Africa

In early November, I went to visit our offices in Zambia & Malawi. This was my first trip with work and so it was the first time I got to see any of our projects first hand.

Most of my time was spent in our offices in Lusaka and Lilongwe, but during the middle weekend of my trip, I travelled overland from Lusaka to Lilongwe, with a stop made at Chipata, right near the border.

We have some very successful projects in this area, which I was able to go out and see. Our work is based primarily in agriculture and involves working with local farmers to improve their methods, seek alternative crops & markets, purchase improved seed varieties etc.

At the end of my trip, I spent a couple of days at Mwaya beach, where I volunteered 4 (yeek - yes 4!) years ago! It was really wonderful being able to see the area again. Lots of people there recognised me and I was taken on a grand tour of 3 of the local nursery schools, which Thompson Taraz has helped fund since I was there.

A number of other projects are also underway in the area and it is so fantastic to be able to see the difference Ripple Africa is making to the area. A new secondary school is being built, there are some fish farms, plant nurseries and even a display farm has been setup by a local farmer with alternative crops, to show his fellow farmers what can be grown & how.

One of the women farmers of our Ulime project at Chipata, close to the Zambia/Malawi border. They are in the seed multiplication phase for a new bean seed, which is doing so well here that the bean has now been named after the village. For every 1 tonne of seed planted, they are harvesting 5 tonnes of new seed. Next season, they will begin using and selling the beans.


The beans are allowed to dry out on the plants, so that the seeds can be gathered for planting next season

An African seed nursery! These tomato plants have been planted very close together at the base of a tree for protection. The actual length is approx 1.5 metres long by 30 - 40cm wide.

Mwaya beach, lake Malawi. Each morning, we got up just before dawn to watch the sunrise and then have a morning swim. These fishermen very conveniently floated into the right place at the right time!

Just after the sunrise

One of the nursery schools built by Ripple Africa around Mwaya. All the nursery schools in this area teach the same curriculum, which is agreed in conjunction with the Standard 1 teacher at the local primary school. I spoke with him during my stay, and he says the difference in the children he's now getting is amazing, as they now actually have the basic skills they should have before starting school

Singing and dancing is a big part of the learning process. A lot of the songs have lifestyle and health messages etc

Sometimes you just need a break from it all!

This community library was opened just before I went to Mwaya 4 years ago. It was built and setup largely by one of my fellow volunteers from Ireland. The library is now very well stocked, and a new storeroom / reading room is being built next door. The librarian, Mr Longwe, takes enormous pride in his work and in the last 4 years, not one single book has gone missing!

A new classroom block, built by Ripple Africa. When I was volunteering there, one of the classes had to be taught outside due to lack of space.