In May 2012, we had a team of ten Rotarians & Friends travel to Zomba, Malawi for three weeks of work. The purpose was to work at Mbidi School and provide much needed assistance. Mbidi has 600 students and with the additional two new classrooms that were built, it will allow the school to offer classes for Standards 7 & 8 students. This allows the students to remain at the same location and no need to travel many miles further to attend school.

Things we accomplished in 2012:

1. Paid for and painted 2 classrooms – add 7&8 children – saved walking 4-5 km each way – keep in school – painted other classrooms – improved look of school
2. Put in skylights
3. Built bookcases in 3 rooms
4. Provided maps and mirrors
5. Redid blackboards
6. Provided 6 soccer and netballs, skipping ropes, Frisbees
7. Fixed posts
8. Will provide text and other books
9. Experimented early years games (Karen) and puzzles
10. Provided trees, gardening equipment, started the planting – more trees to come(mango, guava, lemon)
11. Prizes for top students M&F each class – 80% attendance
12. Will provide more skylights and panels on roof
13. Built 60 desks
14. Provided 12 chairs
15. Provided tools
16. $ left for Felitia – Misangu
17. $ for cleaning rooms – Misangu
18. Inspected Misangu
19. $ for Richard – needs fertilizer
20. Kachere – $ for bikes – school orphans – connect Emmanuel – savings & loan, bikes, pump, clothes
21. Saw savings & loans, water, irrigation, chilis and fish farms
22. Goodwill
23. Video for District Conference
24. Taught, letters, others
25. Sports games – uniforms, prizes
26. Provided pens and school supplies, soap to teachers
27. Attended and participated in water training
28. Had a trip to a game park
29. Went to Dignitas’ Teen Club and gave them balls, skipping ropes, Frisbees
30. Visited hospital
31. Gave speeches at school, promoted attendance, staying in school, excellence
32. Lectures on Dignitas, Emmanuel, fish wildlife, forestry, trees and Stephan Carr, District Commissioner Education

Malawi 2009

Chris Snyder
The Rotary Club of Toronto
Sweat Equity Co-ordinator
District 7070

Anne Saunders
The Rotary Club of Toronto

In early May, two groups of Rotarians and Friends(28 in total) from clubs in Districts 7070 and 7080 returned from their Sweat Equity Trip to Zomba, Malawi. This was the 14^th Sweat Equity Trip undertaken by District 7070, however, the first to Malawi.

Malawi is one of the poorest countries of the world and the AIDS rate in the Zomba area amongst the15-49 year olds is approximately 25%.

These Sweat Equity Trips were done in partnership with two outstanding NGOs, Dignitas International and Emmanuel International as well as the Rotary Club of Limbe and a number of Zomba based NGOs and CBOs(community based organizations).

People who go on these trips pay their own way. They also raise additional money. They want, however, to do more than give and raise money. The hands on work is done side by side with the villagers. It normally takes the form of renovating or constructing much needed buildings as well as providing the money to do the construction. Without these trips, it is unlikely the money would be raised. On this trip, we helped build two childcare centres, refurbish a school and provide some initial assistance on a Rotary Water Project.

Much of the work on the childcare centres, which the villagers designed, was done by 25 local women who have AIDS but are on anti-retroviral drugs. Not only did these inspiring women work incredibly hard, they were extremely upbeat often spontaneously bursting into song and dance involving our people in the process. Because of the ARVs, they can carry on most normal activities including making bricks, pounding maize, farming and carrying water.

We also worked at Misango School. The school has 1,600 students, 8 classrooms, 8 teachers, 2 latrines and no books. Level 3 has 350 students of which 175 are in one classroom. Consequently, most of these children sit on the floor. In spite of this, they are very keen students yet only 5 go on to secondary school. As a result of our work (carpentry, plastering, painting) and our money, we were able to put on a roof, which created two more classrooms and resulted in getting a new teacher. We also did some teaching, provided 700 books, some sports equipment and we will be providing nine double latrines. The latrines will have an enormous effect on the sanitation at the school and will reduce dropouts. Many girls drop out because of lack of latrines, which leads to the added risk of being raped in the bush.

We were also able to assist in the rehabilitation of some wells and take part in sanitation training for the Water Project started by The Rotary Club of Toronto. Clubs from Campbellford, Cobourg, Etobicoke, Stirling, Uxbridge and Limbe are now involved. By the time the project is finished, there will be 150-175 new or refurbished wells in the Zomba area which will assist over 80,000 people. Under the excellent direction of Emmanuel International, the community groups are trained and organized to take responsibility for the wells

While we left behind school supplies, toys for the children, supplies for the hospital and our hearts with the villagers, we brought home the memory of incredible experiences and interaction with the people, plus the knowledge of their deep felt gratitude for the buildings and the fact we cared enough to come from so far to work with them. This left us motivated to do more to assist these wonderful people. If you are interested in knowing more about these trips, please contact Chris Snyder at 416-364-0181 Ext. 2501 or snyder@eccgroup.ca.