As Malawi enters its winter following elections in May, work on the Nchima Trust (NT) farm continues to go well under the management of Mr Somanje. We also continue to support our students both in tertiary and secondary education. Jeannette Heikens, our current volunteer on the ground in Malawi, reports that she has recently arranged to support an initiative to provide lunch at one of the secondary schools with which we work. Sounds simple but this is not customary at most schools. What Jeannette had been told was that the school appears to fail female students in diproportionate measure. When the teachers were asked why this was the case the answer was simple - all students go home for lunch and in general only the boys (and not all of them) are allowed to come back to school in the evening to do their homework, use the library etc. Most girls are asked to remain at home to help with jobs. With co-operation and cooking equipment from parents and teachers, a couple of rocket stoves from Ann Davidson and a little financial support from NT, the school now provides lunch, the students remain after lunch to study for a couple of hours and then return home. Parents have been supportive and absenteeism is very low. We shall report back on the results of this interesting project.
The farm is progressing well and Mr Somanje and his team are working hard to create a model farm from which others can learn. A well has been dug by hand and a pump installed - the pump is a manual one which is easily maintained and repaired. The land is gradually being cleared and cultivated and crops continue to be harvested and sold to the hospital, school and supermarket in Thyolo.
Enjoy the photos - just hover your mouse over each picture for a caption.
