Report from local coordinator Mussa

Twenty-eight participants came from the Netherlands to construct two teachers houses, One toilet with two rooms and a girls changing room.  This report will highlight the activities of the project and points of attention.

The construction of the teachers houses started by the participants and locals holding hands while standing around the teacher house side by side symbolizing unity and oneness.  The first brick was laid by the youngest participants Sem and Sella to mark the official start of the construction.  The work done by the participants and locals included brick laying, carrying water, ferrying sand to the construction site, ferrying bricks, levelling the site, filling inside the foundation and inside the houses and all carpentry work just to mention a few. The target was at least to roof the teacher houses and work on the inside walls before the date of the handover.  It was amazing however to see that all the planned work had been done and the group together with the community managed to do the beam filling, sketting and painting in some parts of the building before the handover date.  This was quite an achievement considering the group had only 28 members.  This can be attributed to the cordial working relationship between the participants and the locals.  The community is currently working on the plastering and flooring of the teachers houses.  Martin the technical leader and Duncan coordinated the construction work very well hence the success.

Two classrooms were occupied by the girls while one was occupied by the boys.

Food was prepared by the chef from CCAP Chrodney. The participants got used to the meals and liked the food. They also sampled the local Malawian dish popularly known as Nsima.

Staying overnight was quite an experience for the participants and they came back with a lot of stories to tell about the way life in the communities is.  The locals were equally excited because it was the first time to receive a white person in their communities and more especially spending a night in their homes. There were able to share about the Malawian culture and the Dutch culture.

was also a success despite that it took place during a time when schools were on holiday.  The learners and the participants enjoyed the songs and the lessons.  Learners were taught Bible stories in addition to drawings, and songs.  Most of the songs have remained in the minds of the learners and they are able to sing them up to now.

The Malawi experience was also another activity where the participants went round the community and learned how to dance and sing traditional songs, pounding maize, carrying water on their heads, making ridges with a hoe, making fire using firewood, washing clothes the Malawian way and learning the Malawian National Anthem.

All the local churches from the community gathered together to worship on one Sunday.  The participants took lead of the service and it was amazing to see all churches having one great service. This showed that we are one and that our God is one indeed. The members of different churches were blessed by the different choirs that sung on the day but also the preaching which emphasized on the fact that the love of God is for each and every one.

The participants enjoyed the beauty of the lake and swimming in the lake.  It was marvelous to see the participants skills in swimming like fish. 

Almost all stakeholders from the community were actively involved in the whole process of construction.  The school management committee, Parent Teachers Association (PTA) and village headmen were always available at the construction site trying to organize their subjects so that all the work would run smoothly. During the handover ceremony a representative from the ministry of education came to grace the occasion and also religious leaders came to support the work that took place