Department of Fisheries together with Christi is focusing on site selection and pond construction.
I later took the opportunity to see if progress is being made on construction of fish ponds and was very impressed with the number and quality of fish ponds surrounding the village of Waya - despite the fact they were constructed in 2003 they are still in remarkably good condition and only need very limited work before re-stocking.
Visit Belo and discover they have good quality honey and start discussing options for marketing/sale etc.
Find bottles in Lilongwe that could be used to sell honey for 7 Mkw each with a heat sealed top, villagers should be able to sell product at Tuesday market in Chioshya and the cost of packaging is not prohibitive on such a high value product
It may possible to offer this service to our farmers at subsidized rate (e.g. 750 mkw per acre) just to give them the opportunity to adopt this technology. Later met again with George and Mrs Mzembe at Chioshya agricultural EPA to discuss agricultural interventions; fish farming, conservation farming and draught animal power.
Conservation Agriculture is also discussed and the various farmer groups that have been established are to meet up with the Clinton Hunter foundation regarding the development of conservation farming in our area on a field visit next week. Mr Ngwira of Clinton Foundation, failed to appear at the meeting.
Meet a representative from Christian Help Ministries who are a new NGO with members from the ended NGO CARD. Discuss possible areas of intervention and they are particularly interested in assisting with agricultural development.
Health and Disability
On arrival at Mchinji told that we cannot collect vaccines until our refrigerator is upgraded to an ice lined model, and only way we can have vaccines is if we collect an ice lined fridge from another H/C in the district (Tembwe). Travel to Tembwe with required papers but told I cannot collect fridge as the letter is missing one essential stamp. Frustrated being at the centre of petty bureaucracy but stay calm and eventually manage to collect fridge after making a few phone calls to “big men” at the District hospital.
Travel to Guilleme mission hospital to pay balance for treatment of children over the last months.
A large number of funerals in the area; we are short of a number CBO members.
Travel to Mchinji and plan on collecting Mr Kalipindi for Orthopedic outreach, unfortunately he is conducting autopsy’s on the poison victims and is unable to join. Collect equipment for Chioshya Health Centre (Drugs, gloves etc)
Make another trip to collect medicines for Chioshya Health Centre, unfortunately they can only release approximately a ¼ of what is needed from the pharmacy in Mchinji.
Early morning trip to Mchinji District Hospital with a woman (the wife of Stephano/joiner) having an obstetric problem. Sadly, I discovered later that the baby had died.
Disability
I had contacted Casey’s son previously (before ever meeting Casey!) as he has developed a communications system based on mobile phones that allows people to ask for assistance or they can be told messages about vaccination campaigns etc, etc http://medicmobile.org/patientview/ and http://hopephones.org that I think is very interesting and could be very beneficial for the H/centre.
Orthopedic and epilepsy outreach clinic’s from Mchinji District Hospital. The epilepsy team has medicines for the first time in three months and many people are able to receive treatment; 50 epilepsy and 50 orthopedic patients.
Construction and Roads
Travel to Lilongwe to get update on progress of title deeds, although I have been told they will not be called title deeds, but land acquisition documents!!
Pay the remaining surveying fee of 66,000 Mkw although they try and charge 150,000Mkw as the prices have been increased and a transport allowance of 60,000Mkw despite the fact I did all the transporting!! Eventually agree on price and the documents move to there final place from surveys back to the Ministry of Land for final approval by the Minister.
Travel back to Lilongwe: Manage to get documents from the Ministry of Lands to the Lands HQ for signing by the Minister of Lands, unfortunately no Ministers at all in Malawi as President has dissolved cabinet.
Chimteka Life
Take the opportunity to travel to Lilongwe by bus as there is a very big funeral taking place in our area.
Apply for a Zambia multi entry visa just in case fuel shortage persists and we have to cross border for supplies. Also search for a part for my Honda motorcycle in the dodgy part of Lilongwe where everyone claims to have the part you need or can modify it!
People are bracing themselves for more political tension and potentially violence this week as we countdown to an ultimatum of the 17th of August given by civil society for President Bingu to make changes in Malawi….still fuel shortages, price increases etc, etc
Planned day of countrywide demonstrations, later hear that they have been called off with lots of conspiracy theories regarding organizers getting paid off by Government etc.
Decided to keep a low profile and stick to office based activities.
Take 3 people to hospital from a neighboring village with suspected poisoning, unfortunately all die; Later here that a total of 5 people have died from same incident.
We later discover that all 5 people have been poisoned deliberately and the police are present to investigate the incident
Travel to Chipata in Zambia to check the availability of certain products and compare prices with Malawi
Vehicle (MZ3147) undergoing repairs in Mchinji for cracked pulley on timing belt.
Start of a pilot training program called “the journey of life” and community case management is conducted in the hall by UNICEF and the Ministry of Social Welfare for ten days. However, it is taking the time of all our volunteers and extension workers which is slowing down our programs. The training is ongoing with more civil servants turning up each day to receive the very generous allowances on offer from UNICEF.
The Private Secretary for the Ministry of Gender visits the “journey of life” training at Chimteka-glad I was in Lilongwe!
Meet the Tentelani coordinator Mark (last years volunteers Sian and Joanna) to see if we could accommodate two volunteers a week. Meet next week to discuss further but looks like we will receive on girl with a background (masters) in business and economics and another who has an arts background-both appear very well qualified.
Education and Recreation
Purchase some paint and brushes to paint the Chimteka Community Day Sec School, they have some very good deals in Lilongwe Game (Walmart) that has recently opened. Begin painting and general tidying up of Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in preparation for beginning of term next Monday (5th September)
Meet Pauline Webber from the Nick Webber Trust (www.nickwebbertrust.org.uk) at Kochelera hospital. They are doing work in the field of Education and thought we could share ideas regarding girls hostel etc.
Meet with the headmaster of Chimteka CDSS to answer questions related to the Misean Cara application for a girl’s hostel, put together application.
Check progress of painting of Chimteka CDSS-looking good nearly finished!
Water and Sanitation
Conduct follow up visits of villages, slow progress is being made and we will soon be able to declare Open Defecation Free (ODF) status in two villages (Liwinga and Katakungwa).
Nutrition and Food
News from Chimteka Children Support Ltd
• On August 8th Fingal Rotary club asked Carol to give a talk on her recent visit to Chimteka in June. This was embellished with video clips taken by Tony Stafford during the visit.
It was well received and CCS may well receive some help in the future.
• Coinciding with this was a generous offer from Gerry Fitzmaurice, editor of North County Leader for the Swords area, to include an article on Carol and CCS in the Edition of August 16th.
"A Beacon of Hope for Africa" was the well written article that duly appeared giving a good account of the history and work of CCS since 2004.
Maize Mill
Field visit from United States Small grants program to assess the suitability of our proposal submitted for the purchase of a new maize mill engine and conducting business/maintenance management training.
The visit progressed well with Victoria giving lots of positive signals, the report she completes will then be sent to Washington for further consideration. Her main concern was why the maize mill had failed previously (as almost all maize mills have!), but I think we covered these bases with a comprehensive package of business management training (provided by Christi) and maintenance training coupled with close supervision by everyone!
The USAID did previously have a blanket ban on funding maize mill applications but luckily this has been lifted
We also emphasized that the mill rather than being communally managed would be operated by two individuals who would take care of all daily operations, maintenance finance etc…….fingers crossed.
Honey
Christi has a fellow Peace Corp colleague (Christian) staying for a few days who is working for a honey cooperative in another part of Malawi; we discover together that one village (Belo) has large quantities of honey they are trying to market/sell.
Farming and Gardens
Meet with the Agriculture officer (George) and Child protection officer (Noah) to discuss the development of a youth garden at the hall. We also take the opportunity to discuss the possible utilization of animal power (oxen) within our catchment. George has discussed the issue with Mrs Mzembe (his boss) and they have set the costs of ploughing (with oxen) at 1500 Mkw per acre.
The meeting is set for next week.
Receive urgent early morning text from Fortina (midwife) that a lady is bleeding heavily after giving birth at Chioshya H/C . Pick up lady and head for Mchinji with instructions to also collect medication and vaccines for H/C. - Very luckily manage to purchase some fuel for our motorcycle ambulance and also collect some for the Chioshya m/c ambulance
Travel to Lilongwe; transport 9 children and adults/4 guardians to 500 miles clinic for prosthetics …full load. After a full days work, return to Chimteka very late (7.30pm) with very low fuel, but just make it after delivering disabled people to there respective homes. All disabled people are assisted and the prosthetics they received will definitely improve there quality of life, a number of the group have to return for further fitting at a latter date.
Evelyne makes several trips to Chimteka: with an occupational therapist (Alice) and another physio (Casey) and Morgan (hearing specialist); with Alice for disability outreach program; and to conduct group therapy sessions with assistance from Chrissti……and even I am allowed to take part!!
Great fun.
Send 3 quotes for girls’ hostel to Pat in Ireland.
Meet surveyor general to thank him for all his help and support, I really think he speeded up the process a great deal!!
Ask District Education Manager to stamp and sign a letter stating the ministry of education would take ownership and be responsible for daily operations of any girls’ hostel constructed at Chimteka Community Day Secondary School.
Travel to Lilongwe by bus: Pay the remaining surveying fees for cadastral survey-they are trying to charge 150,000Mkw but manage to get a reduction to 66,000 Mkw after explaining that we provided all transport and also paid some of the allowances in cash!
From surveying office travel to the Ministry of lands to put survey results in both the files (Min of Ed and Min of Health), we cannot find the files in the complete chaos that reigns in the Ministry of Lands. After searching most of the morning and afternoon I return to Chimteka….v.frustrated and vow to return tomorrow with our copies of documents so we can open duplicate files; ridiculous!!
Head back to Lilongwe with duplicates of documents to make new files, meet the Regional Commissioner and he promises that he will prepare all docs by Friday on condition we go together for a night out in Lilongwe.
The Land commissioner informs us that he can write a letter saying; all conditions have been met for acquisition of land by Min of Health/Education but to complete process documents must be signed and they are awaiting Ministerial appointments.
Replace two front tyres on MZ3147 (the other two are bald)
Purchase (second hand) curtains for office and library
Another big funeral (the father of chief Liwinga) means our planned conservation agriculture meeting cannot take place and have to settle with conducting follow up visits of villages constructing latrines.
All villages are very much engaged in the process, and I am still hopeful that all latrines will be completed by end of August…I did attempt to take one unused san-plat from a village just to shake them up a bit but I think the threat of ‘use it or lose it’ is enough.
ART day
Travel to Mchinji with Elias (HSA) and Emmanuel (Medical Assistant) to collect various supplies for Chioshya HC including Likuni Phala for CTC program.
• Plans for fund-raising for the Chimteka Secondary School girls' hostel continue with a number of ideas from Liam.