I have a bit of time in the lab today so here are some more random thoughts about life here.

A birthday card arrived this week. It took just over a month. The only other mail has been a FedEx package. It is frustrating for me because I love getting stuff but also because I know you are all spending time and effort to send the things. Fingers crossed that at least some things will arrive.

I realize last week that one reason for my unhappiness here is the feeling of just being here and not of being alive here. I have enjoyed previous trips because I’ve felt as if I’ve made an impact but this time I don’t feel it. The children I teach here are the Malawian counterparts of kids at Deer Park. They are comfortable and well cared for. They want for very little and all of their basic needs are met.

I decided to find an orphanage to volunteer at. I think that work, although heartbreaking, will be rewarding and I’ll feel more useful and alive here. Next week a friend is taking me to a local orphanage. I hope I can be of use. If not I may find a nursery school or special needs kid to work with.

I got a kitten. He name is Kali for my friend Kalirani whose name means “keep on crying” and who eats mice (as do many Chewa). Kali is small and cute. She is black with white and a bit of tan. She is a baby and she is quite small. She meows a lot and demands food in a very harsh yell! She doesn’t always use her litter which makes my house not so pleasant but I’m sure her noise keeps the mice away. She’s a good companion.

Yesterday I tried at the local hotel to access wireless internet. I was not successful for 2 hours and I am not sure if I will be next time. It cost me at least $8 which makes me angry because I could have used that money for something else. I tried to get a refund but was told my computer is the problem. I hope that’s not true. I’ll try at a different hotel on Saturday.

The children at the day care seem fine. They have grown tall and big but are very shy in my presence. They do enjoy Azikiwe and are quite free with him.

The weather is less hot now but far more rainy. The ground is soggy and the humidity is high. I often wake at night to the sound of rain pounding down on my tine roof. It’s hard to hear anything else at times. I can’t watch tv and even reading is difficult b/c of the noise. Oh well, soon the rains will end and the cool weather will come.

That’s all for now.

Thanks for reading.

Tags: itatu, itatu orphan care, jennifer douma, malawi

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Costs for Secondary School

In Malawi there are at least three secondary school options.  A student can go to school full time during the day, part-time in the afternoons or they can attend a boarding school.  The costs for each are as follows:

Ntcheu, where the day care is located provides all of these school options.  I stayed at the Community Day Secondary School one summer.  The teachers there are not necessarily qualified as teachers.  Some have college diplomas, some have a university degree but none is university trained as a teacher.  Most have very poor English skills.  The classes are large and resources are limited.

The secondary school which is a boarding school is quite nice.  Teachers there are university educated and/or trained as teachers.  The school has computers and a good science lab.  The facilities are clean and well cared for Students must board.  They can not attend as day students.

Secondary school in Malawi is generally 4 years.  An examination is taken at the end of grade 10 and again at the end of grade 12.  Students are not required to complete all four years but obviously job prospects are better if they finish.  University acceptance is dependent upon the performance on the final exam in grade 12.

Students are selected to secondary schools after completing an examination at the end of grade 8. Students with higher marks are selected to boarding schools but can choose to go to a day school if finances dictate.

As you can see, education is not always easily attainable for Malawians.  Many families are earning about $12 a month and have several children.  The orphans are living with caregivers who are surviving on subsistence farming and piece work.  As secondary school approaches, many will not be able to attend.  I’m sure this is the case all over Malawi.  Unfortunately the cycle of poverty continues.

Tags: itatu, itatu orphan care, jennifer douma, malawi

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