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Unedited Report Mission to Malawi 2017 (see detailed report under Projects and Services in International Operations) page.
TO: The Chief Executive officer
: Operations Manager/UK
: Executive Board
: All Sponsors
FROM: AOS Malawi Team
DATE: 12/04/2018
SUBJECT: REPORT ON MISSION MALAWI 2017
Day one- 18/10/2017 The UK team arrived at Chileka airport at 15:30 Welcomed by the operations manager (Pastor Brenda Banda) media personal Joab and Elisha and the volunteer (Mrs. Miriam Gwalidi Mbemba) group photo was taken following formal introduction, a prayer of thanksgiving for travelling mercy was done by the O.P. The team thereafter checked in at Sunbird hotel, the CEO addressed the Malawi team and both of us did a review on the itinerary, thereafter we had dinner meeting at the hotel, the following was on the agenda:-
- Donations
- Visiting chief Kachindamoto in Dedza
- Women training in Chikwawa
Donations
The C.E.O briefed the members that she had bought uniforms and stationery for the students and also T. Shirts to be given to the beneficiaries, she also introduced the two potential sponsors whom she came with, one of them being Mrs Vanetta Jebutu who brought some hospital utensils for donation.
Visiting Chief Kachindamoto
The C.E.O briefed the team about the visit, she said the visit will not be funded by AOS but the other visiting Donor by the name of Bemisola. The trip was to be done by all mean because the donor wanted to meet the chief and identify the beneficiaries. She also advised the O/M to arrange two hampers for the chief, a special car was arranged for the trip and no cost was put to it except for fuel.
Women Training
There was an arrangement that Ntcheu women should travel to Blantyre then Chikwawa for training on designing and tailoring, the women were communicated to and they travelled as planned.
The trainer was contacted the same night and he was ready for the job.
End of day
Day Two- 19th October 2017
We started our day very well and we all travelled to Bwabwali in Chikwawa district, where the CEO addressed the students at the assembly then had one on one meeting with the beneficiaries, at the same time, 22 women were having their training with the trainer and supervised by Mrs Bemisola, Mr Chakhaza spoke to some students on career guidance, we then had lunch with the women and students, after which we gave out the maize and hampers to the women, gave the students uniforms and stationary we could not meet our pregnant student, at the time she had just given birth. We drove back to our base (Blantyre) safely.
End of day two.
Day three- 20th October 2017
Schools visit- 1) We started our day visiting Namikasi secondary school, the administration welcomed us with a warm welcome by the Deputy Headteacher Mr George Nali and the Bursar Mr David Phiri. We got a report on how our students are doing in class, boys have really improved and one of them called Mphatso came out the best in his last term exams but one student named Innocent Yona needs extra lessons to improve his grades, there is a great challenge with the girls performance, it’s very poor, the baser said this is due to poverty and most of them are still to and from their homes, they underperform because most of the times they come to school with empty stomach, hence it affects their studies, the whole team participated in encouraging the student on how best they can improve, we were also informed that the other contributing factor is lack of study guide books.
The CEO then asked where the AOS bicycles donated to the students last year, the baser said when schools closed, all the bicycles were left in the school campus, unfortunately thieves broke in and stole one of them, after reporting to the police, the head teacher was advised not to release the other bicycles until the investigation was over, the kids had to go back to walking long distances.
Amongst the four bicycles, one of them is reported broken and needs fixing as soon as possible.
Finally, we share stationary and uniforms to our students. We then bought lunch for them.
The students were so grateful to AOS and all the sponsors.
End of day three
Day four-21st October 2017
We started our day with meetings, reviewing the three days done so far, we were expecting to meet Tay Green the musician but the meeting was cancelled due to his tight schedule, he was having another meeting in a different district.
After our lunch, the C.E.O, Mrs Bemisola, Joab and I started off to Salima to meet chief Kachindamoto,
We arrived safely and found the chief waiting for us, she welcomed us with open arms with a warm heart and lovely smile, she gave us a brief background of herself and how she got to where she is, she has a passion for girl child and she wants all her girls not to marry until they are at least 18 years, she has been terminating marriages that are underage, she has made a decree and its bylaw in her area that as long as she is chief in the area, she will never allow under aged children to go in to marriage as it is stated above.
She also stated that many children are learning under a tree for lack of space in the school, she pleaded to AOS if the organization can build a school for the community, the land is there and the people are committed to contributing twelve per cent of the building materials.
We had a privilege to meet one of the girls who was breastfeeding her infant, we talked to her and she was ready to go back to school after weaning her baby, the only challenge she has is school fees and all necessities.
Day five-22nd October 2017
We went to living waters church, we were welcomed by the resident bishop, Bishop T.B. Mandha and his deputy Rev. Chirambo, the C.E.O was given time to speak to the church, after that we went for lunch, took Mrs Bemi to the airport
Departure for Mrs Bemi
Day six-23rd October 2017
The team travelled to Salima sunbird hotel to meet students from Chisu secondary school, both the new and the old head teacher came along for proper handovers since the old one has been moved to another school.
The C.E.O. addressed the students then presented uniforms, stationery and sanitary pads, they had fun as always.
Day seven- School visit- 24th October 2017
Team visited Zingwangwa secondary school in Blantyre, we were welcomed by the head teacher Mr Kungala and the bursar Ms Mercy Chipeta and other teachers, various activities were presented by the students like poems, songs, memory verses, after all the activities, the CEO addressed the students and shared uniforms, sanitary pads, shoes and stationery.
End of day seven
Day eight- 25th October 2017
The C.E.O. had an interview with MBC TV.
In the afternoon we went to welcome Mrs.Vanetta from the UK, she arrived at the Chileka airport at 2 pm, we went straight to work at QECH, hospital items and hampers were donated to the hospital, labour ward and the anti-natal clinic, after which she checked in the hotel.
End of day eight
Day nine-26th October 2017
Visited chief Kachindamoto with Mrs Vanetta
Day ten- 27th October 2017
Visited Ntcheu women and identified students and Ntcheu secondary school, hampers and maize were donated to the women, the students received sanitary pads, uniforms and stationery, the CEO addressed the women who were present and they were very happy.
Their comments
They appreciated the gifts and the love shared to them, they also informed the team that they have found a filed in which they want to plant maize this year so that AOS should not buy maize, they requested for fertilizer and seeds from the organization.
After the visit, we proceeded to Lilongwe. Had dinner and end of day nine.
Day eleven- 28th October 2017
The CEO had and an exclusive interview with ZODIAK head of Programs, after that we started off to Mitudu community hospital where we were welcomed by the matron, she gave us a brief background of the hospital and how it is growing so rapidly, the hospital saves as a referral centre for seven health centres. It has many challenges especially in the theatre, they don’t have enough theatre boots, gloves, solar bulbs and delivery beds. We then gave start-up hampers to expectant mothers and visited the labour ward where we found the kangaroo ward.
After the visit we now went to Kawale where we visited HIV infected and affected women, we donated hampers, maize and assorted clothes.
End of day eleven.
Day twelve-29th October 2017
We went to area 25 where the CEO was ministering, after speaking the word to the church, we distributed clothes to the women and children. We then had lunch, after which we said our goodbyes, some of us went back to Blantyre, the CEO and others went to Dedza to meet the students at chief Kachindamoto.
Thereafter Mr Joab Chakhaza took the visitors to the airport.
End of day twelve
I would like to thank all our sponsors who have stood with us for the last 5years
Mission to Malawi was a success, well-done team UK/Malawi
Pastor Brenda Banda
Operations Manager
AOS Malawi