River of Hope

By the southern bend of a slow running river in T/A Mdola, Salima, dwells the Mili Family. Msuda Mili and his wife Mauasiyani were blessed with 6 children, 3 sons and 3 daughters. Having raised their children in hardship, they still live without enough food and the basic supplies they now need in their old age. Some of their children have migrated to other parts of the district and beyond in search of work and other livelihood opportunities, while two have remained close by.

One of these children is their daughter Violet (26), now married to Yamikani Kadzika.  Msuda (86) and Mauasiyeni (66) are highly dependent on and their daughter and son-in-law. The Kadzika family have four children aged between 2 and 11. They do not have a viable livelihood source and so mainly depend on begging and Ganyu (piecework) for food and other household needs.   

Msuda Mili

The Milis other child, Masulani, Violets older brother, whose home is next to his sisters, often comes to the aid of both his siters family and his parents. Masulani has a family of his own, with young children, and looking after these two other families over-stretches what he has.  The active labour force for these three (3) households is very limited.

Msuda and Mauasiyeni share a little house that they can barely stretch out in.  It overlooks Violets khonde (veranda).  Violets house is no better with four children and her husband to share it. Masulani’s house seems a bit better, and he has tried to put up a grass fence to give him and his family some form of privacy.  As the growing season is in its peak, the three households look out at the bare land stretched out before them, as a lack of farm inputs and pesticides force them to put their heritage to waste.

Violet and her children

A cycle of broken dreams for the Mili’s grandchildren seems to creep in as they are in and out of school. The expenses attached to the ‘free’ education system forces them to drop out of school. None of Violets or Masulani’s children have completed standard one. Some have outgrown the class, but often return when they have some money to spare.

As we pondered and thought of what kind of support this family needs, our attention is drawn to the river flowing a few steps from their houses.  The tall green grass along the river side gives an illusion of underutilized vegetation. Curiosity finally wins, and we cut short our chit chat and we walked around and saw patches of previous attempts to put the river to use. Masulani grabbed hold of our unasked questions and explains; “tinayesapo kulima, koma zilombo zimaononga mbeu zonse, ndiye sitidapindulepo. (we tried farming but pests destroyed most of the crop, that we ended up not benefiting a thing from it).

Despite this explanation, our focus remains on the river. The river promises opportunity for the Mili and Kadzika families; they could produce various vegetables not only for consumption but as a source of income for the household. This thought has not escaped the family, but the reality on the ground is that they cannot afford to cultivate this land, as it requires expertise and inputs that are currently out of their reach.

How can we help? (a) By sourcing a local agricultural extension worker to survey the land and give advice on how best they could irrigate the land, (b) by providing them with the tools they need to cultivate this land, (c) by providing the start-up material they need.

Let us help these three households tap into this river of hope and bring change to our beloved country, ‘one household at a time.’

Growing a Future

Paziyenda Machotsa James, a very clever looking and chatty 12 year old girl has a dream of becoming a nurse. That Dream has kept her in school and she is currently repeating her standard 8 in the hope of being selected to secondary school, a step closer to the ultimate goal.

Paziyenda has a number of obstacles in life which are currently derailing her pursuit of her dream. She stays with her aging and ill mother Mauthelanji Akibu, her orphaned Nephew Ernest (15) and another Nephew Andrea. Mauthelanji has been unable to support her household as she can barely work due to her illness. She and her household depend on food hand-outs, and Ganyu (piecework). The little money they find goes towards hospital bills and consumption, making education a forgotten need in the household.

“Anakanilatu kukagwira ntchito ameneyo, akuti koma school…” (she refused to go and work. She says she wants to be in school)” her mother said, explaining that she had suggested Paziyenda should start work after seeing that they were unable to meet the costs of keeping her in school.

These challenges, however, have failed to cripple Paziyenda’s dream; behind their little house, Paziyenda is growing her future. She is growing tomato seedlings which she sells to farmers around her village. When her seedlings sell, the money goes to paying her self-boarding fees (200) monthly energy charge (200) and the little that  is left goes into food and other school materials.

After seeing her struggle, one of the teachers at her school, tried to assist her. However, juggling her own problems plus Paziyenda, the assistance was short-lived. “We have been instructed to be in boarding for the remaining terms before sitting for the Standard 8 school Leavers Certificate Examination. I want to go to school, but so far am the only one who has not paid” she explained with a quick look at her seedlings which were still not ready for sale.

We inquired on whether there were any other challenges she faced apart from the lack of fees, and Paziyenda started explaining with a giggle; “mavutowo ndiye alipo, (the problems are many), I have to borrow a school uniform. Especially during the examination period. I still have not paid my examination fee (550). Food is always a challenge, last time I had to drop-out because I could not feed myself. That is when my teacher was helping me out.”  And asked who would take care of her garden, when she goes boarding school, she stressed ‘IF’ she was to go to school Ernest would take care of her mother, and she [her mother] would take care of the garden.

As we made our exit, we handed 400 Kwacha to a shocked Paziyenda for the first month of school costs. We requested the Social Welfare Assistant to follow up and ensure that Paziyenda gets into school and inform us of any problems faced. 

The Akibu household has a window of hope through the Social Cash Transfer programme. They will be getting a monthly transfer of 2200 Kwacha. However, considering the other needs that they have, this still will not be enough to adequately cover Paziyendas immediate educational needs.  For secondary school, there is hope of linking Paziyenda to a bursary programme. This would guarantee her fees for the duration of her secondary education. 

How can we help Paziyenda? Her immediate costs include boarding fees, examination fees, self-boarding costs (food, groceries, electricity), school uniform, a blanket, school materials and pocket money.  In total Paziyenda needs MK28,000.00 to complete standard 8.  We would also like to encourage Paziyendas budding business and would like to purchase some seeds, a watering can and a hoe.  Join us in “growing her future” by helping us meet these costs, and impacting this nation, ‘one household at a time’.

BBC, CNN, MBC look out for Fanny Chilembwe!

Aged 18 and in Form 3, Fanny Chilembwe dreams of becoming a radio announcer.   These dreams, however, are farfetched in her mind when she puts them against her current situation.  Living on Likoma Island with her grandmother, Maria Matandala, Fanny tells of how her mother died when she was young.  Her father, who also lives on the Island, has never rendered any support to her and her brother Maganizo, since.  “I bump into my father sometimes, but we just exchange greetings,” she explains.  Maganizo, 24, dropped out of school and spends his days wandering around, not bringing much into the household except when he goes fishing once in a while.

Granny Maria is currently enrolled on the Social Cash Transfer Program, and receives MK1,800.00 a month.  This is the only income they have. Sitting on the porch of her house which has been leaking from the recent rains, she explains that she invested some of the money to build a boat which she hires out.  “The people who hire my boat are supposed to give me part of what they catch as payment, but they have only given me a handful of fish twice”.  Granny Maria adds that she fails to follow up on the fishermen because she is old and does not have the energy to chase or quarrel with energetic men.

Another investment they made was to buy one chicken; this has now multiplied to 6 fully grown chickens, 2 of which belong to Fanny. “I gave Fanny the 2 chickens so that she can rear them and then sell when they have multiplied,” Granny Maria explained.

Fanny is on bursary support, which has relieved the family greatly on the cost of fees. She, however, has to source her own clothes, school materials, pocket money and groceries.    During the long holidays, Fanny grows vegetables in their back-yard garden and sells them.  Any money realised from this helps her purchase a dress or two. Whenever possible, she sells a chicken, and uses this money to buy one or two school items or groceries. 

“I love school, but it is very hard to concentrate because I am always thinking about my grandmother and what I need,” Fanny expresses in a sad voice, adding that despite this, she still works very hard and wants to realise her dream of becoming a radio announcer. 

The District Social Welfare Officer confirmed Fanny’s love for school by saying: “One time her school fees had not been paid due to delays in the bursary system. Fanny came and cried at my office all day and refused to leave until I had provided her with proof that her fees had been paid.  Many others who are on the bursary would not have spent the whole day at my office.”

When asked what she would need every term, Fanny wrote out a list of 6 items – body lotion, soap (bath and washing), candles, sugar, matches and snacks for tea break.  Upon further inquisition, it was found that she does not have a school shoe, has only one pair of uniform, does not have a blanket and has very few clothes. 

We would love to see Fanny realise her dream. This starts with ensuring that her basic school needs are met.  Once off costs will include the purchase of a uniform, a school shoe, a mathematical instrument, a blanket, a school bag and some socks.  School term costs will include soap, lotion, sanitary pads, candles, matches, exercise books, pens, pencils, a ruler, a rubber, toothpaste, a toothbrush, sobo, and a few snacks.  Fanny will also need some clothes, a pair of slippers and one or two extra shoes and some pocket money!

An immediate purchase of black plastic sheeting and grass was made to ensure that Granny Maria, Fanny and Maganizo do not sleep in a house that leaks.  For Fanny - school resumes on January 2.  Join us in meeting her needs, in changing lives, in shaping our countries future - One Household at a Time.

?????? More Questions than Answers ??????

It does not matter which angle you look at it: whether you blame it on culture or poverty, the situation the Laurent children are in is not a happy one.  After losing their mother, the 3 children, Enita (16), Samson (13) Makulata (10) were taken to live with their grandmother Falesi Chimalizeni (64).  Their father, Mr. Laurent, went to Dedza where he resettled.  They have not seen him since.

An explanation was not given on what their reality was before they moved in with Falesi, but their current state is that of the four of them living in an incomplete, thatched house… uh, no, wait a minute: the word ‘house’ does not seem to qualify this dwelling: … thatched shack.  The recent rains brought down their other house, forcing them to quickly erect a make-shift shelter, which is not fit for human habitation in its current or completed form. It has three sides and a roof sparsely covered with grass and the fourth side (the front) lays bare.  In front of their dwelling, a settler is building a mud house, but Falesi and her 3 grandchildren do not have any money to mould bricks. 

Falesi is married, but her husband left her for another woman. She does not know when he will return.  The household dynamics leave a lot of questions unanswered, and as much as it is tempting to turn and walk away thinking this is another case of village normalcy, brought about by poverty and bad decisions’, the look that comes from the three young pair of eyes compels you to find out more.

With the front of the dwelling gaping widely at you, there is no need to go ‘inside’ to see the assets they possess.  Falesi, with a laugh, beckons to me to enter: ‘Lowani’ (come in), she says.  Two (2) pots, a pile of five (5) or six (6) dirty dishes, an empty packet of soya pieces (a treat from the good times I assumed) which she keeps at the corner.  “Sititaya chimenecho” (we do not throw that away), Falesi utters. A torn blanket and two (2) or three (3) pieces of clothes hang from one of the logs that are part of the roof.

There is no evidence that any cooking had been done that day. She quickly explains that they had not eaten that day, but the night before they ate porridge. As I was about to turn and leave their dwelling, I noticed a pile of wood cuttings and mipini (hoe handles), lying at the far end of the house. Proudly Falesi explained that Samson had picked up the skill of carving from watching some of the men around.  He sells them for 100 kwacha but ‘business’ is reportedly slow.  It seems that the 13 year old has assumed the role of ‘man of the house’ at an early age, as he is the only one who earns money for use by the household.  Samson, a quite boy with an inquisitive eye, explains: "I am in standard 2, but I have been in and out of school because we have nothing, and I had to drop out for a bit. I am back in school now.” He says nothing further.

16 year old Enita. She was hovering in the background, trying not to be noticed. She was drawn closer by the excitement of picture taking which soon revealed the growing bulge on her stomach.  She is four (4) months pregnant.  My look of shock must have given me away as her grandmother defensively explained: “odachimwitsidwa,” (she was impregnated).  Asked where the boy who impregnated her is, she explains that he denied the responsibility.  The case is still with the chief and the responsibility of Enita and her unborn child lies in the hands of her aging grandmother. She turns her head to their thatched dwelling, face buried in her hands: “I was in standard four when I dropped out of school.”  She explains that she dropped out because she had nothing to wear. “I want to go back to school after my baby is born.  I will not make the same mistake again” she expresses.

I thanked the household for their time and walk towards my colleague, quite dumfounded.  She was interviewing Falesi’s sister, Valeria Chizalema (71), who lives in the same village and has her own issues to deal with. Valerias house also collapsed recently.  She now lives in a make-shift house of her own: a nkhokwe (maize storage) converted into living quarters. “When my house fell I had no other option but to remove the stands of my nkhokwe, add some thatch to make a roof and cut out a door.”  This is not only used for her and her two grandchildren to sleep in, but as a kitchen as well.

Moments later, having had a good laugh with the two sisters, we left.  But questions still lingered in our heads; what is to become of these 3 children? What is to become of these two sisters who are ridden with poverty and are facing calamity?  Surrounded by other households who seem aware of their problems and yet oblivious at the same time - how can we advocate for family and community support systems for households like these when there is very little or no support available? What does one do to help these children, this family rise above the situation they are in?

The next day under a Bwemba Tree the people of GVH Ndola would be deciding the fate of households like Falesi and Veleria: whether or not they qualify to receive support from the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) Programme.  But will the injecting of monthly cash into these households and community be what will end the cycle of poverty faced and ensure a better future for Enita and her unborn child, Samson and Makulata?  What with the rain that has already caused damage to their homes – will it not now seep into their thatch and or nkokwe dwellings, cause discomfort, bring about disease?

No answers seem to spring forth – but do something we must!  This is Malawi. These are the realities on the ground.

30 minutes drive from Salima Boma near a river known as Msindikiza, T/A Kambwiri, Group Village Head Ndola, in Nghali village lies the Thompson household. We receive a warm and cheerful welcome from Josophina Thompson, nee Abele. 71 years of age, she has a few teeth left in her mouth, but that doesn't prevent her from grinning from ear to ear. All bubbly, her obvious lack does not stop her from being hospitable - she rushes indoors to get us something to sit on. Out she comes with a small sack; this household has no reed mad (mkeka). Only one of us can sit on it and the extension worker I had come with does so. The rest of us find a spot to sit on the somewhat flat ant hill that is a few steps from the door to the house.

Now, when I say house, quickly remove the picture in your mind of brick or mud walls. In this instance we are looking at a house built with sticks and "plastered" with grass all round. A sparsely thatch roof keeps some of the water from the rain out. Approximately 2.5m by 2m inside, with a "ceiling" covered with soot, used as a kitchen, bedroom, living room and store room - it is the only secure space they have. The bare ground as a floor has a mixture of 2 mud pots (mbiya), a few metal plates, a few pumpkin heads, a fire place, a few clothes, and the chitenje they use to cover their bodies at night.

It is evident from the dark patches on their bodies that soap is not a luxury they enjoy: the river is their bathroom, the surrounding forests their toilet. They only bath in the wee hours of the day or at dusk. The toilet that Chimphepho Thomspon, 63, started building is far from being finished - the digging alone takes a lot of his energy as the ground below is very rocky. And then again, there is no money to build the walls that will provide some privacy.

In front of their house is the only other structure they own - a nkhokwe (maize storage) - which is holding the last cobs of maize they have, which they shall use as seed in this next planting season. In other words, the Thompson family now has no food and has to rely on ganyu (piece work) to bring in some flour or maize for their daily meals. Ganyu is usually gardening in other peoples fields which results in payment of flour or maize to sustain them for a few days.

Chimphepho is very quiet. He had moved from the town of Chileka in the southern region in 1998. Josophina is his second wife; his first left him and returned to Mozambique, where she originally was from, taking with her the only 3 children he has. Life in Salima is very different and he often wishes he could return home - but marrying in the central region often means the man settles in the wifes' village (chikamwini). "I used to work for Press, planting trees. It was a lot of work but very little pay so I left." He now does ganyu and grows maize for him and his wife. "We do not harvest much. Fertilizer is a very hard to get. I got a coupon (to purchase Government subsidised fertilizer) this year,but there are too many people fighting to buy the same fertilizer so I just give up because I am old and will just get hurt."

Children? Josophina has one child Mercy, who is alive. "The other 3 died from measles and I buried them," she explains sadly. Mercy is married and lives in Kawale in Lilongwe. "She visits us sometimes but does not bring us anything as she has her own problems", Josophina says adding that she has never met her son in law.

Relations? Josophinas only living sister, Magaleta, stays a few meters away from their house. Hers is a brick house. She is married but her husband married another woman and moved out. Although living near one another, Josophina and Magaleta lead separate lives. The 'every man for himself' system reigns and so when the Thompson household has no food, like today, they do not go and ask Magaleta for some. Chimphepho lost touch with his relations when he moved from Chileka; "They do not even know where I am" he utters.

The Thomspons may soon benefit from the Government of Malawi social cash transfer program and receive MK1000 per month (approx. $6 / Euro4.5). Asked what they would do if someone gave them MK500 or MK1000, Chimphepo quickly says "I would buy food and fertilizer". He explains that these are his immediate needs. He has already started cutting wood in the forest to build a new house since the stick and thatch one they have been living in for the past 4 years now leaks and is not very strong. "I have not built a brick house because I do not have any money". He further explains that he would have to hire help to collect water and help mold the bricks as it is too much work for him to do alone.

These are the Thompsons from Salima. This is Malawi. These are the realities on the ground...