Check out the latest news from Malawi:

Malawi set for another HIV testing week from August 6

Starting August 6^th, Malawi’s Ministry of Health (MoH) will be re-launching its HIV and AIDS Testing and Counseling (HTC) week. The goal of HTC week is to instill change and reduce the stigma and fear around getting tested for HIV/AIDS. Additionally, the program provides a great starting point for prevention packages and services including male circumcision, anti retroviral drugs, and prevention of mother to child transmission.

This program was previously held in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

However, this HTC initiative faced many challenges including problems with coordination, supply, and equal distribution. The MoH took three years to evaluate and assess for improvements in the program. More specific problems included running out of test kits and inadequate infrastructure to support HTC initiatives in some regions of Malawi. The Deputy Director of the Ministry of Health in the HIV and AIDS department claims these issues have been addressed for this coming week. Development partners, including the National Aids Commission (NAC) United Nations for Children Fund (UNICEF), have pledged their full support during this weeklong initiative as well.

Source: http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2012/07/29/malawi-set-for-another-hiv-testing-week-from-august-6/

Malawi and Tanzania partner to improve the Songwe River Basin

The governments of Malawi and Tanzania have created a new multi-million dollar program to develop the Songwe River Basin.  The basin is currently plagued with a number of issues, including unregulated water flow that leads to frequent flooding and droughts, unstable access to fish resources, and lack of access to safe water.  The program, titled the Songwe River Basin Development Programme, aims to “contribute to economic growth” by reducing poverty, improving health and living conditions, and boosting the food and energy security for people in the area.  According to Christopher Sayi, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Water in Tanzania, said the program will also create numerous opportunities, such as “agricultural development, hydropower, fisheries, water supply and sanitation, and recreation.”  The project, which will be developed in five components, was made possible by a grant from the African Water Facility.

Source: http://www.malawivoice.com/2012/07/24/tanzania-malawi-to-implement-songwe-river-basin-plan-24838/

in the field: introducing Laura Duff

Laura on the right

Meet Laura:

Greetings from Lilongwe! My name is Laura Duff, and I am from East Greenwich, Rhode Island. I am a rising senior at Colby College in Waterville, Maine where I double major in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Biology with a concentration in Neuroscience. At Colby, I participate in cross-country and track. I am also a volunteer coordinator for Hardy Girls Healthy Women and am an active member of the Colby Feminist Alliance. I am very interested in the health field, particularly in women’s health. I was drawn to World Camp because of its emphasis on public health in combination with gender empowerment.

Our experience in Liwera was incredible. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by swarms of enthusiastic kids. After morning songs (which they thoroughly enjoyed), we moved to the classrooms in smaller teaching groups. The classrooms were packed with desks in order to accommodate the normally very high teacher to study ratio. We worked with Standard 7 students, which is the equivalent of 7^th grade in the U.S. The age ranges, however, are much looser in Malawi. For various reasons, many students to not pass their end of year exams and do not advance to the next standard. Our Field Staff were an invaluable resource in Liwera. Lusungu, Cathy, and Cyrus made the week wonderful for all of us.  Though the majority of their classes and exams are in English, our students generally understood very little spoken English.

We started off everyday covering HIV, then split the boys and girls into separate empowerment groups. This was the part of the day that I was most excited about. The male interns reported that the boys’ group was very enthusiastic and willing to engage in discussion. However, my group struggled to participate. While Donna, my empowerment partner, and I likely just received a group of quiet girls, I couldn’t help but wonder if the different levels of participation could be related to cultural expectations of gender roles. I will have to wait until we visit more camps to see the participation levels of other girls’ groups!

I was so glad that we had the opportunity to do a homestay in Liwera. Half of us stayed with the head teacher of the school while the other half stayed with a very nice, younger teacher who had just moved in next door. We had the privilidge of eating all of our meals as a group. We ate A LOT of nsima. Nsima is the staple ingredient in Malawian diets and is made by boiling ufa, or corn flour, until it’s a playdough-like consistency. To eat nsima, you pinch and gather it with your fingers, then scoop the relish, such as cabbage, eggs, or tomatoes, and eat it. Watching the sunrise while walking to your 5:45am bucket bath and relieving yourself in a pit latrine are two notable experiences that many of us had for the first time in Liwera.

Layne and I quickly discovered that running (and some other forms of exercise) are pretty uncommon in Malawi. We are privileged in America to have energy to expend on activities unnecessary for survival. People staring at children chasing us became common on our afternoon runs. Football (soccer in the US) is very popular for boys while netball (somewhat of a combination between basketball and handball) is more popular with the girls. We were fortunate enough to play both and watch Liwera take on a nearby school at both football and netball.

While homestay was hard at times, learning about and experiencing the culture was invaluable. Teaching was highly rewarding as well. Knowing that I impacted my students’ lives, even in a small way, was a wonderful ending to the week. I left the village looking forward to more teaching next week as well as a hot shower and a good burger over the weekend!

in the field: Meet Donna Stegall

left to right: Windy, Tzipora, Maysam, Laura, Layne, Donna, Andrew, Wynndee

Meet Donna:

Hi, I’m Donna Stegall and have been in Malawi with World Camp for almost a week now and couldn’t be happier with my stay! I grew up in a small town right outside of Charlotte, North Carolina and attended UNC Charlotte. I graduated last May and have seen been working as a Habilitative Technician for Turning Point Services in Charlotte. I work daily with a young boy diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and absolutely love it and miss him! I will be attending Graduate School for Occupational Therapy in Georgia upon my return.

I heard about World Camp through a friend who attended a few years ago. It has always been my dream to make it to Africa, and after seeing her pictures and hearing about the experiences she had, I signed up. I was a little nervous coming here not knowing anyone and especially about going to a foreign country that I knew little about, but I feel very at home and safe here. All the interns in my program are really nice and a lot of fun!

We have been living in the WC house in Lilongwe for almost a week now and have had the chance to go to the grocery store, fabric market, and golf course. I was very surprised by how American the grocery store and city are. I was able to buy yogurt, peanut butter and jelly, eggs, and even soda, which felt a lot like home.

The fabric market was an adventure! Women in the program must wear long skirts, so we went to a market with a plethora of fabrics to choose from. The best part is they were only about $4 a skirt! We walked to the golf course to play ultimate Frisbee and netball. We also introduced our Field Staff to the very American game of kickball. It was a lot of fun and we even got to play with a few kids from Lilongwe.

Today, we had our first traditional Malawian meal, nsima, which we’ll eat on all our homestays everyday for lunch and dinner. It was good and I enjoyed the relish!

Tomorrow starts our first trip to our homestays in the village. The curriculum is a little intense, so I’m somewhat nervous about teaching in front of a group of 20 to 30 kids, but also excited to experience what I came here for. Hopefully I can help lead and teach the kids, and hope to make a difference in their lives!

World News: Current Events from Malawi

 Check out the latest news from Malawi:

Women’s empowerment project launched

            Joyce Banda has launched a K4.1 billion project titled the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment program, which will work to “contribute to the acceleration of efforts towards the advancement of gender equality and equity as a human right for the reduction of HIV and AIDS and poverty.”  Equality of both sexes will undoubtedly lead to greater development, economic growth, and an improved society.  The project, which will be overseen by the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare, will be implemented in 13 districts based on numerous factors, including poor socio-economic statistics, cultural practices that promote inequality, and high rates of HIV.  Banda has promised to “work tirelessly in improving the conditions and welfare of girls and women in the country.”

Source: http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2012/07/10/jb-launches-k4-1bn-gender-womens-empowerment-programme/

EU and Malawi sign a grant agreement in response to the kwacha devaluation

            This past Monday, Malawi and the European Union signed a K40.7 billion grant agreement to support Malawi’s poor in light of the recent kwacha devaluation.  The money will be spent on multiple programs, including a social cash transfer program, rural income program, and rural infrastructure development program.  Alexander Baum, the EU ambassador to Malawi, praised President Banda’s efforts to decrease abuse of donor funds, which is a common problem faced by many governments.  Malawi’s Finance Minister, Ken Lipenga, promised that any public officials found abusing public resources will face consequences by the Banda administration, which does not accept corruption.

Source: http://www.malawivoice.com/2012/07/10/devaluation-response-eu-malawi-sign-k40-7-billion-grant-agreement-for-the-poor-40975/

Malawian chiefs against oil drilling in Lake Malawi

Local chiefs in the Nkhata Bay district are adamantly voicing their concerns about drilling for oil in Lake Malawi.  Surestream Petroleum Company, based in the United Kingdom, has been given permission from the Malawian government to begin drilling in the lake from Karonga to Nkhotaota.  Local leaders argue that the drilling will negatively affect the lives of many Malawians.  Not only do thousands of people rely on Lake Malawi’s fishing industry for jobs, but the fish also provides Malawians with a source of inexpensive and protein-rich food.  The chiefs have formed a petition highlighting their concerns and are giving the government until July 30^th to respond.

Source: http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2012/07/10/chiefs-against-oil-drilling-on-lake-malawi/

New Olympic stadium to be built in Lilongwe

            President Joyce Banda has decided to relocate the Olympic stadium that was previously being built in Blantyre by the Mutharika administration back to its original location in Lilongwe.  Banda explained the move, stating the importance of the capital and its central location in Malawi.  The stadium will have a seating capacity of 40,500 and will feature a synthetic running track, conference rooms, shopping and exhibition rooms, press galleries, and many other amenities.  China will be funding the project through a $65 million loan.  The stadium is expected to be finished in two years.

Source: http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2012/07/12/jb-lays-foundation-stone-for-malawis-new-olympic-stadium/

Meet our friends from KOMAI!

© Komai

Today we wanted to introduce a pair of amazing women who founded Komai. Komai is an online portal that provides a “creative lens for sustainable innovation.” Amelia and Katelyn, the founders of this initiative, have created a unique community that serves as an online marketplace for creative and sustainable products from around the world. This community also fosters and supports an open forum for these creative professionals to network and collaborate as well as share stories of inspirational people that promote a sense of respect for past generations, future generations, and the environment.

This inspirational duo spent time with World Camp in Malawi and got a first hand account of the work we do and the change we strive to create. We thought we'd share a few excerpts from their recent visit with us. We were fortunate to have them write about the stigma of HIV/AIDS in Africa and the contribution World Camp is making to break down barriers and reduce this stigma within Malawi:

“Realising the myriad of issues faced by Malawians from overpopulation to deforestation and soil erosion, to gender inequality and the HIV/AIDS epidemic, World Camp was motivated to start combating unsustainable development through building the self-worth and confidence of younger generations who would one day be equipped to lead the country to a brighter future.”

© Komai

Their feature highlights our week long program, Camp Hope, for young children living with HIV. Throughout the week, these children learn to live positively and regain optimism through interactive lessons and counseling sessions about growing up and living with this sickness. At Camp Hope, children build independence, gain self-confidence and enhance their coping and resilience. The goal is to instill optimism, possibility, and hope within each child.

“Spending time in the communities served by World Camp, one can see the progress that has already been made. We witnessed first-hand the pure excitement on the faces of students, village elders and teachers and their urge to learn and create positive change in their villages. And now, communities have even begun to set up their own local not-for-profits which World Camp supports through information disemination and facilitation, providing a perfect example of how the ripple effect can occur at the grass-roots level of sustainable development.”

© Komai

While Camp Hope is a powerful program specifically tailored for children living with HIV, World Camp does not stop there. In fact, much of our curriculum within the classroom setting is dedicated to informing youth as well as debunking myths and misconceptions about the illness. These lessons are designed and tailored for school-aged children and include units that provide basic HIV disease biology, transmission methods,  and preventative methods. These programs include breakout sessions for male and female anatomy/puberty discussions, as well as sessions in male and female gender empowerment. Special attention is also paid to educating these children on how to care for people living with HIV/AIDS within their community.

Working with the infected population as well as the affected population in rural regions of Malawi are two initiatives close to our heart. Educating children creates the foundations and resources for an empowered population to make substantial change for themselves.

“They are working on a ‘village model’ which aims to build understanding from traditional village leaders to primary school students on how to create a bright future through investing in education, de-stigmatising HIV, protecting the environment and empowering women.”

Click HERE to check out the rest of the article, see more of their amazing photos from Malawi, and learn more about Komai.

From the Field: Sean and Emily Mark

Meet a few more of the remarkable individuals working on our unique projects in Malawi!

PhD candidate Curriculum & Instruction for Social Studies

Emily Mark

• Who are you? Emily Mark
• How did you get connected with World Camp? I volunteered in 2009 for Summer Session 2. I found World Camp after googling 'teach HIV/AIDS education in Africa.' I've known for awhile that I wanted to come back, because it was such a great experience the first time.
• What is the purpose of your current trip to Malawi?  How did you get involved in it? I'm in Malawi now to do research on volunteers and their experiences for my PhD. I'm attending graduate school at the University of Missouri, and thought that World Camp would be a great opportunity to learn how American students learn about others during study abroad.
• What is a typical day like for you in the field? I don't have a typical day. Some days it's interviews, some days it's meetings, some days it's just sitting and doing research and reading up to prepare for an interview or meeting. And sometimes I get to visit one of the schools, and a have a lot of fun playing with kids, and talking with teachers and community members. Everyone is incredibly kind, and so it's always enjoyable.
• What are your initial thoughts on your stay?  Have you been to Malawi before? I'm having even more fun the second time around. I'm better at Chichewa (which is not much), I love going to shop for fruits and vegetables at the market, and I've had better conversations with people from Malawi because I understand things better. I've also been better at listening, and asking more in-depth questions about how things work, current events (Joyce Banda, kwacha devaluation), special events (Malawi vs Chad in football. Go Malawi!), and the like. Best conversations.
• What’s the best meal you've had while in Malawi? John's enchiladas. And then John's banana bread. If I could have his enchiladas AND banana bread in one meal, I might explode.
• What do you hope to take away from your visit to Malawi? Some great memories of having fun with friends, seeing new places, and learning more about Malawian culture. Also research results. I'd really like to graduate. :)
• What is one fun/interesting fact about yourself? I just got married in Hawaii in October.
• Outside of World Camp, what are your interests? Traveling, cooking,watching movies, my research/grad school, having conversations  (with friends AND strangers--I am from Missouri, we talk to everyone).
• What would you say to someone who’s interested in volunteering with World Camp? You will make friends, learn about yourself, and hopefully understand a  little more about the world and the different contexts in which people live. It's worth it.

Sean Mark

Sean and Program Coordinator, Karen Clark working in the field.

• Who are you? Dr. Sean Mark (from Seattle, WA)
• How did you get connected with World Camp? My wife, Emily, volunteered with World Camp in 2009.
• What is the purpose of your current trip to Malawi?  How did you get involved in it? My purpose for being in Malawi this summer is to conduct research for World Camp to better understand the needs of the communities in which we are working so that we can serve the communities in the best way possible, and to create a framework for monitoring and evaluating our program over the next three years.
• What is a typical day like for you in the field? My field days involve interviews with key stakeholders in communities, such as headmasters of schools, community-based organization key members, and important community leaders (the traditional authority).
• What are your initial thoughts on your stay?  Have you been to Malawi before? This is my first time in Malawi. People here are incredibly friendly--among the top three friendly countries in the world that I've visited. The best experience is going into a village and meeting all of the smiling children.
• What’s the best meal you've had while in Malawi? John's enchiladas on the first night we got here! A great way to welcome us to Malawi.
• What is one fun/interesting fact about yourself? I've been to 76 countries, and I've worked in six.
• Outside of World Camp, what are your interests? Travel, watching movies, skiing,diving and surfing, spending time with my family
• What would you say to someone who’s interested in volunteering with World Camp? It would be a great way to experience village life in Africa