Malawi May

Malawi May 2007

The new months begin nice and we have got almost all equipment to the network, and today we start to unpack the material and was like Christmas and al turn in to children again, but of course its always fun to open package
And this was extra with so nice equipments that hade arrive.
We divided up our group in three groups so that we are efficient and all learn little about the system, of course is there problems this are the first network so we are the pilot project and the difficulties wee face this first day is small, except that we missing 1,5km cable but hopefully will it arrive tomorrow her is how the digging was done for the network cable. I can tell you that this soil is rock hard and I have serious doubt that I could dig my self; they had five meters each and its 30 cm wide 60 cm deep so it’s allot to dig for them.
Its s going fast and we are amounting the trunks on the wall so we can pull the cables in all classroom and the students and teachers in the group work hard and we have much laugh when something is upside down or so, but we have very good instructors from headquarter in Zimbabwe Mr George, Mr kudu and Miss Paulette they are here to help and guide us so that we put it up right and they are very efficient and good teachers, I have learn a lot about the cabling that I didn’t know before and the group is working so fast and good even if we are in pressure of time because we have only this weekend, the expert will leave on Monday.
When the team leave in the morning we had done all except the library and the conference hall, and that is my task to see so the cabling been done this week if its possible, but its much to change and repair sockets that are broken and cable that are to short, but the network is working, and we have connection to all classroom the internet is also working even if it is slow, the rest of the installing is the same so I will not tell so much about that. Our group wrote an experience letter to the team, so that they have it and can read what problem we faced and how we salve them.
The rest of the weeks we work with preparing for the last part of installation and now is it only to Buy the last cable and pipes so that we can make the last part of installation this time because in a few months will the new buildings be finished and in them there will be Network to so that all classroom have network and are prepared fro the DMm.
Next week will I also give a course in bicycling repairing so that the DIs and the teachers student can do a basic repair of a bicycle, I think it will be fun and to have a practical course is something that they not have so often and in this will they work with tools and pen and paper at the same time.
This week also the Trade Fare Centre had the annually opening, and the president Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika held the opening speech he was talking about how Malawi is growing and how the future looks bright and how the country shall keep on making business and the farmers shall grow cotton and how good it is to grow cotton and that its raising in price so that it will be profitable to grow if for the farmers.

And from the magazine Malawi Highlights can we read I quote (Some people marvel at their successes while others grumble for having failed to utilise lots and lots of opportunities to better themselves and Malawi as a nation.
The year 2006 has been one of Malawi’s best year as far as economy is concerned, when economic commentators predicted a better year other people took it as another prediction yet it has turned out to be true.
For starters the Malawi Kwacha remained generally stable and strong, against regional and major currencies of the world.
Malawi’s economic indicators show a significant improvement a sign that economy is indeed on the right track, the last few months have seen Malawi’s inflation growing down standing on 11,6 %.
The business community welcomed the announcement by the reserve bank in November that it had reduced the lending rate from 25 % to 20 % leading to the basic lending rate of most bank to reach 22,5 %. The reserve bank attributes the reduction to improved macro economic activities.
To top it all the IMF, the World Bank and the Paris club cancelled Malawi’s debt, thus leading to the freeing of 3, 3 billions Malawi Kwacha annually which the country used to service external debts. The challenge now is for Malawi to maintain financial prudence and clear domestic debt.
The fertiliser subsidy entered a second phase with the promise to reach more people, hopefully this year’s growing season will be a success as last season, and this year government has distributed a combination of 5 million fertiliser and maize seed coupons, almost 2, 4 million coupons more than last year. End quote.
That was some of the good news from the news paper.
The annually Porter race on Mulanje mountain was special year 2006 because it was the 10th anniversary porters race and the participated was not only from Malawi it was from other country to, and the total was 438 runners out of which 148 was female and 28 was foreigner, and after 2 hour 17 minutes Frances Khanje passing the finish line and become 20000 M kw richer, the first female that pas the finishes line was Teresa Master and that after only 2 hour 49 minutes, they reach a altitude of 2500 m and the race is 25 km long.
The start was in Likhubula Forest Office the runners trek to Chambe Plateau about 2500 m above the sea level before proceeding to via the plateau to Lichenya plateau and back to Likhubula a distance that would take over 16 hours on a normal walk.
The record that still is unbeaten is 2 hour 12 minutes set by Byson Willy who had won the race for three consecutive years, and the female record was beaten this year the last record was 3 hours 11 minutes.
To understand what condition they run in have I put some small pictures in here so that you can see little on how it is.

to walk in this mountain is hard and to run its dangerous and very tuff, when we was up on the mountain we saw how ruff the conditions are and to make this run on that short time is something very special, the 20000 Mkw the winners get is a small reward that they surely earned.
The 2006 Porters race enjoyed the proud sponsorship of, NBS Bank, Rab processors Malawi limited, Kingfisher associates, Population Service international (PSI), Bowler Beverages, Dispatch Newspaper, Dairibord Malawi, Arkey Plastics and Multichoise Malawi. And teen years ago when the race started it were not even a race it was not interesting at all for companies to support, time changes Mulanje Mountain has attracted attention of researchers and tourists from different parts of the world. Mulanje Mountain and its forest reserve ranks high in terms of terrestrial biodiversity richness in Malawi, globally it is an ecologic site, Mulanje Mountain is also a home to Malawi’s national tree, Mulanje cedar.
The Massif, covering an area of 250,000 hectares and shard by Mulanje and Phalombe districts, has Avery rich and stunning forest reserve, which is a home to a rich and diverse endemic plant and animal specie.
The forest and woodlands are vital for watershed protection and the catchments of head waters for nine strong rivers in the two districts.
Mount Mulanje with its Sapitwa peak standing over 3000 metres above the sea level is not only the highest mountain but also the most impresive Massif the south eastern African region, situated to the south east of Malawi, to the border with Mozambique
The mountain also represents an important source of resources, like firewood, grass (for thatching), water, timber, animals, and fruits. Close to a million people are dependent on resources from the Mountain and the Forest Reserve. To underscore the importance on this resource the government of Malawi gazetted Mulanje Mountain forest reserve as a protected area in 1927.
Today did I visit one of Malawi’s state prison in Blantyre, to come there was very educating and sad at the same time the condition that we have in our prison in Europe is far away here is no TV or movie and at four to eight in the morning are they looked in, and to spend time in prison here is terrible the prison are over crowded there are about 1700 inmates and should be 800 so the space are limited in the male section do they have lessons and they have also computer we delivered one today from TTC so now they have two, and in this room is four classes in each corner is a different lessons at the same time and of course is this difficult to keep concentration and the lessons are disturbed this room is about 8 *8 meter so its not big on the outside they have a roof and concrete benches its about 3,5 *8 meters and there is eight classes I cant even think how they can learn anything because its talking from every direction, those inmate that can teach and have lessons have some privileged they have a cell block for them self but still its horrifying in this room about 2 m* 3 meters are 8 inmates how they sleep cant I understand it cant be easy
In the woman’s section is it little better they have lintel flowers but the space is very limited and they have no lessons, according the guard only because there is no inmate that have the skills to teach, the conditions here are much the same as for the men, but here do they have children to and that is hurting so much to see this I saw one child I think was 1,5 year and its so wrong to have this child looked up like this she should be on the outside and play not be in there but there is no one that can take care of the child on the outside, and this is very common here.
I have no pictures it was not possible to take any but it is no place there a white person would like to be to survive during this conditions is hard I can only say horrifying.
Well this was what happened this month may is almost ended and i send it some days earlier but that doesn’t matter I have done a lot this month and more will come next month.
Sorry but I cant send picture because bad internet.

Alf Carlsson
Development Instructor