to find enough food, clothing and shelter with which to survive themselves. The arrival of 10 or 12 more mouths to feed, and bodies to cloth is insurmountable.

In an effort to cope with this national crisis the Malawi government, through a decentralization process, gave power to local communities to organize, identify, and assist needy people in their areas. According to Wilson Tembo, the Director of the Malawi Project’s southern warehouse distribution site in Thondwe, “These community based organizations are providing a positive alternative where the needy receive aid,” he notes. It was during a recent distribution of clothes and other supplies that Tembo came upon little Rose. After learning of her plight he continues, “Rose is the best symbol of many orphans who are left with only grandparents to care for them. These children lack essential things like clothes, school fees, food and housing. Because such a large gap exists between the need and the ability to get these resources to the children, the Msamba Community Based Organization came into existence at the grass roots, local level. Malawi has thousands of orphans who have no hope for the future. Many are innocent and many are orphans because of a 13.5% HIV/AIDS rate in the country. The Namikango Mission and Maternity Hospital is pleased to have the support of the Malawi Project, the Universal Aide Society, and Compassionate Resources Network in being able to help these community based groups, and especially to be able to make a difference in the lives of children like Rose and Joyce.”

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It is often difficult to recognize a chief from the rest of his or her village. They live in the same village among the people they serve, and in dress and possessions, there is often little or no difference between them.. It is quite different than with many, if not most, politicians around the world who are immediately recognized in their stand out appearance from those they are commissioned to serve.

As the ceremony begins the dignitaries are introduced. At one point tribal authority is recognized and the chiefs step to the front to be recognized. All of them are wearing tennis shoes. TENNIS SHOES. Tribal chiefs in tennis shoes! It is a gesture that is not missed by the members of the American team as the tennis shoes are part of one of the incentive programs put in place by the Dzidalire Agency and the Malawi Project at the new site for the hospital and school. Tennis shoes were given to those who helped plant 17,000 trees over the two sites; the school and hospital locations. It was their way of recognizing, and expressing their appreciation for the assistance being given to their communities.

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During the same week another 40-foot trailer of medical supplies were unloaded at the Malawi Project’s southern warehouse at the Namikango Maternity Hospital and Mission in Thondwe. The value of the truck shipment has been valued at approximately $600,000.00. This makes the total of the two shipments approximately $ 1,600,000.00. Both shipments had the same destination, and have been made possible through a joint effort of Universal Aide in Canada, World Emergency Relief, and the Malawi Project in the United States, and the Namikango facility.

Within days of their arrival Wilson Tembo, warehouse director, had the supplies and medicines ready for distribution. Medical facilities and doctors were contacted in all three regions of the country, and in spite of a serious fuel shortage, medical groups were able to find fuel and make the trip to Thondwe to pick them up. The event was quite newsworthy, and was covered by Malawi Broadcasting Cooperation, Television (MBC-TV), and the Zodiak Radio, Malawi (ZBS).

Included in the group picking up drugs and supplies was the Kamuzu Vocational Rehabilitation and Training Centre Clinic. This center is located deep in a remote part of southern Malawi. Opened in 1984, the center trains physically challenged people in different vocational venues, in order for them to become economically independent. It’s clinic serves the staff, students and village community surrounding its location, and treats over 200 patients a month. Drugs such as Albendazole, Amoxillin, Doxycline tablets, Multivitamins and SP were among the items arriving on the air shipment. These drugs help reduce the suffering of many people in area villages.

Another beneficiary of the drug shipment is the Malawi Prison system, and its headquarters facilities at the Zomba Central Prison. This facility is the biggest prison in the country, and is home to over 2,000 inmates. Like many other facilities in the country, the prison hospital lacks drugs, supplies and equipment. Unlike other Malawians who have the freedom to choose where to get medical attention, the inmates have little or no choice. This emphasizes the need for a continual flow of supplies to the prison. Moses Chigayo is the Malawi Prisons Services Clinical Officer, and is the official responsible for all prison infirmaries.

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At the end of their greeting of the visitors, members of the Malawi Project gave a new dress to 35 of the girls. The dresses came from Little Dresses for Africa, a non profit group in Michigan USA, who are preparing a shipment of 45,000 dresses to go to little girls in Malawi.

The village people in the area have already made thousands of bricks for the buildings, and cut a road over the mountain to bring access to both the Dzidalire programs, and the new international school planned for a site across from Dzidalire.

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“Mr. Barry when & where did you study carpentry,” asks one of the three students. Barry simply answers by saying, “I haven’t study carpentry, I took a ‘Do it Your Self Book’ out of the library, and followed the instructions.”

“Ah! Mr. Barry we would never be able to do that, we would not know where to start.”

Barry replied by saying, “If I can do it you can do it. Come on guys, I will show you how to use the library to find the DIY Book. Then you can make the bench that we need for the library.”

So the four of them got together the next day. They looked up the book and got busy making the bench. What a fantastic bench it is, and it was made by three of the students who never knew they could simply get a book from the library and make something like a bench. They were so very proud of their achievement.

According to Samantha Ludick, one of the principles architects of the library project, “This would not have been possible if it weren’t for the support of the Malawi Project, Universal Aide and a number of others who helped supply the necessary books for the library.”

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While a joint Malawi-American group started planning for the international school, the Malawi Project obtained information about the medical need that sparked the Chief’s request. It was learned that literally thousands of villagers in the Lintipi area have to travel 15 miles or more to reach the district hospital in Dedza. With no mechanized vehicles to transport ill patients it is necessary to walk, ride the back of a bicycle, or bounce along pothole laced, dirt roads in a wooden cart drawn by a pair of oxen. Few people from developed nations can imagine the harrowing trip, bouncing along on the back of a bicycle, or thrown around on hard slats in the wooden bed of an ox-cart. It is a long, dangerous, and harrowing trip, as the patient and the caretaker make their way slowly down steep, winding, mountain roads. Then, as if this were not enough, realize that when they reach the hospital there is the very real possibility the cash strapped government facility will be out of supplies, and unable to give the proper assistance. There is always the risk they will be returning home without care. No wonder, the chief extended her first and only request for someone to hear her plea for healthcare for her people.

Two Groups Respond with Assistance
Not only did members of the Malawi Project hear her request, so did the Board of Directors of the Dzidalire Development Agency. This later agency was formed in 2008-09 to assist the people in this exceptionally poor region of Malawi to develop the needed skills to become self-reliance. The Malawi Project assisted with funds to obtain land, and also helped in the creation of the marketing literature for the organization. (See upcoming story about Dzidalire in the next few days).

The two groups have set out to fulfill the request of the Chief, and build a medical clinic and birthing center that will be adequate to supply the needs of the people in the neighboring villages. The facility will contain twenty-eight rooms, with a construction cost estimate of $300,000.00. The Malawi Project has already been successful in sourcing most of the needed equipment, and the supplies to make the facility a first-rate asset to the surrounding communities. At the same time sufficient funding is available to pour the foundation for the buildings, and begin construction.

Village People Making Bricks
Meanwhile, the village people who live around the needed facility have been hard at work making bricks for construction of the buildings. While the bricks are a major expense to the project, the cost of concrete for the floors, the windows, doors, and metal roof will compose the major outlay for the buildings.

Both Sides Working Hand in Hand
At the conclusion of the project the facility will be solely owned and operated by Malawians. This is in line with the long-standing position of the Malawi Project to not own, manage, or control what should belong to the people of another country. This, as with its other programs, is built on joint respect, joint relationship, and the confidence that if the Malawi people own and manage their own programs, the pride of ownership and the self confidence that comes with personal achievement will sustain the programs long after the western supporters have ended their support. According to Scott Gordon, President of the Malawi Project, “The part the Malawi Project plays is to bring needed resources to the table for a project. The people of Malawi bring their creativeness, commitment, skills, and long-term sustainability to the program. Combine what both of us offer the other, and one can see a successful and dynamic relationship that can only lead to success. We feel the time has come for contributors to follow a different approach to helping Africa, and the Malawi Project intends to be in the forefront of this movement. Our relationship with the Dzidalire Agency extends to the time of it’s creation, and we have the greatest respect for those who brought this non-governmental organization (NGO) into existence.”

Members of the Malawi Project Board of Directors are currently taking the story to possible contributors in order to reach the funding goals and the completion of this joint program. It is hoped the buildings can be under roof by the time the rainy season begins in October 2011.

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Gordon is referring to the theme for the Dzidalire group that focuses on helping people learn to care for themselves independent of long term outside aid. The mission statement for Dzidalire, a not-for-profit, non governmental agency, states, “To empower and help people and their communities to become self reliant by teaching and enhancing skills that can be owned by the people and have their lives changed to maximize self potential and reliance.”

“Almost immediately after its establishment this group obtained land and set out to create programs to help people in this impoverished area of the country,” reports Richard Stephens, a co-founder of the Malawi Project. “In developing the land they encouraged the local villagers to plant thousands of tree seedlings as part of a Malawi Project sponsored “Shoes for Trees” incentive program. The group also persuaded the local chiefs to set aside over 200 acres of land, next to the Dzidalire land, for development of a training facility for church and community leaders, agricultural development, food processing, pre-school and secondary schools, fish farms, and other programs that will compliment the Dzidalire programs,” Stephens summarized.

Both Gordon and Stephens agree the Dzidalire-Malawi Project relationship promises to be an excellent match for the goals of both organizations to help people learn to fish, and not simply to give them the fish. Self-reliance is a keyword with both groups and both are working to bring villages and communities in Malawi into successful programs that achieve these goals.

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By and large, even when you factor in the downtime for the fuel problems the entire trip, the lost luggage at the beginning of the trip, and the demonstrations that turned violent in the middle of the trip, we still had a very productive trip.

Namikango
Going to Namikango, even for just a short time, is always a delight. It will not be the same with the Thiesen family returning to the states in just a few days, but the Malawi staff is well trained, conscious and more than able to carry forward. Mark has spent the past year moving responsibility over to the staff, and from what I have seen they are and will continue to move successfully forward without missing a beat. A real compliment to them and to Mark and Era and the work there during the past 7 years.

Wilson, Basani, Roderick, Sampson, all of them, they are just doing a great job. The warehouse looks excellent, and the distribution network for medical supplies and wheelchairs continues to enlarge. It all looks good.

Cool Runnings
With another V-Tractor about to arrive Sam is really going to have her hands full. Don’t know how she does it. Two tractors, working closely with the Paratroop Battalion to complete the library, distributing wheelchairs, the successful work at the Safe Haven, the Cinderella Program, the widespread help through Clinic at the Gate, the community policing assistance, and all of the other things she is doing to help. Just one person, making such a difference.

Dzidalire
I’m really excited about the new hospital, and then there is the international school. It’s going to be our biggest project to date, and the people in the villages are already outrunning us with the work they are doing. Thousands of bricks already made, the road over the mountain, and 17,000 trees planted all over the mountain, they are just going all out to make this a reality.

Medicine and Medical Supplies
There is just so much more that is going on. The millions of dollars in medicines and medical supplies, and everything that brings to mind all over the country. It just makes my head swim to thing of it all. Wish we could have looked in on the other programs with which we have involvement. There are just too many. God is so good, and He has sure opened the door for us to help the people of Malawi. Wonder what will be next?

For me, I think I’m going to try to get some sleep before we reach Rome. Maybe this time I can sleep on this plane. The height of the luggage racks above our heads and down the center isle sure gives you the feeling of having a lot more space. This is the first time I have been in the center seat and felt even remotely comfortable. Guess we better make sure we are on 777’s from now on.

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A total of $25,000 will complete the mill construction, supply the equipment and build a residence for the mill operator. The mill will assist approximately 28,000 people, who otherwise would have to carry the maize nearly 20 kilometers in order to have it ground.

Over half of the needed funds have now been secured, with ground breaking scheduled for later this year.

Hospital Also on List
At the same time as the maize mill is coming off the drawing board, the Project is also focused on beginning construction of another major medical facility in the central region of Malawi. It’s first venture in hospital construction took place between 1999 and 2006, when a five building, 110-bed medical complex was completed north of the capital.

Ground Breaking Anticipated
Working closely with the Dzidalire Community Development Agency in Dedza, this new medical complex is expected to have construction underway later this year. The villagers have already made thousands of bricks, and are eager to see the construction begin. Fund raising has started, with ground breaking anticipated to take place in June or July. Pouring the foundation is hoped to begin shortly after that.

The medical complex is expected to take multiple years to reach its full capacity, and the cost of the buildings is estimated at $300,000.00. The first phase is an out patient clinic with a birthing center to follow. This will move forward as funds are available. As with the maize mill, the villagers of the area must travel many miles to reach the district hospital, and this is most often in the back of an ox cart, on a bicycle, or walking.

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Sitima village, Zomba, Malawi… In our last story we told you about the Msamba Community Based Organization, and the way it is helping the people in the community. Today, you will meet one of the children being helped. Her name Chisomo, and she is 4 years old.

Accompanied by her aged grandmother, Chisomo Rodrick is one of the beneficiaries of clothes, blankets, pillows, shoes and writing materials that were given by the Malawi Project, and Namikango Maternity Hospital and Mission. Chisomo is the youngest member of her family, and lost both of her parents when she was just two years old. Mary Saikolo, her grandmother, cannot fully support her with the needed school materials, food and clothing. Despite heavy rains, the old granny took little Chisomo on her back to get support from this center. Chisomo’s case is a clear picture of the impact of HIV/AIDS pandemic in Malawi, and indeed in the whole of Africa. Children like her suffer as old weary people like Mary Saikolo are left with the huge responsibility of looking after these orphans.

“This is the first time to receive such a donation since the inception of this organization in 2008. We never thought we could get this aid, because this group is only located in this remote area”, said Group Village headwoman Sitima. She expressed her thankfulness to the sponsors, for extending aid to this community, and indeed to young Chisomo.

Leaving the village that day I could easily see the great need for more aid. Young kids, orphaned and helpless like Chisomo, really need support if their lives are to change for the better.

The coordinator of the organization had this to say, “Today we have witnessed a good demonstration of Christianity by Namikango Mission of the Church of Christ who have come without an invitation and helped these people.” Martin Bernard said the organization has struggled to get the resources to help ease some of the suffering. He was quick to add the need for more support, such as milk for HIV/AIDS members, bedding, clothes and any other help that can make someone’s life better.

By Wilson Isaac Tembo

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