Community project at a village on Lake Malawi

Before our work experience visit to Malawi students raised funds to support projects in the villages where we stayed. One was a nursery on Lake Malawi, run by Janepher and Packson.

Janepher (left) and the women of the village collect water for the nursery

Janepher (left) and the women of the village collect water for the nursery

Water is collected from the lake and boiled before drinking

Water is collected from the lake and boiled before drinking

They e.mailed to thank the group for their support:

We’d like to express our profound thanks and gratitude for your recent visit to Malawi and especially to our school at Mdalachikowa. We felt greatly honored for your decision to visit our school among the so many schools. We really enjoyed the interaction with the team during the two planned days and the kids still have fresh memories of such a wonderful experience. We really appreciate your generous support to our school. Please convey our gratitude to each and everyone in the team with you, we love you people you’ve been so wonderful. May God richly bless you.
Regards, Packson & Janepher

We hope to raise funds to get piped water from the lake to the nursery.

Teaching at a nursery in a village on Lake Malawi

This nursery teaches 157 children under five.

During our stay at Nanchengwa lodge at Lake Malawi we visited Mdalacikowa Nursery where we all donated some toys as they had nothing before we arrived. The children’s smiles lit up the room when we gave them each a toy to play with. We spent two mornings playing with the children, this was a lovely experience and really good fun. They sang twinkle twinkle little star to us in English and they loved playing clapping games. Beth Doda

 Bryony with excited young children at the nursery

Bryony with excited young children at the nursery

Making mud bricks

We went to help a village high up in the mountainous region, too far and treacherous for any vehicle to enter carrying building supplies such as bricks. We arrived to be engulfed by a large group of the children, as was the case at most villages we worked at. We met a group of villagers who were making bricks from the water, mud and clay dust which was available from the ground itself. The process involved mixing water and mud together with hoes, then all of us jumping around in the mixture till it was a smooth dough like consistency. I definitely shouldn’t have worn jeans!  The mixture was then placed in casts and left to dry in the sun. As we started to get involved more and more villagers came out to help which showed a strong sense of community.  Sunny Nahal

Getting dirty making mud bricks to build a classroom

Getting dirty making mud bricks to build a classroom

Cultural celebrations at Lake Malawi

Upon our arrival at Nanchengwa Lodge (on the shores of Lake Malawi)  we had the chance to observe an initiation ceremony- the last part of a 30-day ritual- and see  a local Nyau dance. 

Boys dressed up for the final village celebration of their initiation; well wishers donate drinks & money

Boys dressed up for the final village celebration of their initiation; well wishers donate drinks & money

Masked Nyau dancer performs in the village

Masked Nyau dancer performs in the village

Start the day with Chichewa lessons

Words can’t describe the experience of volunteering in Malawi. I enjoyed every second of it and hope to go again in the future. From day 1 we started learning Chichewa (the main language spoken in Malawi) and a little about the culture and African music by meeting a chief and an artist. Dan Javed

Practicing Chichewa

Practicing Chichewa

Learning Chichewa next to the pool at Fisherman's Rest

Learning Chichewa next to the pool at Fisherman’s Rest

Staff at Fisherman’s Rest giving language lessons