International Women's Day in Malawi

Today is International Women’s Day and let me tell you; it was a day to remember.

I started the day off meeting Sharon, The country director for Latitude New Zealand. She is in Malawi visiting the volunteers she sent for a Gap year. She’s been in Malawi about a week and has been more places in Malawi than me! It has been a whirlwind trip for her and she’s just got about 6 days left. Meeting her was great; I’m really interested in what she does, getting young people prepared to travel and live a bit abroad. As a teacher, I’m looking forward to having an opportunity very similar, of offering opportunities for students to travel and experience different cultures. My time as a travelling as a middle and high school student were instrumental in getting me to where I am today.

I met up with Sharon because she was traveling with Matt to Kaseye Girl’s Secondary School, a National Boarding School and one of the top schools in the nation. I heard about the trip and was excited to tag along. Matt and Sharon’s purpose was to visit the two Latitude volunteers, but I was more interested to witness all the great things I've heard about this particular school. I was also excited to see one of the girls sponsored by Matt’s NGO. Alinafe, a girl from Sangilo Village, was raised by her very old grandmother and against all odds was selected to such a prestigious school. Without the help of Determined to Develop and Maji Zuwa, Alinafe would never have been able to afford attending such a high-ranking school. Kaseye Girls was a sight. The Head Teacher of the school, Mr. Mtombo, was so incredibly welcoming, and gave us a tour of their ever-improving campus. I've never seen so much construction and motion happening at such a fast pace in Malawi. It was refreshing to see such an up-beat and positive attitude all over the campus. The two volunteers placed at this school at first were a little disappointed with their placement; disappointed that they weren't getting the more traditional experience without the amenities that come along with living at such a nice school. One of the female teachers at their school explained that the two volunteers were doing more for those girls than meets the eye. Just the fact that they are there setting a great example for the girl students was help enough. A lot of the girls may not have a female role model in their family who has pursued an education, or maybe not even a female role model at all. The girls at this school are going somewhere. Almost 30 of the total 300 students (male and female) in Malawi considered for University last year came from this school. The girls they are mentoring and teaching are going to be the women running the country within our lifetime. Visiting Kaseye was a great motivator for getting my Girl’s Club to become more stable and sustainable. I’m excited to brainstorm more over the term holiday that starts after the next two weeks of exams and to return in April full force.

On our way home from Kaseye, we stopped in Karonga town for Matt to get some building supplies for Maji Zuwa. While Matt was doing boring business things, I took Sharon into the market to have a look around. As Sharon was buying a soda from a shop inside, a lady from the next stall over and I exchanged greetings. As we were talking I noticed that she was wearing a beautiful ivory bracelet. It caught my eye because I had seen only one before; two and a half years ago, when I first visited Malawi. I asked her about the bracelet and told her about how I had met a woman who wore a very similar bracelet. The woman told me that the bracelet, traditionally, was a sign of royalty and had been passed to her from her father when she succeeded him as chief of her village. That’s right, a female chief! How awesome is that!? What’s even better, we both realized that she was the woman who spoke to me about women in Malawi in 2010. Here I am, standing in a random spot in the middle of the busy Karonga market, and I come across such an incredible example of a strong woman in Malawi, who also happens to be the women I spoke to in 2010. It was a “pinch me” moment if I ever had one! 

2010

2013

I've had so many great female role models in my life. My mother, other women who are also practically my mother, grandmothers, teachers, preachers and friends are all women who I hold very near and dear to my heart. So here's to all the women in my life; I love you, miss you, and wouldn't be here without you.