100 Days in Malawi

It's been a few weeks since my last blog post so it's about time for another one. I've been living in my new house for just over a month now, and am happy to say it finally feels like home! I've spent the last month buying the basic home necessities here (water buckets, kitchenware, building supplies/ timber, sleeping mat, and more). I remember back home when I would buy wood at Home Depot it was always a trick getting it to fit inside my small Toyota Camry, but here in Malawi everything is transported via minibus (imagine 20+ people crammed in a minivan PLUS whatever everyone has bought), bike, or balanced on your head. It was a trick getting all my things to my house, but at long last it is all here!

Besides moving in and making the T-Den (tentatively named) a home I've been working daily at my local health center. I've been working with pregnant women, HIV/AIDS groups, and children under 5 helping to monitor their health. Basically, people come in once or more per month for medicine or check-ups, and when they do I take their weight, height, BMI, and MUAC (this is basically a way to check for malnutrition). I couple weeks ago I went with some of the staff to Balaka (the district's "capital" city) to attend a conference about malnutrition. I learned that a major issue all health centers are facing is the lack of malnutrition supplements - if you are a male or non-pregnant female chances are you won't receive any food supplementation from the hospital. The reason for this is related to donor funding and a bit complicated to explain, but the good news is that a solution isn't! An easy way to get malnourished people back to health is to encourage home gardens!

Which leads me to my next update - my home garden is complete and has already begun growing!! Here in Malawi things grow EXTREMELY fast - it's actually pretty unbelievable. Despite having to water your garden (which means going to the borehole, filling buckets, carrying them back, and THEN watering your garden) it's really not so difficult. My yard was literally the worst possible place to make a garden - but I worked really hard to show others in my community that it can be done; even when you have a tiny yard thats 99% rocks and trash. I've already have people tell me they were surprised I got anything to grow here. I guess my plan is working!

Besides working at the health center, tending my garden, and getting laughed at when I go to the borehole to carry my water with my hands (everyone else balances it on their head; I tell them I'm too tall and it'd be dangerous for them shah) I've been trying to go on an adventure every weekend - at least for a bike ride if nothing else. Over my birthday weekend in the end of May I went south to Blantyr - the old capital city, and the only "real" city in Malawi. I spent the weekend eating great food, exploring the market, and spending time with friends. All in all it was a fantastic weekend, and a great way to begin my 23rd year!

For those at home hoping to receive a letter - I promise I'm trying! Moving in was expensive and at the moment I don't have enough money to send letters, but I get paid soon so I hope to send out a few in the coming weeks. 

Love and miss you all,

-Trevor

^ Hanging fruit basket I made to prevent ants from getting into my food.

^ Working in my garden is hard work!

^ Before and after pictures of my garden.

^ French onion soup I made (eatin' good)

^ Early morning in Blantyr on my birthday.

^ New furniture!

^ Over 100 days of no shaving

^ First sprouts in my garden

^ My co-worker Peter presenting in Balaka about our health centers progress in monitoring and evaluating patients