Memories.........

Hello everyone,

Usually I update the blog on a Sunday but yesterday I was so exhausted I could not even type!  Its been a hectic couple of weeks and I was glad of the day of rest!  I have been supervising training of ECD for the World Bank pilot project.  The training was in Mzuzu thankfully but it kept me busy.  Here you can see some of the participants dancing and singing as they learn - they were a very active group.

It is exciting to work with the Regional trainers in ECD who we trained last year, and all of whom work in social work.  We had a team of 9 in Mzuzu and they did a great job - I was really proud of them!  Here are a few of them in action!

the team leader - Lickson

Wilson

Frank

Patricia

Sopani and Mcdonald

Joyce

 While it was great to see the trainers in action, it was also great to have a lot of small children who came with the participants.  We learnt as much from them as we did from the facilitators.  Unfortunately one or two of them were not so happy to see the big 'mzungu' (european), and screamed each time I went near them!!

This child is busy investigating the dry leaves
and is fascinated by the sound they make!

As usual, I did some entertaining during the week - Evans, Lumbani and Fidelis came for dessert after we had gone out for pizza!! 

I had a wonderful experience on Friday as I met Rev Arnold Saka who had been a student at Zomba many years ago.  It was a joy to meet him again in his manse in Lilongwe and share some stories past and present.

Rev Saka on the right with a student minister from Zomba 
who is doing practicals with him

The Saka children - it makes me feel so old when I see the oldest girl 
who was in the nursery school at Zomba when I was there!!  
Can't remember her name.........possibly old age creeping in........

Rev Saka and myself!!

So it was a busy week but great fun at the same time.  On Saturday after I returned from Lilongwe, I suddenly got a pain in my right shoulder and have not slept a lot since.  I had the same problem during the year I spent in South Africa and had to have it strapped up, but hopefully it will be okay in a couple of days!!  I think its just exhaustion so today I took it a bit easier and just visited another training that three of our trainers are doing in Enukweni.

The group of caregivers with the three trainers
at the back, Freeman, Enala and Frank

Wishing you all a good week,

Blessings,

Diane x

Chitipa road trip.........

Hello everyone,

Its been an extremely busy couple of weeks but also a lot of fun as we continued our trip to visit all the Trainers in their districts.    We started off in Chinteche on the lake shore and ended up in Ekwendeni, visiting Chitipa, Karonga and Rumphi in between.

In Chinteche we met Gibson, Rodney and Kamoza to share some new policies on ECD and discuss different issues they face in the community.

Gibson, Rodney and Kamoza

While we were inside the church conducting the meeting, there were various other activities going on outside.  Child labour is something that in Early Childhood we are very concerned about, and yet here outside we found two small children cutting firewood with panga knives.  They were probably sent by their parents to cut firewood.

After the meeting I had another meeting with another man from an orphan care centre, but he was running late so we decided to make use of the time and go down to the beach - it was a beautiful day and we had some fun!

Fidelis recovering after falling through the tyre!!

Rodney taking a picture of Nicolas!!

taking a stroll on the beach........

Last Monday Nicolas, Fidelis and myself set off for Chitipa in the north west tip of Malawi - its one of my favourite places in Malawi with beautiful scenery on the way.

As we had time we stopped off at Chitimba on the way just to relax for a few minutes before proceeding on our journey!!  Its a hard life!

In Chitipa we met with Vibrin and Lyness who had travelled from Wenya, Dennis from Misuku and Prescott from Chitipa.  We had a good meeting where we learned as much as we shared!!

 I love this picture of Nicolas enjoying a joke with the trainers!!

On the way back from Chitipa we had to stop at this beautiful building which is in fact a CBCC - Community Based Childcare Centre.  The reason we stopped was to take a photo for Fidelis because during the time he worked in Chitipa the building of this centre was under his direction!!  So you can see him posing in front of the centre.  Its a beautiful centre.

Many times during my time in Mzuzu I have travelled to Chitipa but the road was so bad from Karonga to Chitipa that I always had to consider if I really needed to go.  Well, now its a pleasure driving to Chitipa: where it used to take between two and a half to three hours, now its possible to drive in about an hour and a half.  The Chinese have built a wonderful road - its shorter, it has great bridges and perhaps  best of all it is smooth - no more jumping around as you travel!!

the driver smiling because the road is so good!!

Next stop Karonga, the home of the Malawisaurus who was found 45 Kilometres south of Karonga.  In an earlier blog there is a picture of the actual Malawisaurus but this time we were not inside the museum - this is the dinosaur outside to welcome visitors!!

Behind the museum is a restaurant and so we met Lucy and Grace our Trainers in Karonga and Ngerenge for a meeting and lunch!

Traditional Karonga dish made from beef and bananas called mbalagha - its very tasty!

Grace, Nicolas and Lucy
 

Next stop on our road trip was to Rumphi to meet George and Eliza, both looking very serious here, but I hope before we left they were smiling!! 

.....and finally on Friday we were in Ekwendeni to meet the final members of the group - we had a good meeting with much participation and laughter!

Nicolas, Foster, Frank, Madalitso, Ernest, Mercy and Enala

It was good to be back in Mzuzu to have a rest!  At least that was the plan until I got a call to ask if I would supervise training which is happening in Mzuzu for the next week.  So Saturday and today I have spent some hours supervising the regional trainers in ECD as they prepare caregivers for the new curriculum in Malawi.  While I enjoy this supervision it is also tiring!  However, its great to see the regional trainers who we trained in December last year in action!  I don't have any photographs but might take my camera during the week to take a few pictures.

I mentioned in the last blog that Nicolas had passed his Diploma - well the certificate has arrived so here he is looking very pleased with himself!! (and so he should as he worked very hard)

Nicolas and some other friends were at home for lunch on Saturday and Nicolas got a bit carried away with the custard spoon..............

Finally for this week, I want to say a special thank you to Fidelis for being with us over the past two months on his holidays from African Bible College where he is about to enter his final year.  We have had fun and laughter and a lot of hard work -  he has really been a great help in the department.  I wish him God's blessing as he goes back on Friday and hope that he will join us again on his next holiday!

Wishing you all a wonderful week,

Blessings,

Diane

Just another week......

Hello everyone from a nice sunny and warm Mzuzu!  However, you can't have it all - no water since yesterday and electricity has just come on after more than 12 hours!!  

The past couple of weeks have been busy as always, with work and visitors.  

At the weekend I had a visit from Amos from Malosa near Zomba who comes here to sell paintings and carvings.  He was showing me the talent of a young guy called Gilbert who I know from Zomba - its great to see he is still painting well!

A few weeks ago, I showed pictures of Claire and Flo who had arrived to do their medical electives in Ekwendeni.  Last weekend was Flo's birthday and together with some of her travelling friends from Ekwendeni we had a birthday celebration!

It was a weekend of birthday's - I was priviliged to join Rev Dr Joel Manda and his family for Joel's 65th birthday celebration.  His grandchild is a student at our nursery school so we had a lot of fun!!   Joel worked together with me when I was in Zomba so its great to be close to the family again.

On Monday, Nicolas and I travelled to Nkhamenya Presbytery where we met with some of our ToT's to discuss some issues relating to training and monitoring.  We had a good meeting and it is wonderful to see Nicolas really settling into the job.  He received his certificate this week from London so now he can show people he has qualified!  (Note the maize in the background - and this is in the vestry of the church!!)

This is Senzeni one of our trainers from Luwerezi listening intently..........I hope!!

Miness joining the discussion,  with Naomi and Kettie

When I was in Ireland for 3 weeks in April, part of my avocado tree fell down on the roof of the car port.  It has grown really tall over the last while and so last weekend we decided to cut some more down as it has been very windy the past few days.  The red blob in the middle of the tree is the brave man who climbed up and chopped off the branches!!  We must have retrieved over 100 avocados from the cut branches - this tree has been producing fruit since last December!!

Annex watches as the branches fill the garden!!

Yesterday morning as I was getting up I noticed the most wonderful sunrise, so camera to the ready, I rushed to take a photo over the glass on the wall!!  I thought it came out quite well! 

Today Nicolas and I travelled to Mzimba to meet another group of ToT's to give them the same briefing - we will be travelling over the next couple of weeks to meet ToT's in different locations.  

Back row: Fidelis, Emily, Mloyiso, Nicolas and Angella
Front row:  Grace, Daniel, Khwima, Hlezipe and Mary

Of course, we had some serious discussions but its always good to have some ECD songs and fun and laughter in between.......

Nicolas and Mloyiso in action!!!

Grace and Emily

Mloyiso and Daniel

Fidelis found a puppet and was having some fun....

and just as I was dropping people off this evening the sun was setting and it was beautiful - this picture does not do it justice but its a good note to end on.

Wishing you all a good week as I now head off to have a well earned rest!!

Blessings
Diane x