World Camp

Farewell to the Warm Heart of Africa

2012-01-31T21:22:00.008-05:00

It’s hard to believe our January session is over. We are all home safe and sound trying to get back into the swing of things in the “Western World.” Although it was sad to leave Malawi, I’m definitely ready to be back in a place where toilets with seats and running water are the norm.

During our last week in Malawi we continued our home stay in Mchezi and worked with the other half of Standard 7 at Mkhosa Full Primary School. In addition to teaching the regular curriculum in the mornings, we each took on projects with Mchezi Community Based Organization in the afternoons. I teamed up with Christine and our Field Assistant

Rejoyce to work with an HIV+ women’s support group. We talked a lot about nutrition on the first day and focused on empowerment paintings on the second day. With a limited amount of time, we found this to be an easy, creative way for the women to bond and express themselves in an artistic manner they haven’t

necessarily been exposed to in the past. Mark had a great time teaching Mchezi’s youth group how to play baseball in a two-day mini-camp. By the end of the week, all participants were excited and proud that they had mastered the “simple sport.”Tucker partnered with Field Assistant Cyrus to talk with local farmers about permaculture. The farmers were fond of the new techniques introduced, and many of them were already familiar with them and were excited to put them to use. They talked about water catchment systems, planting beds instead of rows, and the benefits of intercropping. The farmers viewed permaculture as a potential solution to the community’s struggles with poverty and poor nutrition.

All in all it was a great week. We met so many friendly and inspiring people in Mchezi, especially at the CBO and we are confident they will continue to do amazing working in their community long after we are gone.

To finish off the session we headed to Lake Malawi for the weekend, where we basked in the sun by day and sat around a bonfire by night. We even had an authentic local night out, dancing the night away at Bays Bar, where we had our first (and last) encounter with Shake-Shake, a local beer that tastes more like bitter, alcoholic oatmeal than anything else.

For our last day as a group, we woke up at 5am and watched the sun rise over Lake Malawi. There couldn’t have been a better way to end the trip. It seems like a lifetime ago we all sat together at the airport for the first time, awkwardly introducing ourselves. We’ve come a long way since then, we’ve met so many remarkable people, seen some astonishing sights, and been inspired by so many stories. We’ve grown, learned, inspired and changed, and of course learned some really great dance moves along the way.

Zikomo, chinuo, peace and love,

Cara, Christine, Mark and Tucker

Students help southeast African village pursue sustainable economic initiative

2012-01-27T16:02:00.001-05:00

BOONE—What can you learn from a journey to Malawi?
Eleven students from Appalachian State University recently traveled to Malawi to learn first-hand about managing Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and the obstacles to Malawi’s economic development. The trip was part of a course offered by the Walker College of Business.
The trip in early January was the college’s first short-term study abroad program to Malawi.
“Malawi was selected because it is such an extreme example of a country and economy with almost insurmountable obstacles to development,” said trip co-leader Dr. Marty Meznar. “Also, World Camp’s headquarters are in Ashville and we have known of their work in Malawi for several years.” Meredith Church, who works with Meznar in the Walker College of Business and who also was a trip leader, had previously worked with World Camp in Honduras.
As a result of their experiences, the students have used their business skills to help one village develop a plan to reduce its dependence on fluctuating funding levels from various support organizations.
Malawi, a republic located in southeast Africa, is one of the 10 poorest countries in the world. Its population has been ravaged by HIV/AIDS and the average life expectancy is less than 40 years. Hundreds of thousands of children have been orphaned as parents succumb to the virus. The country is land-locked, there are few paved roads, and an unreliable electrical grid reaches only 4 percent of the country’s 11 million residents.
The Appalachian group was hosted by the NGO World Camp, an organization active in AIDS education and prevention efforts, among other projects. The group also met with other NGOs such as the Jewish Heart for Africa and Never Ending Food.
“The trip provided students with opportunities to improve their cross-cultural communication skills, to understand some of the unique administrative challenges faced by non-governmental organizations and non-profit organizations in general, and to apply their business skills in a very practical way,” Meznar said.
While in Malawi, students participated in a home-stay in the village of Mchezi, about an hour’s drive outside of downtown Lilongwe. Life in the village is coordinated by the Mchezi Community Based Organization (CBO) which offers home-based care to 150 AIDS/HIV patients in the late stages of the disease, provides food and supervision to 3,700 orphans, oversees 600 children in its early childhood development program, and offers job training programs (such as sewing lessons) to community residents.
Because these efforts are supported by grants from various governmental and non-governmental organizations, when funding ebbs, the efforts cease. To help address the village’s economic needs, the business students developed a plan to fund community efforts through the construction of a corn mill. Currently, village residents transport their corn several kilometers and pay to have the corn milled into flour.
Students identified the start-up costs of establishing a mill in the village, assessed the monthly operating costs, determined the projected revenue from milling fees and found that start-up costs could be recovered in the first year of operation. The revenue generated from the mill would be sufficient to fund the activities of the Mchezi CBO, eliminating the reliance on outside donors. The mill also would create several jobs in the community.
“Getting the mill running will cost around $20,000 in U.S. currency,” Meznar said. “That includes not just the mill but also the electrical equipment to power the mill.”
The students have now formed a club to raise funds for the Mchezi Maize Mill project. Mchezi CBO leaders have applied for electrical service and permits to operate the mill.
For more information on the Mchezi Maize Mill project, contact Ethan Herman hermanec@email.appstate.edu.

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Week 1 at Mchezi

2012-01-26T14:05:00.004-05:00

It has been an eventful, slightly soggy week in Malawi. We have successfully navigated another week of village living. This time the school was not too far from Lilongwe in a charming hamlet called Mchezi that we will actually be returning to for our last week as well. The school sits on a slight hilltop giving a most excellent view of the surrounding area, and some of the coolest sunsets we’ve seen. Mchezi kept all of us busy. We are now working with the Community Based Organization on personal projects for this coming week. I think it is safe to say we are all fairly excited about next week. Mark, forever the Red Sox fan, is organizing a baseball game and providing the

youth groupwith homemade bats and balls for after we leave. He is also working with the secondary school students on their more advanced math skills. Christine and Cara are teaming up to work with the local HIV/AIDS support group to bring in some new perspectives and resources. I will work with farmers from the area on the permaculture

Last week we were also given the task of completing a cultural scavenger hunt - Boys vs Girls. I am not ashamed to say the girls won by a considerable margin, so tip of the cap in their direction. To win, they spent hours preparing the traditional Malawian dish of nsima, so they truly went that extra mile. I think I can speak for the group when I say that I hope it rains less this week than last. With a couple of well placed cracks in the roof you might be surprised how moist we got while sleeping. We are getting delicious Malawi tea in the mornings though, and that pretty much negates the nagging sogginess.lifestyle. So, in addition to teaching until two, we will also be filling our afternoons with these hefty projects. It should be fun, but we do anticipate drooping eyelids in addition to smiles come this Thursday.

In other news, we climbed a very cool mountain by the name of Nkohma on Sunday. It was a spectacular hike, and we hear that the views from the top are incredible, but somehow near the peak we found ourselves in a very persistent cloud, so our pictures from the roof of Malawi look remarkably like Scotland...

So, we are still all having fun in the sun. We are all excited to head out and teach and inspire for one more week. Time here has flown by so fast. I find it hard to believe that we will be prepping to leave one week from now. But until then, more kids, more songs, and more memories!

Submitted by: Tucker Johnson, January 2012 Intern

From Luzi to Zambia to Mchezi, a week with World Camp Interns!

2012-01-16T17:48:00.006-05:00

Time is flying here in Malawi. After gaining experience teaching during our first week in Luzi, we began work on Monday at the Chimutu Full Primary School school with newfound confidence in the classroom. Chimutu is a city school in Lilongwe and we were commuting there each day, which luckily provided us with all of the creature comforts of the World Camp house.

The kids in Luzi spoke and understood a very limited amount of English, so we were used to relying heavily on our translators and not worrying about the kids overhearing our conversations in English. This was a bit different in the city, as almost every kid spoke

English well enough to carry on a conversation. While it was convenient at times, it was also a bit difficult as it challenged us to organize our thoughts better because the kids could understand what we were saying. Rather than sometimes using our translators as a clarifying buffer between our English lessons and what was relayed to the students in Chichewa, we were forced to clearly and concisely convey our material when we spoke English to our translators.

The school was grossly overcrowded—a pattern we have been noticing with education here in Malawi. The rooms were like saunas and there was not one desk in the whole place. It is no surprise that Malawian teachers have a tough time teaching, as a typical classroom was 90+ degrees and had 50+ students sitting on the ground—very few of whom had access to adequate school supplies.

It was a fun, challenging week and I think that we learned as much from the students as they did from us. It is always bittersweet leaving a village or a school, as you are exhausted and happy to be able to rest, but all the while the kids are opening up and telling you how much they will miss you. We finished off Thursday afternoon with these mixed feelings, but they quickly subsided as the excitement for our upcoming safari began to take hold.

We left early Friday morning for South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. After a long bumpy cozy ride in our driver Eddy's SUV, we arrived our Croc Valley Camp, our home for the weekend. Just as we were pulling into the camp, an elephant came out on the road and blocked us for a moment. This was a sign of a wonderful time to come. We stayed in the beautiful camp that was located on the river for 3 nights. The river was teeming with hippos that could be heard quite well throughout the day and night. Our porches were regularly visited by monkeys and baboons. For these few days, we enjoyed nice weather (for the most part), delicious food, amazing game drives, and plenty of beautiful African skies.

The drives were incredible. From the animals to the talented and knowledgeable driver Freddy to the beautiful sunsets, we simply had a blast. At one point, we came across 18 lions lying in the road—10 cubs and 8 adults. We waited and watched in amazement that began to turn into fear as they surrounded our truck. We watched for a while and then went on our way, untouched by the beasts. We saw countless other animals, including zebras, impalas, warthogs, a leopard, giraffes, crocodiles and many more. It was an unforgettable weekend, ad everyone got lots of pictures.

As our safari trip comes to a close, we begin preparing for teaching and staying in the village of Mchezi, our next excursion.

Submitted by: Mark Nelson, January 2012 Intern.

Happy New Year from Malawi!!

2012-01-08T10:10:00.004-05:00

We survived our first week here with minimal damage . After four days of getting acquainted with the city of Lilongwe, we ventured to a small rural village called Luzi to begin our first camp. We covered topics from HIV to deforestation, to gender empowerment and creative writing. Our students ranged from ages eight to sixteen and we were thoroughly impressed by their eagerness and enthusiasm to learn. Though the language barrier could be frustrating at times, our Field Staff Cyrus and Rejoyce were wonderful and made communication a breeze. Despite the seriousness of the issues we were teaching, we found that humor was one of the greatest teaching tools available and were grateful that our students could laugh along with us. By the end of the week, they were experts on the material and, on the last day of camp, preformed skits and songs for the community.

Village life was interesting to say the least. We learned to be flexible quickly in a place where chickens roamed freely in our classrooms as we taught and the only time we were close to getting run over in the road was by a heard of cattle. We had our first encounter with the local staple meal, nsima, a corn flour based starch that you eat with your hands. We came across several new types of bugs and Cara and Christine will be the first to admit that neither of them used the latrine after dark for fear of running into a family of large cockroaches.

We were overwhelmed by the generosity and kindness of the families that hosted us. They, along with the village as a whole, opened their homes to us as if they were our own. As warm and welcomed as we always felt, we often found ourselves feeling like an exhibit at the zoo, surrounded by (literally) hundreds of small children who were completely bewildered by the strange visitors. Though saddened by the remarkable amount of poverty we witnessed, we were inspired by the happiness and sense of community that surrounded us in the village. By far the highlight of the week was Mark's take on the Chichewa version of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes, which we sang with our kids every morning before class. Each time we got to “Chiuno” (hips), Mark would proceed to put his hands on his waist and shake his hips like a twelve year old school girl. It was hard to tell who appreciated this hilarious move more, the kids or the interns. Overall, it was an exhausting, wonderful, exciting, challenging, and hilarious week and we can't wait for the next.

Peace and Love from Malawi,

Christine, Cara, Mark, and Tucker

Remember Camp Hope this Holiday!

2011-12-15T10:15:00.000-05:00

It’s the season of giving and World Camp asks you not to forget the children of Malawi as you make your holiday shopping list this year. When you dedicate a donation to send a child to Camp Hope, you will undoubtedly transform a life. Through our program, children living with HIV/AIDs are able to experience a positive atmosphere designed to empower them to regain their sense of optimism, self-confidence, and hope. What better way to make a difference this holiday season than to open up a world of possibilities to a child living with a life-threatening illness.

TEACH A CHILD TO READ & WRITE

It's a simple solution - literacy and education are essential to escaping poverty. Basic language skills dramatically improve success in school and can lead children to a brighter future. $5 provides a child access to after school literacy workshops for a week. Suggested gift: $25

TRAIN & EQUIP COMMUNITY LEADERS

It takes a village - leadership workshops engage all community stakeholders in the process of establishing goals and services. Engaging and mobilizing all stakeholders builds a legacy sustained by the community themselves. $5 sponsors a community member's participation in a leadership workshop. Suggested gift: $75

PROVIDE BOYS AND GIRLS LIFE SKILLS TRAINING

Life skills projects are designed to foster educated, valued, and healthy adolescents who are decision makers and the future leaders who will drive positive social change in their rural villages. $10 sponsors a child's participation in a four day life skills camp. Suggested gift: $125

SEND A CHILD WITH HIV TO CAMP HOPE

Camp Hope Malawi is the result of World Camp's partnership with the Paul Newman Foundation and the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative. Built upon the Association of Hole in the Wall Camp's model this project provides HIV positive youth the social and emotional support to regain their sense of optimism, possibility and hope. Sponsor a child this Holiday and join World Camp in building the self-worth and confidence in 60 HIV+ youth at Camp Hope Malawi. Suggested gift: $275

Possible Civil Rights Changes Afoot in Malawi

2011-12-09T09:46:00.002-05:00

In a recently released announcement Malawi’s Justice Minister, Ephrain Chiume, stated, “In view of the sentiments from the general public and in response to public opinion regarding certain laws, the government wishes to announce to the Malawi nation that It is submitting the relevant laws and provisions for review.” The “laws and provisions” referred to include sections of the penal code criminalizing homosexuality, labeled as “indecent practices and unnatural acts” under Malawi law.

The announcement represents a sweeping change in sentiment for the African nation, which sentenced a gay couple to 14 years in prison just last year. That case, as well as an otherwise poor record on human rights, prompted big donors like the U.S., Britain, and Germany to suspend their aid to Malawi, which depends on hand-outs for as much as 40% of its budget. Recently, the U.S. proclaimed that it would examine the treatment of gay, lesbian, and transgendered citizens when allocating foreign aid, which may also have contributed to the change. Other laws that will be under scrutiny include provisions allowing the Information Minister to ban newspapers; law suits by or against government and public officers; and laws permitting police officers to search or make an arrest without providing reasons.

To read the entire article on AfricaNews.com, please visit:

http://www.africanews.com/site/Malawi_to_review_antigay_law/list_messages/40577

Cure: No Longer a Four-Letter Word in the Fight Against HIV

2011-12-01T09:18:00.000-05:00

A diagnosis of HIV/AIDS used to mean nothing short of a death sentence. More recently, with the development of effective antiviral drugs, it has meant something closer to a lifelong, chronic illness. Now there is new hope in the possibility of a cure. Two main approaches to curing HIV have demonstrated recent success: the sterilizing cure and the functional cure. While the former focuses on eradication of the virus from the body, the latter allows the patient to remain healthy without antiviral drugs, although it does not eliminate the virus.

Timothy Brown is an example of the sterilizing cure’s success. Brown, who had both HIV and leukemia, has been living virus-free for almost four years after undergoing two bone-marrow transplants to treat his cancer. While living in Berlin in 2007 and 2008, Brown received bone marrow from a donor among the 1 percent of Northern Europeans who are naturally resistant to HIV infection because they lack CCR5, a protein on the surface of immune cells that the virus uses to enter the body. Although Brown’s recovery is astounding, experts worry that replicating his results would not be feasible for many patients because of the high cost and risk associated with bone marrow transplants. Furthermore, they point out that it would be next to impossible to find not only immunologically matching donors, but also ones with the CCR5 mutation.

The difficulties associated with a sterilizing cure such as Brown’s have prompted scientists to explore functional cures. For example, researchers are working on eliminating CCR5 in patients’ own immune cells, making them resistant to infection. The case of the “Trenton Patient” has led to further optimism that functional cure may be possible. Although he wished to remain anonymous in the press, the Trenton Patient shared his remarkable story, claiming he “felt like Superman” after his treatment. As part of an experimental trial, doctors removed white blood cells from his body and treated them with a gene therapy developed by Sangamo BioSciences in order to create proteins that would interfere with CCR5 genes. The treated cells were then injected into the patient’s body and he went off his antiviral medication. Although the amount of HIV in his blood rose initially, by the end of the twelve week trial period, it had dropped to an undetectable level. While the Trenton Patient’s results are amazing, five other patients involved in a similar study did not fair so well.

Despite the fact that both Timothy Brown and the Trenton Patient’s cases represent results that could not likely be replicated in large numbers of patients, their triumphs have renewed hope that a cure to HIV/AIDS is on the horizon. “‘It’s hard to understate how the scientific community has swung in thinking about the possibility that we can do this,’ said Kevin Frost, chief executive of the Foundation for Aids Research, a nonprofit group. ‘Cure, in the context of H.I.V., had become almost a four-letter word.’”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/29/health/new-hope-of-a-cure-for-hiv.html?pagewanted=all

World AIDS Day Candlelight Memorial Vigil in Asheville

Join the Western North Carolina AIDS Project and World Camp for a candlelight vigil in Pack Square on December 1st from 7-9 pm.
Be sure to visit the 2011 AIDS Memorial Quilt, which is on display from today through December 3rd at the Pack Place Pavilion. For more information, please visit:
http://www.wncap.org/wad/

Holiday Gifts that will EDUCATE.INSPIRE.CHANGE.

2011-11-21T11:20:00.005-05:00

Team up with World Camp this Holiday season by dedicating gifts that will transform communities in Malawi. Choose the projects you want to support and dedicate your gifts in the name of loved ones. We'll send them notification of your gift with a special Holiday card and connect you to the communities you help!

TEACH A CHILD TO READ & WRITE

Suggested gift: $25

TRAIN & EQUIP COMMUNITY LEADERS
It takes a village - leadership workshops engage all community stakeholders in the process of establishing goals and services. Engaging and mobilizing all stakeholders builds a legacy sustained by the community themselves. $5 sponsors a community member's participation in a leadership workshop.
Suggested gift: $75

PROVIDE BOYS AND GIRLS LIFE SKILLS TRAINING

Suggested gift: $125

SEND A CHILD WITH HIV TO CAMP HOPE

Suggested gift: $275

Please visit our website and choose your gift that will

EDUCATE.INSPIRE.CHANGE.

African Risk Capacity Program Responds to Rise in Extreme Weather

2011-11-18T16:01:00.001-05:00

http://www.africanriskcapacity.org/index.html

A new report linking climate change and recent extreme weather events was released today in Kampala, Uganda by the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report is the culmination of a two-year process involving 100 scientists and policy experts and predicts that certain types of extreme weather will multiply in number and intensity as human-induced global warming increases in the future. Specifically, the IPCC found that there is at least a 66% chance that greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activities, including coal-fired power plants and fuel burned through transportation, have led to an upsurge in climate extremes. Although the report was hesitant to draw any conclusions relating human-induced greenhouse gas emissions to hurricanes, tropical storms, and tornadoes, it did cite human activity as the likely culprit for the rise in record-high temperatures, fewer record lows, and greater coastal flooding.

Furthermore, the report stated that damage incurred through recent weather catastrophes has become exorbitant due to the “[r]apid urbanization and growth of megacities, especially in developing countries . . . [which] have led to the emergence of highly vulnerable urban communities, particularly through informal settlements and inadequate land management.” While the industrialized world worries about economic and insured losses due to extreme weather, developing nations’ losses are typically measured in human lives and proportion of gross domestic product.

To cope with the increased frequency of extreme weather and its effects on vulnerable populations, the African Union has created the African Risk Capacity (ARC) program. As an alternative to the current system, which provides funding for disasters only on an ad hoc basis, the ARC would establish contingency funding that could become available automatically when extreme weather hit. The ARC is modeled on the Caribbean Catastrophe Rick Insurance Facility, a program that “uses a parametric instrument to trigger payouts, which means that the payment is triggered by measurements of the intensity of the event rather than an assessment of damage incurred, thus ensuring quick release of funds at times affected countries need it most.”

For more on the African Risk Capacity program:
http://www.africanriskcapacity.org/background.html

For coverage of the IPCC’s report:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/report-climate-change-means-more-frequent-droughts-floods-to-come/2011/11/15/gIQAfwqHXN_print.html

To find out more about the IPCC:
http://www.ipcc.ch/

Is an AIDS-free Generation Possible?

2011-11-14T10:51:00.000-05:00

In a speech given Tuesday at the National Institutes of Health, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced a major shift in U.S. fight against AIDS, which she hopes will lead to an “AIDS-free generation.” Whereas the previous focus under President George W. Bush was on ABC: abstinence, being faithful, and using condoms; the Obama administration wants to concentrate on circumcision, mother-child transmission and “test-and-treat” solutions. In other words, the strategy is no longer aimed solely at prevention, but rather at scientific intervention and treatment.

Mrs. Clinton’s speech was praised by many, including Dr. Unni Karunakara, international president of Doctors Without Borders, who called it “very encouraging to see the U.S. government wanting to turn the latest H.I.V. science into policies that will save lives while beginning to reverse the epidemic.” Others, like Dr. Mead Over of the Center for Global Development, were more cautious, stating that “[Mrs. Clinton’s] vision for an AIDS-free generation is ambitious, but we don’t have strong evidence yet that we can achieve that.”

While Mrs. Clinton did not address many details, such as funding, she did articulate one specific goal: to eradicate mother-to-child transmission of the disease by 2015. She also emphasized the importance of circumcision for men, multidrug cocktails for pregnant woman, and treatment of patients from the date of infection instead of when symptoms first appear as measures to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Drug companies such as Mylan, maker of an antiretroviral drug which treats one third of HIV/AIDS patients in the developing world, are encouraged at the shift in the administration’s policy. In reaction to Clinton’s speech, Mylan’s president Heather Bresch commented, “

While the generics industry has made significant contributions toward making HIV/AIDS medicines more affordable, we believe the focus must now turn to expanding access to treatment for more people. As such we’re heartened that the Obama administration is embracing treatment as prevention and rallying global leaders to help end the global HIV/AIDS pandemic by making the creation of an ‘AIDS-free generation’ a policy priority.

AIDS activists across the world also applauded Clinton’s speech and the administration’s bold new scientific focus in fighting the disease, which is thought to infect nearly 34 million people worldwide.

To read the New York Times recap:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/health/policy/hillary-rodham-clinton-aims-for-aids-free-generation.html
And for some reactions from Africa:
http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story.asp?storyid=%7Bfacbe32c-ab0a-4cce-83ec-3e0dc4cbda31%7D
Watch Clinton’s entire speech at the NIH here:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid52223497001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAAGWqYgE~,KxHPzbPALrFyReeXAVeKZGa43PKUv3A9&bctid=1265084101001

War on Malaria

2011-11-04T15:40:00.005-04:00

When most people think of disease in Africa, HIV/AIDS typically comes to mind as the most severe problem; however, malaria claims more lives annually and creates a miserable yearly routine for many Africans. During the rainy season in Malawi, which runs from November to April, many villagers end up contracting malaria multiple times. It is difficult to find a Malawian family that is untouched by the disease, which is the leading cause of death in the country. In a “From the Field” article on the Malaria Vaccine Initiative’s website, the Jackson family from Chakwindima, a rural village west of Lilongwe, is profiled. Despite taking precautions, the Jacksons contracted the disease a total of 14 times between 5 family members over the course of the 2007-2008 malaria season.

“We sleep under bed nets every night,” said Jacques Jackson, 36, the father. “But we also spend some time in the early evening outside,” a time thick with mosquitoes, which transmit the disease-causing parasite to humans when they bite them.

Mary Jackson, the mother, “prepares food for us and cooks outside. The children like to be close to their mother, and so they are outside with her. And maybe they even are bitten when they sleep under the nets, because they often roll right up against the nets, where the mosquitoes can get them.”

http://www.malariavaccine.org/FromthefieldSeptember2008.php

By James Ratemo, jratemo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Wednesday, October 19 2011 at 15:32

In fact, malaria claims close to 800,000 lives annually, most of which are young children living in Sub-Saharan Africa, and costs African countries more than $12 billion in lost GDP. With staggering figures such as these, it is easy to see how a potential solution to the malaria crisis could change the lives and futures of millions of Africans. Although malaria vaccines have been in the works for decades, none have come close to the success of the recent Phase III trials of RTS,S, a drug first developed by GlaxoSmithKlein over 25 years ago to be used by the U.S. military. More recently, the project has been backed by grant monies from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is committed to eradicating malaria worldwide.

Preliminary results from Phase III trials of RTS,S, released October 18, 2011, show that it protected nearly half of the children who received it with acceptable safety and tolerability. Clinical trials will include tests of over 15,000 children and are scheduled to continue through 2014.

To read the entire article:

http://www.nation.co.ke/News/africa/New+vaccine+fights+malaria+better++study+shows/-/1066/1258052/-/item/0/-/frsujp/-/index.html

And check out this video from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, whose $200 million grant is contributing to the development of RTS,S:

Educational Follow-Up: Mkhosi and Matapila

2011-10-21T06:50:00.007-04:00

Muli Bwanji!

Reinier and George are back in Lilongwe after spending two awesome weeks in two of our potential partner communities: Matapila and Mkhosi.

We’re glad to say that our experience could not have been any better and the Educational Follow-Up Program has proven to be a big hit in rural Malawi!

Upon arrival, we received a warm welcome by all the teachers, students, and community members who remembered World Camp from our camps and homestays this summer.

The headmasters of both schools invited us to stay with them for the week, something they probably regretted after realizing that we couldn’t stop asking them about education, HIV/AIDS, activism clubs, hyenas, and black mambas. However, all these questions as well as meetings with key stakeholders in the communities helped us to develop a clear understanding of the structures, struggles, and opportunities that exist. We soon became amazed about how much was being done by the village headmen, SMC/PTA committees, support groups, and many others despite the huge challenges that these communities face. Also, the constant quest for skills and training instead of “things” or “kwacha” really enabled us to have insightful talks about moving forward.

All these key stakeholders brought their energy, ideas, and concerns to our Leadership Workshop at the end of the week. Seeing the SMC/PTA talk about their responsibilities, village headmen discussing with students how they could help clubs to be more active, and teachers brainstorming about ways to increase peer education could not have been more inspiring. Our field assistants did an amazing job facilitating this process, because truly seeing the community discuss educational improvement among each other was exactly what we hoped for.

Last, during both weeks we started Empowerment Writing Workshops with St. 8 students. We had contacted NGOs, World Camp alumni, and other experts on how to effectively teach young people about creative writing but still were a bit nervous to see how it would play out in practice. We worked closely together with all the teachers and carefully explained what short stories, poetry, and journaling are all about. The students insisted to write in English and both the boys and the girls were excited about becoming awesome writers. We told them that they should see the journals that we gave them as new friends that they can talk to about anything, which helped to really make it an empowerment writing class.

Read Alefa's introduction to her short story to get a bit of an idea what their stories were about:

“My Birthday”

“A long time ago there was my birthday. But this day was very happy because there were many people on this day.

I welcomed many friends, these friends are Charity, Dyna, Cathirin and Yustina.

This birthday started at 2:00pm and finished at 6:00pm.

When it finished there were two girls and two boys, these children were going to the forest at 7:30pm and this one girl was HIV positive.

At the forest was sexual intercourse.

Because of sexual intercourse they contracted HIV. Then all the girls died and the boys contracted HIV.

When I go there two years later the boys are also dead.

Many people in the area suffer from HIV and AIDS and in our area, population is decreasing and children of orphanage are increasing.”

It was amazing to see that many of the students were able to give some of their sad stories a positive twist by looking critically at themselves and describing how they could do something to put a smile on their own face and on that of others.

These students definitely made us smile, and writing this blog puts a smile on my face again. What makes me even happier though is thinking back of how involved, excited, and helpful all the teachers were during these workshops. Seeing these teachers work incredibly hard in overcrowded classrooms and being able to provide them with new ideas on how to empower their students is what cannot make me stop smiling!

Let's make sure we water it!

2011-09-27T04:50:00.005-04:00

Muli bwanji!

It has been over a month since the last interns and coordinators left Lilongwe after two awesome summer sessions. John, Vito and Angoni still talk about how much fun they had with the mzungus over the summer and they hope that you will all come back sometime soon!

Over these past 4 weeks Reinier and Michael have been working hard on developing ways in which we can make our work even more sustainable. Many brainstorm sessions, phone calls, and headaches later we developed what we call the “Educational Follow-Up Program”.

This summer we started meeting with key stakeholders in our target communities: the School Management Committees and Parent Teacher Associations. These committees argued that they would like to be more involved with World Camp’s activities in order to make the entire community part of educational improvement. Their call for community participation and follow-up support encouraged us to return to 2 potential partner communities, Mkhosi and Matapila, in order to respond to this identified need. Both these communities struggle with high student/teacher ratios, many social barriers related to HIV/AIDS, and a general lack of basic knowledge on HIV.

Our team, consisting of Michael, Reinier, Chikabachi, Cyrus, Cathy, Winter, and George, will be working on several activities.

First, we are going to conduct an in-depth community assessment in order to better understand issues surrounding stigmas, healthcare, educational outreach, and many others as well as the role of the local CBO in this. This information will help us develop a clear picture of our potential partner communities and enable us to more effectively conduct possible future activities.

Second, Reinier and George will be staying with the community for a week to facilitate an empowerment writing workshop. We have identified that our empowerment sessions need more sustainability and strongly believe that creative writing could help students get certain things off their chest and make sensitive topics discussable.

Third, at the end of the week we will conduct an intensive educational follow-up workshop. We will divide the community up into 4 groups (teachers + headmaster, community members, students, and the SMC/PTA) and each field assistant will work with a specific group of their choice. We’ll be strengthening activism clubs, provide follow-up teacher training, increase awareness among the SMC and PTA of their responsibilities in improving educational standards, and conduct HIV/AIDS workshops with the wider community. At the end of the day each group will participate in a collective “Jungle Walk” and present their action plan on working towards educational improvement related to HIV/AIDS to the other groups.

We are all very excited about this as we truly believe that this follow-up program will increase the continuation of our impact in our partner communities!

Wangari Maathai once said “until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you haven’t done a thing. You are just talking”. In a certain sense this relates closely to World Camp’s educational activities at our partner communities: we conducted educational camps and teacher training, now let’s make sure we water it and make it survive!

And now for a word from our Youth to Youth (Y2Y) team!

2011-08-19T04:41:00.024-04:00

The Y2Y session in Malawi wrapped up last week after a very successful four week program. Here are some highlights from our three amazing volunteers, Maïlyse, Lindsey, and Lucy:

“It is the first day of our first camp, Balangombe, and the bus pulls up to school. Before we are even able to park we are bombarded with smiling kids who are yelling and cheering. I think that is when it finally hit us all that we are in MALAWI! Morning songs that first day were by the far the best of the whole trip. There was an overwhelming amount of energy from everyone. The whole morning was a whirl of excitement, especially when we got assigned our first class.

No other day of camp can compare to that first day, it was amazing and everything we wanted.

Our next favorite memory comes from Balangombe as well. It was our third day and probably the hardest, funniest, most exhausting day from the whole trip. This day was probably the most memorable day of our whole stay here. We learned how to keep control of our kids, how to NICELY tell them to be quiet, and most importantly, we learned how to laugh at ourselves, and be patient when things don’t go perfectly.

Our first weekend we went to Lake Malawi with just Y2Y, it was some great bonding time. The next day, we taught a modified HIV curriculum in a really great center for local disadvantaged kids. The kids were all ages, and had a ton of fun in class and showing us their gardens. It was a good experience!

We arrived at our third camp with a sign saying, “You are most welcome to Kasiya Primary School.” The minute we got off the bus, we knew this was going to be another amazing school! And it sure was!

At the end of our four days when it was time to give them their very own AIDS Ribbons, they were bouncing off the wall…literally. We definitely were thankful for their enthusiasm.”

Next stop was SAFARI! While driving to Wildlife Camp, we saw an elephant and Mailyse was…let’s just say, excited! We were greeted by the owner telling us that it’s not uncommon for hippos, elephants and even lions to come at our tent! We took a safari drive that night. It was beautiful to see the sunset and animals! We saw a leopard, hyenas and even a fearless honey badger.”

Thanks to our wonderful Y2Y volunteers for all their hard work, enthusiasm, and positive energy this summer! We are excited to start incorporating some new changes to the curriculum and program that this Y2Y group helped develop.

Submitted by: Maïlyse Ferber, Lucy Keener, Lindsey Wirht, Malawi Y2Y 2011 volunteers; Rachel Dudasik and Katie Sacca, Y2Y 2011 Program Coordinators

Chiyembekezo (Hope)

2011-08-14T11:34:00.008-04:00

Heartbreak. At first glance, Malawi is heartbreak. A raw, unyieldingly vivid picture of the pains and sorrows of my heart. The landscape is barren for miles, sweeping toward a lone tree resting in solitude on its hilltop outlook. Girls tell me calmly, evenly, that an obstacle they face in achieving their goals is being raped and beaten by men. Children beg insistently for money, pencils, food, anything. Students ask innocent questions like: “If HIV is in the body, why can’t we just take it out?” that dig into me like thorns. Questions that leave me wishing it were that simple.

But then I close my eyes and open them again. And I see a changed Malawi. A Malawi that is happiness. I see Malawi for what it truly is. An earnest-faced teacher pats my hand and calls me his daughter while another shows me how to drive an ox cart community members volunteered for the purpose. Passerbies on the street always have a wave, a smile, or a thumbs-up to offer. Students run alongside our bus as we pull up to their school and crowd around the car door to greet us as we step out. Women welcome me into their homes and teach me to do chores while chattering away in a language I cannot comprehend. Standing in a dance circle under a still sky streaked with milky stars, my heart feels full and at peace.

Malawi: you have inspired me to keep on fighting on gritty step at a time. You are a hopeful country, a country with conviction and joy and dreams of a brighter future. So let us hold hands as brothers and sisters—equals—and march forward together towards that glimmering orb peaking over the horizon. Let us march together, struggle together, believe together, and keep moving forward. Forward toward that brighter future. One step at a time.

Chiyembekezo

(Hope)

Submitted by: Michelle Ju, Malawi SS2 Intern

A night in the village

2011-08-14T03:56:00.004-04:00

Today is my 30^th day in Africa! I can say without hesitation that the most beautiful and frustrating moments of my life so far have taken place here in Malawi. Last night we spent the evening in a nearby village and slept in villagers’ homes. I have never felt so welcomed in a new place. You know those moments where you look around at your surroundings and just feel grateful to be alive? Last night I experienced one of those moments. After being honored with a feast of nsima, the women and children of the village treated us to the most incredible song circle. When they asked us to sing our own songs, we burst out in renditions of The Lion King!! Then, I caught a glimpse of the sky; I have never seen stars like that before. With my neck tilted towards the stars, songs all around me, I just took in everything. I captured that moment to remember forever. So happy. I’m missing home, but much more thrilled to be here. Hello, from Africa!

Submitted by: Catherine Valentine, Malawi SS2 Intern.

Behind the Internship: The Carolina Way

2011-07-28T23:41:00.000-04:00

Dean gives a shout out to the Carolina Way
on top of Mt. Nkhoma, Malawi.

I'm here, in Malawi, because of Eve.

During my final semester of high school, in March of 2008, I finalized my college plans. I was over-eager to end one chapter of my life. To me, my life was just beginning.

In that same month, UNC-Chapel Hill student body president Eve Carson, during her final semester of college, was murdered -- shot on the side of the road after being forced into her car and driven to ATMs to withdraw cash in the middle of night. The fourth gunshot ended her life.

Eve was exceptional.

On top of being elected student body president by her peers, she was a Morehead Scholar (UNC's most renowned and prestigious full scholarship), a member of Phi Beta Kappa (she had a 3.9 GPA), a tutor at local public schools, and a counselor for UNC's camp for incoming new students.

Her multitude of friends cherished her love for life and her capacity for compassion. They light up when they talk about her.

But before she was killed, Eve spoke of something that will never die. Something that I have come to find here in Malawi, 9,000 some miles away from UNC. We Tar Heels call it the "Carolina Way."

Eve's idea of the Carolina Way was something that UNC students have been putting into practice for years, even before she gave it a name.

In 2000, a group of UNC students came to Malawi looking for adventure. They found poverty, disease and hunger in overwhelming amounts. But they also found the warmest people in Africa.

In 2001, World Camp was back. They came prepared with a curriculum to teach in primary schools across Malawi, hoping to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS -- which has devastated nearly 12 percent of Malawi's population. Their idea -- to use practical and sustainable approaches to educate kids in Malawi about the effects of HIV and how to prevent it -- is still in place today.

Since then, World Camp's mission has developed significantly. But the core remains the same; World Camp works to empower children and communities through education. It approaches serious issues in developing countries with basic, engaging techniques. It strives to help communities have happy, educated kids.

Its mission, I've found, is exactly what Eve meant when she defined the Carolina Way. In October 2007 she wrote, "Inclusion, involvement, diversity, acceptance, 'seeking to be great but always remembering that we must be GOOD' - this is just the START of the Carolina Way."

Dean with kids at Chinguwo Full Primary School.

I'm the only Carolina undergrad this time at World Camp, but I see the Carolina Way in everyone I work with. I see it in Malawians too. The Carolina Way is global.

Eve's legacy in Chapel Hill inspired me to do many things. But mostly, I think, it left me wanting to tackle problems -- to commit my life to working for a just and fair world. World Camp shares that notion. Its mission embodies so much of what Eve believed in. And I truly believe that too.

Every day here, my experience stretches any expectation I had before coming. Each conversation teaches me something new. Each interaction increases my love for Malawi. But more importantly, I think, World Camp has renewed my sense of idealism-- my hope that our world's most complex and painful problems can be addressed with simple solutions, small steps and compassion. And from the people of Malawi I see an equal amount of idealism -- a hope for friendship, for knowledge, for the power of mind to handle painful and difficult problems.

World Camp is a product of minds committed to creating a better, healthier and more sustainable world. It is a product of selflessness, of tireless work, of an undying, persistent compassion for humanity.

World Camp is a product of the Carolina Way.

At her funeral, former UNC chancellor James Moeser spoke of the Carolina Way that Eve believed in: "A commitment to others, a commitment of service to the community, to the state, and indeed to the world; a commitment to social justice, to fair play and equal opportunity for all; for the environment; for access to healthcare and affordable education."

World Camp's mission is unique. It's inspiring. The way we deal with devastating problems is practical: educate children and their communities about the facts of HIV/AIDS, malaria and the environment. Make it interactive. Make it fun. Do it with energy. Do it with compassion. Do it for humanity. Seek to be great, remember to be good.

Submitted by: Dean Drescher, Malawi SS2 2011 Intern

Behind the Internship: A Fresh Perspective on Change

2011-07-27T04:46:00.008-04:00

Going into World Camp, my plan was simple: go to college, get a degree, then work for a charity in order to aid the less fortunate. This had been the plan for years, and as far as I could tell, it would remain so. And then I went to my first Malawian school. I went in to teach the kids, but instead found myself learning and receiving, just as much as I was giving. They talked about their cultures, values, their views of azungus (foreigners), their morals, practices, and motives. A whole new world was opened to me, an entirely fresh perspective with which to view everything. It was within that school, within those first few hours, that my plan- my solid, rock-hard, immobile plan- took a one-eighty. Creating change is not about the haves giving to the have-nots. Creating change is about finding a junction where different cultures with different resources and knowledge and beliefs and solutions can come together and mutually give and take. That is where progress can spawn and issues can be resolved.

World Camp emanates this perfectly. While I did not recognize it at first, too full of my own untried notions, after I came to the realization myself, it became obvious that the way the curriculum is built, with the subjects of HIV/AIDS, environmental degradation and gender being discussed instead of lectured, supports and exemplifies this ideal. I have heard it mirrored in coordinators and volunteers alike, all of whom have either been affected by the program or have come to these conclusions individually, and hence have teamed up with World Camp knowingly, so that they too could be a part of the change that is being created here, day by day, discussion by discussion.

Submitted by: Elena Clark, Malawi SS2 Intern

Behind the Internship: A Word from KG

2011-07-25T08:10:00.008-04:00

Alright, we are on Day 16 of World Camp. This is K. G., the only guy in this session other than Reinier, a Program Coordinator (cool dude; he’s from Holland). I’ve been having a great time so far. We finished one school and we’re halfway through the second one. Though we are in a peaceful country, yesterday was a political demonstration, so we stayed in the house just to be safe. That was fun.

Anyways, we hiked a huge mountain on Sunday. This was actually very entertaining, but incredibly exhausting. I’ve been having fun, and I’m certain that everybody else is as well. If anybody who can attend World Camp that hasn’t already is reading this, I sincerely urge you to do so. It has been the greatest experience of my life, and I’m not even halfway through! I’ll miss everyone when I’m in college.

Written by SS2 Intern KG Younger.

Malawi Demonstrations

2011-07-22T12:31:00.000-04:00

Not since the establishment of a democratic governance for Malawi in 1994 has there been such political unrest sweeping the nation. Over the past week groups of demonstrators have taken to the streets in many municipalities across Malawi in protest of fuel shortages, dramatic fuel price increases and overall economic hardship. The demonstrations are unprecedented for this normally tranquil country and come on the heals of rising criticism for repressed civil rights.

We are disturbed by reports of violence in some areas of Malawi and hope that the people and government are committed to peaceful discussions. We want to thank family and friends of World Camp for all your emails and support and want everyone to know that everyone on our team in Malawi is safe and doing well. The location of the World Camp Residence was largely unaffected by the demonstrations and has remained quiet. Our team did cancel all projects for the week and have been taking a much deserved rest and focusing their energies on future program development.

We are all saddened by the loss of life and looting across the nation and hope that genuine dialogue for solutions to the persistent fuel shortages and general economic hardship prevail. World Camp remains committed to supporting a new generation of adults who will help provide simple sustainable solutions to the complex problems of poverty and HIV in Malawi.

On behalf of the entire team in Malawi we thank you for your support and look forward to getting back to work as soon as possible.

Behind the Internship: A first week in Malawi

2011-07-21T07:07:00.008-04:00

It’s the end of the first week and it’s gone by soooo quickly! Our first camp was at Balangombe; it came as a surprise that I ended up leading the teacher workshop, as it is holiday for students in Malawi and there weren’t enough kids for four classes. But, we’re in Africa and things do not always run smoothly here! At first I was nervous because I wasn't prepared. However, I ended up really enjoying the workshop.

Initially I thought that, since HIV/AIDS is such a big problem in Malawi, schools mustn’t be educating children much about it. Turns out, I couldn’t have been more wrong about that. The teachers were so caring and so enthusiastic about learning from our curriculum. Originally this worried me a little because I didn’t want them to feel as though I was telling them how to do their job. It took some of the teachers a few days to open up, the women mainly, but we did have some characters! We took the teachers to observe other interns teaching classes and then discussed what they thought of our information and methods. The teachers were really happy with the activities and games we play with the kids; they said they were fun and kept the kids interested, yet were still thought-provoking and demonstrated that they had learned something. The teachers then spoke about how they could incorporate these activities into their own curriculum or include them in their after school clubs. It was fantastic to see this!

Although I couldn’t have hoped for better staff, it’s sad to think of the limitations and lack of resources these teachers face. Our studies in England include activities such as going on trips, watching videos and downloading podcasts. We have access to all these effective methods but don’t even realize how lucky we are. In fact, a lot of us complain about school. The teachers, however, addressed this issue throughout the workshop. During their community presentation on day four of camp, the teachers played World Camp's "Population Impact Game" using their own resources. This was so great because it shows that the workshop was a success.

I'm really looking forward to working as a teacher facilitator for our third camp as well. Though I guess it could be a similar experience or something completely different. For now, however, I’m excited to work with kids next week.

I love traveling, so getting to see Africa is a big part of this experience for me. My first impressions has been great. When the plane landed the sun coming up looked so pretty from through the window. Once I'd gone through customs, Karen, a World Camp Coordinator met me; we then set off for the house in a Landrover. It was a lot like how I’d imagined it would be: dusty, a mass of flat grasslands, the bright warm sun, despite the fact that it’s actually winter here right now. Women and children were wrapped in patterned cloths, carrying water on their heads, trekking into the distance, probably with miles left to go.

One image stuck in my head is this traffic queue when the rover came to a halt. A boy, probably about 14 years old, led a blind man up and down the queue, begging along the vehicles. I felt really uneasy, as I realized that, although I was in this beautiful country, I would still see or hear things are would be upsetting. I have explored the town and the markets near our house since then, as well as the villages where we run the camps. But there’s still a lot left to see. Later today we’re climbing a mountain that I’ve been told has an amazing view. One of those views you can see for miles from the top of. So in a nutshell, the bad and the good often come together. In general, I’ve had a great time so far and am really looking forward to the next month.

Submitted by: Katie Wilkinson, Malawi SS2 Intern

Behind the Internship: Challenging Understandings and Decision Making

2011-07-16T05:13:00.001-04:00

"Arriving in Malawi, I can already feel a different atmosphere; one personified by enthusiasm and encouragement. En route to Lilongwe, I heard many times that life is different here. One woman from Malawi put it like this: “In some ways, life in Africa is nicer than it is in America. It’s simpler. You’re not always in competition with others or trying to get ahead.” The land is beautiful in Lilongwe and the people are so welcoming.

The morning after I arrived, I met John, who works at the World Camp House. He greeted me in the kitchen, and automatically said, “Welcome to Malawi” followed shortly thereafter by “Thank you” as he placed both of his hands on my shoulders and repeated that again, “Thank you”. John eagerly introduced me to the other individuals at the house: his wife, Angoni’s wife, and his eldest daughter. As each of them shook my hand, all of the women gripped their wrist and then curtsied with a sign of respect. It was a small gesture, yet it just made me feel very thankful to have them as new companions. Malawi is known as the “Warm Heart of Africa”, and so far, I have no trouble believing it. Although I have met only a few people who have traveled to Malawi before this trip, I can honestly say I have never met a person that has traveled to Malawi and not wanted to return.

Ashley Hedges, Malawi SS2 Intern, with kids from Mchezi's
Youth Group brainstorming ways to help someone with HIV
care for their medical needs.

Friday was our first time traveling out of the house as an entire intern group, and we spent a few hours of the day at Mchezi Community Based Organization. It was an opportunity for us to see the Coordinators in action, teaching the curriculum we would be teaching in just a few days. It was a great atmosphere, but it also reminded me of what brought me to Malawi.

I had the opportunity to work with a small group of students as they completed an activity for class. As a pharmacy student, I was excited to have the opportunity to work with a group of students that were instructed to list the medications that HIV patients have to think about in order to take care of themselves. But before the activity even got started, the boy next to me shared his thoughts about HIV. He said, “If I found out I was HIV+, I would kill myself.” The young gentlemen across from him laughed and then nodded solemnly in agreement with him. Here I was, studying for a doctoral degree in the United States, and a small boy next to me, maybe no older than 8 years old, was not sure he even wanted to live out his future if this change was to occur in his life.

This was the first time I really understood the core of the World Camp mission. I am not here merely to teach a few lessons and clarify a few concepts for kids. Our goal as interns is to challenge the children’s understanding of the concepts they have heard about and then introduce a few new ones. However, more importantly, our goal is to empower these children to feel like they can deal with the difficult decisions they may have to deal with in their lifetime. I recognize that care for an HIV+ person may differ drastically here than it does for Americans in the US, but no 8 year old boy should feel like his life would be over as a result of being diagnosed with HIV.

Just from this one experience, I know that my time here will be challenging, and that I will learn a lot from the children I work with during the next 5 weeks. I only hope that I can leave them with a little bit of inspiration, so that they believe they can take charge of their lives and live life to the fullest, I hope to leave this in return for all of the welcoming, encouragement I already feel from the Malawian people."

Submitted by: Ashley Hedges, Malawi SS2 Intern

Zikomo Kwambili SS1 2011!

2011-07-14T02:20:00.003-04:00

We'd like to give a shout out and huge thank you to all our SS1 interns and all of you who helped get them here!

Our 6 interns came from 2 countries, 4 states, 5 universities, and with wonderfully eclectic personalities and interests. They worked on developing our Effects of Deforestation curriculum section, tested out a new approach to Student Activism, deepened our January group's impact at Mchezi CBO and brought new ways to relax at the WC house with challenging card games, epic ping pong tournaments and delicious new cookie recipes. All in all, it was a great session. If you don't believe us, just check out our numbers:

-Reached 5 school communities

-Conducted 2 outreach projects

-Worked w/30 teachers

-Empowered 369 students

-Met w/4 School Management Committees

-Developed 3 curriculum sections

-Cooked 660 kg of ufa (that's a lot of nsima, even more happy bellies!)

-Consumed 48 jars of peanut butter

Way to go Bri, Jamie, Stewart, Liza Ann, Nicole, and Nick. Hope to see you again soon. Zikomo kwambili!

Behind the Internship: Lessons Through Dancing

2011-07-13T01:32:00.000-04:00

"During one of our weeks at camp, my teaching partner and I were having a very tough time getting the kids we were working with to participate. This was not uncommon, as the topics that we were discussing, HIV in particular, are somewhat taboo topics to bring up. Many of the children were uncomfortable answering questions as well as asking their own.

Bri Skees, Malawi Intern, leading morning games at camp.

Suddenly, I realized that the kids really love to dance. What better way of getting them to participate than to persuade them with something that they love? It worked like a charm. As soon as we told the kids that if they get a question correct, they could come up and dance, kids left and right were raising their hands.

This was a huge relief on so many levels. First, I was granted reassurance that the children I was working with were taking in the information we were discussing. Secondly, it was such a relief that I finally realized how to get these kids to break out of their shell—using something familiar and fun for them, like dancing! I felt a bit unsure about using this method at first, but I think that one of the goals of World Camp, or at least a goal of mine, is to let kids know that learning about difficult topics is important, but they don’t need to feel uncomfortable learning about them. Difficult topics can be intertwined with fun, off-topic activities, especially if it can increase their learning abilities.

It is okay to venture from the curriculum for the benefit of your students, and that was a very important lesson for me to learn. Kids all over the world love to have fun. While their ideas of what fun might be vary incredibly, it is a commonality with all children. Therefore, learning what your kids think is fun and persuading them with those activities is perfectly fine, as long as they are learning along the way."

Submitted by: Bri Skees, Malawi Intern SS1 2011

Outreach Project: Increase Condom Use and Decrease HIV/AIDS Stigmas

2011-07-11T00:34:00.001-04:00

Mchezi CBO in Malawi.

Recent success with World Camp outreach projects in Malawi remind us of Margaret Mead's words, "Never doubt that a small group of dedicated individuals can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

Well lately, that small group of people includes World Camp interns and villagers in Mchezi, and that change is combatting HIV transmission by breaking down barriers and stigmas associated with condom use.

Proper, consistent use of condoms significantly reduces the likelihood of HIV transmission. It is a crucial element in combatting HIV/AIDS, as unprotected sex is the most common mode of HIV transmission worldwide. The Cochrane review study reports that condom use can reduce HIV transmission by as much as 94% (Source: World Health Organization Reproductive Health Library)! Yet in many places around Malawi, stigmas against condom use, and even a lack of knowing how to use a condom, are quite prevalent. Thus, condom use is an important element of World Camp's HIV prevention curriculum at both schools and during outreach projects.

World Camp first worked with members at Mchezi this past January 2011. Our 6 interns worked with CBO members of all ages for a 1 day workshop. The group centered topics around the biological basics of HIV/AIDS. Interns covered how the virus is passed from person to person and how individuals can protect themselves and their loved ones from contracting HIV. Proper condom use was a major focus of World Camp’s work that day. This workshop included demonstrations on the proper use of both male and female condoms; interns also answered numerous questions about condom use, effectiveness, manufacture and safety. Though the group realized they had only reached the tip of the iceberg of a very important issue, interns nonetheless left Mchezi that day feeling successful in how they tackled the misconceptions surrounding condom use.

And now we have the data to prove World Camp’s programming helped promote condom use within the communities surrounding Mchezi! In 2010, Mchezi distributed a monthly average of 82 male condoms and just 4 female condoms. However, since World Camp’s programming in January 2011, distribution at Mchezi increased to a monthly average of 166 male and 85 female condoms!! In other words, more than twice as many male condoms and twenty times as many female condoms are currently being used by members of Mchezi CBO and those living nearby!

The above images reflect Mchezi’s logs of their monthly condom distribution.

Just three weeks ago, World Camp’s Summer Session 1 interns ventured back to Mchezi to conduct a follow-up project. Interns reviewed the basics of HIV/AIDS and the benefits of condom use. In an effort to deepen our impact, interns also worked with groups to tackle issues of stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

This past weekend, World Camp headed back to Mchezi for a third workshop! Programming included more information on the biology of HIV/AIDS and how the virus can affect anyone. Teachers covered the practical and realistic ways members of Mchezi can assist those living with HIV and further fight stigma and discrimination. Stay tuned for updated condom distribution numbers and feedback from both World Camp and Mchezi participants!

Submitted by: Karen Clark, Malawi Program Coordinator

Behind the Internship: Face, Eyes, and Smile

2011-07-03T08:19:00.001-04:00

About one and a half years ago I watched the movie “I Am Because We Are”. A friend rented it and at first I had little to no interest in watching it. I had no idea what it would do to me and how my life would eventually be forever changed. I ended up searching and discovered getting to Malawi was not as easy as I had originally hoped. Malawi is very poor and is not one of the Sub Sahara African countries that has an easy access to link up with a Non-Government Organization regardless of if it is faith based or not. I started making phone calls, sending emails and soon I heard about World Camp for Kids. Little did I know that about 10 years prior a group of university kids stepped out with heart, kindness and generosity to make a difference in Malawi, Africa. Little did they know that their efforts would lead to a Canadian boy 10 years later getting a chance to go out and be a drop in the ocean of the world of need. World Camp opened the door for this kid to come to Malawi and for me to really see what it means to serve, learn and grow as an individual and with others. I feel on purpose, and I hope that one day you and I are serving with World Camp in Malawi!! But what is purpose anyways?

While growing up and still today I often ask myself and ponder what is the meaning or purpose of life. What is the end the result supposed to look like? What is the role of relationship with people who frustrate you and others whom you adore and cannot close your eyes without thinking about? What does it even mean to be a “good person” in a world filled mostly with individuals who are selfish and cannot love themselves let alone others ……………. This includes myself?!

At age 37 a women followed the call of her heart. I wonder for these first 37 years the battles and struggles she faced, did she face the same questions I listed above. Is it perhaps the fact that her inner soul cried out for answers that she responded and lived a life on purpose. A woman not married, a human like us, created by God, saved by Christ but perhaps still facing doubt and confusion.

This woman has been a huge impact on my life.

“Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.”

Mother Teresa

Face: Our face is more then simply what we look like. It can show joy or stress. It can show our youth or our long days. It can show innocents or guilt. As a young baby it is what will draw people in to pinch, kiss or tickle us. As a teenager it can lead us to feel so low about ourselves that we don’t want to live. When old it can be the image of “Wisdom” for the young grandchildren in our lives. It can bring peace to a person’s heart or anxiety to their soul. We must never forget this, it is our face but it is all our faces that make the world. Poverty once had a face to me, an idea. Coming to Malawi showed me the characteristics of that face. The little things, the things I have grown to like. The things I didn’t notice at a distance.

Eyes: The window to soul! The path to the heart perhaps? The point where truth meets fiction. The eyes are more powerful then we know. They allow us to see the world so we can have it become part of who we are. At the same time anyone can look into our eyes and see us. The eyes filter what we look at, what we focus on which then leads to what we focus our attention too. A pure mind and heart often can be linked directly to the eyes and what we have allowed them to enjoy. We tend to forget however the eye holds the source of deep inner hope, future and love for the world around us. In the eyes of a friend, a lover or a stranger we can find either a light to start our fire or coldness that can in a moment extinguish our flame. In Malawi while at the schools with the kids I find I cannot stop looking into the eyes of the many little characters that surround me. I feel so blessed to spend the days looking into the eyes of angels.

Smile: In a song by Semisonic they say “Nobody knows it but you’ve got a secret smile”. Wow, anytime I have got to see someone’s secret smile my heart has melted. Right now I think of my brother Nathan’s secret smile when we grip hands and know we are friends by choice!! My brother Shawn who has a grin which can get me excited to go out and live life! Or my brother Jonny’s who makes me want to never not be kind to another person again. I also think of other people’s and without a doubt just as impacting. We all have experienced this and I am sure without realizing it always we have offered it. But that is a secret smile. What about our daily smile!! In life we often have so much going on that we frown our way to tomorrow having no idea the impact we are having. When ever we get a chance to realize this we need to take a moment and force a smile. It is not about fake happiness, it is about being a joyful light. Also smiles are contagious so why not cause someone else to do this small gesture that can change lives. The people of Malawi seem to smile the moment it is needed. The moment you come in range of seeing it!! Maybe it is cause they are not so worried about building the same colored fence as the Jonse’s. You’ve got a secret smile, make it more public.

What is the driving source behind smile, eyes and face? Why do some people seem to naturally have that magic ingredient while some of us really struggle to demonstrate any kind of glow? I would propose it comes down to “Kindness”. Kindness is not so simply action or feeling. It is a combination of both. At times kindness will be initiated by feelings which lead us to take action, while other times we must be ready and hopefully willing to take an action that demonstrates kindness even when we don’t feel like it. Kindness also comes from a heart of giving up self just a little bit. This often will be in direct relation to personal time which for most of us is very valuable but sadly not used efficiently anyways. I encourage you to seek kindness, at all cost find it out and have it part of your life. There is also a secret about kindness you must also know…………………………….. It will make you all the richer in the truly purposeful ways!!

I am days away from leaving Malawi for the second time. I hate leaving!! But I knew when coming on this mission that I could not wait to come to Malawi a third time. We humans are limited to needing to leave in order to return!

“Let Know One Ever Come To You Without Leaving Better and Happier. Be the Living Expression of God’s Kindness: Kindness In Your Face, Kindness In Your Eye’s, Kindness In Your Smile”

Mother Teresa, A Women who at Age 37 Started to Change the World.

Submitted by: Nick Felgate, Malawi SS1 2011 intern

Behind the Internship: 800 kilometers from Chipala

2011-06-29T17:50:00.001-04:00

I looked down at my left hand. The dirt that had covered my palm and painted my fingers since earlier that morning had now turned to a streaky, brown mud. This probably had a lot to do with the fact that I had spent the last 45 minutes hand in hand with a little girl who was leading us towards her village. The sweat created between our intertwined fingers had led to a hand-holding session turned rather muddy. Yet, I looked down at this little girl, and smiled. It was about all we could do. She only spoke Chichewa; I only spoke English. Yes, I had picked up a few token words and phrases in the past 4 weeks, but let me be clear, that after we had gotten past “what is your name?” and “how are you today?” my Chichewa skills were limited to the subject matter I’d been teaching in her school. For some reason, I had a feeling this young girl wasn’t in the mood to discuss “blood to blood transmission” (magazi ku magazi) or go over some of the fluids that carry HIV (umuna, ukazi, etc.). Thus, we were left with smiles and a mud-filled hand-in-hand walk from the school to her village.

However, about 15 minutes into the walk, a thought occurred to me, along with some of the other interns. Song. That was something we all had in common. Repeat after me songs were something that all Malawian children I’ve come across truly seem to love. And so it began. First, some easy ones, “head, shoulder, knees, and toes,” “if you’re happy and you know it clap your hands,” and even a little “row, row, row your boat.” After working through these absolute classics we glanced down at one of the young boys accompanying us on our walk whose name was Happy and inquired as to about how much further it would be to his village. His response? “Hmm, probably about 800 kilometers” – Interesting. Although it was likely that something had gotten lost in translation, we decided it was time that we step up our song-singing game. After all, we were surrounded by about 40 7^th grade students who were leading us down this dirt road towards the village, and now, we had gotten their hopes up that we had fantastic repeat-after-me sing alongs to fill the next 800 kilometers. It was time to get creative.

Since we had done a pretty thorough job of covering the basics, we started introducing a slightly more diverse repertoire. After a quick minute or two of brainstorming, I felt up to the task. We spent the next 800 kilometers (or approximately 30 minutes) singing musical masterpieces such as “We got more bounce in California,” “I believe I can fly,” and a personal favorite, repeated verses of “Tonto, Jump on it.” We laughed, we sweated, and we laughed some more as much of the songs got lost in translation. However, 3 verses into a classic Taylor Swift melody, we began to see the outline of the village. That’s when it struck me for the first time. I had just completed the walk that each of these children did twice a day, to and from school. I began to smile, for it dawned on me that Happy had not misunderstood my question. It probably DID feel like 800 kilometers between the village and school when it was a walk you did with such frequency.

Upon arriving, we were seated under a patch of trees with the village Chief and all of his headmen. Within a few minutes of our arrival, most of the community had gathered for the event. After working in the school that is associated with this community for the past four days, each class of Standard 7 students had prepared a small presentation about one of the topics we had discussed (HIV or Deforestation). Even the teachers prepared a small, informative presentation about how to care for someone with HIV. Usually, these presentations are held at the school, and our largest audience includes the students themselves, some small children who have lingered around the school for the afternoon, and some wandering goats, stopping by to investigate all of the commotion.

As I looked around I realized there was probably close to 300 people who had taken time out of their day to come and watch the small presentations created by their children. Though this may seem like an obvious course of action for those of us accustomed to the American lifestyle where parents are front row at every recital, play, and spelling bee throughout our adolescence, this was a big deal for the parents of this community. Their daily tasks and responsibilities do not usually leave time for such luxuries as they were indulging in this afternoon. I was truly honored. As I glanced down at the Standard 7 students who had certainly noticed the large crowd that had now formed, I could tell, they were too.

Submitted by: Stewart Jones, Malawi SS1 2011 intern

Behind the Internship: Homestay and a New Appreciation for Life in Malawi

2011-06-25T09:51:00.000-04:00

WC Intern Liza Anne doing morning
chores in Mkhosi village.

“Hi, my name is Stephen.” These words seem so simple, yet were so soothing to hear upon reaching my home stay house. My biggest worry about staying in a village was being unable to communicate with the family and members of the village. I was not worried about not being able to communicate in terms of not getting what I wanted, but because I wanted to make sure that the family knew how happy I was to be with them. Home-stay was the biggest learning curve that I have had during my time in Malawi and I am so grateful that I jumped right into the opportunity.

When Stewart and I first arrived, all of the women in the village quickly greeted us. They had us dance for them; it felt like an initiation into the village. After dropping our stuff off at the house, we walked down the hill to draw water from the pump. Stewart and I struggled carrying two small bowls on our heads while the five year old girls passed us with huge buckets. I quickly learned that my domestic village skills needed some improvement. Our next task was making nsima for the family.

It was a challenge to make nsima that could actually be eaten. We were thrown into the process and there was no dress rehearsal. We sat outside in the dark stirring nsima in a tiny bowl over three small pieces of firewood. I was much more successful at making the dinner than carrying water, and we quickly moved inside to eat.

After dinner, Stewart and I were whisked away outside because there were “a few people” that wanted to see us. When we got out the door there were about fifty women and children thrilled to greet us. We spent the next hour and a half showing off our amazing American dance moves. The girls would throw us into the circle and watch our ridiculous renditions of their traditional dances. I smiled and laughed more in that time than I have in a very long time. Although I could not communicate with our new friends, I felt like I had known them my whole life. I felt like I was a part of the family already.

The next morning we did more chores than I could have ever imagined. We pounded maize, shelled ground nuts, drew water, swept the front of the house, watered crops, and built ridges and mounds for the farm, all before 7am. We stopped only to try sugar cane straight from the family farm.

Leaving the family and the village in the morning was hard to do; I soaked up every minute that I was there. The hardest connection to make is that although home-stay is a one-night experience for us as interns, for many it is just every day life. Learning about how Malawians live each day and the work they put into having a happy life is something that will resonate with me for years to come. I have learned so much about the culture and the students that I teach through staying in the village. My only hope is that one day I will be able to return the favor that Stephen’s family gave to me.

Submitted by: Liza Anne Ballentine, Malawi SS1 Intern 2011

Behind the Internship: Hummus and Humanity

2011-06-12T16:36:00.001-04:00

Last night was my night to cook dinner for the whole crew. I embarked on this task with great trepidation. My meal was to follow some culinary masterpieces, including pad thai, delicious chili, and a killer rice dish. With a MK 2500 (the equivalent of 16 US dollars) limit and the prerequisite that group dinners must be vegetarian, cooking for 10 involves some serious creativity and a bargain shopper mentality. After almost an entire week of thought, I decided on my meal: a big bowl of hummus, a big bowl of guacamole, fresh veggies, and a rice dish to accompany it. When in doubt, rely on appetizers.

I should preface by saying that last week, I decided to bake mac and cheese. However, 30 minutes into preparation, the power went out (a weekly occurrence in Lilongwe). I left the noodles on the stove I had started to cook them on. During the power outage, we had retreated to the living room, attempting to get through the evening’s evaluation/curriculum agenda before dinner. when the power came back on 2 hours later, the result was: soggy noodles. Upon returning to the kitchen I found that my block of cheese, left on the counter during the 2-hour lack of lighting, had been graced with a visit from a small animal, type- undetermined. Possibilities: mouse, rat, raccoon, ghost of interns past? Therefore, my baked mac and cheese dish was lacking the cheesy deliciousness that lets be honest, is sort of a staple aspect of the meal. Thus, I was determined to redeem myself this week.

The kitchen is usually a high-traffic area come dinner time, filled with people willing to help cook, give advice, or simply play DJ on iTunes and keep you company. However, we had just finished a long week at Mnkhupa Primary School, which was both rewarding and draining, and most people were posted up on the couch, leaving the kitchen unusually empty. Though the “baked mac and cheese fiasco” left me slightly concerned about the lack of helpers, the “rejuvenated hummus/guac/rice” me was actually excited by the idea of some peaceful reflection time. Besides, my creation was sure to be the next culinary masterpiece created by a World Camp intern.

Step one: guacamole. As I began to cut onions to be added to the dip, I began to cry. I’d like to go on record and say that the small onions, bought in the market in town are hands down the strongest onions on the planet. Crying is inevitable. Nonetheless, I stood there, alone in the kitchen, practically weeping over my cutting board of half-mangled onions. I realized it was the first time since arriving in Malawi that I had found myself in tears... and it felt good. Although I first attempted to quell the tears streaming down my face, I soon stopped, allowing myself to cry. What a refreshing feeling. It had been a whirlwind two-week period since my arrival. I had spent orientation learning many unnerving and incredibly discouraging statistics about HIV/AIDS rates, deforestation problems, and overall poverty in Malawi. I had spent the following days experiencing these statistics first hand. However, as the multitude of onions turned into guacamole, and my tears naturally dried up, I found my thoughts steering away from the immense poverty and HIV rate statistics, instead focusing on the connections I made in my classrooms the past two weeks. When I focus on the individual connections, as opposed to the potentially overwhelming numbers, the problems facing Malawi seem slightly more manageable. With these final thoughts, the guacamole was complete.

Next step: the hummus. A first-time hummus maker, this part of dinner prep was intimidating. However, after glancing at a couple similar recipes, I realized that hummus was hard to mess up. I began throwing in ingredients, a little bit of lemon juice here, a dash of cumin there. Hummus wasn’t quite as hard as I thought it would be. That is, until it came time to mix it all together. This part of the recipe would appear to be a relatively simple task for those who have access to a blender or food processor. However, this task is made exponentially more difficult by those of us mashing garbanzo beans by hand. I began to mash in an organized fashion. Carefully, methodically, mashing each bean to the same degree. As if my iTunes could read my mind, the songs accompanied my mood as I cooked. Bob Marley had come on once or twice during the whole onion ordeal. But as I mashed garbanzo beans, “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan began to play. Next thing I knew, I was no longer worried about the evenly mashed-ness of each bean and found myself really going to town on that bowl of hummus ingredients. I was getting some serious pleasure out of the aggression necessary to thoroughly mash garbanzo beans into submission.

WC Intern Stewart Jones with Standard 7 class at
Mnkhupa Full Primary School.

I find myself thinking about the frustrations that had also been apart of the past two weeks. Of course, there are those “magical” moments when interacting with a child or speaking with a teacher at the local primary school. These moments are wonderful and make the experience worthwhile. But there are the obvious frustrations as well. The feeling that there isn’t even more that I/World Camp/the other interns can do, the small annoyances that we begin to discover when you live AND work with 9 other people, the itchy mosquito bites that run up and down both legs. Suddenly, all of these were being mashed into that hummus, right along with the beans. It was completely invigorating. Small flecks of hummus splatter painted my hair, the wall in front of me, and the counter.

I stopped, put down my mashing device, and smiled. Here I was, in the middle of Lilongwe, Malawi, mashing up garbanzo beans by hand, attempting to one-up last night’s pad thai dinner, and simultaneously releasing my pent up emotions of the roller-coaster that had been the past two weeks. I took a step back, took in the large mess I had made of the kitchen, sipped my bottled coca-cola, and smiled some more. I felt good. REALLY good. I am far from home (a liLONGWAY, as my parents would say) and yet these hummus splattered walls served as a small form of encouragement. I am where I am supposed to be. It’s hard, yes, but more rewarding than words could ever explain.

As we sat down to eat dinner that night, I glanced from person to person, wondering if anyone could taste the revelations and passionate emotion that had been created along with their meal that evening. Week 3 in Malawi? Bring it on.

Submitted by: Stewart Jones, Malawi SS1 2011 Intern

Where Passion Becomes Action

2011-06-01T13:48:00.010-04:00

Now is the time to give, and double your impact. Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent every year in development aid around the world. This support is absolutely critical, but we must question how much time is being spent on the root causes. Children in developing countries are as capable, ambitious and gifted as children from any other part of the world, and World Camp's goal is to help them overcome the burdens of poverty through education.

This month World Camp is teaming up with the Keffer Auto Group in Charlotte, NC to raise money for our initiatives in Malawi that address the root causes of HIV and poverty. World Camp strategically places volunteers within our local and regional development projects to provide holistic education and support to communities. Hundreds of volunteers have given their time and now we need you to give your money to facilitate the training and organization of community leadership to provide common sense development of local ideas by local people.

Every $ you give during this month will be matched by the Keffer Auto Group up to $10,000

By making your contribution this month you can help World Camp raise a total of $20,000 to support the development of sustainable systems that focus on education, health and social services for vulnerable children and families in Malawi. Your financial contribution will support a new generation of adults who will help end the cycle of HIV and poverty within their communities.

will match donations
$ FOR $ up to $10,000

DOUBLE YOUR IMPACT

Behind the Internship: First Impressions in Malawi

2011-05-31T14:56:00.001-04:00

Flying over the Congo to Malawi, I noticed an immediate difference in the land bellow us. Taking off from America, everything was laid out like a small Lego city. Everything was gray; the color of buildings with the occasional splurges of green grass, rainbow cars, and blue waters. Looking down over Africa, it was like a vast land stretching over a reddish-brown blanket. It was accented with black, I’m assuming lakes and rivers that appeared black from my angle. As we got closer to Malawi, I noticed that there were things that looked like winding red dirt ribbons. My first impression was to think that they were rivers, because they meandered very similarly, but when we got closer I realized they were dirt roads.

I’ve never traveled outside of the US, so the entire experience of simply traveling from the Lilongwe airport to our house was a fascinating experience. I feel like I must of looked like a cow or something, staring every direction with my mouth slightly open, drinking every new scene in with hungry eagerness! The roads of Lilongwe were swarming with people. They were all talking, yelling, trying to cross the road, selling goods at small booths, carrying babies, and living. From an outsider’s perspective, it looked a lot like one big family reunion, because everyone seemed to know everyone else. I wanted to jump out of the car and be a part of it all…which of course I didn’t, since I knew better.

It hasn't taken long for me to settle in the house; it already felt a lot like a home. We started orientation within three hours of arrival. With the rigorous day to day process of being thrust head first into the curriculum I should have reviewed more before coming to Malawi. I was suffering extreme jet lag, and it felt like I was a walking zombie for a while there, but going to bed much earlier than I am used to has put me on the schedule quickly.

Our visit to Chisomo on Saturday was the first experience I had with the children. Chisomo is a place that takes children off of the streets and helps them get their feet on track. Even though I was not teaching here (we interns were watching the coordinators teach to see what the curriculum looked like in action), I felt so excited approaching it. The children had the biggest smiles, especially once our program was over. I took my camera out for only a few seconds without knowing how crazy that would make them! I was surrounded by kids begging me to take their picture, let me look at pictures, and posing in front of me excitedly. I have a feeling I will have plenty of pictures when I leave here.

Being here has been such a striking culture shock. The bustling market here reminds me of a combination of the flea market at home and the Disney movie, Aladdin. Eating the staple food, Nsima, was an adventure all in itself. (I’m not very good at eating with my hands, I get it everywhere). No matter what I have been doing, I am falling more and more in love with Africa every day. I miss a lot of people at home, and think about them a lot before I go to sleep, but now I know that when I am home sleeping in my bed, I’ll be missing Africa at night too.

Submitted by: Nicole Bradley, Malawi SS1 2011 Intern

WC Impact Areas: Empowerment-Creative Radicals

2011-05-17T09:13:00.000-04:00

One of the main reasons why I decided to volunteer for World Camp in Malawi in 2009 was because I was impressed by the way in which this organization presented itself: carefully trying to introduce a critical debate among disadvantaged rural Malawian students. WC’s humble, interactive, and confronting approach towards empowerment stayed with me. But, it was not until months after I left Malawi that I started to recognize similarities between WC’s work and the ideas of the Brazilian educationalist Paulo Freire. It’s exactly this similarity that encouraged me to get involved again with WC. This summer I will return to Malawi as a Program Coordinator.

Kids at school. Photo Credit: Katy Lackey

I was first introduced to Freire’s thoughts during my graduate studies. Here I learned that discussions surrounding development processes have generally shifted from social evolutionism and modernization theory towards an increasing emphasis on the inclusion of intended beneficiaries in these processes. Yet, after my experiences working for several NGOs in South Africa, Botswana, and Cameroon I have seen that hopeful notions of participatory development are too often overshadowed by the existence of problematic power inequalities at all levels of society, which makes it questionable to what degree claims of participation are truly empowering.

The existence of these power inequalities – between international donors and NGOs, men and women, teachers and students, etc – makes many people argue that aid to Africa is a Band-Aid, not a long term solution. Yet, by returning to Freirian ideas I believe that there are paths towards more transformative change. Paulo Freire argued that one must educate people in such a way that they are in the position to continuously reflect and act upon their social situation. Eventually, people could then work hand in hand with those who show genuine solidarity and are willing to critically encounter the world (so-called “creative radicals”) in order to recognize and transform existing power inequalities.

Interns Gretchen Visser and Reiner Terwindt present
teacher certificates during community awareness presentations.

During my time in Malawi I learned that students often knew quite a lot about HIV/AIDS and deforestation but they did not always recognize the power that they had to change their social reality. Over the years, WC has worked with these students to further increase their knowledge about the issues that surround them through critical thinking and interactive teaching methods. This way, WC has been able to start a process of carefully increasing beneficiaries’ power to face their struggle. By doing so I believe that WC sets an example for many others trying to support disadvantaged groups. One should not want to fight their struggle for them, but rather be willing to find creative solutions that increase the capabilities of disadvantaged groups to participate in their own fight against existing problems.

I’m really excited to be part of stimulating such critical debates in Malawian classrooms again and by doing so encouraging Malawian students to make themselves stronger!

WC Happenings: India Environment Day in Kindergarten

2011-05-10T15:07:00.000-04:00

World Camp swept Frisco Elementary today. Kindergartners participated in a special lesson about our work in India with Coordinator Katy Lackey.

Katy Lackey, WC Coordinator,
with kindergartners from Frisco Elementary.

The day began with a few rounds of Humba, Humba...ok, 6 rounds, the kids just loved it! Following this, they did the Partner Stand-Up game. That's the one where you sit back to back with someone of similar height, link arms and stand up together, without using your hands. Surprisingly the kids were quite good at working together, though Katy found that kids in America have sneaky ways to win just like kids in India and Malawi (like standing up when the teacher's not looking).

After energizing the group and talking a bit about what it means to be a team, the 13 kindergartners learned about Indian greetings, customs, animals, clothes, food and schools. They were particularly impressed that women carry heavy loads on their heads, cows meander through traffic, the size of dosas and that some kids learn while sitting on the floor instead of desks and chairs.

The group then focused on environmental issues, talking about how trash in the street was unsafe for animals and unhealthy for children. They also learnt what we use trees for and what trees offer us. As Jack so eloquently explained, "They give us air. Also they give us some oxygen. And then we cut them down and burn them in our fireplaces." The kindergartners asked questions, drawing comparisons between deforestation caused by overpopulation in India and deforestation caused by the pine beetle in their small Colorado mountain town. The class successfully played World Camp's "Where Are the Trees?" and "Population Impact" games for a better visual understanding of these issues.

Club Badges

The kids wanted to do something to help Indian kids protect their environment, so Katy inducted them into The Kids Don't Litter Club. Each kindergartner said "I promise I won't litter. And I will teach one person one thing I learned today," then received their official World Camp Kids Don't Litter Club badge.

As most of you know, one aspect World Camp focuses on is building HIV and environmental activism in schools. This most commonly takes the form of community awareness presentations and school impact clubs. The Kids Don't Litter Club is a global kids environmental club. World Camp friends and fellow travelers, Alisa Bright and Tessa Weston, brought the club to our India OTE Program back in 2008. The club actually began in Oregon, though has gained members in El Salvador, Panama, Thailand, South Africa, Vietnam, the Philippines and Malawi since. To be a member, all kids have to do is pick up one piece of trash each day. If (s)he forgets, no big deal, just pick up two when you remember the next day. Of course, members are allowed to pick up more than one piece of litter a day....you never know if there was a member in some other part of the world that forgot to!

Stay tuned, we're gearing up for summer sessions and heading to Malawi next week!

In Celebration of Mothers Everywhere

2011-05-09T02:39:00.000-04:00

"Today is about celebrating the life-giving forces that surround us. It's about strength, support, encouragement, love. Some of us have mothers that embody all these qualities, mothers that never leave our side. Some of us have lost our mothers. Some of us never really had our mothers in the first place. But, whatever the relationship with your mother is, if nothing else, we can appreciate that it is because of her that we are here right now. But today is about mothers everywhere. In India, many will celebrate Mother Ganga (the Ganges River), whose constant flow sustains life throughout the country. Let's honor mothers in all forms and aspects of our lives. Perhaps these are sisters or teachers or friends. The people in our lives that love us for who we are, yet still encourage us to become who we want to be. And also, the mothers in ourselves. The part of ourselves that nurtures new ideas, that gives a piece of ourself to others expecting no return, that loves fully and unconditionally. And let's not forget the Earth. There's a reason why we call her Mother Earth, today we celebrate that. We celebrate the world we live in and the resources that sustain us, let us grow, support us each day."

Photo Credit: Karen Clark

I drew in a deep breath, rooting down into my yoga mat as our instructor spoke. This morning was one of those gorgeous Spring-has-finally-arrived days in Colorado. Bluebird sky, sun dancing along the lake, dry roads and snow-capped mountains. I woke up with the intention of spending the day with my mom. And now here I was, thinking about a million other mothers in a million different places. The girls that World Camp works with, who will one day be mothers themselves. The incredible women I've met around the world and how they've shaped who I am.

Photo Credit: Katy Lackey

We often only think about our own mother on Mother's Day. We celebrate our mother, but maybe what we should be celebrating is what's behind the title, beneath the figure.To be honest, I never thought of taking the day to honor the Earth. Wasn't that what Earth Day was for? However, as the instructor's words washed over me, the idea of life-giving forces sunk in. Perhaps influenced by our class focus on hip openers for the day. Nonetheless, I was brought back to what was quite possibly the best class I had in college. A philosophy course where, on the first day, the professor proposed two questions:

Who were you given to love?

Are you living the life that wants to live in you?

Interesting, because I think these questions relate to this idea of what is life-giving, of what sustains and, at the same time, moves us to become who we are, to become a part of the world. Who has ended up in our lives, for whatever reason, that is life-giving? Those people that stand by us or stand up for us, that encourage and support us? Are the choices we make and the lives we lead life-giving? Do they inspire creativity and breed possibility? The answers to these questions fall back on the qualities we use to describe "mothers." And that is certainly something to celebrate.

So today, we celebrate life-giving mothers. Our founders' mothers, for believing in their kids' crazy idea to build this organization. Our students' mothers who carry heavy loads and fully give each day to their families. Our coordinators' mothers for letting us go again and again to work in-country. Mothers around the world that fight for their child's right to live, even if they were the ones who passed HIV to them in the first place. The Amayis (John and Ngoni's wives) who support our program and make lunches for our students. Our home-stay mothers, who graciously take volunteers in as their own, if only for a night. Female teachers who are often mothers themselves, mothers to their students, and mothers to all of us in helping us question and learn. And to all the future mothers in our female empowerment groups for their strength, openness and hope for the next generation.

Photo Credit: Rachel Dudasik

Photo Credit: Price Massey

Submitted by: Katy Lackey, WC Coordinator

On the Road Again...

2011-04-19T11:21:00.003-04:00

I’m hanging my arm out the window of the World Camp Land Rover that has certainly seen better days, while peering up at the rocky outcroppings jutting high above the lush grasses and maize rows lining the road. With Mount Nkhoma looming ahead Baker eases the Rover off the tarmac and onto a washed out track certainly not passable by any vehicle other than a sturdy four-wheel drive.

It has been 4 or maybe even 5 years since Baker and I have been in the field in Malawi at the same time, which is hard to believe after spending so many years working in rural communities around Lilongwe. Today I am reminded of those early trips spending entire days driving the rickety Rovers along scarred roads full of potholes and deep ruts to pay a visit to our World Camp program sites.

Today was no different as we bounced along, swinging the car left then right in an almost futile effort to avoid rocks and ruts along the neglected roadbed leading to Mkhosi Full Primary. Mkhosi is a small school at the base of Mount Nkhoma and World Camp has been conducting programs here for the past nine years. Our Rover was met with a handful of curious children and familiar teachers quick to point out their participation in World Camp programs of the past.

World Camp has come along way since Baker and I first brought service intern groups to Nkhoma where we camped outside the school and shared lessons about HIV prevention. We take a few moments to reminisce and then load up and head off to our next program site 20km away. We slowly climb a long dirt road and Baker gives a recount of a particular rainy season where the Rover slid off the road and ended up on her side half submerged in sticky mud from the constant rains.

We crest the hill and a sweeping expanse opens up and clumps of orange, red and purple wild flowers wave in the wind among vast rows of maize. We wind our way North towards Matapila Full Primary School, our horizon is framed by a vast escarpment with Nkhoma peaking at us from the East. As we pull up to the school we haven’t even turned off the Rover’s engine when we spot an anxious teacher making a bee-line for us all smiles and waving.

He presents us with friendly handshakes and then he begins to chuckle and excitedly blurts out my name, “Mr. Jesse”! I am instantly regretful for having forgotten his name, but Mr. Kamponda is quick to point out “that time before when I was at that place, remember”? It turns out that Mr. Kamponda was a teacher at a World Camp partner school we had visited in 2003 and was now Head Teacher for Matapila Full Primary School. A testament to the expansive reach World Camp’s programs are having around rural districts of Lilongwe.

We review the details of an upcoming World Camp outreach program scheduled for July and then climb back in the Rover, say our goodbyes and drive off into the burning sun towards Lilongwe.

Make sure you visit worldcamp.CO - follow our latest news and projects. World Camp is dedicated to providing simple solutions to the complex problems of poverty and disease in disadvantaged communities and we need your financial support to sustain our work in partner schools.

WC Happenings: Improvements & Gearing Up for Summer!

2011-04-19T09:26:00.000-04:00

Hello WC friends, supporters and fans! We hope this Tuesday morning finds you well and celebrating Earth Week in whatever small and wonderful ways you can. Come back on Friday for an informative reflection about environmental conservation in Malawi and the US.

If you haven't had a chance, be sure to check out our new website: http://www.worldcamp.co. We're in the process of fine tuning, so let us know what you think. Or if there's anything else you'd like to see! Post it on your facebook wall, in your gchat status, leave it on your friends notebooks....just be sure and share it with everyone you know!

WC Staff Rachel Dudasik and Jesse Pipes speak to college
students about opportunities to work with World Camp.
Photo credit: Heather Walls

As spring rolls in, so does our relentless push to bring in as many people as we can to the World Camp family. That's right, we're in the middle of recruitment, recruitment, recruitment! We still have a few spots left for both the Outreach Through Education and Youth to Youth summer internships. We've all been hard at work, but did you know that the majority of World Camp service interns hear about us from a former volunteer? That means you! Share your World Camp story with 3 new people a week (on the train, at the gas pump, even happy hour), host an info session on your campus, speak to a class about your experience, post flyers around your workplace. We'll help you do it. Let us know where you are and we'll connect you with other World Camp volunteers/staff or send you brochures/flyers to hand out. We understand the economy's tight and parents worry, so refer great applicants to us and we'll send them our fundraising packet and safety information.

Summer sessions begin the end of May, but World Camp has held a strong presence in Malawi this spring. World Camp founders Jesse Pipes and Baker Henson have spent the past number of weeks in country working with local staff, networking and piloting our new partnership with Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative and Hole in the Wall Camps. Check back next week to hear about the camps and what these two have been up to.

We have some exciting new additions to our core World Camp staff, including local board members in Asheville and a year-round on the ground Country Director in Malawi. We'll officially announce these soon, so be sure to visit again.

Happy Earth Week everyone! Have a great one.

Impact Areas: HIV/AIDS-How Do ARVs Really Work?

2011-04-12T23:38:00.000-04:00

Graph Source: http://www.avert.org/universal-access.htm

We hear a LOT about ARVs, but it’s often something we simply refer to when discussing HIV/AIDS treatment. We’ll take this week’s blog post to examine an essential, though sometimes overlooked, question among HIV educators and WC camp participants: How do ARVs actually work?

As most of you know, HIV is a retro-virus that attacks and kills the CD4 cells of a host’s immune system in order to reproduce. ARVs work by slowing, or even reversing, the progress of HIV. Different ARVs work to do this in different ways. For example, the group of ARVs known as Entry Inhibitors work to block HIV from replicating in the DNA of a host cell.

Antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) are the most common method of treatment for HIV and AIDS. While ARVs cannot cure an infected person, they can significantly lengthen and improve the life of someone with HIV/AIDS. There are currently more than twenty approved ARVs worldwide, although the availability and licensure varies across countries.

Essentially, the goal of ARVs is to reduce and/or slow the replication of HIV in the body and allow the immune system to stabilize and recover.

When to start? There are quite a few factors that determine when an infected person should start taking ARVs. A medical professional must first assess all existing medical conditions (especially hepatitis, TB and pregnancy), current medications (including traditional and herbal), weight, and emotional/psychological readiness. The World Health Organization currently recommends that people living in areas of limited health system capacity and resources (like Malawi) start taking ARVs when their CD4 count drops to 350cells/mm3. In places where medical care is readily available, patients may begin ARV treatment at a much earlier stage of the disease.

Once started, ARVs must be taken every day for life. If the ARVs are not taken daily, the chances of acquired resistance, when the HIV virus becomes resistant to current ARVs, increases. Adherence is a major obstacle in many developing countries (see graph).

A few aspects of one’s life must be taken into account when deciding on the best choice of therapy. Since someone on ARVs must take their medicine at the same time every day, they must have a schedule that allows them to do so. Some drugs have specific food restrictions that must be taken into account. Potential drug interactions and special handling requirements must also be planned for so as to avoid complications.

Combination therapy: taking two or more ARVs at the same time to reduce the chance of resistance and increase strength. Taking three or more ARVs is sometimes called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

When a patient first begins ARV treatment, the combination of drugs is called first line therapy. If side effects are intolerable or if HIV becomes resistant, there is usually a change of drugs to second line therapy. Normally, second line therapy includes at least three new drugs.

Some possible side effects of ARVs include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, rash, lipodystrophy (losing or gaining of body fat), appetite loss, central nervous system effects (including dizziness, mood changes, depression, anxiety and paranoia), fatigue, insomnia, weakness, frequent urination, increased thirst, kidney damage, liver damage, pancreas damage, or nerve damage.

So what does all of this mean for Malawi?

Treatment requirements recently raised CD4 counts (from 230 to 250 in 2010). This is expected to double the number of Malawians eligible for treatment.
The WHO has switched the ARVs Malawi will distribute. The new ARVs will reduce side effects and prolong the lives of those taking the drugs.

Submitted by: Karen Clark, WC Coordinator

Sources

Avert.org
http://www.aidsmeds.com/archive/Integrase_1687.shtml

**If you'd like to submit a post concerning one of 3 Impact Areas-HIV/AIDS, Environmental Issues or Gender Equality-, please email info@worldcampforkids.org or katy@worldcampforkids. Excerpts from current undergrad and grad research papers, discussions from classes, thoughts on articles, etc. are encouraged!**

Impact Areas: Deforestation-An Example of the Intersection of Health & Environment in Malawi

2011-04-05T21:34:00.002-04:00

Ariel view of major deforestation in Malawi.
Photo credit: Katie Sacca

Most WC teachers consider the HIV/AIDS and environmental curriculums to be distinctly separate. In fact, when we look at each issue on a deeper level, we see how intrinsically linked they are. We see how they influence each other. There are many other ways in which health and environment impact each other throughout the world. The goal of this blog post is to show just one of the many ways that HIV/AIDS and environmental issues are intertwined in Malawi.

The environmental issues most commonly discussed in Malawi today are deforestation and food security. These are by no means the only environmental problems in Malawi, nor are they necessarily the most pressing. On a broad level, one can easily see how the basic connection between deforestation and food security impacts Malawians. Most Malawians live in rural areas (State Department's 2010 estimate: 90%) and depend on locally-grown and harvested food, often from their own yards (ever wonder why there are so many goats and chickens around?). Deforestation causes erosion and soil degradation, which threaten the land on which subsistence or cash crops are grown. When these crops fail to grow, farmers struggle to make an income and feed their families.

Deforestation also causes problems related to water quality, often to water sources miles away. Pesticides and waste runoff contaminate natural water sources. This happens because of soil compaction; roots on trees create air pockets which are essential for drainage of surface water; this water is in turn essential for maintaining the natural underground water table. In addition to decreasing water quality, deforestation and subsequent soil erosion/degradation leads to smaller crop yields, the overuse of toxic fertilizers (to make up for poor yield due to erosion), and ultimately, poorer nutrition when families are forced to make do with smaller yields, decreased (or negligent) net profit from cash crops, and less quality/variety in subsistence crops.

A Malawian local carries firewood on the back of his bike.
Photo credit: Katie Sacca

Another major effect of deforestation relates to poverty and infrastructure. Less than 5% of Malawians have access to electricity, leaving around 14 million people dependent on kerosene and open fires for light, heat and cooking fuel. Anyone who has been on a WC homestay in Malawi can attest to the fact that standing in the cooking hut for long periods of time is straight up impossible; dense smoke from cooking fires is a health hazard in and of itself. The massive population increase in recent years is responsible for small-scale deforestation* for this very reason: fuel wood for cooking fires.

So we have now established three threats to health that are directly correlated with deforestation: nutrition and poor water quality due to runoff and soil degradation, and hazards due to cooking fire exposure. The connection between HIV/AIDS and deforestation is a little less obvious so we’ll break it down as we go along.

Deforestation is as much a local problem as a national problem in Malawi. On a very local scale, the more people in an area (lets say a small village), the more the problem will grow. Trees naturally replenish themselves at a very slow rate, so it’s nearly impossible to replace them at the rate they’re being harvested on a small-scale basis. As deforestation intensifies in a localized area, the amount of time it takes to gather the necessary amount of wood to fuel a cooking fire for an average Malawian family increases significantly. Here we get at one of our tenets of HIV/AIDS education: prevention.

How can deforestation possibly have an effect on HIV/AIDS prevention? Here are a few examples (there are surely more):

Older children skip school or drop out and spend their day searching for firewood, working to make money to buy firewood, or caring for their siblings while their parents search for firewood (HIV/AIDS effect: these children miss out on critical HIV/AIDS prevention programming in school, one of the only places where children are taught objectively and correctly about HIV/AIDS).
Single mothers who can’t afford to spend their day searching for fuel may sell their bodies in order to earn money to purchase firewood (HIV/AIDS effect: commercial sex is a risk factor for HIV).
A pregnant HIV+ mother has to decide between spending her day collecting or buying firewood for her family’s meals and traveling to the health clinic for HIV treatment (HIV/AIDS effect: although ARV treatment for pregnant HIV+ women is free in Malawi, if women can’t make it to the clinic, their newborn is at risk for HIV as well through vertical Mother to Child Transmission).

However seemingly nuanced, many more connections between health and environment in Malawi remain. It's interesting to note that the points made about HIV/AIDS prevention eroding because of deforestation above also apply to food security and nutrition in Malawi. When food security is threatened on a family level, all three of the above examples of HIV/AIDS prevention are also vulnerable. Food security and nutrition are equally as threatening to the general population of Malawi as deforestation is.

So, what next?

Trees and harvest in Malawi.
Photo credit: Katie Sacca

Despite the grim news of deforestation, Malawi has made significant strides in countering deforestation. One of the most popular ways to respond to widespread deforestation is implementing and promoting family planning, which as many of you know is a prominent section of World Camp’s environmental curriculum (the cup game!). This week, Malawi will receive a $350 million (K53 billion) grant from the US-based Millennium Challenge Corporation to overhaul its energy network (among other projects). Hopefully, this will lead to improvements in energy infrastructure for Malawi’s rural populations who depend on firewood for survival, not merely industry (mining, industry factory production power shortages have dominated the energy conversation in Malawi in recent months). Stay tuned for more discussion on energy and innovation in Malawi!

*The nature of deforestation in Malawi is very different from the clear-cutting we’re all used to hearing about in Brazil or the Pacific Northwest. It is small-scale in nature in that deforestation is caused by many individuals hacking down individual trees and eventually patches of vegetation for personal use or small-scale income generating activities (selling firewood), rather than the large scale removal of entire forests (which happens mainly in the south of Malawi on tea and tobacco plantations).

Sources:

State.gov Malawi Profile
Personal correspondence; Kara Greenblatt, independent consultant on Food security and nutrition
Wines, Michael. "Malawi Is Burning, and Deforestation Erodes Economy." New York Times 1 Nov. 2005.
Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/11/01/international/africa/01malawi.html
Nyasa Times Staff. “US completes $350 electricity Grant for Malawi.” Nyasa Times 2 April 2011. Available at: http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/us-completes-350m-electricity-grant-for-malawi.html

Submitted by: Katie Sacca, WC Coordinator

**If you'd like to submit a post concerning one of 3 Impact Areas-HIV/AIDS, Environmental Issues or Gender Equality-, please email info@worldcampforkids.org or katy@worldcampforkids. Excerpts from current undergrad and grad research papers, discussions from classes, thoughts on articles, etc. are encouraged!**

A Volunteer's Story: the Women of Gramshree

2011-03-26T12:22:00.001-04:00

"Working with the women of Gramshree was one of my favorite experiences while in India. Sometimes it felt like we were on secret missions, being swept through the city, down side streets, whisked into homes and hair salons. Renegade sexual educators armed with a hefty amount of bananas and condoms in blacked-out plastic bags.

Volunteer Amanda Waldrop with women of Gramshree.

During these workshops our classes consisted of women ages 18-50's and we covered a modified curriculum including HIV information, gender issues, reproductive health, menstruation and the importance of sanitary napkin usage. I must admit, I was a bit nervous to go over the reproductive health portion of the curriculum. I believe I blushed the most when I pulled out the anatomy aprons. There were lots of giggles and even some dirty jokes from the women! After we wrapped up the section (and became a lot more comfortable around each other) I proceeded with the condom demonstration. When the ladies realized what the tiny packages I passed out to them were, the room exploded with noise... mostly laughter. There were a few women who refused to do it, but upon the urging of their friends who asked them to just have fun with it I had the whole room's participation.

Condom demonstration participation: 100%! Number of women who ate the bananas afterwards: zero.

I reserved some time at the end of my first workshop for anonymous questions. I passed out the paper and pencils and explained the exercise. The most outspoken of the group returned her paper and pencil to me and said there was "no need to ask questions in secret, we are all sisters." After questions about the curriculum topics, discussion turned to our personal lives. The women told me stories about their families and were eager to learn a few things about me. When they learnt I was married, they insisted I pass around a photo of my husband and they wished us many blessings for a long and happy life together. They even offered to take me home to teach me how to make roti so I could make my husband very fat!

Amanda and Manali, Field Assistant,
teaching a girl's HIV workshop.

My sessions weren't always so light hearted. The reality of gender roles in India and how HIV affects women is heartbreaking. During one session, I had a woman approach me in private. She told me that no matter how much she learned about HIV, reproductive health and condom usage, she simply doesn't have a voice when it comes to sex. Being from a place where women do have that voice, I really struggled with this realization. With a lump in my throat I concluded my workshop by distributing the HIV ribbons to my participants. Asking for their help in the fight against HIV, I urged them to share their new knowledge with their daughters, sisters, neighbors.

Bonding with the women of Gramshree was such a beautiful thing. I found this incredible camaraderie between women in India. One that you can't exactly put into words, you just kind of feel it. My time spent with World Camp opened my eyes to the connections we are all capable of making. I feel so blessed to be able to carry these beautiful experiences with me back to the other side of the world. India taught me me a lot and continues to impact my life each day."

Submitted by: Amanda Conrad Waldrop, India volunteer 2010
*Part X in our Reflections series: How we internalize what we learn abroad into who we are back home. Email submissions to info@worldcampforkids.org or katy@worldcampforkids.org. All forms of reflection encouraged!

WC Happenings: Meet the 2011 Malawi In-Country Staff

2011-03-23T15:08:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago we introduced you to our 2011 Coordinator Team. As we're gearing up for this month's exciting new project with Hole in the Wall Camps and the summer OTE service internships, we thought you'd like to meet our 2011 Malawi Staff as well! Here are the amazing individuals we get to work with:

Michael Kumwenda

Michael Kumwenda: WC Project Coordinator for Hole in the Wall Camps
Michael joins WC this spring as our representative and project coordinator to run camps for kids who know their HIV+ status. This is part of a new partnership initiative between Baylor Pediatric AIDS Hospital, Hole in the Wall Camps and World Camp. With him, Michael brings years of teaching experience, personal connection to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Malawi and vast research and data collection on the educational system in Malawi. Michael is a children's book author; he writes stories that interweave important social issues and cultural practices. We're hoping to use one of his recently published stories in our Empowerment Groups. The story tells about how a kid who finds out she's HIV+ positive and how she navigates the relationships that change around her. Michael is what we affectionately like to call a "passionate educator." He's been a great source of inspiration to our team in the past few years. Aside from Hole in the Wall Camps, volunteers can look forward to Michael visiting camp days and as a guest speaker on various topics.

Marinus Taale: WC Assets and Business Manager
Originally from Holland, Marinus spent considerable time in Zimbabwe and South Africa before settling with his wife, kids and huge dogs in Malawi. In short, Marinus is a wonderful resource for WC because he understands Western and African perspectives and connects well with people from all over. Marinus currently owns Cluny Lodge, a beautiful little bungalow up the road from the WC house in Lilongwe. His extensive experience running successful business in foreign countries lends crucial support for WC's logistics in Malawi. Besides, he makes sure John, Ngoni, Vito and their families are well taken care of when we're in the US. Our local staff simply love him.

Ngoni, Marinus, John at the WC House in Lilongwe

John Chizimba: WC House Manager
John's been with WC nearly as long as there has been a WC. He brings an incredible amount of joy to volunteers' (and coordinators') hearts and stomachs. Volunteers love sitting in the kitchen with him to practice their Chichewa, hear about the Chewa tribe in Malawi, his 10 kids and lovely wife, what he thinks of Bingu, or even just to see his infamous John Chizimba smile. As our house manager in Lilongwe, John works hard to make sure volunteers always have a clean, comfortable home to return to at the end of a long camp day. Perhaps most memorable, are John's famous chocolate cakes, enchilladas and curries. Have no fear parents, your kids will eat well during their service internship in Malawi!

Ngoni and John outside the WC House.

Felix "Ngoni" Gilton: WC Day Security Guard and Grounds Keeper
Ngoni knows the WC grounds like the back of his hand. Each day he trudges around in his favorite rubber boots, working to ensure the safety and upkeep of the premises. He waters the plants, cares for the trees volunteers plant, keeps an eye on ripening mangoes, cuts the grass and mans the gate. Basically he makes sure our grounds stay nice and monitors who comes in/out of WC. Ngoni entertains volunteers with his various facial hair styles and his love of hoo-la-hooping. Occasionally Samson, the youngest of Ngoni's 10 children, comes to hang out with his dad for the day. Volunteers oogle over the baby's adorable cheeks while he learns all about his dad's work.

Lolesi Vito: WC Night Security Guard
Vito is perhaps the kindest, yet toughest, man in the WC family. He's been with WC for 6 years now, walks from his village to work every day, and puts his all into protecting the WC house overnight. Despite his long night shifts, Vito jumps up at the slightest sound or first sign of a volunteer or coordinator needing something. He makes regular rounds around the house throughout the night, checks safety lights and watches the gate. His loyalty to volunteers (and all of WC) keeps us in good, safe hands.


Monica (John's wife) and Margaret (Ngoni's wife)

the "Amayis" (Monica and Margaret): WC School Lunch Cooks and Housekeepers
In Chichewa, "amayi" means "the women," and that is exactly who Monica and Margaret are-- our strong backbone, the women of WC. Primarily, these lovely women take on the huge responsibility of cooking between 100-250 traditional nsima and relish lunches each day for our educational outreach camps! This entails about 15 kg of ufa (the ground maize that eventually becomes nsima), 10 bushels of tomatoes and onions, and about 10 kg of whatever is making up that day's relish. Monica and Margaret also work with John inside the house to clean, finish laundry and basically keep the WC house sparkling. The Amayis love working at the same place as their husbands, John and Ngoni, and having village homes next to one another. These strong and beautiful women certainly make our lives happier and easier while in-country.

Margaret Chizimba: WC Accounts Manager
Margaret comes once a week to help Coordinators settle the accounts, copy receipts, log our finances for the NGO board in Malawi and keep our overall budget organized. Margaret currently studies computer science at a local college in Lilongwe. She's the eldest daughter of John and Monica, has a gentle nature and is a joy to have around.

Dennis: WC and Planet Car Hire Bus Driver

Dennis and a WC bus

Dennis is, well, what most volunteers call, "the s**t." His smile and laugh will warm your heart, while his unbelievable driving skills will dazzle your mind. Dennis can turn around a 25 passenger bus in our driveway in 3 turns or less. Despite the nonexistent road signs in the villages, he knows every inch of communities we work in. Dennis can navigate through any and all road conditions and weather in Malawi. He ensures we're on time to camp, safe on the roads and always have a smooth ride.

And of course, there's the amazing team of WC Field Assistants, without whom, we'd be completely lost. We'll highlight this summer's Field Assistant team soon, so check back. Also, visit us on Friday for another Volunteer/Staff Story or Reflection and next week for information on one of our Impact Areas. As always, if you'd like to contribute comments, questions, or even write a blog post, feel free to contact us at info@worldcampforkids.org.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

A Volunteer's Story: The Literal and Figurative Mountain

2011-03-11T09:36:00.002-05:00

Jodi Goodman, volunteer (far right).

"It was the summer between my sophomore and junior years of college that the pull I had felt coming on for so long became absolutely undeniable. I knew I had to go somewhere. I had spent my life in the same small town that my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on had spend their sweet, southern lives. But now the world was calling and I had to go. I just didn’t know where. With perfect timing, a friend of mine mentioned that her sister was in Honduras. When I asked more about it, she told me about World Camp and their current work in Malawi and Honduras. My fingers tingled and my heart thumped in the way it does when you know something is right. A week later, I applied to World Camp, Malawi. A year later, I had sent hundreds of donation letters, been showered with generosity, and was featured on the front page of my hometown newspaper. Then I set foot on a plane for the second time in my life. I was on my way to Malawi, Africa.

I could, and have, spend days on end sharing the experiences I had in Malawi and their permanent impact. But today, I'll share this one. One weekend, we planned a hike up a mountain with some of the “street kids” from a local children’s center. These children had left home or had no home, many as a result of HIV/AIDS. We had previously spent time at the children’s center playing games and feeding the children. This day, we met at the base of Mt. Nkhoma on a chilly morning and set off, American volunteers and African children.

Jodi (center) with WC friends on top of
Mt. Nkoma, Malawi.

Jodi (center) with kids from camp.

It was such a happy time. I can even remember the coolness of the air on my cheeks as we set out. Children were skipping and we were laughing and singing. After 30 minutes or so, the hike became more strenuous and I began to sweat and struggle. A young boy that latched on to me in previous days at the children’s center decided to hike with me on this day too. He and I walked together the whole time. In the beginning, we laughed and skipped , but as the hike continued, I became more tired and slow. There were portions of the trail that were very steep. As I grew tired, I stopped for a drink of water; sweat trickled down my cheek. My young companion grabbed my hand, gave me a warm smile, and we continued up the mountain, he walked ahead of me, pulling me along. It was his strength that gave me the power to complete the journey.

It is important to remember that I did not speak Chichewa, nor did he speak English. We Americans were equipped with our tennis shoes or boots and of the children who were not barefoot, most wore ragged sandals. It struck me that the happiness shining from the faces of these children was more pure than any I had ever seen. They had no luxuries by American standards. Many of them had no family left or a family torn apart by sickness. And while I felt so inclined to give it to them, they did not ask for my pity. Instead, they invited me to share in their happiness. I had come to Africa with the hopes of somehow touching the lives of others, and as I struggled with ideas of happiness, love, perseverance, and strength I had always known, it was actually my hand that was held as I was pulled up this literal and figurative mountain. I could not verbally communicate with this precious child. Yet I knew that we spoke another language together and that he understood.

Through my service with World Camp, I began to develop a deeper sense of service as a reciprocal activity. One where giving and receiving truly happen simultaneously. When one approaches a situation feeling as though they have something to contribute, most often they leave with far more than they came with. I was so touched by my experiences in Malawi that I continued working with them the following summer as a volunteer in India. My experiences with World Camp are so dear to my heart and they continue to affect my beliefs, values, relationships, and decisions every day."

Jodi at Ghandi's Ashram, India.

Jodi (second from left) dresed in traditional Gujarati wear
with WC friends, India. =

Submitted by: Jodi Goodman, Malawi 2007 volunteer, India 2008 volunteer

*Part IX in our Reflections series: How we internalize what we learn abroad into who we are back home. Email submissions to info@worldcampforkids.org or katy@worldcampforkids.org. All forms of reflection encouraged!

WC Happenings: New Website, Partnerships and Malawi Staff

2011-03-09T00:48:00.004-05:00

Laurel and Jesse
Malawi 2005

Hello from our Asheville and Lilongwe offices! We bring you some exciting news this week. We're confident that you'll like these new developments, as they're aimed at helping to increase our effectiveness and expand our impact.

First up....the World Camp website!! Yes, that's right. Years in the making, we've taken volunteers', coordinators' and parents' feedback into consideration, packaged it up, and given WC a brand new look. In a few short weeks we'll launch, so be sure to keep an eye out and let us know what you think. What can you expect? More in-depth info, a separation of specific WC projects, many ways to get/stay involved, health/safety info, photos galore and easier navigation. And of course, the same great heart behind it all. WC legends, Laurel Jernigan and Jesse Pipes have been hard at work with Appnet in Boone to design the site. Did you know these two and the other founders helped create the original WC website 10 years ago?

If you haven't voted on facebook for the new World Camp URL, be sure to do so!

Lusungu Masamba, WC Field Assistant
Camp Hope Malawi Counselor

We're also thrilled to announce WC's official partnership with Hole in the Wall Camps and Baylor Pediatrics. The result? Camp Hope Malawi-a week of camp for kids who are HIV+. At Camp Hope, kids develop a network of support, learn about what it means to know one's status (HIV status, that is), the basics about their illness and how to manage ARVs and treatment. Applicants are currently going through physicals and screenings. This April, WC will help host a counselor training, followed by two separate weeks of camps. The Camp Leadership Team in Malawi consists of 2 Baylor Hospital staff members and 1 WC representative, the amazing Michael Kumwenda. Michael has a deep passion for HIV/AIDS issues and strengthening education systems, taught in both Malawi and the U.S., served on numerous educational research committees, and is a current WC Malawi Board of Trustee member. Joining this team as Camp Hope Counselors are long time WC field assistants Lusungu Masamba and Chickabachi Daire.

Chickabachi Daire (center), WC Field Assistant
Camp Hope Malawi Counselor

Finally, World Camp is in the process of interviewing applicants for a new Malawi Country Manager! The incredible individual who fills this position will serve as our eyes, ears and heart throughout the year. Among the many talents and responsibilities of the Country Manager, (s)he will work with coordinators to oversee our regular sessions, represent WC at Ministry of Education, NGO Board and local partnership meetings, manage Professional Capacity Building volunteers throughout the year, act as a resource for students and teachers in between our sessions. And of course, take care of our beloved staff members-John, Ngoni, Vito- and their families. Baker Henson, WC President, and Jesse Pipes, WC Director of Operations, will train our new Country Manager during their trip to Malawi in April. Stay tuned for our announcement of hire and the developments that come from this position.

We hope this finds you well and enjoying your week. Check back on friday to hear more reflections from WC volunteers and staff members. And as always, if you have something you'd like to contribute, feel free to post below or email us at info@worldcampforkids.org.

Zikomo kwambili and tionana (thank you and see you next time)!

Impact Areas: Reproductive Health & Gender Equality-A Look at Malawi & the U.S.

2011-03-01T22:57:00.001-05:00

Talk to a WC volunteer and chances are they'll tell you empowerment was a favorite part of camp. They'll also tell you how heart wrenching and challenging it is. It's the part of our curriculum that, perhaps, holds the most potential to create positive change. Because it’s where we really get into the gritty reality behind the HIV/AIDS crisis. In the general sense: power struggles, gender inequality, sexual relationships, decision making. In the more specific sense: pregnant girls who know nothing about the female reproductive system; boys who think that rape is the only way they'll ever have sex, as they believe girls don’t actually like sex; teenagers with raging hormones but various condom use barriers (no pun intended). All in country where 1 in 7 are HIV+.

Volunteers always want to know more about these issues. Six years later, I’m still learning about them myself. So we’ll try to revisit these on our blog from time to time. And what better way to start than with the recent Planned Parenthood debate in the House? A few weeks ago, in a 240 to 185 vote, the House voted on an amendment to Title X, preventing programs like Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funding.

Female Empowerment, Malawi Summer 2005

Female Empowerment, India 2008

This funding debacle reminds me of the questions I give the utmost importance to during empowerment, yet also fill me with dread: What is the morning after pill and can we get it? What can a girl do if she gets pregnant and wants to go to school? What do we do if the boy refuses to wear a condom, or if we don’t have a condom? What if girls never want to have sex with us? If a baby is made by two people, should the guy also have a say in abortion? I dread these questions because the answers I have often feel hollow. Even when the facts are good news, I wonder what realities actually play out.

Girl: What should a girl do if she is raped?
Me: The first thing she should do is tell someone. Rape is something that affects a woman physically, emotionally and mentally. It is very painful, and painful in many ways. So a girl needs help from someone she trusts. A police person, a teacher, her mother, her sister, a friend. If possible, a doctor should examine her to make sure her body did not suffer permanent damage and to get tested for STIs. If she is scared to be by herself or around the perpetrator, we, as her friends, should walk with her to school or home and make sure she is never alone.
Girl: Oh. What if no one believes her, or no one cares? What if she can’t see a doctor? What can she do then?

Like the Planned Parenthood dispute, these situations are harsh reminders of the world's general lack of support for women (and men for that matter), their reproductive health and their right to positive sexual experiences. All this got me thinking about a person’s right to his/her own body, and what role policy-making should have. When it comes to these, do policies in the U.S. and Malawi, differ that much? What about actual practices? Let's take a look. (We'll have to revisit and analyze in a subsequent blog post, just the facts for now.)

Access to Reproductive Health Care:
Community care clinics, various health insurance programs and non-profit organizations provide a vast majority of free or sliding-scale reproductive health care in the U.S.. Planned Parenthood is perhaps the largest of these programs. Currently, 20% of females in America seek/have sought services from Planned Parenthood at some point. Over 5 million males and females receive services each year. 90% of the organization’s care is preventative: contraceptives, STI testing/treatment, cervical cancer screening and sexual health education programs. 1.2 million people participate in these programs each year.

Malawi has few systems in place that provide as vast of care as organizations like Planned Parenthood. Much of the reproductive health education comes from international organizations (like World Camp, USAID, CARE, etc.), even though students technically receive health education in the latter part of their Standard 8 year.

Contraception (i.e. Birth Control):
Multiple kinds of birth control exist in the U.S.: combined and progestin only oral contraceptive pills, vaginal rings, injections, IUDs and the patch. Nearly 41% of women in the U.S. use contraception compared with about 15% of women in Malawi. In Malawi, direct support and supervision is required for those using birth control.

Emergency contraception, or the “morning after pill,” doesn’t end a pregnancy, but rather prevents a woman from ovulating and thickens her cervical mucus, thus reducing the chances an egg can join sperm if ovulation has already occurred. In Malawi, emergency contraception is available, but generally only provided at hospitals for rape victims (free of cost.) It is available in the U.S. without a prescription or parental consent to women 17 and older and usually costs around $40. No reason given or counseling is required.

Abortion:
In Malawi, abortion is illegal--in cases of rape, incest, economic/social resasons, to preserve physical/mental health, and foetal impairment. A person who performs an abortion can be sentenced to 14 years; a woman who seeks an abortion can serve 7. The "big" exception, however, is 'to save a woman's life.' Abortion is permitted if it is the only way to save the mother's life; those who seek and/or perform are not subject to imprisonment.

Roe vs. Wade (1973) legalized abortion throughout the U.S. However, to date, only 15 states permit women under the age of 18 to seek an abortion without some form of parental consent or notification. The Hyde Ammendment of 1976-7 ruled that no federal funding could be used to provide abortions, except in cases of rape or incest.

BLOG POST RESOURCES & FURTHER INFORMATION
Reproductive Health and Contraception:
http://info.k4health.org/pac/strategies/MOHMal_PAC_Strategy.pdfhttp://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/birth-control-methods.cfm#emeconAbortion in Malawi: Population Division of the Department for Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat (http://www.un.org/esa/population/)History of Abortion in the U.S.: http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/history_abortion.htmlHouse Debate on Title X: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-votes-strip-planned-parenthood-federal-funding/story?id=12951080http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/18/planned-parenthood-fundin_n_825258.htmlhttp://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-02-24/news/chi-110224bauer_briefs_1_health-care-health-centers-family-planningMore on Title X:http://www.hhs.gov/opa/familyplanning/index.htmlParental Consent and Notifcation Laws: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion/parental-consent-notification-laws-25268.htm

Submitted by: Katy Lackey, WC Coordinator.

**If you'd like to submit a post concerning one of 3 Impact Areas-HIV/AIDS, Environmental Issues or Gender Equality-, please email info@worldcampforkids.org or katy@worldcampforkids. Excerpts from current undergrad and grad research papers, discussions from classes, thoughts on articles, etc. are encouraged!**

A Volunteer's Story: Finding Beauty in Unexpected Places

2011-02-27T17:00:00.001-05:00

Volunteer Sylvia Mendez (wearing her favorite kurti) with
Field Assistant Archana Iyer.

Beauty is a loaded, but often obscure, term that changes cross-culturally. That word, as I had viewed it traditionally growing up in New York City, self-proclaimed fashion capital, was the last thing I expected to find in India. The humid heat, sometimes with very little relief, and the deliciously greasy Indian food that I most-enthusiastically ate, left little room for me feeling ‘pretty’ or ‘beautiful’. The salwar kameez, an outfit consisting of a kurta, a long cotton shirt, and a pair of salwar, roomy linen pants, came to the rescue of my growing belly and my battle with the heat.

Ahmedabad is somewhat conservative, at least from a Western perspective, and thus there are certain fashion no-nos for women and men. Women, for example, must not wear anything that exposes skin beyond the mid-calf. Sleeveless shirts are not recommendable and cleavage is definitely unacceptable. As for grown men, they cannot wear shorts, because it’s considered boy’s clothing.

Changing the way I dressed to fit into a more traditional environment made me feel as though I was taking a step back into a time in which women were not allowed the freedoms I took for granted in the U.S.. Surprisingly, I had a lot of fun with buying grey, purple, and even orange salwar pants. As for kurtas, my favorite one was red with gold speckles, making me feel special each time I wore it.

Look at all the colors!

The longer I was in Ahmedabad, the more apparent it became that girls have fun with it too - mixing jeans and kurtas, or sometimes wearing skirts. Girls wear bangles of all colors on their arms and, after a special occasion, you can usually spot intrinsic henna designs on their hands. Young women in Ahmedabad are also not shy about wearing make-up; thick, black eyeliner is certainly a staple.

Whether they are conscious or not of the social restrictions imposed on their dress, women in Ahmedabad have a special gift for revealing and enhancing their beauty.

When I arrived back home to New York in August, I felt a little shy about wearing knee-length skirts or even shorts. With time, I have comfortably slipped into my normal fashion tendencies; however, I do often question the pressure to dress provocatively, a feeling that some women may encounter at one point or another in their life. After encountering a different concept of beauty in Ahmedabad, I have come to understand that there are many ways of expressing beauty with some forms being healthier than others.

Submitted by: Sylvia Mendez, India volunteer 2008, Malawi volunteer January 2008
*Part VIII in our Reflections series: How we internalize what we learn abroad into who we are back home. Email submissions to info@worldcampforkids.org or katy@worldcampforkids.org. All forms of reflection encouraged!

WC Happenings: Meet the Coordinators-Summer 2011

2011-02-23T23:22:00.004-05:00

Recruitment, curriculum development, research, new organization partnerships....World Camp activities are in full-swing! But as we look towards our exciting summer, we'd like to take a moment to introduce you to our 2011 Coordinator Team:

Rachel Dudasik

Rachel Dudasik, Volunteer Coordinator

We're thrilled to welcome Rachel back for another summer on the ground in Malawi! Rachel graduated from Appalachian State University, where she studied Sustainable Development and Third World Studies. She returned as a coordinator to World Camp post-graduation for our summer 2010 sessions. Rachel's also volunteers her spare time in the WC Office in Asheville, working on everything from grants to program development. Her humor, comforting nature when it comes to health issues and dedication to fully embracing each day are merely a few of the things volunteers have to look forward to. Rachel will fly over with the Y2Y volunteer group and work with the SS2 program. We're sure John's gonna be pretty happy to have her back as well. No one appreciates his cooking like she does....except Katy, perhaps.

Stephanie Henderson

Stephanie Henderson, Assistant Volunteer Coordinator

Stephanie will join us this summer after graduating with a Political Science degree from Middlebury this spring. Miss Henderson volunteered with World Camp in January 2009, where fellow campers fondly remember her as the "first person to jump out the door, shove bricks under the tires and push the bus when we got stuck in a massive mud hole"...among other things. Don't worry parents, your kids are in good hands. Stephanie's currently writing her thesis on how social perceptions of HIV on a regional level match with global perceptions and whether that level affects the success of prevention programs in Angola, Mozambique and South Africa. She's diving into four norms surrounding HIV: human rights as a health topic, gender equality, the role of MSM in disease prevention and condom use vs. abstinence. Needless to say, her extensive insight into the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa is one among many that will strengthen and broaden our Coordinator Team.

Karen Clark

Karen Clark, Program Coordinator

Karen joins World Camp this summer for her 4th session as coordinator. Originally a January 2010 volunteer, she seemed to plant part of herself in this area of the world for good. She's been one of our most active participants in curriculum development since her volunteer session, and her passion for addressing HIV/AIDS in Africa is inspiring. She plans to live and work abroad post-graduation. Karen began coordinating in Summer 2010. She worked with both adult and Y2Y volunteer programs over the past year. Karen recently returned to Colby College after spending the fall semester in Botswana and January with World Camp in Malawi.

Daniel Thornton

Daniel Thornton, Assistant Volunteer Coordinator

World Camp is excited to have Daniel join our Coordinator Team for the long haul. He is a philosophy graduate from UNC. Daniel describes his experience as a 2007 volunteer as much more than a "passing moment [with] Malawians...[it was] one of the formative experiences of [his] life." His travel experience in Europe and teaching experience in Egypt (where he currently lives) are among the qualities Daniel brings to our team this summer. Daniel has great investment in improving communication between volunteers and students, as well as increasing the effectiveness of our environmental lessons. With both Rina and Jaren gone, we're pumped to see what creativity and vigor Daniel will bring to Boom-Chicka-Boom!

Katie Sacca

Katie Sacca, Volunteer Coordinator

A 2007 Malawi volunteer, Katie spent the summer coordinating our college and Y2Y programs in 2008. Katie has degrees in Environmental Science and Medical Anthropology from Connecticut College and recently finished her Masters in Public Health at Boston University. Her international experience is vast--as a child she spent many years living abroad, studied abroad in Botswana during college and spent a summer in Australia as a blind guide for People to People Student Ambassadors. With her ever-increasing knowledge of HIV/AIDS and environmental issues, dedication to Malawi and all the help she's given to our curriculum over the years, we're so happy to welcome her back!

Katy Lackey

Katy Lackey, Program Coordinator

Katy returns to Malawi for her 8th session as a coordinator. Leaving her 2005 volunteer session, Katy recalls a woman on the flight telling her, "It's hard to leave, isn't it? That's why they call it 'the Warm Heart.' But you left a piece of yours here too and you'll be back." How right she was. Katy has coordinated our programs in India and Malawi since 2008 and spent considerable time on curriculum development and volunteer experience development. Her passion for people and sections such as male empowerment and student activism stems from her degrees in psychology and religious studies as well as her travel experiences throughout India, Central America, SE Asia and Malawi. Volunteers this summer can look forward to joining Katy in the Banana Song, the Lion Game, nsima eating contests and of course, bubbles.

A Volunteer's Story: Vibes from India (and World Camp)

2011-02-18T09:22:00.000-05:00

Colors, elephants, markets, and people! The entrance to the Old City in Ahmedabad is a perfect example of "vibes" in India.

"A blanket of heat lays heavy on my shoulders; I pine for my crisp Colorado air. My senses are overwhelmed; ears ringing from noise pollution and blaring Bollywood beats, nose rank with feces and incense, hair follicles straining to squeeze out every bead of hydration, muscles rigid from the jerking traffic, eyes flooded with prisms of rainbow colored saris and lush marketplaces.

This is India, a cyclical overstimulation of the country’s embodiment of hyperbole and hypocrisy. Our Jeep pauses at a crossroad only to avoid being smashed; a wave of hallow faces and empty hands paw at our heartstrings. A heavily accented voice commands us to roll up our windows and avoid eye contact; I close my eyes to dam tears.

Kendall's new friend, Jemna, and her brother
in Ram Rahim city slum.

A honk flashes me back and I’m greeted with a harsh onyx ogle. The beggar-child’s beam starts to consume me until our driver slams on the gas, my head ricochets off the backseat. Katy felicitously swivels her head, donning a cheek-to-cheek grin as she briefs the World Camp team on the next slum-school we’ll be working with. Her words wash over me and our Jeep weaves in and out of the metropolis jungle.

India volunteer Kendall with field assistants Prerna
and Prachee teaching a women's health workshop to
women around Ahmedabad.

No training could have braced my psyche for the slums. And the rush comes in, electrifying my skin. It surges through my veins and out my eyes; they open humbly ignorant to this world of poverty. I am born anew; my demeanor effuses terror and resilience. The car stops and a hundred hands embrace me and my team, all vibrating with the idea of truly making an impact on peoples’ lives’. "

Submitted by: Kendall Strautman, India volunteer summer 2010

*Part VII in our Reflections series: How we internalize what we learn abroad into who we are back home. Email submissions to info@worldcampforkids.org or katy@worldcampforkids.org. All forms of reflection encouraged!

Not goodbye...just tionana...

2011-02-03T15:50:00.012-05:00

A very special thanks to all of our service interns, field staff and coordinators for another wonderful program. We want to extend a special thanks to Jaren for all he has done for World Camp over the years, and look forward to the day we get to work with him again. We wish you all the best in your new endeavors!

"The volunteers are gone; boxes unpacked, nsima coolers stored away. Our time of azungu chants and give me kwatcha’s, muli bwanji’s and zikomo's, dusty roads and pouring rains, ecstatic kids and hysterical babies, banana songs and condom demos, reflections, evaluations, Ngoni, Mr. Vito, and John Chazimba, has finally, once again, come to an end. The January 2011 World Camp session is over. All I can do now is look back and think.

In my 3 and a half years with World Camp, this program has never ceased, to amaze me, in how quickly in how quickly a group of strangers can become volunteers, and how quickly a group of

volunteers can become teachers, and teachers, become friends. We are together for such a short period of time, but in that time are able to bond so closely; accomplish so much. We laugh with these people; we cry with them. We sing silly songs; dance like idiots for the pure enjoyment of hundreds of delighted children, and I wouldn't want to picture it any other way.

People can be skeptical when I tell them about our program. “What difference can you really make in 5 weeks?” They say. My answer? All the difference. In a month we are able to show a girl she has the power to say no. We can teach a boy that it’s ok to wait, to stay in school and reach for hopes and dreams that he never dare speak about; even dream about. We can convince a teacher to get tested. That using a condom can not only protect yourself, but empower yourself.

And in this short period of time, we can show a young boy or girl, a teacher, a class, a school, a chief, and a community, that they can join together, and rise up to fight a disease ravishing the world, and that together, we each and all, can, make a difference. Personally, I think that this is something well worth 5 weeks of my time. So as I sit alone in this empty house, these are the things I’m left to ponder. This, and the memories I’ve made and friendships I’ll keep . When I go home I can try to explain it to my friends and family. They’ll listen closely; oooo and aaahhh, and tell me how amazing it sounds and how lucky I am. But they'll never really know. Never really understand.

We both know that. They’ll never feel what its like to be here, to meet, and learn, and laugh and play with these kids, and teachers, and friends. No one will every really know…unless they come here and find out for themselves. At least I can take solace in realizing, that this is not really the end. It’s only the beginning."

WC Jan’11 Out.

submitted by: Jaren Folden

Behind the Internship: Tsalani Bwino

2011-02-01T10:58:00.010-05:00

10:45pm. This time tomorrow I will be en-route to JFK. Perhaps somewhere high above the Atlantic ocean. It hasn’t really sunk in that we’re leaving yet. If you told me that we had to pack teaching boxes for camp tomorrow morning, I’d believe it.

I wish I had time to detail the events of our last weekend together: two nights at Lake Malawi…laying on the beach, eating fresh Chambo for dinner– a traditional Malawian fish (not to be confused with Chamba :), watching the sun come up at 5:00am this morning, bargaining at the craft market…and enjoying a wonderful (and delicious) meal at Michael and Amanda’s house tonight. But given that it's well past ten, and thus, well past my bedtime here...and given that my belongings are still scattered all over the floor in my room…I’ll keep it short…and leave you all with an experience – one hour of one day – that to me, seemed to characterize my four weeks here in Malawi.

It happened at the soccer game we went to last Sunday at the stadium here in Lilonwe. Despite overcast skies, the 8 of from World Camp, along with Chikabachi, one of our Field Staff, and his 5-year old daughter, drove across town to catch the match at 2:30. I couldn’t tell you who was playing – a blue team and a black team, maybe. But that’s irrelevant.

There were no seats in the stadium...not even metal benches, just a terraced landscape that wrapped around the field. When we found an area that wasn’t infested with ants, we sat down. I was on the end…no one to my left.

After half time, a group of girls started to approach us…giggling at the sight of azungus. They settled down nearby. Soon, however, they inched over...all the way until one girl was seated directly next to me, our knees touching.

“Muli bwanji,” I said, smiling and surprised. “Ndili bwino, kai aynu,” she said. “Ndili bwino, zikomo,” I answered. The girl laughed at my Chichewa. “What’s your name?” the girl in the sunflower dress asked me in surprisingly good English. "I'm Kayla." “Kay-ra,” she repeated. “What’s your name?” I asked. She answered, but it was a name I had never heard before and probably couldn’t even repeat it at the time. The next several names weren’t any easier. I did understand, however, that they were 12-13 years old, the majority in Standard 8 or Form 1.

While it had been drizzling during the first half of the game, the rain began to pick up around the 60-minute mark. I had forgotten my raincoat and umbrella back at the house, and was becoming a) cold, and b) increasingly concerned that my white t-shirt would soak through. I began to scan the stadium for shelter. Then, out of nowhere, a little arm reached across my shoulder and pulled a piece of fabric over me, so it was draped over my head, covering my shoulders and back. Four of the girls were using it to protect themselves from the rain, and they extended it so I could squeeze under it as well. It was a tight fit, and I was tempted to tell them not to worry about me, but they were smiling at the prospect of sharing their fabric with an azungu, and honestly, I was grateful to escape the rain.

The girl in the sunflower dress and I talked like that – tucked under the fabric – for the rest of the game – about her family, where she went to school, the U.S., the fact that I wasn’t married (which was the most shocking of all…) Later, at the game’s end, all the girls wanted to hug me goodbye. “Have a nice journey,” one shouted. The girl in the sunflower dress said, “It was very nice to meet you.” “It was nice to meet you too,” I said. She turned to walk away, but then stopped – as if she had an afterthought. “You’re my sister now,” she said, looking at me directly in the eye. I smiled. “As you are mine,” I said back. And you know, she may not be able to pronounce my name...nor may she even remember me a year from now, but this wasn’t the first time in Malawi someone who I had just met, someone who I barely knew, welcomed me into their family. For the entire time I've been here I’ve been continually impressed with the openness…the friendliness of the population.

And so, as I sit here the night before I leave…and play and replay the events of this month in my mind, the first memories that come to mind are not the ones in which I am sitting in the van gazing out at the maize-covered landscape (although it is beautiful), nor the ones in which we are at the primary schools, sharing bowls of nsima for lunch (although this happened often), or even the one of the lion eating the zebra on safari (although that was wild). The first images I see are the faces of the people I’ve met here. And if I ever come back to Malawi – I imagine it’ll be to reconnect with these people. Or hopefully meet others like them.

But for now, goodnight…and here’s to one last evening sleeping under a mosquito net.

Submitted by: Kayla Kawalick

Behind the Internship: The Homestay

2011-01-27T10:53:00.014-05:00

After a second successful day of teaching at Chilinda Primary School, we ate an early supper around 4pm in a classroom. After dinner we gathered up everything we needed for the next ten hours: sleeping bags, water bottles, bug spray, camera, clothes, goods for our homestay families - and of course, toilet paper. We began our journey walking to the village and were surrounded by giddy children wondering what in the world the azungus (white people) were doing and where we were going.

Kayla, Karen, and I were greeted by one of the chiefs and directed towards the home we would be staying in. We introduced ourselves, using our very minimal Chichewa vocabulary, and met our host mom, Loveness. After a few minutes of laughter and confusion, we started to realize how interesting this was going to be with such a language barrier. Thankfully, I happened to have a Chichewa guide that had several key phrases. I pointed to the phrase "there is work to be done" and she smiled. Buckets were handed to us and we walked with a group of women to the water pump. Kayla and I took turns pumping the water and filled our buckets. The women smiled excitedly, knowing they were about to see a rare sight: azungus attempting to carry water on their heads. Let me just say that it was pretty hilarious and I now have the utmost respect and admiration for the village women.

We then gathered in a circle with all the children and women of the village and partook in a dancing/clapping/singing charade for an hour. They loved having us participate in their dances and were constantly urging us to move to the middle of the circle. I was amazed at how accepting and welcoming the people of the village were. People from all over gathered to meet us and were elated with joy. The chief took us to see the villages’ garden of tobacco and pumpkin leaves. We picked pumpkin leaves and prepared them for cooking. Loveness started a fire and Kayla got to cooking in the smoky mud house with her new friend Chisomo. Karen and I were bombarded by giggling children and villagers testing out their English skills.

We gathered inside the house on a mat and had nsmia (of course!) and pumpkin leaves as relish. Smiles and laughter were exchanged as this became our sole use of communication. After dinner, we were pulled outside again where we spent several hours in the moonlight celebrating life through song and dance. I remember being astounded at the fact that I had just met these people a few hours ago. At ten, Loveness recognized we were tired from an exhausting day and ordered us to come to bed. We laid out our sleeping bags on a mat and dozed off to the sounds of children singing, mosquitoes buzzing, and crickets chirping.

We woke as the sun rose, hearing the roosters crowing, and headed outside. A man that we met the night before came by with bundles of green corn. Loveness cooked them up for us and handed them over as we said our goodbyes. We thanked the villagers for their generosity and overwhelming hospitality. A little after 6am, we found ourselves eating the corn for breakfast, surrounded by happy children, and on the path to Chilinda Primary Schools thinking of all the cherished moments of homestay: dancing for hours, cooking nsima, the conversations, unique characters/personalities, sense of community, cultural differences, and the budding of friendships. What a wonderful slice of Malawian village life!

Submitted by: Lauren Seagraves

Behind the Internship: Hakuna matata

2011-01-21T13:57:00.007-05:00

Following Nick's very thoughtful use of a quote at the start of his blog post, I decided to follow suit. Elton John once sang, "In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight. In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight. A weeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeee oh wee om omma way." Well maybe I improvised on that last part but Elton's words are very fitting for our past weekend's trip to ZAMBIA! World Camp does safari. Early Friday morning we piled into the mini bus and took off for a weekend full of fun, relaxation, and lots and lots of animals. The ride took about eight hours in total (including customs and pit stops), and the majority was spent crawling down a windy, unpaved road through Zambia until we reached our final destination, Wildlife Camp.

Our past two weeks with World Camp have been a whirlwind of activity. Our days are chock-full of teaching, dancing, singing, prep work for the week, cooking, journaling, reflecting and nightly evaluations. So when we got to Wildlife Camp, I think most of us were excited to get the chance to relax, see some animals, and soak in our beautiful surroundings. As Zambia is a neighboring country to Malawi, we were all astounded at how different the countries were, though just hours apart. Seemingly seconds after crossing the border and entering Zambia, someone commented at just how forested the country is. There are trees EVERYWHERE, something that Malawi definitely lacks. Deforestation is a huge problem not just in Malawi but all over the world, yet I got a feeling for just how big of a problem it is when seeing the stark differences between Malawi and Zambia. Not only that, but the lack of trees in Malawi has left the country virtually empty of the animals that roam the national parks of Zambia.

We were all scheduled for two drives on Saturday, one morning drive and one night drive through South Luangwa National Park. For many of us, these would be our first safari experiences. Waking up around 5 am Saturday morning, we excitedly met our guide, Billy, packed into his Land Rover, and headed to the park. On the way, we brainstormed what animals we wanted to see: zebras, giraffes, monkeys, elephants, and of course, lions. Billy informed us that because it is the rainy season, it would be a bit difficult to spot some animals (as there is more vegetation), but he assured us that he would try his best, and we were not one bit disappointed. Entering the park, what struck me the most was the sheer beauty of the landscape. One thing I've found through being in Malawi and teaching in the villages is that pictures do not do this place one ounce of justice. The same went for South Luangwa National Park. As far as the eye could see were green grasses dotted with impala, baboons, elephants, and sprawling trees. Although it was cloudy and a bit rainy on our morning drive, the glum weather did not detract from the beautiful landscape that surrounded us. About halfway through the drive, Billy stopped at a spot near the water where we climbed out of the truck to enjoy some coffee with the nearby hippos lounging in the river. It gave us some time to chat with Billy, a fellow Malawian who has since moved to Zambia, and has been guiding safaris for ten years. Although we didn't see any lions in the morning, we were all very content with our drive and eager to return later that night.

We spent the rest of the day lounging around by the pool, watching baboons run through camp, and reading. Before we all knew it, it was time to load onto Billy's Land Rover and head back into the park. This time, Karen joined us! We were ready to spot some leopards and lions. I loved seeing the park near sunset. All of the colors became even more vivid, and the landscape, if possible, became even more idyllic. We all felt like we actually were in the Lion King, as corny as it may sound. My favorite moment of the night was when Billy drove us up to the top of a hill just as the sun was beginning to set.

We hopped out of the truck only to see a breathtaking view of the trees and land below, with the sun setting right over it all. All of us stood, took some pictures and watched the sun set as we enjoyed our sun-downers, supplied by Billy. Looking back, watching the sun set with everybody was one of the first times on this journey that I've really been able to take a step back and just soak everything in. Camp moves so quickly; it feels like day one turns into day four in a matter of seconds. Even on safari,

I was so concentrated on seeing that one lion or that one leopard (which we did eventually see!) that I probably missed out on some beautiful trees or baboons bathing in the sun. But standing up on that hill overlooking miles and miles of park below us, we all took a moment to see the big picture and appreciate how beautiful and serene things can be when you take the time to just step back and slow down. So for these next two weeks, which are sure to fly by, I plan on slowing down and soaking in every moment I can. After all, we only have about 13 sunsets left, and I plan to remember each and every one of them.

Submitted by: Caitlin Barrett

Behind the Internship: Stand By Me

2011-01-14T09:48:00.008-05:00

In the words of the Late Great Ben E King .

When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only light we'll see
No I won't be afraid, no I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand, stand by me
And darlin', darlin', stand by me,
oh now now stand by me
Stand by me, stand by me

This song for me has always sent chills up my spine of what it means to be a human in a relationship with other people. What it means to be a friend. What it means to need friendship. I have always thought that if each individual in our world would approach life in such a way as this simple song describes then much of our hurt, pain and despair would vanish. Perhaps poverty and war would fade away into the clear night sky. I first heard this song in the movie by Steven Spielburg "Stand By Me" that starred the late River Pheonix. It is a movie about friendship and journey into the unknown. These boys find a bond that sticks with them forever. This movie has always come to mind when I think of what life could be like in a magical friendship and a world that held so much wonder but little answers.

Well let me tell you, Malawi expresses the message of the song “Stand By Me” in ways that were hard to imagine before arriving to this country. The moment I stepped onto Malawi soil I felt this very strange feeling of being Home. I instantly felt in good hands as I got off the plane and I met Jaren and Karen. I felt I was in the place I was destined to be. A place were purpose would find you simply by waking up each morning.

A little over two weeks has passed and what an adventure Malawi has turned out to be. A safe journey, but with the feeling of living on the edge. Maybe it’s the dreamland landscape, or the poverty found in Lilongwe, the villages or the refugee camp but each day seems to be amazing and radical, but at the same moment very casual and simple.

You are first welcomed by Africa. Africa has an emotion that does not exist in Canada or the USA. They are great countries, but Africa has an odd magic to it. Then you are welcomed by the people who are so kind. Friendship is made with a wave, smile and if walking a hand shake. Poverty has a very sad unspeakable side, but the people of Malawi truly are the Warm Heart of Africa. The time at the schools is so rewarding. Singing, dancing, making friends that will remain in the heart. The kids make such an impact. One minute you are on the outside looking upon a very poor village or school, and the next you are on a first name basis with someone you will never forget.

Africa is known to move at a different pace than North America or Europe but the pace you will really notice is how fast great friendship sprouts out from the ground of life, love and laughter. Name’s like John, Leonard , Sarah and George are part of whom I am now. I hope to be part of who they are.

I sit in the morning under the heat of the African sun. I read, listen to music, or write in my journal. It took me many years to get to Africa, in fact two years ago I had never heard of Malawi. But now I wonder how everyone isn't moved to take the steps to come to this land. It feels as though you have not lived until you have been in Africa. This may not be understood, but if you find your way to this mystical, magical place you will understand fully.

I praise God for bringing me to Malawi and I thank Christ for dying for the rich and the poor. I am not sure however whom is richer or poorer…us in all our glory of possession or those in the glory of life. I encourage you to volunteer with World Camp in Malawi, or at least come to Africa. If you can't do this maybe just take time to sit and have tea with your friend when they return from the Warm Heart and still have the dirt of soulful African soil on their feet.

Submitted by: Nick Felgate

Behind the Internship: Chamwala FPS & Dzaleka Refugee Camp

2011-01-10T11:18:00.006-05:00

We just finished our first full week of teaching in Malawi. Not only did we teach in the Chamwala Full Primary School, we also ran a short program educating the Dzaleka Refugee camp about HIV and AIDS. The Chamwala Full Primary School was wonderful to work in, the teachers and students were all very eager and excited for us to be there educating them. In fact, our first day of work happened to fall on a public holiday that we were not aware of. The Headmaster, Alfred, was so excited for us to be there that he had all the teachers and students who were participating in the program come into school that day. After introducing World Camp to the students and explaining that we were here to educate them about HIV and AIDS, as well as the environment, we began with a few morning songs as a sort of ice breaker between ourselves and the students. One song that we did, called "Go Bananas" became sort of the theme for the week, as almost all the students tried to apply the lyrics and rhyme scheme to many different subjects. Everyday when walking around the school you could hear anyone from the youngest students to those in the older grades that we were teaching singing the song. Watching the students get so involved in something and enjoying something so much and participating side by side with all the World Camp volunteers was really exciting.

Although teaching the curriculum in itself was quite the experience, a moment that will always stay with me is when we were leaving on the third day of camp. As we drove out of the village, on this bumpy, rugged, dirt road that the teachers said no one drives on, we passed so many of the students walking home to their villages. Although the school is in a village, many of th

e surrounding villages send their children to the Chamwala school, so it acts as more of a regional school than a school for just one individual village. As we were driving we passed a group of the children who were in our groups that we have been teaching. As we passed them, all holding the pinwheels we had built together to show them how the wind could be used for energy, they all began to chase the van. One girl in particular, named Zione, who was one of my students, continued to chase the van. She ran with us for about five minutes singing and dancing along next to the van "Peel Bananas, Peel Peel, Bananas. Eat Bananas, Eat, Eat, Bananas. Go Bananas, Go, Go, Bananas!" Watching her chase after the van singing along the song we had taught the children to get them to trust us and open up to us was really exciting. We had all the windows open singing along with her as she ran next to us. Seeing that she was so excited to be able to sing us the song we had taught them made me really feel as though we could actually make a difference.

After spending the four days at the primary school, we taught a shorter program at the Dzaleka Refugee camp, which we drove past every day on the way to the primary school. Driving into the camp it was so clear the poverty and struggles that these people are facing every day. We worked with about 30 or so men and women, some who were HIV positive. We talked about the proper ways that they could prevent the spread of the disease and answered any questions that they had. The first day we also toured the camp. Seeing a refugee camp for the first time in my life really struck a chord within me. It was emotionally draining to walk around and see all these people with permanent residences (read: shacks), with no hope of going anywhere else, no hope of going home. We saw their lack of resources, lack of jobs, visited their primary school and also the Clinic that was in the camp. One of the camp's three doctors came out to talk to us about the clinic and the resources that they have available to them, which although limited, had more than I expected. However, the next day of discussion that we had with our group at the camp told us otherwise. Hearing these men and women tell us that the medical care they receive is sub par, that no one wants to get tested for HIV because they'd rather live with it and not know or have anyone else know was incredibly disheartening. They told us that they do not have the proper nutrition in order to take the Anti-Retrovirals (ARVs) which prolong the life of someone living with HIV, so instead many choose to go without because their quality of life was better without them. Hearing that a medicine that is actually supposed to make one's life better is in fact making someone's life worse is a very hard thing to hear and come to terms with. Life has been so difficult for these people and I hope that our presence in the camp and the information that we gave them and discussions that we facilitated can help them to improve the lives of others. Visiting the camp is an experience and place I will never be able to, nor would want to, remove from my memory.

Submitted by: Marissa Hurwitz