Preparing for Christmas – and the rains!

As I write, the drumming of the rains on the roof and rumbles of the thunder create the atmosphere of fourth Sunday in advent.  This year it seems that the co-incidence between the Christmas season and the rainy season is according “to the book”. 

The opening song in the Area 18 St. Thomas Anglican church this morning (7 am as usual!) was Silent Night, and a visiting choir was performing Hark of Angels.  No lighting of four candles to bring us into the “pre-Christmas” mood.  But the story of Elisabeth and Mary who shared their excitement of being pregnant – the one late in life, and the other as a young woman – with promises that their respective offshoots were to make significant footprints in history was read.  Youth choir and congregation were fired up through polyphone song and rhythms that made the hips and feet move, and the hands clap.  The reggae tune was complementing the incense from the alter to fill the room with physical and spiritual sensations.  … This was the pre-breakfast service in charismatic Anglican tradition.

In our home we have the traditional nativity scene, with figures produced at Dedza Pottery

In conversations with my colleagues and other Malawian friends I have learned that waiting for Christmas break, which is the main vacation season during the year, is waiting for time to be spent in the village… and in the field.  Families living in urban areas return to their villages to visit family over Christmas. They bring gifts, not extravagant accessories or luxury gadgets as in Norway, … but soap, sugar, cooking oil, rice, clothes, solar lamps…  These are commodities that very often are in short supply in the villages, and Christmas is the occasion for sharing necessities! 

Christmas celebrations in Africa are not quite the same as in Europe!

While visiting the village, or on return from the village, time is used in the fields.  This is the time to plant maize, ground nuts (peanuts), pigeon peas and beans.  Many will have started planting earlier, particularly in the southern part of the country that receives the rains earlier than further north.  But Christmas holiday is typically the farmers’ season. 

While spending time in the village and in the field, most Malawians spend considerable time in church, or in social events convened around their church community.  The saying goes that Malawi is a “God fearing country”, and during Christmas the church still has more influence than the merchants who try their best to advertise their “Christmas bargains” through radio and newspapers. Christmas can still be a season of joy and celebration.  Contemporary culture is gradually penetrating the Malawian society, but tradition persists!

P.S. While I wrote this on Sunday, the rains cut off the internet-connection, and I could only send on Monday.  This is also part of the preparation for Christmas - and rainy season in Lilongwe. D.S.

Another Friday...

When looking for ideas for what to share in my blog, I obviously search for the spectacular... interesting... exotic...  The truth is that life in Malawi, like life in Norway, mostly consists of those more or less normal days.  Therefore one of these days should also be worth some lines and reflections.  Accordingly the headline:  another Friday.

First business of the day: checking into the employee register 

Yesterday was this "another Friday", and as usual I was the first one to arrive at the office in the morning.  Security screen had to be unlocked and opened, alarm dis-armed and biological mechanism to be activated by my finger before I could come inside and proceed up the stairs.  By the way... I forgot to mention that the guards opened the gate, allowing me into the compound that we share with the timber company RayPly.  While the level of crime is relatively low in African context in the capital Lilongwe, security systems are in place, and security companies are big business.

View from my office, through the blinds

As I sign into the daily employee register book, I take a look at the white-board that indicates the whereabouts of my colleagues this week.  We will be rather few in the office this Friday I register.  Some of my colleagues are listed as having "annual leave".  As rainy season is around the corner, the smaller or bigger pieces of land that most of my colleagues cultivate on the side, need to be made ready for planting.  Annual leave comes in handy and time needs to be spent together with family and hired pieceworkers to get ready for the life-giving rains.

We have just entered the "16 days of activism against gender violence", and I register that my colleagues Esther and Elita are in two different border areas with Mozambique where human trafficking is rampant.  Friday is a day with seminars for police, magistrates, immigration officials and social workers about the new law against trafficking of persons (the modern slavery).  On Saturday people in the nearby trading centers will through roadshows be mobilized to fight violence against women and to stop trafficking.  Theater, dance, songs, short speeches and interaction with the public will hopefully raise awareness and mobilize for action.

I further register that our architect and engineer Kondwani and our procurement officer George are heading south on a one-day inspection to the building site of Mwanga health center.  We have been informed that the contractors are about to put roofing on the maternity ward, and it was time to check progress and quality of work.  Our experience is that infrastructure projects need careful and tight follow-up..

Agnes keeping control of logistical and administrative details

One vehicle is in the field with Jimmy, the driver.  He is taking one of two research teams to the field for carrying out a study on what skills are in demand in the agricultural sector in order to move farming from subsistence farming to the level of some agribusiness.  We have three partners in this study, and they make up the two teams that are going to five districts in the north and center, and in the south respectively.  We hope new initiatives for vocational training will emerge from this study.

These are the activities my colleagues are involved in outside the office, that I read out of the white-board this "another Friday".

Still I expect colleagues to trickle in during the next one hour. I will not remain alone in the office.

Florence, the "face of NCA"

Next week we we have invited our partners for the annual partners meeting, and preparations are on-going on several fronts.  Agnes is dealing with the logistics, which has turned out to be more complex than earlier anticipated.  She has plenty of routine, and is not the person who panics.  She tackles challenges... one by one.  She is ably assisted by Florence, who is also the "face of NCA" as she sits at the reception and serves whoever needs attention.

Joanna

Joanna, my deputy - and head of administration and finance - keeps the overview and controls that we are keeping preparations within our budget and through correct procedures.

Mary and Paul in consultation

Mary and Paul seem to be the only programme people in the office this Friday.  Reports and plans are due... all the time it seems... and time in the office is necessary in order to serve both our partners, ourselves, and our "masters" in Oslo or elsewhere.

Let me not end the story before I mention the important tradition that is being kept alive by Gladys in the canteen.  Follow your nose and the smell around 9 in the morning, and you can enjoy the warm waffles... on this "another Friday".

Gladys making Friday morning waffles, the Norwegian way

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Cervical cancer - serious, but treatable

We had the pleasure of having our friends Marit and Hans Olav visiting us earlier this month.  In addition to do the "vacation things", we wanted to utilize the expertise of Hans Olav as an experienced medical doctor.  We therefore scheduled a monitoring visit to one of the NCA supported projects with the headline "cervical cancer".

“Disease Relief through Excellent and Advanced Means” (DREAM) is a project of St Egidio community, supported by NCA.  DREAM has been deeply involved in HIV/AIDS work, but has also started important work to screen and offer early treatment of cervical cancer.  Malawi has the highest occurrence of cervical cancer in the world.  3,700 women are annually diagnosed, while more than 2,300 die every year.  Currently there are considerable gaps between the real occurrence of cervical cancer and the diagnosed cases.   Therefore much work needs to be done to carry out screening among women to detect cases.  If detected early, cervical cancer can be treated with simple methods.

The cervical cancer is mostly due to a virus infection.  The virus is spread through sexual activity, and linked with early sexual debut, multiple partners in combination of illnesses that weaken the immune system, including HIV/AIDS.

With this as background information we took off for Mangochi, just south of Lake Malawi.  DREAM had been conducted training for health workers in screening of cervical cancer and in counselling women with positive diagnosis.  We joined the thirteen participants as they entered into their last session with sharing their experiences and learning.  

Nurse Florence is sharing her experiences from the training

 The trainees came from three districts in the southern region of the country with the highest number of HIV/AIDS cases and cervical cancer diagnoses.  They work in health clinics, partly in hard to reach areas.  They are therefore well placed to reach out to remote communities and offer women the opportunity to come for screening.  

Plans for follow up of the training were shared at the close of the training

Screening is done by applying vinegar acid on cervical tissue.  Resulting colour changes and patterns are interpreted and informing the diagnosis.  The training is therefore much focused on how to interpret these changes and patterns. We met with an enthusiastic and committed group, both men and women.  Interestingly, we were told that it is not a problem in most communities that men carry out this type of screening.  The group was eager to go back and practice what they had learned, determined to contribute to bringing the number of cervical cancer cases in their respective communities considerably down.

 Early detection of cervical cancer can be treated through the Cryo-therapy, through freezing the infected tissues with liquid Nitrogen.  Only some district hospitals in Malawi have such equipment. Many women will have to travel long distances to reach the hospital, and travel and stay away from home represent financial constraints for poor families.  NCA has therefore provided one treatment equipment that can be mobile and brought to clinics in the more remote areas in the southern part of the country. Many more units are needed, but one is at least a start!  

We did not have time to visit any remote clinic, but we visited Mangochi Hospital to see the equipment available in that facility.  The Matron for the Mother and Child department took us around and showed us the screening and Cryo-therapy equipment.  

When women are coming for screening, the hospital is utilizing this opportunity to introduce the women to family planning information and other basic health issues.

 An illustration of family planning methods

The canister with liquid Nitrogen is the main
component of the Cryo-therapy equipment

A week of mourning

Last Friday I visited our NCA colleague Wellington who had been admitted at Kamuzu Central Hospital.  He was in fair spirit, surrounded by family and friends - as is the tradition.  The room was packed.  I left him, hoping to see him back in the office very soon.

Birgit and I left for safari in South Luangwa Natural Park in Zambia with visiting friends over the weekend.  On our way back Tuesday I received a call from my colleague Esther.  On a broken line I asked her to repeat her message, which I did not comprehend.  Her repeating the message left me still without comprehending, but not due to a difficult phone line.  Nevertheless, the reality sunk in: "We lost Wellington!" He had died some minutes earlier on that Tuesday.

The entire NCA team was in shock.  Wellington had been an important colleague for one year, challenging us with his academic strength, advising us on how to be more professional, and encouraging us to put words to what we had achieved but not been good enough to report on.  His contagious laughter was no more to be heard.

As employer NCA was expected to take lead in the preparations for the funeral rites,and the whole team was immediately put to work: including buying coffin, and bringing the body from the mortuary to his home in area 25 in Lilongwe. Our team facilitated the practical arrangements for bringing the body to his home village in Dowa, about 1 1/2 hours north of Lilongwe, and securing transport for the closest family and friends.  Food for the expected crowd to attend the funeral should also be in place before the funeral on Thursday.

Paying the last respect in Wellington's home village

On Thursday, in Wellington's home village, people trickled in during morning hours.  They were invited to pay the last respect, while the diggers were working hard to dig the grave in the village graveyard in the outskirts of the village. While waiting, all hundreds of mourners were treated with food.  After some hours the diggers and their supervisors entered the village in a procession, singing.  Time had come to start the ceremony in the square around which people had waited under the trees and wherever they could find shade for the blistering sun.

The diggers have completed the grave

The coffin was brought, and the speeches, including the village chief, the local parliamentarian, me as his employer, and his local church pastor were delivered.

Mourners gathered around the coffin

Wellington's life, achievement and character were highlighted.  Interestingly, the head chief of the area warned Wellington's family not to claim anything that he left behind:" Let all what he left behind go to his widow and his children, allowing them to grow up and go through school!"  He was obviously referring to the local custom that the deceased's brothers inherit the widow and his assets.

The local chief appreciating the life of Wellington

A local health worker seized the moment when this big crowd was together to share some important health messages, and to announce the arrival of a mobile health team.  The local community police urged people to help them bring to an end an upsurge of crime in the area, that had been experienced as of late.

Time had come to bring Wellington's body to his last rest.  The crowd followed the coffin to the cluster of trees under which the grave had been dug.

The village graveyard under the trees

After having lowered the coffin into the grave, the pastor administered the last rites.  Almost 20 wreaths were laid down as a last greeting.  The long row of mourners slowly made their way back to the village, as the diggers reappeared on the scene to finalize what they had started in the morning.

Returning from the grave, women... and then men

A community had taken farewell with a husband, father, son, friend, colleague, neighbour, member of the church...  The father could not be given back to his three children, but they were comforted and given support in their time of grief and sorrow.  In the midst of being a week for mourning, I was encouraged to experience that African culture has dimensions of solidarity and empathy.  Those vulnerable members of the community are reminded that they still belong to the community, and are not as fragmented individuals left on their own.

Recreation, environment - and conflict of interest

Last weekend there was no contribution on this blog.  The reason is simple:  Birgit and I spent the extended Mother's Day weekend in Mulanje Mountains and Zomba Plateau without internet-connection.  A small account of our experience is therefore following this weekend.

Beauty of the Mulanje Mountains

Mulanje Mountains is the highest mountains in Malawi, with its highest peak reaching just above 3000 meters above sea level.  The lower part of the mountains are moderate steep, and covered with a combination of indigenous and pine trees.

We stayed at a lodge belonging to the Presbyterian Church at the foothills of the mountain, in a self-contained chalet.  

While our hikes during the two days were limited to staying within the forest-covered lower part of the massif, we experienced the greatness of the nature.  The Waterfall, with its natural pool for swimming just below, was the playground for a group of scouts who stayed next-door to us.  Their joy of experiencing the nature, and enjoying swimming in the clear and chilly pond was refreshing.  Scouting is a global movement, and we clearly saw that Malawian girls and boys enjoyed life in Mother nature the same way scouts in Norway enjoy outdoor life!

The scout group under the Waterfall

The last day of our weekend we spent on the Zomba Plateau, a steep climb up from the old colonial capital Zomba.  The Plateau is a forest covered area with rivers, dams and excellent roads and paths for both biking and walking.  Zomba Plateau is at the same time a symbol of conflict of interest between environmental and recreational needs on the one hand, and survival for the common man on the other.

During our hike we met several men who obviously cut trees and brought firewood back to the market in Zomba and surroundings.  Every day they were climbing the steep ascent from Zomba.  You will have an impression of the view from the "Emperor's Viewpoint", a place visited by Emperor Haile Sellaise in 1965.

View from the "Emperor's Viewpoint gives an impression of the climb from Zomba

Thomas, who is in the right side of the photo below, makes the 10 km. climb with his bicycle every morning, uses the day together with his friend Lawrence cutting and splitting wood, loads his bicycle and makes it back to Zomba and the market in the evening.  According to him, this hard work may earn him USD 7 - 8 per day.  This brings his income clearly above the average daily earnings of the masses of Malawi.  The fact that he, and hundreds of other wood cutters, are depleting the forest and disturbing the environment seems to be beyond their concern.

Heavy load of firewood on its way 

to the market

Thomas and Lawrence cutting wood for a living

Preserving precious forest areas is clearly in tension with creating livelihood for many families who do not see many other options for their upkeep.  Government and many good forces obviously need to work on policies and practices that can remove this tension and create win-win situations.

Embarking on student life in Malawi

Beatrice was excited and nervous as we approached the gate of LUANAR (Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources).  When we took her, and all her student life belongings from Lilongwe this afternoon, a bit less than one hour drive from our house, it was her journey to start her student life.

Academic life at LUANAR ahead!

Beatrice is the daughter of Emily, our housemaid, and she is eager to study hard and dig into the aspects of nutrition.  Her huge desire had been to study medicine, but the requirements were sky-high, and although she is a bright young lady, she did not quite reach there.  Now she is ready to put every effort into her degree in nutrition.

Beatrice represents 1% of tertiary school-age population of Malawi that is enrolled in tertiary education.  In Norway around 75% are enrolled, while the figure for Botswana is 18%.  The threshold is high to find yourself in a university or college campus in Malawi, and considerably higher if you are a girl!   Not only is the academic threshold high, but also the economic threshold.

We have witnessed unrest and demonstrations among students the last few months due to sharp hikes in student fees.  In some universities the fees were increased with more than 150% in one leap.  For LUANAR students were told only two-three weeks prior to semester start that fees had been increased with 50%.  Many students had made huge efforts to scrape together enough money to pay for tuition, fees, upkeep, ... through jobs, student loans, identification of sponsors and other creative approaches.  After having been successful and with great anticipation looking forward to start of the semester, they were faced with new financial demands that might be seen as impossible to meet.  No wonder that some students and students-to-be took to the streets!  One of the universities is still closed, since their case has been brought to the courts for resolution.

With her student-life belongs, Beatrice is assisted by mother Emily and family to locate her dormitory.

In spite of 50% hike on short notice, students at the Bunda campus, one of three LUANAR campuses, did not take industrial action, and registration for the semester could take place today.

It is beyond doubt that education is a main driver of development in any country.  The assumption is that educated youth will fill positions in the public and private sector and drive innovation and economic development.  With the current slow growth of Malawian economy, and with a starting point as number 163 on the Human Development Index list of the United Nations, jobs are not necessarily waiting for young graduates.  Much depends on their own initiative to create jobs.

Beatrice has some years of studies ahead of her. Expertise on nutrition is pivotal in a country with widespread abject poverty and malnutrition.  With her future expertise we should hope that she can contribute to the development of Malawi, reduce malnutrition and promote her own job career in the service of the Malawian people.

The proud mother sends off her daughter with great hopes and anticipations

A proud mother Emily followed Beatrice to her student life registration, and she can indeed be proud that she has been able to support her daughter to reach this level!  

Lilongwe drying up?

In earlier entries in this blog I have reflected around the food situation in the country.  Estimated 6.5 million people will be in need of food assistance during the next lean season up til April 2017.  Lack of timely rains is the main reason why crops failed and people are left with less than needed food. Most of the food needs are found in the rural areas, not least in the southern part of the country.

The urban areas are faced with other challenges related to the low water levels.  Electricity is in short supply, and this is mostly impacting cities, towns and industries that are depending on electricity to make things go around.  Long spells with power cuts make refrigerators and freezers redundant, and perishable food cannot be kept properly preserved, businesses either have to invest in major generator sets or bring activities to a stand-still... with serious economic consequences.  An economy that is ailing at the outset is doubly hit when the water level prevent hydro power turbines from normal functioning.  As ever, we represent the privileged minority with a battery back-up system that keeps essential house equipment and light running for quite some hours.

Perhaps worse is the long hours without water.  I have been told that the Lilongwe Water Board cannot predict how long the main reservoir, Kamuzu Dam, can provide water to the city.

Kamuzu Dam, as it should be... but now it runs dry

Water shedding is a necessary move to prolong the period with at least some water from the tap. Chances are that Lilongwe city is drying up during the next one or few months.  Without water households, offices and businesses will be left in critical situations.  We already receive visitors from the neighbouring village who come with their empty containers and ask for water from our tap by the gate.  What if our tap dries up permanently?

Visitors from neighbouring Kauma Village fetching water from the tap by our gate

We live in a house and property that is owned by NCA, and therefore we have thought of measures to rescue the situation.  The answer is to drill a borehole and sink a solar panel run submersible pump. The existing elevated tank will be a useful reservoir that may provide continuous running water.  The problem will obviously also hit our office, and not least our staff colleagues.  Therefore we plan to mount a water tank on the NCA trailer and bring water from our house to the office.  This will rescue the office situation, and staff colleagues may bring their containers and bring home minimum quanta of water to their households.

The water tank in our back yard saves us from dry taps so far

The solution should be good for us, NCA office and our staff colleagues... because NCA has money to invest in a borehole.  What about the thousands of city dwellers without this opportunity to take precautionary measures.  Lilongwe Water Board is so far silent, and the City Council has not come out with proper information or contingency plans.  We are entering a critical period on many fronts.