A Passion for World Camp

Wonder what it's like to be on-the-ground in Malawi seeing our life-changing programs in action? To get an in-the-field perspective, we chatted with our Country Manager, Solomon Chipingo-Phiri (Chipingo). He filled us in on his love for World Camp's work, what makes Malawi great and some of his passions.

What inspired you to join the team at World Camp as Malawi Country Manager?
I am inspired by the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of underprivileged people World Camp serves and the empowerment philosophy we adopt in our work.

Why are you passionate about World Camp’s mission?
It makes people proactive and strategic actors in the development of their lives and their surrounding communities rather than being passive recipients of development. World Camp has a bottom up approach which is dignifying to the people it works in partnership with.

Why is World Camp’s work so important in Malawi?
The government ministries have good plans, but they are limited by financial resources. World Camp works to complement the government initiatives contributing to the specific development of heath and education. World Camp has a distinction in its work in that it aims at empowering the locals to identify their problems and devise solutions for those problems, while working with them as a partner. This assures the sustainability of our projects.

What’s a favorite memory from Camp Hope?
A favorite memory of Camp is during the Memory Tree activity. This is where campers share what they have gained and are able to recount the treasures they have amassed from camp. I like the true stories because they are honest and come from their hearts rather than from their heads. It makes me cherish the hours that I invest in camp.

What is the most rewarding thing about your job?
To see hopeless lives being transformed and impacted with my contributions.

What do you love the most about your home country Malawi?
It is a land of peace and the people are so lovely. It has a rich culture that believes in family and a supportive structure morally and socially.

What do you do when you are not working at World Camp?
Reading, watching my favorite channels on TV, creative beauty arts and composing songs which I 

Rethink HIV: World AIDS Day 2015

By World Camp Intern Rachael Thorn

World AIDS Day is held each year on December 1st to continue support for the fight against HIV and to commemorate those who have died because of an HIV or AIDS related illness. It began in 1988, making this the 27th year of this international health day. While there have been great strides in the past three decades in understanding HIV and developing treatment, World AIDS Day reminds us that this struggle is not yet over. 

Here are some stats of what happened in 2014 alone (AVERT):
Estimated 36.9 million people living with HIV
2.6 million children living with HIV
54% of all people living with HIV know they have the virus
2 million new HIV infections
220,000 new HIV infections in children

This health pandemic still affects a huge number of the population. Although HIV is manageable with proper regimented treatment, there continues to be misconceptions, stigmatization, fear of getting treatment and lack of access to treatment that pose as obstacles. World AIDS Day is a time we can all come together and show solidarity in the fight against AIDS. Support our HIV health and education programs by visiting our donation page. You can also order your red ribbon.

Your gift provides services and awareness to Malawian communities. By taking this day to reflect on the evolution of this pandemic and rethink HIV, it gives us the opportunity to create new ways of providing support and infrastructure that can benefit those, especially youth, living with HIV in Malawi. Thank you!

Access to Health Care: How Governance Plays a Role

By Intern Rachael Thorn

World Camp’s work focuses on helping the people of Malawi access health care. There are many challenges to health access in Malawi and issues surrounding governance are a starting point to help us understand lasting and sustainable solutions for communities. 

Malawi’s government decreases its capacity to provide fundamental services to its citizens through poor governance that would ultimately only strengthen Malawi as a whole. The 2014 report of the Corruption Perception Report ranks Malawi as 110 out of 174 (with number 1 being the country with the least amount of corruption). Its score is 33 on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (not at all corrupt) (Transparency International).

Corruption Perceptions Index 2014
The perceived levels of public sector corruption in 175 countries/territories around the World:

What does this have to do with access to health care? Let’s take a look at Malawi’s government. Malawi appears to have a patronage system, which means the government rewards contacts in the private sector for their support or in exchange for furthering their political advantage. Between a patronage system and the large income disparity present in Malawi, we begin to see a vicious cycle of poverty and stagnation for lower classes. As there is less room for reward in sectors like education and health, for government officials and companies, less money is put into these underfunded sectors. Largely, a system has been put in place that is beneficial for some, but not for those who depend on the state to provide fundamental public services.

The 1998 Local Government Act was an attempt to introduce a framework that diminished instances of corruption. This was implemented “to further the constitutional order based on democratic principles, accountability, transparency and participation of the people in decision making and development processes” (Commonwealth Local Government Forum). However, Malawi’s rule of law lacked the ability to enforce this accountability that would come from the democratic process, because it was proposed without outlining methods to constrain the patronage system already in place. Thus, the pedestal of democracy did not have the legs to stand on and the tradition of patronage continued to dictate the priorities of the public sector.

We must remember that it is difficult to talk about the corruption in any country because it is only the perception of corruption that it is verifiable. Thus, to quantify it, such as the Corruption Perception Report does, only tells us part of the story. It is more important to understand that the citizens perceive this corruption based on the quality of life in their daily experiences and accessibility to public services. World Bank’s “survey results suggest that users (households and businesses) regard public institutions as delivering generally inferior quality services or alternatively that none of the public institutions listed are performing exemplary public service in Malawi. The performance and the perceived honesty/integrity of institutions are highly correlated” (eldis). It may be difficult to view public institutions as reliable for many citizens after the 2013 Cashgate scandal in which over 70 people were arrested in regards to illegitimate payments from the government that were being paid to civil servants who had previously supported political players.

Why is understanding corruption in state governance important? Where do we go from here? One major form of change comes through social mobilization that comes out of education, awareness and empowerment. World Camp is working towards all of these things. We face the systemic problems everyday and have to continue to believe that they are not unchangeable. The first step in mobilization is understanding where the foundation is cracked and how that crack trickles down to affect almost every aspect of society. The first of the World Bank suggestions for moving towards progress says: 

“In fighting corruption not only must the approach be holistic, but it must also be carried and supported by all stakeholders in the society” (Governance and Corruption Diagnostic Survey in Malawi). 

Continuing support of our work to include all citizens of Malawi in having an empowered voice can lead to improved access to health care and education. Our holistic programs reflect the suggestion of the World Bank and looking towards the future, the hope instilled in our partner communities can become empowerment—and empowerment can become change. 

World Camp Clubs Refocus

By Managing Director Emily Stallings

Do you remember a teacher who ignited your interest in learning or your passion for a certain subject? I remember teachers from all ages – my kindergarten teacher who would leave the room and come back in as our teacher’s magical sister; my middle school French teacher who taught us songs and encouraged us to use our introductory skills to chat with one another; my high school English teacher whose passion for literature and learning was simply infectious. Great teachers spur us on to learn through their enthusiasm and they can have a significant impact on our interests and development.

World Camp is working with teachers in Malawi’s public primary schools to equip them to make this kind of impact on their learners through our World Camp Clubs. WC has been working with teachers for over a decade to provide supplementary training on child-centered, interactive teaching methods and pressing health topics, beginning with HIV many years ago. Teachers that serve as faculty advisors to our World Camp Clubs (WCCs) are the cornerstone of the program. It is through the passion, dedication and knowledge of these teachers that the program succeeds.

To start off the new school year and a new year of WCCs, World Camp staff Chipingo (Country Manager), Zoey (Intern), and I (Managing Director) met with the Matrons and Patrons, as the faculty advisors are known, of our eleven WCCs on September 10. The meeting was to receive feedback on the previous year’s program and plan strategically for the coming year. The meeting was a wonderful success. Matrons and Patrons expressed the value they see in the WCC program as well as the challenges it faces. The group collaboratively completed a SWOT analysis of the program and moved on to planning for the new year.

I’m thrilled about the plans for the new school year. Teachers agreed that a more developed, shared curriculum would be a big help in implementing the WCC program. The way WCCs work is that WC staff train the Matrons and Patrons as well as the club-elected student leaders and support these individuals in running weekly meetings. The model is decentralized, empowering these individuals but demanding a lot of them, too. The teachers told us they feel capable and invested in running meetings, but also overwhelmed at times.

Together, we agreed having a specific health topic for each month (increased health knowledge is an essential piece of the WCC program) with detailed lessons and activities would provide an enhanced structure for the Matrons and Patrons. Another element of the WCCs is to build up the life skills of club members, so we ensured many weeks incorporate opportunities to flex those life skills muscles. Week 1 of a topic might be heavy on the knowledge component while Weeks 2, 3 and 4 emphasize group work, public speaking and leadership, for example.

So here we are! We’ve delivered the first month’s topic, lessons and activities to the Matrons and Patrons and they’re making their first go of it this month October’s health topic is sexual and reproductive health (SRH), which is a challenging one. We believe in them and we’ll keep you posted on their success!

Staying Connected with Our Kids

By World Camp Intern Zoey Ponder

With the end of Camp Hope comes the beginning of a new year of Camp Hope Follow-Up sessions. Follow-Up sessions are daylong events specifically for the campers that World Camp recruited to attend Camp Hope. These events focus on reinforcing the lessons learned at Camp in a smaller setting that allow campers to grow closer to one another and get one-on-one attention and counseling from World Camp’s dedicated mentors. The first session was all about encouraging campers to dedicate themselves to setting future goals and coming up with ways to achieve those goals. Managing Director, Emily Stallings and I were lucky enough to get to participate in this year’s first Follow-Up. 

The first session, held on September 19th, had two activities to teach our campers how to focus on their goals. One of these activities was a game led by Makhumbo Bwanali, former World Camp staff member and long-time Camp Hope Mentor, intended to help the campers see the importance of focus in achieving their goals. Makhumbo led the campers through a card game to teach them the benefits of focusing on their goals and how to help their fellow campers stay focused. 

For the other activity, I taught the kids how to make an American craft, dream catchers. Dream catchers were an excellent activity to illustrate goal setting and focus because of the significance of dream catchers. The legend of the dream catcher says that bad dreams get caught in the web while good dreams flow through the hole in the middle of the web and down the feathers onto dreamers. The dream catchers serve as a perfect symbol for resilience – allowing the dream catcher to filter out all the negative thoughts while letting positive thoughts filter through. We decided to have the beads of the dream catcher symbolize goals and the feathers symbolize methods of achieving your goals. One feather was made of paper on which the Mentors helped campers write their goals for the future and strategies for achieving them. One girl wanted to be a nurse and a Camp Hope Mentor and asked me how, other than school, she could achieve her goals. Together, we decided she should practice caring for the people she already knows and helping others. She was so excited by this new idea she flashed a huge smile as she wrote it down lightning fast on her methods feather. It was wonderful to see what all the kids want to be when they grow up; many have dreams of helping others by being police officers, nurses, or mentors. 

At the end of the activity the kids proudly showed off their dream catchers and we took pictures of each camper in front of all the dream catchers made by the group. It was beautiful to see all the bright beads and feathers symbolizing all our campers will one day achieve. 

After activities we had lunch prepared by our nutritionist Thandie, who single handedly prepared food for upwards of fifteen people - she was quite the impressive cook! After lunch, she sat with all the kids to talk about the nutritional value of what they ate. I was impressed by how eager all the kids were to talk about their goals and share their knowledge about food groups and healthy eating. 

Last, we had time to hangout and play. Several of the girls were very fascinated with my hair as I had just cut it very short. They ran their hands through it about ten times before they believed it was my natural hair. 

At the end of the day, with healthy snacks and dream catchers in tow, the kids headed home. One girl held my hand and thanked me “for all I had done for her”. She thanked everyone in this manner, the most sincere thank you I’ve seen anyone of any age give in a long time. All the kids were so open and wonderful, always reaching for a hand to be held or jumping at the chance to answer a question. 

The World Camp Rover left the driveway full of waving, singing campers excited about their day and looking forward to the October Follow-Up session!

Reflections on Camp Hope

By Intern Zoey Ponder

As this summer’s sessions of Camp Hope wind to an end and World Camp begins to prepare for our year-round programming, we all take the time to pause and reflect on our time spent at Camp. I was lucky enough to spend four days at two different camp sessions this year and will forever remember how touching this opportunity has been. 

Camp Hope is held in a beautiful setting, sort of off the beaten path about an hour outside of Lilongwe. The campsite lies against the backdrop of amazing rocky peaks and surrounded by quiet villages and farmland. The last fifteen minutes of the drive in is filled with kids yelling “azungu” (a friendly nickname for someone with light skin) and waving at the car as we bounce up and down on the dirt road. The campsite itself has large boys’ and girls’ dorm rooms as well as a huge dining hall in the center. Off to the right of the dorms and dining hall is a soccer field and the main hall and classrooms are over on the far side of that. 

Meal times are some of the silliest times. Kids have three meals and three snacks each day to help teach the value of nutritious eating and to provide valuable nutrition they may not receive at home. It was at Camp Hope that I tried Malawian food for the first time. Everyone is encouraged to eat as much as they want, as it was explained to me by an enthusiastic camper, “This is Africa, EAT EVERYTHING!” Meal times are also utilized to teach campers important food groups, staying hydrated and to celebrate the “Super Campers”. Super Campers are campers who are celebrated for their accomplishments at Camp during “Camp Kawawa” - which is essentially a big party of singing and dancing and giving out awards for any number of accomplishments that can earn one the “Super Camper” certificate. 

Outside of mealtimes the day is filled with loads of activities, special classes on all sorts of topics from the stigma attached to HIV to arts, crafts and campfires. I was very impressed to see the kids memorizing their ART (antiretroviral therapy) treatments and pill names so they can advocate for themselves and understand their treatment. Kids at Camp Hope get the chance to learn a lot about HIV and how they can help keep themselves healthy, like the importance of taking your treatment each day and the value of nutritious food. 

One of my favorite activities was the creation of a goals book. Campers got a picture of themselves taken in front of the Camp Hope sign, which many of them were very excited to share with me—and let me tell you these kids know how to strike a pose! Inside their books, they are encouraged to write what they want to achieve with their lives. Many of them wrote professions like a nurse or an accountant. They then wrote how to achieve these goals, what might stand in their way and how to overcome those obstacles. It was amazing to see kids who very seriously wanted to figure out how to achieve their goals. They were even asking me how to reach their goals and wanting me to share my goal book to them. It was an honor to have them want to share their books with me. 

Camp Hope really is a wonderful place for these kids. I saw so many of them laughing, holding hands, dancing together and sharing stories of struggle and hopes of a very bright future. These kids face a lot every day, but they are brave. Together, I saw them standing tall, whether it be dancing on the stage at Stage Night or in the lunch room receiving their “Super Camper” award. I am very proud of everyone who took part in this year’s Camp Hope and I can only hope that Camp Hope will continue to reach more kids each and every year.

Loving the Warm Heart of Africa

By World Camp Intern Zoey Ponder

It is my eleventh day here in Malawi and I am growing to love “ The Warm Heart of Africa” more and more. In just 11 days, I have experienced two trips to Camp Hope as well as adventures to Dedza and around Lilongwe. Lilongwe is the capital of Malawi and home to the World Camp house, which has quickly come to feel like home to me. Each time we return, I am always excited to get back to our evenings of dinner and chatting and days full of trips to various markets and other spots around the city.

Everywhere you go, there are vendors along the side of the road with all sorts of goods from sugar cane to woven furniture and everything in between. On the trip home from Camp the other day we even saw members of the Gule Wamkulu, a secret cult that performs dances at ceremonies, walking along the roadside.

One of my favorite parts of coming “home” is the men who work around the house. John is the House Manager and one of my favorite people to chat with. Each morning when I wake up John can usually be found in the kitchen and makes my mornings a delight (which for me is no easy task) his big smiles and mannerisms can cheer up anyone’s day; not to mention that he makes one mean shepherd’s pie! Ngoni is the Grounds Manager and he is always bringing in beautiful eggplant and tomatoes that he grows in the yard and greeting us at the gate with the enthusiasm of seeing a much missed friend. He makes coming home feel like a celebration regardless of how long I’ve been gone.

During our trip to Dedza and Camp you get to drive past some beautiful scenery, mountains which stick up out of the ground so sharply it is as if someone dropped them down from the sky. Baobab trees that stand broad and tall against the backdrop of villages with tall grass fences and roofs. Kids drive cattle carts alongside the road and roving bands of goats stress Emily out by always lingering too close to, if not in, the road.

In our trip to see the ancient rock paintings near Dedza we got to hike up one of the mountains to a cave with 2,000 year old paintings of animals and people on the ceiling. There is a chameleon, a duck, a person, a lion, a bull as well as other animals painted in black and white and still very visible after all this time. On the way back down the mountain to view even older rock art, we even saw some monkeys hanging out in nearby trees.

Closer to the village, there is rock art done by Pygmies that is 10,000 years old. The Pygmy rock art is red and reaches impressively high up, the Pygmies used ladders or stood on each other’s shoulders to paint all sorts of scenery including a nearly 20ft tall giraffe which was my personal favorite.

The longer I stay in Malawi, the more I see how beautiful this place is. Whether it is the beauty in the culture of kindness or the incredibly cute kids at Camp and everywhere else or in the breathtaking sunsets every evening, I cannot stop marveling at Malawi. In the next few weeks, I have no doubts I will continue being amazed as we travel to the Lake and as we start work on our different programs that will kick off in September and October. 

Greetings from Camp Hope!

After years of writing about Camp Hope and working to make it possible each summer, I had my first chance to visit yesterday. The experience was as moving and fun as I could have ever imagined. The campers, like all groups of Malawian children I’ve gotten to hang out with, were sweet, excited to meet a new person, and super energetic. I was invited to eat at a different table for every meal, but I barely sat down before the kids were eagerly asking, “What’s your name?”

Camp Hope is a camp that serves specifically youth living with HIV. These children, so considerate and adorable, are all facing a tremendous life-long challenge. Camp offers our newly-disclosed to youth a chance to come to terms with their diagnosis, learn more about their disease, and bond with other children facing similar difficulties. It’s jam-packed with fun activities, but also designed to provide campers with knowledge and skills they will need to care for themselves throughout their lives.
One of the absolute highlights of my visit was meal time. Campers are clustered into Color Groups that sit together at meals and participate in activities together. During meals campers chant songs, break out into dance and celebrate each other’s achievements from the day. Two campers from each Color Group are recognized at every meal, sung to the front by the whole Camp – enthusiastic hands pounding out a rhythm on the tables. Mentors (think Camp Counselors) recognize the success of these campers: Describing their positive contribution, Labeling the attributes this speaks to, and Praising the camper for this behavior.

I was so happy to find that my visit fell on Day 5 of Camp which features Stage Night in the evening. Stage Night is a talent show that really lays clear what a supportive, nurturing environment Camp is. Each Color Group spent much of the day preparing a presentation to share with the rest of Camp. The presentations showcased the campers’ talents while also emphasizing the importance of Camp Hope to our youth. My favorite moments were when campers recited poems they had written about Camp, or the importance of adhering to your HIV drug regimen.

Both World Camp Intern, Zoey Ponder, and I will be visiting Camp again next week. We can’t wait. We’ll be back with more updates for sure!

New Directions

If three years ago someone would have told me what I would be doing now, I would have laughed and never believed it. Three years ago I was majoring in Political Science and was too scared to spend a semester studying abroad. The only traveling I had ever done was while on nice vacations, and I was pretty content with my life in North Carolina. After spending one summer doing summer school, I knew I should do something more interesting the following summer, and figured I would spend the summer studying in Europe, like what most of my friends were doing.

Yet a friend told me about her experience with World Camp and after hearing her stories I knew it was what I wanted to do. I had recently changed my major to elementary education and this opportunity just seemed to fit perfectly. I was a little nervous to go to Africa but I knew it would be more interesting than another summer of summer school.

The time I spent in Malawi with World Camp was an absolutely amazing, life changing experience. My time there made me look at the person I was and think about the person I wanted to be. So many aspects of the experience contributed to this self-evaluation, from my interactions with the students and people in the villages, to the things I saw, to the vast knowledge I acquired about real poverty in a Third World country and the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The people I met were especially influential, both the Malawians and the other volunteers. I met so many people with interesting stories and fascinating life experiences. Hearing these accounts of extensive traveling, meeting people of all different cultures and backgrounds, and really seeing what the world was like made me question what I was doing with my life and I what I wanted to do with my life. All of the Malawians and other volunteers I met were such diverse, interesting, and amazing people and really made my World Camp experience very meaningful.

Within days of returning from Malawi, I knew I wanted and needed to go somewhere again after graduation. I had got a taste of what the world was like and all the different people out there. World Camp gave me the confidence and the desire to want to move to a developing country. A few months after World Camp, I was hired as a 1^st grade teacher at a school in the Dominican Republic and moved here in July 2010. I also volunteer at an activity center for street kids, and one program I have helped start is an HIV Education program. Living and working in a developing country is a challenge every day, but I absolutely love it and will likely be here for years to come.

I am so thankful to World Camp for opening up my horizons and really helping to change the course of my life. Without my experiences in Malawi with World Camp, I am 100% certain I would not be where I am today.

Submitted by: Sarah Gleason, WC Alumni 2009



**Part III in a series of impressions and memories of volunteering with World Camp. Please email submissions to info@worldcampforkids.org or katy@worldcampforkids.org. Journal entries & emails/letters home during your experience, pictures, etc. are encouraged!**

Hot Water...

"We love bathing in a bucket, pooping in a hole is much easier and cleaner than we had predicted and nsima is totally the new sushi.
This morning, just after our bucket bath, we were introduced to the entire primary school (all 2800 students). It wasn’t the introduction we could have forseen.
While preparing for the day we were surprised to witness our Malawian mayi (mother) Lilian sprint out of the house in the direction of all the school children. Amazed, we followed suit to see what was going on. Our mistake. As soon as we were in sight of the growing crowd, we became the object of everyones attention.
The running of the bulls is the best description for what happened next. Before we could blink the school children had rushed towards us, completely engulfing the unsuspecting ‘wazungus’ (white folk). They chanted wazungu and laughed and stared. It was a bit overwhelming. Out of nowhere two older students pushed their way to the center of the circle. One held a microphone which was attached to a brick, held by the other. We were then interviewed for Malawi TV.
Making sure they got everything on brick, we were escorted by the herd of students to our house. Lilian came appeared to save the day as she pushed us inside and shooed away the mob of school children. Good morning!
We later learned that what had originally taken place is very similar to what we call a ‘snow day’ in the States. Rumors of a Satanic Person had spread like wildfire throughout the community, reaching the primary school at prime time. Supposedly this Satanic Person was headed towards the school to drink the blood of the little children. Students dispersed in great numbers and school was forced to close. This wasn’t the first time something like this took place. It is a common occurance throughout Malawi.
We spent the remainder of the morning at the satellite office working on OVC spreadsheets and writing a proposal to the Nike (RED) Campaign. MCBO is applying for a grant from Nike which supports organzations who fight HIV through soccer. We created a pretty sweet application and will send it in tomorrow.
After lunch we had our first official lesson with the MCBO executive staff. Today’s topic: Leadership skills. We introduced it with a really fun activity that was basically follow the leader, blindfolded. It was certainly a sight to be seen. Afterwards we spent the next hour discussing different types of leadership methods and when it is deemed necessary to utilize each method. We concluded the lesson with an assessment quiz to identify each members’ leadership type and were pleased when they asked for more copies of the quiz to be used in the future."
"Overall a very successful day!"

"Tomorrow’s topic: Teamwork. We’ll let you know how the Trust Fall goes!"

The Warm Heart

I had always wanted to visit Sub-Saharan Africa, and expected to enjoy it, but through World Camp, I not only had a good time, but also developed a unique connection with Malawi and its people. Malawi is full of experiences that will change you and leave you eager for more. This was certainly true for me. One of my most fond memories was connecting with my students through Chichewa, the local language. It took me a few weeks to develop working knowledge of Chichewa, but by my fifth week in Malawi, I could crack jokes, sing some songs, and even ask basic questions. My students loved the fact that an azungu, slang for a Caucasian person, could communicate with them. It was thrilling to see how open and excited these students were to gaining life saving information regarding HIV/AIDS and the environment. The experience left me driven to do more. I am grateful that World Camp allowed me to return to Malawi last January to explore new ways the organization can expand its outreach. I continue to help World Camp in the United States and am craftily sorting out how to get back to Malawi in the near future. My time with World Camp is unforgettable. It has shaped me and given me direction in future goals, and has also left me with a sense of connection to many people 8,000 miles away.

Submitted by: Andrew Beckman, WC Alumni 2009
(Andrew is also the son of David Beckman, who recently received The World Food Prize!)

**Part II in a series of impressions and memories of volunteering with World Camp. Please email submissions to info@worldcampforkids.org or katy@worldcampforkids.org. Journal entries & emails/letters home during your experience, pictures, etc. are encouraged!**

Connections Without Borders

I've been thinking a lot about labels and connections lately. (This is going somewhere, I promise.) Nearly two years of traveling and working abroad has provided a great deal of space to contemplate the notion of identity. Perhaps more than I would like at times. Surfacing again and again are the age-old and eternally unanswered questions, who are we? how or where do we fit in this world? what are we doing with our lives? The truth is, we begin this endless exploration of our identity when we're kids; we first recognize a concept of ourselves as individuals and eventually in relation to those around us.

Female. Male. American. Malawian. White. Black. In a relationship. Single. Married. Victim. Friend. Lover. Child. Parent. Unemployed. Employed. College graduate. Uneducated. Groupie. Musician. Healthy. Ill. Social worker. Accountant. Student. Voter. Politician. 

Malawi, Africa.  January 2010.

The labels we place on ourselves, or at times fall into, allow us to "know" ourselves and thus form connections with people around us. In some sense, this shapes who we are and what we are doing. At least for a given moment. Our identity, and our connections, are constantly defined and redefined by these labels. They shift depending on where we are, what we're doing, and who we're with.

For me those connections materialize most when I'm traveling. People often ask why I work with kids in India and Malawi when there are so many problems right here in the U.S., or why I choose to travel to Phom Penh when I haven't even been to my country's own capital? I never have a good answer, because I don't really know. For some reason I feel connected to certain parts of the world, inspired by certain groups of people, and angered more by certain "social" issues. 

Over time and through my work these connections seem to have defined me and what I am doing here. I have become an NGO worker, a foreigner living abroad. I build connections with empowerment groups because we share the label of being "women." I share understanding with kids in developing countries because we both have a concern of what it would mean to be HIV positive. My labels, my identity, have opened me to incredible experiences and connections around the world. 

And one of the things I LOVE about India (sorry boys), is the women. I was talking the other day with a friend's mom about relating to women in India and how they respond to us and World Camp's work there. How the sense of female camaraderie and spirit just permeates everywhere. A mother tucking a blanket around my feet on an overnight train. Rolling rotis in the kitchen and playing with spices. The smile a woman on the street gives me as she approves of my Indian dress (yet another label here--fitting in vs. unknowing tourist). Mothers shopping for bangles with their daughters. A conversation about educational opportunities for girls. Or giggling over the slimy lubrication during a condom demonstration.

Ahmedabad, India. July 2010.
Photo credit to volunteer Amanda Waldrop. 

My connection with women, and among women in India, was one discovered immediately on my first trip in 2005. It's one whose power continues to amaze me with each return. The welcoming spirit they have for those of us from far off lands (and lives).  Their physical and emotional strength to survive--nonetheless, succeed--in a world oppressive in so many ways. This connection, like so many other connections I've encountered abroad, breathes life into me while I'm there, yet I somehow worry will disappear when I leave.

The other day I was in a yoga class in my hometown--a beautiful little studio with views of the mountains and the lake, and, this time, a small group of 6 women. The theme for the class was "embracing change, being open to new things, and rooting in our gratitude for them." We practiced facing each other, and focused on heart-opening poses. Then came the handstands that then roll over into backbends. An incredible challenge to being open and embracing the fear of gravity.

One woman gently fell out of the pose, said it was too much, and tears began to flow. As we were rolling up our mats after class, she said she had no idea what came over her, just suddenly had to release. She thanked everyone for opening that space for release. None of us knew each other, but the rest of the group then exploded with conversation about how grateful they were that wherever we go there exists a kind of "female space." That space to release, to embrace overwhelming emotions--whether it be excitement and dancing or sadness and crying. How tough it must be for men not to have that (guys, feel free to challenge!).  How we were simply grateful to be...women.

I think when we travel we unconsciously open ourselves up to the world. To experiences and people. It's almost dramatic, really. And it comes so easily. We tend to guard ourselves when we are in places where people already know us, where we've already been labeled, where we're already comfortable.

That day, like so many of my experiences abroad and with World Camp, was a reminder of connection.  Of how, though our identity may be under constant re-definition, it doesn't mean connections aren't there.  And how those connections are what allows us to bring about (and perhaps more importantly, embrace) change.

Connections know no borders. They have an ability to transcend so many of the labels we place on ourselves and remind us that, at the core, we are all just human. That we have the same hopes and desires, that we share the same fears and sadness. And I think it is that very reminder that allows us to be effective in our work, whether it's here in the U.S. or across the ocean in Malawi.

World Camp reproductive and sexual health workshop. Pictured are Field Assistants Prerna Aroa & Prachee Shah with volunteer Kendall Strautman and women at Gramshree. Ahmedabad, India. July 2010. 

Written by: Katy Lackey, WC Coordinator


**Part I in a series of reflections on how we internalize what we learn abroad into who we are back home. Email submissions to info@worldcampforkids.org or katy@worldcampforkids.org. Articles, thoughts, poems, quotes, pictures, etc. are welcome!**

Bananas

Wrapping a little banana in a condom could make even the most stoic health professional crack a smile. First off, it’s a bit tricky to hold the banana while pinching the condom tip and unrolling. Then there’s the fact that the bananas we get are miniature compared to the ones in Western grocery stores—they barely fill the palm of your hand. After a little wrangling and unavoidably coating my hands with lubricant, I successfully ended up with a slimy protected crescent with a dangling latex skirt. The group of adults and volunteers gathered at the Yossa village community center rightfully burst into laughter as we all followed along with Jaren, the Volunteer Coordinator, who tactfully taught proper condom use—then ate the contents of his well-protected package.

The demonstration was the first taste of the HIV/AIDS education program for us second session World Camp volunteers, who arrived and hit the ground running this weekend for volunteer orientation. The weekend was spent on policy discussion, curriculum practice runs, tours of the World Camp house and area markets, and a visit to Yossa.

A community center that provides a place for kids to play and stay out of trouble, Yossa is a place World Camp volunteers visit often. After spending Saturday running through our class plans, we set out on Sunday for the bumpy 30 minute drive. When we turned onto the dirt road in front of the center, we were instantly greeted by children who quietly gathered to stare at the Wazungu (white people).

Standing by the well-used playground in the courtyard of the center, we gathered up the children and headed to a field adjacent to the community center for song and dance. One of the shyest of the bunch, a small girl no more than 5 years old who continuously sucked on the sleeve of her red sweater, wouldn’t tell me her name but insisted on holding my hand down to the field. Before you could blink, Jaren, along with the other coordinators, Rachel and Karen, and our Chichewa field staff, Peter, quickly got the kids shouting, doing the funky chicken—generally going bananas. (My new friend didn’t shout, but she did giggle on multiple occasions.)

When we finished song and dance we sorted the kids who were old enough for our program and headed back up towards the classrooms. I said goodbye to my new friend and joined some of adults and other volunteers for an HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention discussion led by Rachel and Jaren. We went through a game that demonstrated how quickly HIV can be spread through a community using hand-shaking as an analogy. In a culture where sex isn’t discussed openly, there was definitely some giggling from the start. Then came the bananas. By the time everyone dangled their properly protected bananas at their desks and Jaren was half-way through eating his, the room was full of comfortable laughter.

Once we got back from Yossa, the rest of the evening was spent preparing for the next day; the first full course-load of second session camp. We decided as a group to designate who would sing the songs during our camp opening. Molly, Brittanny and I thought it only appropriate to sign up to sing the ‘banana’ song...

eat bananas, eat eat bananas. GO BANANAS GO GO BANANAS!

submitted by B. Mole

Mwanzeze FPS

We just completed our fourth camp Mwanzeze Full Primary School in Chimwamba. Little did we know that on Monday there would be no children at the school due to a “holiday” that only the children knew about. Despite the small glitch in our schedule, we were able to enjoy a nice day off and then using our quick improvisational skills, we combined our curriculum into a jam-packed two day camp. The days started earlier and lingered well into the afternoons, but we are confident that our objectives were met and that the kids still had just as much fun.

Adding to our theme of unexpected turns of events, today’s camp started a little bit later than planned due to a special celebrity guest appearance by President Bingu Wa Mutharika. The roads were blocked on our way to school, so we took a detour and waited with several Lilongwe locals for the chance to see Bingu drive by. Excited cheers and waves greeted the President as he and his motor brigade of supporters (decked out in Bingu gear and riding in Bingu-decorated vehicles) passed by. It was definitely a worthy excuse for being late to our school today.

So overall, it was yet another successful camp for the World Camp volunteers. Time seems like it’s flying by as we realize we only have two weeks left here in Malawi. We look forward to meeting new students and teachers at our next schools and can’t wait to see what else the future holds. Maybe a surprise Bingu visit to the house? We can only hope.

Safari, Safari, Safari

Just got back from our safari holiday in Zambia, and it was awesome! We camped at a resort called Flatdogs (or Lazydogs, either way). Due to some delays crossing the Zambian border, we arrived at our campgrounds after dark. We were apprehensive at first about all the sounds we could hear in the bush, but Katy reassured us that they were just hippos far away in the river. On our way back from dinner, however, we were quickly confronted by a giant hippo munching its way through our campsite. So thanks for the reassurance Katy. We soon discovered that hippos weren’t the only wildlife we would find in our campsite. Elephants, monkeys and giraffes were frequent visitors as well. We also quickly discovered how delicious the food was, and how friendly the staff was. G-Funk was quick to befriend a lovely British chap named Ed (or Todd by Scott and Jaren). We think it was the mice in his pocket that was the source of his endearing and charming demeanor.

On our first drive, we stopped for bunny rabbits and owls among others like elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos, bison, wild dogs, hyenas, baboons, velvet monkeys, and a leopard. Lions weren’t spotted until the second and third drives for some, on which some of us witnessed them hunting at night, which also may be the scariest thing ever. Saturday night was full of fun and hilarious bonding time among the group, and more hippos wandering the campsite. On Sunday morning we packed the bus to return to Lilongwe, but were delayed again due to some curious and hungry elephants digging through the bus for snacks and Katy’s bag. After a while they moved on, but Katy’s snack and memory card were eaten unfortunately. After a lovely four days of rest, relaxation and adventure, we are now back in Lilongwe and ready for the next camp!

Paige and Laura

Mountains, Music, and Matipila

We began this week with an invigorating (aka excessively tiring) 4-hour round-trip hike up Mt. Nkoma. Scott and Jaren raced to the top, and while some managed to keep up—more or less—many found themselves tiresomely battling their way through 5 foot tall grass, across fields of scratchy stickers, and up sheer rocks. But, lunch at the top, accompanied by the hum of more bugs than any of us could ever care to see in our lifetime, the distant drumming in villages far below, and a spectacular view of perhaps half of Malawi (being a relatively small country) made the trip well worth our while.

On the second night of our third camp at Matipila Full Primary School, we all participated in an overnight homestay. We hiked a short distance through shrubbery and fields to a small village of no more than a dozen brick homes, housing four generations of a single extended family. The girls set to work helping the village women with their daily chores almost immediately—everyone joined in to help separate dried kernels of corn from their cobs, and many volunteered to help the women carry water from the nearest pump (though only Sarah G. has quite mastered the art of balancing large burdens on her head). Everyone but Channell (who was quite content to sit quietly in the village with her new-found friends) climbed a nearby hill to watch the brilliant orange and red sunset.

Evening came with some practice pounding ground nuts for Ashley and Sarah W., cooking nsima for Jess, and plenty of singing and dancing for everyone (with the exception of the boys, who were busy having bro-time with the chief). After dinner, the girls gathered in a circle with the village women to dance and clap along to traditional Chichewa songs and perform stunning acapella renditions of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” and “Build Me Up Buttercup,” when pressed to share some musical highlights of their own culture.

Nighttime was somewhat less than restful for most, as we tried to adjust to an 8pm bedtime and the constant bleating of goats. A brilliant sunrise came around 6am and most of us were up to see it, thanks to the insistent crowing of what seemed to be an entire flock of roosters. We finished off the morning with a friendly game of soccer, in which the schoolchildren easily showed up their teachers and the WC volunteers. Presentations went well—and were apparently hilarious, though the Chichewa made the plots a bit difficult to follow.

And now, after one night’s much-needed rest back at the World Camp house, we’re headed off for four days of safari in Zambia! It should be a very exciting experience and we’ll be sure to update about it when we return.

Until next time,
Alex, Channell, and the rest of World Camp

Having some trouble uploading pictures. We'll try again later!

First Camp, Day 1

Oh what a day! First day of camp was a flying success! We arrived at Mnkhupa FPS to the buzzing excitement of over 120 eager students. After a mind boggling rendition of our favorite World Camp songs, the day got started with some great introductions and games! The classes eagerly jumped into HIV awareness and prevention and deforestation education. The kids enjoyed John’s delicious nsima and bean relish and had a great time enjoying their lunch with their teachers and translator. The day ended on a super high note with a lot of relay races, singing, and dancing. We are all looking forward to day 2 of Camp and some very empowering Empowerment Discussions!

With Love From Malawi!!!

-Sarah G

Orientation

The first summer session volunteers arrived on Wednesday and Thursday- our girl-power team is made up of Christine, Megan, Laura, Channell, Sarah G., Paige, Sarah W., Alex, and Jess, and comes from California to Cleveland to Connecticut. We were greeted by our awesome coordinators, Katy, Ashley, Scott, and Jaren, and after some brief introductions, house-tours, and quick trips to town, were ready to get started.

We’ve gone over our curriculum, from HIV and AIDS basics to how to contract HIV, to prevention, to male and female empowerment, to deforestation and its causes and potential solutions, among other topics. We’ve practiced morning songs and games, and have gone bananas, boom chicka boom-ed, and funky chicken-ed with the best of them. On Friday we also took a trip to Chisomo, a local shelter for children, where the new volunteers helped lead some songs and then watched the coordinators demonstrate a game showing the effects of deforestation, as well as do a condom demonstration with bananas. Saturday was full of more curriculum review, and also included some exciting skits, in which two teams of volunteers competed to show off their acting prowess and which resulted in an epic showdown of a Broadway-worthy musical vs. Spanish channel-style soap opera. Stay tuned for results.

We’ve met some lively and friendly faces in Lilongwe, where we’ve promised multiple vendors that we’ll never, ever forget them (or their shops), we’ve sampled nsima and the other delicious offerings of John’s cooking, and some of us have embarked on a pretty ambitious puzzle. From Paige’s lifelong dream to have a dog named Maggie, Alex’s impressive Chichewa skills, Ashley and Sarah G’s inexplicable (yet, somehow, shared) obsessions with Dolly Parton, and Laura and Megan’s (again, strangely shared) elephant figurine collections, we’ve already started to get to know each other, and are looking forward to more to come in the next few weeks.

Until then,

Jess Hallett