Welcome to Our Seventeenth Servas Malawi Newsletter
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SERVAS MALAWI NEWSLETTER 17.
“Welcome to our Seventeenth Servas Malawi Newsletter“
July 2007 This newsletter is 'YOURS', send ideas/stories to Editor: Demelza Benbow, P.O.Box 211, Blantyre. Email:[email protected]
LOCAL MALAWI SERVAS NEWS & HARROGATE HOUSE 2007 TH a ‘WELCOME’ to NEW MEMBERS Film afternoon Sunday June 24 1500pm Meet at Open Arms Infant care home. Report by: Demelza LEWIS Mary BOLOWEZA gets UK/Canada travel! Calribet – Now mostly based in Lilongwe. Glenda sadly leaves Malawi in July for South Africa. Bye. See: [email protected] RAMONA SPECIAL!!! Tayanie is back from his visit to the UK. Saturday August 11th 1430; Ramona’s house. th Demelza+Ben expecting surprise 4 baby! Meet Petroda gas station 1400 for lift or Yiannakis Roundabout 1415. Bring snacks or SOUTHERN AFRICA REGION + phone Ramona for directions to her house out WORLD SERVAS NEWS on the Thyolo road. Cell:08-202800 Home:01-657122 /165 7258. Chats, laughs, games! Come for fun! SERVAS INTERNATIONAL YOUTH & FAMILY EVENT NEXT MEETING YORKSHIRE ’07: July 28th – August 4th rd Demelza supported Rita & Mary’s Youth Awards Day: Saturday 24 Nov applications - but no luck. 5 fortunate youth from: Time: 1500 prompt! Turkey; Uganda; Venezuela, Poland, Mexico won the 90% travel awards. More info: Servas Demelza’s in Blantyre. International Youth Team; Ann Greenhough [email protected] or Pablo Chufeni Pablo 01-8821520 09-48298 [email protected]
SOUTHERN AFRICA REGIONAL CONFERENCE WHAT HAPPENED AT December 2007 meeting Livingstone – THE LAST SOCIAL Zambia. Botswana@ servas.org OR www.servas.org Harrogate House (Open Arms) Face Paint. site; By Ramona BOWLER Contact Ramona on 08-202800; rambo@africa- Open Arms is based near Adventist hospital and online.net or Rita on DHL Blantyre. 01-820688 is well run and organised. Demelza+kids, Mary [email protected]; [email protected] and myself turned up with the face paints on 4th December 06. The kids watched a movie called ‘The Grinch’ and we handed out some sweets+ UP COMING SOCIALS fruit for the 11 children+staff. We then painted their faces as, green Christmas Reindeers. I have not done face painting before and I was not sure I could do it. But Demelza APOLOGIES: Marcel+Caroline, was saying ‘don’t think, just do’ and to be honest Ethel+Ben, Mavis, George, Charles, Marco I was rather pleased with what we achieved in such a short time. It was fun and some of the & Edith , Silverio & Jane and Betty. kids were scared by themselves in the mirror DNA’s: Said ‘we’ll come’. . . . but didn’t! and others fascinated about how they looked. Clara, Tayanie. ( sad we didn’t see you!) What do you think? AGENDA Chair – Demelza Secretary -Deborah LAST MEETING MINUTES – Demelza No corrections or alterations. Minutes of the 11th March 2006 meeting read out. Proposed and accepted as an accurate account of that meeting by Glenda Harrogate House Reindeer Face-paint disguise & seconded by Ramona.
YOUTH GROUP MATTERS ARISING ACTIVITY REPORT Michiru Mountain – climbed by Ramona – very proud of herself in alien glasses! Report by Saulo PHIRI; Youth Youth travel Award – Servas Malawi fails. Coordinator But Mary gains Servas Great Britain buddy Well – we have had a disappointing time. We financial support to attend July Youth Event, do phoned, emailed and invited youth to a meeting and volunteer work and travel to Canada in October not 1 person turned up – very disheartening. It is pending visa. See the minutes below . important that we get youth involved in Servas as they are the future of tomorrow! There are free PHOTO/VIDEO: Latina Conference. activities to take part in - for example:- Demelza was to show us aDVD but her machine Social Football at Hillview 530pm Mon – Thurs will not play it. Tears of disappointment!! Salsa dancing at Capineros – 7pm – come too! Anyone wanting to borrow it is welcome – Social Volleyball – Wednes’ 6pm Makys –come! Partly due to the lack of youth involvement – we good to watch/fun - 30 mins - phone to ask! could not put more names forward for the youth travel award to the Youth+Family Event July UK HOST LIST UPDATE AND CHECK. See the meeting minutes; [email protected] Updates directly onto Demelza laptop INTERNATIONAL SERVAS YOUTH & PAST SERVAS FAMILY EVENT 27th July-4th August 2007 Saulo lamented the lack ‘new blood’. John will MEETINGS/AGMS contact Saulo in July/August about his nieces who live with him about getting involved with S.Youth. Mary applied for the youth travel award but failed to 13th SERVAS be chosen as she was older than the 18-30 age range. However due to Malawi being buddied by Great MALAWI MEETING Britain (a link set up after the Latina conference by Thanks so very much to everyone. Demelza) GB members forwarded funds for her to attend! A highly unusual move because in Servas we We had a varied meeting on 3pm Saturday 11th don’t pay people to do what the organisation does November even though rain was torrential; with naturally. As a result special requests were placed good attendance x + kids! BIG THANKS to Rita upon her agreeing to receive the grant. That:- for minute taking; to everyone who came! But a) she carries out volunteer work (workcamps) in especially Ramona with her Chibuku! UK and practically contributes to the society there. (To do this she had to join and apply via a partner ATTENDING: x8+1. Malawian NGO called AYISE based in Bangwe. In Malawi members: Ramona BOWLER Glenda May she completed a workcamp with them in which SCHUTGENS, Demelza BENBOW; Saulo she painted the Bangwe Victim Support Unit.) PHIRI, Mary BOLOWEZA, Rita LATIF, b) that she writes reports and photographic A3 sheets Deborah SIKOYA, John MABLALE on her workcamps/youth event Left Early: Saulo Phiri; Visitor: Grace Ismail. c) that she help in the planning and runs sessions at the Youth+Family Event. d) attends the evaluation. DATE OF NEXT MEETING In addition – Sylvia &Alan – Canadian hosts who‘ve 24th November Demelza’s home 3pm prompt! known Demelza and Ben through Servas for 3 years, ANY OTHER BUSINESS have offered to pay for her to visit Canada for 6 weeks – October-November!! Travellers received: Ramona barbecue for 2 Mary is due to fly to the UK late June – if she gets Canadians; Glenda – 2 days 1 Australian; the visa. Everyone congratulated & clapped her. Demelza 2 Canadians 3 days; Mary – travelled @ with 2 Canadians. John – 1 Israeli 1 day. COMMUNITY PROJECT LINK Southern African Regional Conference. No visit to date. Mary+Demelza to visit wed 27th Rita to check the dates with Sheldon by email. th or Fri 29 - Namasimba to deliver clothes. Social meeting – see front page of newsletter. Demelza to visit Harrogate for film June 24th 3pm Mary asked for advice about what to take to the TRAVELLER REPORT – ESTONIA. UK – suggestions peanut, tea & gin sachets. Demelza explained how she went as a Servas Members to drop off items for her at Demelza’s. Traveller to the country of Estonia (May) in Servas International Newsletter – Handed out northern Europe and stayed with a Servas host NO48 with an article on page 5 about Malawi` for 5 days! Riots broke out, weather was Meeting closed 1815pm freezing but she still had a great time. We saw photos of her visit. Demelza to attach her report as an extra in the next newsletter No17. YOUR . . .. . .VOICE MEMBER SITUATION (MEMBERS SPEAK OUT) Mary to liaise with George & try to interview would be new hosts in Lilongwe on Monday To Servas Malawi Friends: August 2006 Demelza to try to go to Lilongwe to interview “ Zybion –Servas host here in Dedza talking. in late July/August. Inform George. Recently I was really lucky to survive a deadly Would-be Blantyre new hosts to be introduced disease, as the doctor said this disease could either or interviewed by John & Rita as they organise. cause permanent deformity. It was all Gods power that I survived. I can still remember how I stayed New members John and Deborah reminded for three consecutive days conscious with no that they need to find new hosts x2 – Deborah treatment because the nurses couldn’t diagnose has 1 in mind! To liaise with Mary/Ramona. my condition. I was unfortunate because doctors were on holiday. I stayed in for 3 weeks during ELECTIONS which time I didn’t take any food. My jaws were stiff to the point that the doctors were failing to Closed ballot voting took place for the below give me medicine even through drips. I was positions. The results out of 7 were as follows:- diagnosed with the cryprotococcal meningitis. The National Secretary: Demelza BENBOW (5) problem was that I had the splitting headache and Deputy Secretary: John MBALALE (6) the head could be as hot as one cannot bear too (Position to take effect once Mary leaves.) touch it. Cecelia would soak a bathing towel in cold water but within 10-15 minutes it would have Peace Secretary: Rita LATIF (5) dried up. When the Christmas holiday was over, that was early January the doctor diagnosed me MEMBERSHIP ANNUAL JOINING FEE with a lumber puncture; they drained a lot of spinal fluid off to reduce the pressure and started me on After much deliberation it was decided that:- medicines for meningitis. Though my body was a) An joining fee set as MK1500 quite wasted away the doctor assured me that if I b) An annual fee at MK500. (Same as 2006! took the right meals I would recover. That was how Mary collected in fees from those present!) I survived the disease by luck really than good c) Payment can be by 1) cash direct to medical care and really it was Gods power. National secretary or Deputy or 2) into The problem I am now facing is that the The First Merchant Bank; Blantyre government has retired me and this means that I am also financially affected as Cecilia doesn’t work. Branch; SERVAS MALAWI; SAVINGS To make problems worse we don’t even own our ACCOUNT NO. 0005200405007. own house. So this is how things are for us now. NB: So – members outside of Blantyre can now pay! What I need to do is to source money to buy photo- Please send pay-in slip to Demelza as a means of chromic glasses which should enable me to see informing me that you’ve put money into the things from a distance – apparently they work well account. Demelza Benbow POBox211, Blantyre. but are very expensive. Greetings of goodwill. disappointed. I have to say that to travel as a tourist in Zybion and Cecilia Kalande, P.O. Box 80, Dedza. Malawi is quite hard. There is either the very expensive posh tourism for rich groups of travellers or there is the Post note: It is with extreme sadness that I tell local buses there is nothing in-between. Also it seems members that, Cecilia phoned me in early September to here that everyone expects you to have a car or hire one. tell me that Zybion had died and been buried. It seems The little mini-buses are also completely full of people that even though he had survived the initial attack of (not great if you have big luggage with you). I think they meningitis, fluid was still building up within the spine and don’t care about safety of passengers only how much around the brain – which had to be drained off by Drs (a money they can get. This is sad. The other problem is difficult skilled technique). Zybion began to complain of that these minibuses take a long time to go anywhere – increasing headaches and needed it regularly removed stopping everywhere so many times and driving like crazy but it seems often staff were unable to do it successfully. in between. The police told me that there are many bad Cecilia told me he was often in great pain and became accidents and they often involve these small minibuses – confused and had difficulty speaking just before he died. the government should enforce change to protect its This is so tragic. Our very sincere condolences are sent people! to Cecilia and the children. Members are encouraged to Before I arrived I had this idea that I would stay with contact Cecilia as Zybions death was a great shock to Demelza in Blantyre (I worked with her at Barcelona & her as it was to us. He will be sorely missed. the Italy Conferences) and it would be a quiet 2½ weeks just lounging around her home. Instead I found myself meeting Mary Boloweza & visiting Pamet and Open Arms St Michaels Church, Carlsberg and - Michiru Cross COUNTRY LINK Viewpoint and Nyala Park as daytrips. Scaling Mulanje Mountain was a bit of a shock (its very very high) but I made it to Thuchila Hut and was very proud of myself! CORNER After a few days rest we went on to camp at Liwonde Park (A link between Servas Malawi & Scandinavian country - Iceland. Formed after the Barcelona Conference 2004; seeing crocodiles and hippos quite close-up and then aiming to broaden members outlook on the Servas world.) went onto the lake and over to Mumbo Island – that place is very idyllic and special but the boat journey back to Cape Maclear almost made me seasick – the lake was ICELAND LINK – Nothing to report rough. Just before I left Malawi Demelza organised for me to GREAT BRITAIN BUDDY stay with new hosts John & Prima I am so pleased I did. I See Youth +Family Event in the minutes. hope I behaved myself as their first Servas Traveller. All in all I had a great time in Malawi – I should have come for longer though as I did really need to rest! If you want me to email to you 1 of the 3000 photos I took LETTERS CORNER then contact me on: [email protected]
“ Hi my name is Amir. I met Saulo in Israel when he Amir Levy came in May 2006. He gave me the idea to visit Malawi. I had never really thought about it before but he enthused Hi this is Sichella an in-Malawi Servas Traveller. about Malawi so much – he really raised my curiosity and I am 1 ½ years old and my parents strapped me down in got me thinking of travelling there. I left Israel at a bad this horrible seat in their new car and told me to time – bombs had just stopped flying into my nearby home Nkhotakota whether I liked it or not! I screamed for a town of Haifa (which is about the size of Lilongwe). It long time but nobody came to help me. We went to had been a stressful time for everyone. Almost everyone Nkhotakota pottery and I painted a fish, it was very nice had someone they knew living in Northern Israel and I and I liked the cats I played with. We went to Kandi had my elderly mother living there – it was such a worry. beach and met lots of people on ‘overland’ trucks with Getting to Malawi was quite a journey. I flew from Tel very STINKY socks.Then in Vwaza Marsh, disaster Aviv to Ethiopia just after midnight and then I caught the struck on route to Nyika. A horrible squeaking noise flight down to Lilongwe. I was dog tired. I expected lots made us think we would break down any minute. The and lots of high temperatures so when the doors opened Nyika mechanics were very helpful & fixed our car and at Kamuzu airport – I waited for the blast of heat. then we went back down south along Lake Malawi to Nothing! That’s when I realised I was in the southern meet the Servas Host that was a member no one had met. hemisphere and it was winter in Malawi! Ahhhh. I was very excited to meet this Uncle Honoratious. I had heard mommy talking about him. Papa told my sister I enjoy backpacking. In fact for most of us from Israel Paschwa he works in Nkhotakota hospital and used to this is our only option. Our country although close to work in Mzuzu. We met at a restaurant & took lunch with Europe – is not like Europe. I mean we do not earn as Uncle but he didn’t ask us any questions or look at any us much money as they do for the same jobs. Salaries in – he was very busy reading his news paper. We all had to Israel can be quite small and our money – the shekel is repeat our questions 2 or 3 times to him (which was not so strong like the Euro or dollar. We even have to annoying) and then he didn’t even remember our names. change our shekels into dollars before we leave because Mommy was sad he wasn’t interested at all and thought most money exchanges won’t accept them abroad. staying with him must be inconveniencing him. So we But back to Malawi. I had this big positive image of drove home to Blantyre in the dark instead. Malawi from Saulo and to be honest I was not That was a shame I wanted to stay with Uncle and see where he lived. One of the strengths of Servas is the opportunity it should provide for strangers to talk and listen to each other.