This is a Malawian NGO which works in partnership with ITSA (IT Schools For Africa) - http://www.it schoolsafrica.org. They are based some way out of Blantyre and directed by their program manager, Sabina Kulasinghe. I was shown around CFMS and then allocated to technicians Andy and Jonathan. I was checking desk tops/laptops for any faults, testing them and fixing any faults. I visited Zingwangwa school where CFMS installed a computer laboratory. I met and talked to students and I gave a presentation on the history of information Technology. I only worked in the mornings as the work was not so heavy and busy. The idea is very good – that people in England donate their computers to CFMS when they are upgrading to newer ones. They are cleaned and new programs are put on by prisoner in British jails: then they go back to Computers For African Schools to be shipped out and hence they arrive in Malawi, at their partner organization, ‘ Computers For Malawi Schools’. A great scheme!
| 1.
| MON 1st June
| TUE 2 June
| WED 3 June
| THU 4th June
| FRI 5th June
| SAT 6th June
| SUN 7th June
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| Demelza+Family
| Demelza+Family
| Demelza+Family
| Demelza+Family
| Chris+Hannah
| Chris+Hannah
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| Arrived in Malawi met by Francis + Deborah. I had dinner with her family – she has 4 children and some others staying.. I was briefed by Demelza in the evening until quite late. about what my programme covered and who I was staying with and places to go and visit in Blantyre. I was given a folder with all these details and host papers in. Then I went to bed in their guest wing. II was really quite tired
| I got up in the morning and Francis had arrived to take me sightseeing around Blantyre in his car: We were too late at lunch-time to meet Ben and go on a mountain hike. We went to St. Michaels Church, La Caverna – Mandala house and the market It was quite a nice relaxed day.
| Up early to Demelzas school – Nyasa Junior Academy in Limbe – Maths lesson. With Fanny for Chichewa lesson -Blantyre. Went with Ben to a mountain club meeting. It was in someones house and they made us dinner and we heard a talk on an mountain hike adventure.
| Chichewa lesson was cancelled met Francis & discussed music. Drama+ music Opening of Amphitheatre at St Andrews School.
Servas Social Meeting at Linda’s new house. I gave a power-point talk on Italy and then Jane Jere talked about going to America to meet Barak Obama on a scholarship.
| Hiked up small hill called Nymabadwe – easy nice walk and you could look out over all of Blantyre. Then we went to Demelza’s friend called Natalie + Fabrizio’s. They had made scones.. Then I went to Francis office DHL Chris picked me up and I had dinner with them their 3yeaer old boy Caleb and a new baby girl - Lilly.
| Went with Chris in the morning to a religious function, in a rural place where Francis, a missionary from South Africa is starting a program to teach local people how to get the best from a very poor ground and become self-sufficient. Even if I’m not a believer, I appreciated very much his effort and his sacrifice.
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| 2.
| MON 8th June
| TUE 9th June
| WED 10th June
| THU 11th June
| FRI 12th June
| SAT 13th June
| SUN 14th June
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| Shamaela & Khaled
| Shamaela & Khaled
| Bobbex
| Bobbex
| Bobbex
| Willy & Kitty
| Willy & Kitty
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| Packed my bag to move to my next host and went with Chris to Zingwangwa School spoke to students there about the history of the internet. Met the mnager of CFMS called - Sabina Kulasingha, then she took me to a welcome lunch at her home. In the afternoon went with Sabina on her errands she’s building a house.To Shamaela
| The new host Shamaela dropped me@ Francis’s IT/DHL office then Sabina picked me from there.
I worked at CFMS and chatted to people at there. I worked on a laptop and had dinner with Khaled’s brother and his family. This was a Muslim family it was very interesting to stay with a Muslim family – it was the first.
| As yesterday Sabina picked me at DHL office. We went2Zingwangwa School, to check out a connection internet problem.
At lunch I met Sabina’s parents.
In the afternoon I visited Carlsberg factory, then Philip, the assistant of Francis, dropped me at Bobbex house-very kind.
| Bobbex dropped me at DHL and with Sabina I first went to Flood victims camp where about ten families lived in very difficult conditions.
In the afternoon Sabina, Sabinas’ daughter and me went to the museum, small but interesting. there I met schoolboys with their teacher.
| Bobbex dropped me at the DHL office and Sabina picked me and took me to CFMS. Offices I tested about 20 computers and fixed 3 that didn’t work. Hurrah!
| Bobbex drove me to Limbe and dropped me at Willys; after lunch Willy and me walked for three hours in a tour around his house, then outside where we went through some villages: Very pleasant and interesting.
In the evening I went to a nice party with Kitty and her son Mike.
| Willy, Kitty, their two dogs and me drove to Mulanje mountain for a very pleasant walk on foot; one of the dogs enjoined a lot swimming in a natural pool.
For dinner we had an excellent barbeque with a friend of Kittys.
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| 3.
| MON 15th June
| TUE 16th June
| WED 17th June
| THU 18th June
| FRI 19th June
| SAT 20th June
| SUN 21st June
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| Demelza
| Demelza
| Francis
| Francis
| Francis
| Patasile Cottage
| Patasile Cottage
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| Willy then was kind enough to drive me into Blantyre and drop me at the DHL office. Then with Sabina I went again to Zing-wangwa School, then to CFMS, and after lunch to Demelza.
| By minibus to DHL and with Sabina to CFMS. I installed Windows 7 for Linux in a PC with Linux operating not working – then it was functioning fine.After lunch Sabina dropped me at DHL office and I went to Francis’s house and had an Nsima dinner.
| By minibus to Blantyre then I walked to DHL.
Sabina to CFMS.
Tested and fixed some PC’s.
Philip picked me and took me to Francis’ mother’ shop in Blantyre and dropped us at Francis House.
| With Francis to DHL, then tested and fixed some PC’s.
Philip picked me to Francis’s house.
| As yesterday; last day at CFMS, pictures and good bye with Andy and Jonathan.
Sabina thanked me for my activity at CFMS.
| 10am got Francis to taxi me to Limbe then got a mini-bus to Monkey Bay and onto Cape Maclear. Stayed at Saulo and Demelza’s cottage at the lake. Super!
Dinner@Thomas.
| Peter (brother of Saulo) agreed to a 1 day boat trip on the lake, but then I was left on Thumbo Island for 4hours, had rice +fish – no island travel at all.- I was very. Disappointed $60!L
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| 4.
| MON 14th June
| TUE 14th June
| WED 24th June
| THU 25th June
| FRI 26th June
| SAT 27th June
| SUN 28th June
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| Patasile Cottage
| Exton: Mangochi
| Mvuu
| Demelza & Ben
| Demelza + Ben
| Demelza + Ben
| Demelza + Ben
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| I walked to Otters Point, the I proceded on a narrow lane where I met women carrying wood; in the evening I had dinner at Thomas’s which just suited me fine.
| Got truck to turn off then bicycle taxi to Monkey Bay and a shared taxi to Mangochi bus station. Met Exton’s brother Thandizo and stayed at Exton’s house.
| Went in Exton’s car to Ulondwe and got bicycle taxi to park entrance. A pleasant 15 minutes walk (after 1 hour of bicycle taxi) to Mvuu Ferry and my tent. Had lunch, safari night drive + dinner
| Had nice breakfast and boat safari with guide, then got lift with some tourists to Ulondwe then with an ancient lorry to Balaka; finally a minibus to Blantyre by 7pm.
| Sleep nicely in nice bed – relax then prepared pictures for talk. Then goodbye Servas Malawi party for me. Gave talk and heard about Bulgaria and watched a film
| Demelza helped me make photo montage – printed it out. Got locks. Did this report & cooked dinner with her food, for children as she was out at a student graduation.
| Got up went with Demelza to set up new Servas Malawi office at Francis’s in town. Then to airport and home.
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