38 more days...

It has already been 11 months since I came to Malawi. It is hard to believe that I only have 38 more days left before leaving this beautiful country.

The rainy season has begun and villagers are busy cultivating the land and planting maize seeds. Contrary to the lively greenness of baby maize plants, people in the rural areas are suffering. Many face hunger.

When I went to several villages to meet with the preschool teachers and committees this week, I did not see people cooking. So many people approached me asking for help. I asked them how they survive without enough food. They told me they eat only once a day. They cannot even afford madeya, the remaining pieces of maize after milling, which is given to animals.

The only edible things available for all are mangos and the local insects called Ngonbi. I saw my friends waiting underneath the lamps trying to catch as many flying Ngonbi as they can. They take off the wings and eat them raw or fried with salt.

I feel guilty.


As for my preschool development project, I have few more big tasks left.

Next Thursday is the graduation for half of the teachers who have participated in 2 and a half years of training. It will be a Christmas party where they get to eat meat and rice and enjoy soda.

Before the end of the year, I also have to purchase all the materials needed for starting up small businesses for 8 preschools. This is a small-scale microcredit program whereby the selected preschool committees receive all the materials needed for a small business and little by little from the income, they have to return the money needed to buy them. Such businesses include village style bakery, barbershop, cellphone charging using solar panel, piggeries, tailoring, and goat meat sales. I am very much excited about the outcome.

I also have to finish up a preschool construction, passing down the information to the next volunteers, saying goodbye to everyone….

Time is running out…