Christmas is in the air...
16.12.2012
Greetings from Malawi!
We have been very busy here getting to know the community to better understand their needs. It is always a challenge to get situated with such a different environment, and even though people here mask their problems with huge smiles there are many.
Since now that the Mango rains are almost upon us, and we’ve had our first heavy rainy weekend in Lilongwe we have also been busy making preparation and stocking up on some nice supplies for the new help2kids volunteering programs for the Lifuwu Village children.
After meeting and speaking with the Parents and Teachers we determined that materials such as art supplies and sports games were very scarce and much needed. So we now have some nice supplies such as Coloured Pencils, Crayons, Markers, Paper, Glue, Scissors, Reading and Learning books, Puzzles, many different new sport games, and the children will now be very happy.
We would also like to extend a very big warm Malawian thank you to our former volunteers Andrea, Gabi, Evelina and her sister Signe for the generous gifts they left behind for the children.
Most of the learners at Kazembe Primary School have now finished their end of term exams, and are now out of school enjoying some much needed rest over the Christmas Holidays. Since the school is now almost empty we have also decided that it would be a good take advantage and begin with some renovations and construction projects.
Our two Volunteers, Urs and Damaris, have also been busy and are very happy to be assisting us in these new learning and building projects for the children. We are truly very lucky to have them here with us lending a hand. Currently we are renovating the classroom doors and painting decorations in the classrooms.
Although Kazembe is closed, some of the children are always around and willing to also assist us in working. We tried to draw Santa Clause as well as hand and foot reindeers. The kids were really excited and happy simply to have been giving papers and colours to play and do an activity with! I might also add that just taking some pictures with them can also turn into really funny activity, and they really love to see themselves when we show them the pictures we’ve taken!
There is still a lot of work hard work ahead of us here. In the coming weeks we will be renovating and repairing benches, windows, as well as completing the new two shelters which Luis is building. The following weeks are of a huge priority to us so we can complete all the projects and make the school for the beginning of classes the second week of January.
We have also been organizing new activities for our volunteers to partake. As we have only two volunteers, Urs and Damaris, we have agreed to organize sports activities and swimming lessons twice a week in the afternoons. We had swimming lessons last Thursday which turned into fun water games.
In the coming week we also plan to start some paintings at the Nursery School. At the present time the room is simply plain a very boring so our goal here will be to make that big room into a lovely place for the little kids to be in. We will paint the alphabet and numbers as well as some other decorations on the walls to making learning easier and much fun.
Even with all the hard work and long days we truly have a wonderful time here with the community of Lifuwu Village, Malawi. No matter where we go we are always greeted with small running shouting smiling children and villagers whom are happy to have us here, this always adds to the overall rewarding feeling of our working efforts here.
As always we invite you to come out here to Malawi and join us in helping the children and community.
Thank you for taking the time to read our blog, and we look forward to seeing you out here soon!
Warm Regards from Malawi,
Francesca and Luis