Travel blog 2022

First Entry

Over the next 10 days, you will read in this blog about our journey to Francis Folley, head of YCD (Youth Coalition for the Consolidation of Democracy), our partner organization in Nchalo, Malawi. Till, my son, and I, Matthias (board member), landed in Blantyre five days ago. The flight via Addis Ababa took about 16 hours… and it is a flight into a world incredibly different from ours. How to describe it? The very first thing that catches the eye are the hand-built market stalls lining the streets everywhere. With an average income of one dollar for 90% of the population, daily life for many people is a struggle for survival. Many people walk or ride heavily loaded bicycles on the roads, trying to sell or buy something. A colorful and vibrant hustle and bustle.

The taxi driver Keith told us that he and his colleagues hadn’t received any petrol for weeks. He had to sleep outside petrol stations, hoping they would be supplied the next day so he could be at the front of the queue. At that time, the petrol price was almost twice as high as in Switzerland. The inflation rate that month was an incredible 25%. What stood out even more was how friendly people still approached us despite these circumstances and how they managed to maintain a good mood. We felt very comfortable and welcome.

During the first days, we treated ourselves to two quiet days in the Mulanje Mountains. After Francis picked us up in Blantyre, we enjoyed the drive through a beautiful green landscape, with the tall mountains already visible behind the wide plains. Accompanied by a local guide, we hiked up in 30°C heat to a 60-meter-deep pool into which a large waterfall pours. It’s a beautiful place where, according to legend, an old wise woman can sometimes be met—but this time, unfortunately, we didn’t meet her.

The next day we set off. The route, a kind of mountain pass dropping from 1000 to 400 meters into the lowland town of Nchalo in the Chikwawa district, offered stunning views over bush-covered hills scattered with the shining tin roofs of small hut settlements.

We were happy to arrive at Francis Folley’s home and were rewarded with a cold beer—Carlsberg Greens. Okay, maybe it was two…

…starting tomorrow, you'll read more about our visits to all the projects and initiatives led by Francis that we support through Patimalawi: school children, the prison project and business starter, the child marriage project, and of course the orphans who now receive support from Swiss sponsors and live with their foster families.

Second Entry

Somewhere in the vast plain, after kilometers on unpaved roads, we reach the extremely precarious shelters of one of the villages that was hit hardest by the floods last spring. When the people returned in August, there was nothing left. All their houses had been washed away. In the meantime, they have cobbled together makeshift shelters, covering the roofs with tarpaulins — some provided by us, others by World Vision. The people are fully exposed to the scorching sun. There is nothing to do, as there is no building material available. The harvest is gone, and the people are entirely dependent on food aid until next April (if the next harvest turns out well). The eyes of the children standing there with their families appear dull.

Francis Folley is a well-known figure here: he knows every family personally, and when we arrive, we are warmly welcomed. He talks with various acquaintances while Till and I are admired by the children as Mzungus (foreigners). Next to this village, we see a huge cattle farm owned by one of the richest Malawians who lives in London. No help can be expected from him: as Francis says, "You learn to save from the rich." The government also lets the people down. The village could be protected by a simple dike, but there is no sign of such construction.

The visit to the goat farm, which Francis established 1½ years ago with our support, is a hopeful contrast to the morning’s experience. It is absolutely admirable (and a great example of agile management, by the way) how he and his organization managed to start a goat breeding operation with a hundred goats. The idea to build the barn on stilts came from him and has proven to work well even during floods. And it is being copied: we saw two more barns in the neighborhood built in this style. If all goes well, the sale of goats should fully finance the school fees for the 150 children supported by the school project from next autumn onward.

We were then invited to feed the goats, which return independently and punctually to the barn. A huge joy—not just for the goats!

Third Entry

On New Year’s Eve, we were invited to celebrate at the St. Matthews church community, where Francis used to be a pastor. We entered a room already filled with people. Everyone was seated, and some were giving speeches. We wanted to sneak in quietly and find a place to sit, but as we came in, there was a brief silence, and we were asked to sit right up front with the speakers. We were asked to introduce ourselves and say a few words. Unfortunately, we couldn’t understand the rest of the speeches. But what we clearly felt was the hospitality and warmth welcoming us there. We enjoyed a wonderful meal and were generously served beer.

We danced, laughed, talked a lot, and met many wonderful people that evening. When we returned to Francis’s home at 3 a.m., he explained how much the people appreciate that we celebrate and dance with them, and how negatively the image of white people is shaped here. They only see white people sitting in big cars, making notes from there, and then returning to their hotels at night. So, for white people to genuinely enjoy engaging with the culture and life here is something very special and is celebrated accordingly.

The next day was mostly marked by the aftereffects of the previous night’s alcohol consumption.

Now it’s Monday, and our program to get to know all the projects that YCD is implementing starts today. Around 9 a.m., we go to the YCD office, where we have a meeting with the organization’s members. We all get to know each other and discuss existing projects as well as those that might be implemented in the future, and the collaboration between Patimalawi and YCD. When we talk about child marriage, I ask what the police do about it, since child marriage has been illegal for over 10 years. It’s important to know that many of these children are essentially sold by extremely poor families to rich men from other regions, so the families can secure their own survival. Otherwise, they and their children would probably starve. The answer to my question was as unexpected as it was sobering: the police often cannot determine if the children are still minors because birth certificates only exist for children born in hospitals, and families cover it up. So, nothing can be expected from this side.

In the afternoon, the children from the orphan project and their foster families will come by. We prepare the maize flour as well as the pens and paper we brought with us. Spontaneously, more program items are added. We are invited to attend a celebration at a local school in the afternoon, and I am invited to lunch by a family. Later in the afternoon, we meet again and the orphans visit Francis. We play soccer and volleyball with them, and they receive school uniforms, the pens and paper, as well as the supply of maize flour.

After all these impressions and experiences, I fall asleep on the sofa.

~Till

Fourth Entry

Business-Starter Project. Under this name, YCD began three years ago to provide people released from prison with 100 Swiss francs in capital (in two installments) to start their own business and thus secure their livelihood. The idea here as well: to sustainably provide help for self-help. This support was also given to all foster families who needed it.

What we saw today during the visit of six successful entrepreneurs was extremely impressive and confirms Patimalawi and YCD are on the right path.

We saw: a butcher and meat seller, a family that was able to expand their bar, and four people who opened a small retail shop. Among them were two foster families: One was able to nearly double the initial investments of beans and cooking oil, which they sell in a village far from Nchalo, within three months. The other was already able to pay their foster child’s first school fees from the earnings.

Also very impressive: a woman who, at our last visit one and a half years ago, had a very small shop in a village. She has now been able to open a much larger store right in the middle of the Nchalo market with her new partner. The work and persistence behind such success is admirable.

Vierter Blogeintrag

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At the butcher’s, we asked how long the meat, which sits on the counter in over 30-degree heat, can still be sold. The answer was three days.
Swiss food inspectors would probably not be very impressed by that ;-)

Now we are looking forward to tomorrow, when Francis and his team will educate and raise awareness about “child marriage” in a remote village.

~Matthias

Fifth Entry

Great joy this morning: Francis, who had gotten up at 6:00 AM to bring food to the goat pen, came back with pictures of two little kids (baby goats) born during the night.

Later in the morning, notebooks and pens were distributed to 80 students. Today was the first day of school. The atmosphere was cheerful, and there was lots of laughter.

Since Till woke up with a stomach upset, unfortunately, he had to skip the afternoon activities (…he is already feeling better). So he missed a very special event.

Over 300 people attended the event organized by YCD against child marriage. YCD brought large speakers and a generator out to the village. Speeches were given (by the school board, the village headwoman, and Allen from YCD). Young people had prepared scenes theatrically addressing the topic. And for me, the highlight: I was able to witness a “traditional dance” performed especially to welcome guests. An incredibly impressive experience.

Sixth Entry

500 prisoners instead of the 200 for which the prison was built. A courtyard surrounded by the prisoners’ cells and rudimentary sanitary facilities. Stifling heat. This is how Chikwawa Prison welcomes us. The atmosphere is very oppressive.

Before entering the courtyard, we pay an introductory visit to the office of the Officer of Charge. The picture of the president hangs prominently behind his desk. He greets us kindly and asks about the weather in Switzerland. He also lets us know that he considers the life-skills program and the Business Starter initiative very valuable. Much has changed, and only very few people who attended the program have returned to prison.

The preparations for the event in the prison took the entire previous day. The sound system and generator had to be loaded, certificates for the graduates of the life-skills program printed, signed, and laminated. Soybeans and soap, which were to be distributed to the prisoners, were procured and loaded. This day is also a big event inside the prison that breaks the unbearably monotonous daily routine. The prisoners prepared theater plays and traditional dances, apparently days before our visit.

Now the time has come. The prisoners have gathered, we sit on the “honor stand” and are greeted accordingly. The event is opened and later closed with a prayer delivered by an inmate. Francis lets me know that this is one of three prisoners currently held here: all three were arrested individually for the same offense—stealing a goat and a sack of maize meal. All three without a court verdict. How long they will have to wait is unclear.

The following program is similar to the previous day: theater plays addressing the topic of release and recidivism, traditional dances, and speeches according to the rank of the participants. Francis asked me to give the speech for YCD and Patimalawi. Since I had learned some Chichewa with Francis throughout the last year, I decided to deliver it in Chichewa. This language of the people is not recognized as an official language; English is still preferred here. Francis told me that at the school he attended, there were strict punishments if children spoke to each other in their language. This way, people are systematically cut off from their language and roots.

Despite the microphone being out of order at the time, my pronunciation apparently succeeded enough that the content was understood.

After the prison visit, a very ambivalent feeling remains. The conditions in the prison blatantly violate any human rights. To enable access to the prisons at all and to build the support from YCD, cooperative collaboration with the prison authorities is indispensable. The balance between necessary pragmatism and complicity with the government responsible remains narrow.

Yet the following observations also speak in favor of our project:

The prisoners are obviously extremely grateful for YCD’s support.
Weekly visits by YCD create a bit of transparency about the prison conditions.
YCD’s respectful interaction with inmates apparently also positively influences the guards, who have become more decent in their behavior according to Francis.
The recidivism rate over the last four years for program graduates who received the Business Starter package has fallen below 10%. Without the program, it is over 50%. This clearly shows that petty crime is primarily born out of necessity.
Released prisoners are better accepted in their villages because they have a chance to secure their survival without delinquency.
And last but not least, the incorruptibility and authority of Francis Folley. Even though he deals cooperatively and diplomatically with prison staff and the Officer of Charge, he does not ignore abuses and takes action where necessary. For example, he reported two guards to the police after prisoners told him they had abused an inmate. The two were dismissed and convicted.

The project is meanwhile gaining interest across the country. Francis and I agree that the only way to spread it further is through funding by government resources. It should not be the task of YCD and Patimalawi to expand the programs to other prisons without adequate financial means.

Seventh and Final Entry

Now we are sitting again on the train from Geneva to Winterthur. It has been 24 hours since we left Francis’ place.

Time to linger a bit on my thoughts:

I notice in myself how strongly I tend to judge things: Life in Malawi is so completely different from here—right from the start, the question in my mind is: is it better or worse? That question doesn’t help. Sometimes it succeeds to simply immerse myself in the other way of life, to enjoy, perceive, and experience it without judging.

Still, the omnipresent poverty in Malawi is very overwhelming. One evening I asked Francis if he ever feels desperate: he answered quite convincingly that he is always “hopeful.” The reason: he focuses on doing with his team what is possible and doing it well. He lets go of what is beyond his influence.

Of course, this trip was also about updating the members of Patimalawi on the status of the projects and meeting all the supported orphans, so we could get a sense of their well-being.

Especially regarding the latter, I am very convinced by the way Francis and his team work. The foster families were chosen very carefully. They are, just like the children, networked among each other and regularly visited by YCD (Francis and Blessings). The children meet every two weeks at Francis’ house to collect maize, but also to enjoy a carefree day together.

YCD was able to carry out all projects and tasks as planned, despite the massive extra effort caused by the floods and the orphans. Reacting quickly and effectively to the unexpected, like the flood disaster, while at the same time not losing sight of the valuable ongoing work: that is something YCD and Patimalawi succeeded at very well this year (run the business and change the business).

In many conversations with the whole team, we confirmed our shared understanding:

YCD and Patimalawi are two organizations that with the means available to them jointly and on an equal footing pursue the common goal: to provide help to the children in Nchalo — “in solidarity and friendship.”
We jointly strive to establish YCD’s core tasks on a basis independent from Patimalawi to ensure the sustainability of the aid.

Throughout all this, joy was never in short supply. We celebrated a spectacular closing evening with barbecue, music, and dance with the YCD team and experienced valuable human encounters throughout the week, so that yesterday we said goodbye to Malawi and its people with a sense of bittersweetness.

Letzter Reiseblogeintrag

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