Posts from — February 2009

“A once in a lifetime experience”—that’s what everyone was saying. This trip was to be a once in a lifetime experience. What the heck is that suppose to mean? Isn’t every moment we experience once in a lifetime? I really had no clue as to what to expect on this trip. We had been preparing for eight months, learning about the culture, the language, our project… but I still felt as though I knew nothing. There is only so much prepping you can do through a textbook. Living what you learn is completely different. For example, I knew we were going to take bucket showers and empty our bodily fluids in a hole in the ground. I knew we were to eat the same food twice a day for three weeks, and I especially knew how much attention we would receive from others. Yet, all that “knowing” was shot out the window when it came to actually “experiencing” it all.

I’ll admit, the first few days I was in complete shock. It might have been due to the  exhausting three days of travel it took us to arrive, but I really felt like I knew nothing. People were blatantly staring at us and talking in a language I could not understand and there was nothing I could do, nowhere to hide. Now that I think of it, I probably seemed like a deer caught in the headlights, but there was nothing to fear. Nothing to fear and a lot to learn… and little did I know that.

People seemed so happy—without a care in the world—and everything seemed to be going well for them. Even when I visited the Chilanga Primary School and sat in on my first English lesson, I found that everything was alright. Sure there were a few too many students crammed into the classroom with little lighting, but that was to be expected. Where was the desolation? Where were the poverty and disease stricken Africans? Oh, how little I knew. How superficial and one sided my impressions had been.

I soon came to know the true stories behind people’s smiling faces. I soon came to know their hardships and heart wrenching tales. Only then did I realize just how strong these people were. Despite having seen and lived what they have, a smiling face to warm your heart is what they have to offer.

My first meaningful encounter was with a young man, 18-year old Thomas Chaponda. I had seen Thomas several times in the village. He always wore a toque and a jacket, no matter how hot it got. I found him to be a strange fellow, who kept to himself and rarely made an appearance during the day; but that might be due to the fact that he was our night watchman. Every night, he sat in total darkness on our porch in the cool, brisk night air and kept guard- not that we really needed it.

I never thought much of Thomas until Doug, our trip leader, insisted I talk to him to hear his story. Doug told me he was an AIDS orphan who recently decided to become a teacher. I thought it would be interesting to find out more. I really didn’t know how to approach Thomas though. I never really spoke to him except once or twice, to apologize for our childish antics, that had the girls running back to the house from the bathroom in a frenzy, to escape the “werewolves” at night.

One night, I finally decided to go out and talk to him. He was just sitting there as usual, bundled up against the wall. It was quite hard getting him to talk about anything, let alone himself. He spoke in a low voice and seemed hesitant to talk to me. Eventually after a couple late night talks, he warmed up to me and wasn’t quite as shy. He taught me about Malawian culture and its beliefs. I soon came to see what a bright young man he was, who had his own views on the world.

In spite of our talks, Thomas never brought up his past. However, one night he came looking for me up at the house. He was oddly talkative and spoke with more ease. That was the night I heard Thomas’ story:

At the age of fourteen, Thomas’ father died of AIDS. His mother subsequently remarried and had two other sons. Two years after his father’s death, his mother also died of AIDS. Consequently, Thomas went to live with his uncle and continued his schooling until Form 2 (Secondary 4). Due to financial difficulties he and his uncle moved to Kasungu District to be closer to family, settling in Makupo Village. Thomas finished high school with the financial aid of his great uncle. Unfortunately, the uncle grew weary of paying and Thomas’ education ended there.

Thomas knew that his future seemed bleak. He lived with his two younger brothers and three uncles, one of which was younger than him, along with his grandmother in her house. Since the death of his mother, Thomas has had a very difficult time coping and seems to fall in and out of a depression. However, there is another burden weighing on this young man. He confided in me a dreadful secret. A reality that so many young Africans face: he was HIV positive.

While he recounted to me how he contracted the virus, I felt as though the ground below me was disappearing. He was too young. He didn’t know what he was doing. He wasn’t given a fair chance! These were the thoughts running through my mind. That’s when it hit me. Thomas is my age. I still believed in Santa and was learning to divide in Math, when this boy’s world began to tear at the seams. Who was I to be so lucky as to be born in a developed country? Who decided that? And why? Why was this young man not given the same chance? My questions overwhelmed me.

His innocence lost, fortune finally decided to throw Thomas a bone. A couple of weeks prior to our arrival, one of Doug’s friends, Professor Christopher Stonebanks, from Bishops University, came to visit Makupo Village. He was moved by Thomas’ story and took it upon himself to help. He decided to help Thomas achieve his goal of becoming a teacher. Thomas is now undergoing interviews and results assessment for Teacher’s College. However, it is still unsure whether Thomas will be accepted or not, but his future seems promising.

Regrettably, underlying Thomas’ story is another harsh truth. The only way Thomas was able to talk about his past and his hardships was through drinking. While in the village, I realized how prevalent alcoholism was. And as many of us know, in any part of the world substance abuse and depression tend to go hand-in-hand. Thomas and I discussed his drinking. Although Thomas is clearly not an alcoholic, he is not proud of his drinking habits. However he says it helps him to talk about his feelings and cope. Nevertheless, Thomas slowly became less shy and more assertive during my time at Makupo Village. He wants a better future for his siblings and wants to provide for them and support them. Despite all that he has been through, Thomas still stands strong and is ready for whatever lies ahead.

As for the query that tormented me, I have come to realize it is better not to question circumstance. On the trip, I felt much guilt and at times was ashamed of the privileges I have. Still, I exercise no control over where I was born and into what society. The fact of the matter is, I can use this fortunate opportunity as a platform to expand my outlook on inequalities in the world.

My experience in Malawi was indeed difficult but allowed me the chance to open my eyes to harsh facts. Instead of allowing a sense of helplessness to wash over me when faced with these realities, I chose to look beyond them. In our society, we tend to choose the path of least resistance. Create your own path–create change. We must aim for what we want to accomplish and never lower our standards; whether the goal is to see the world, or simply to become a teacher and better ones life and the life of one’s family.

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Since my return to Montreal, I have been asked to write a report about a given issue that sparked my interest during my trip to Malawi. I knew I could discuss many subjects, but I wasn’t sure which one to select. One day, I found the inspiration that led me to write the following report in a documentary entitled “Tough Guise: Violence, Media & the Crisis in Masculinity”, written by Jeremy Earp and Jackson Katz. The video discusses how the portrayal of masculinity has been completely distorted over time, and how social and cultural factors have led men to feel the need to put on a “tough guy” facade in order to be accepted as a man in society. Although there cannot be a complete comparison between western civilisation, and African village life (simply because the media is not as overwhelmingly present in the latter), similar principles can still be applied. Gender discrimination that has resulted from men’s need to overpower, dominate and control women is a worldwide issue. As I watched the video, a particular moment from my trip came to mind. This moment occurred after we finished painting a classroom at the primary school.

“As we were cleaning the room, we noticed that the floor desperately needed to be mopped. Mr. Chiroua sent all the girls to get more water. When they returned with filled buckets, he told them to mop the floor. Complaining, the girls said that the boys should take over, but the boys just laughed and said that mopping was “a girl’s job”. Mr. Chiroua shoved the bucket into one of the girl’s hands and ordered her to mop.

Then, a male Standard 7 student took the bucket from the girl, and began to wash the floor himself. His friends ridiculed him and stared at him the entire time. The Vanier group watched  the boy and smiled. We were amazed that he had taken the initiative to mop the floor, even though it was considered “a girl’s job”. We were even more impressed that he did so in front of all of his friends. We thought to ourselves, ‘now this is a true sign of courage’. We commended him for helping us, and thanked him for his job well done.”

During our stay, many members of the group focused on understanding gender issues in Malawi, with a particular interest in discovering ways to empower young women who faced adversity.  Our goal was to develop a support system that would allow girls to feel comfortable discussing topics such as education, relationships, teenage pregnancy and what it means to be a strong woman. What I hadn’t yet considered but came to the realization of, after watching the documentary, is that young men need a support system as well. The boy who helped mop the floor after we painted the classroom is quite an exception. Most boys would have let the girls do the work. This is because the ideas that men and women have distinct roles, and that women are inferior to men is instilled in boy’s minds from a young age. Most boys refuse to be associated with doing “female chores” because they fear being disrespected by their peers or being considered “unmanly”. Although this may seem innocent on a small scale, on a larger scale it creates many problems. Gender discrimination has been the reason why many girls have not been able to go to school. In poverty-stricken areas, if a family has more than one child of different sexes, the boy is deemed as more intelligent, thus has a higher chance of attending school. Furthermore, household chores are completed by females; therefore a girl might not be able to attend school if she is needed at home. In addition, if a girl becomes pregnant, she is expected to leave school to take care of the child, whereas the boy can continue to pursue his education.

Many other social and cultural factors have not been discussed, and I am aware that I have only scratched the surface of an issue that has been ongoing for many centuries. However, as I mentioned previously, if we are to alleviate any of the consequences caused by gender discrimination, it is important to develop a support group for both females and males. As much as we need to empower women, men equally need positive role models to show them that succumbing to gender discrimination is not acceptable.  Only by presenting young boys with men who can break down traditional views of gender roles, and re-evaluate the true definition of “masculinity” can we hope that someday, all boys will gladly mop a floor.

When I think about how it all started, my mind sends me beautiful memories of the land. While being in the car, driving towards Makupo village for the first time, I just couldn’t believe it! I really couldn’t believe that I was finally in Africa—Malawi. The proof is that I got sick from the plane ride, but then when we all went got of the aiport in Malawi I lost every bitter feeling of sickness I had in my body. It was a cure! The only thing I was thinking about in the car ride to Makupo village was: nothing at all. I was just amazed by the surroundings; how nature was dominant but still gracefully welcoming. When we arrived at the village, we were hugged by many of the villagers. You couldn’t ask for a better welcoming than this. I automatically felt at home. That’s when it finally occurred to me that I was going to live here for three full weeks.

My new house was located right at the entrance to the village. There were three bedrooms, a kitchen and a small living room. Where would the bathroom be? Good question! Right next door. It’s called a Chimbudtzi. This small shelter had a curtain as a door and a small round hole on the floor. In our “modern” way of living, we would have a large bathroom, with a sink, big mirror and obviously the toilet, where we flush down, great volumes of water. Isn’t that a waste of water? The shower routine went as follows: the woman of the village would boil us water, put it in a blue plastic container and I would carry the water and my soap to a shower house. I had the best showers there! I loved to take them in the morning, while the village was waking up. I felt so relaxed in the showerhouse; I could have spent days there just taking showers.

Everyone, not just the villagers from Makupo, but all Malawians I crossed path with and greeted would return the greeting without question. Here, if we say hello to a stranger, there would be an awkward silence. Why is it like that? Why can’t we be able to greet everyone and be greeted in return? In Malawi, I never felt stressed. What I did feel was calmness and relaxation, which were feelings that I maybe experience for an hour each month here in Montreal—this fast paced city.

The objective of this trip was to learn about education in Malawi. Every morning, the Vanier study team would separate into three different groups. One group would go to the Chilanga School for the Blind, one to the Chilanga Primary School, and my group would go to the Chilanga Community Day Secondary School (or what we all called the CDSS). We would attend classes like any student and write notes about the content of the class. The school was comprised of seven one-level buildings; four classrooms, a small library, a teacher’s lounge, two boarding houses and one kitchen for the students boarding the school. Each form had its own classroom. It was interesting for me to be in a classroom with 80 passionate students and only one teacher. What I quickly noticed was the high level of respectability that a students had towards their teacher. I never saw a student being disrespectful to his professor, by either insulting or talking to a friend during a lecture.

I was interested to find out about the life of a teacher so I prepared some questions and decided who my subject was going to be. I chose to interview one teacher I particularly liked named Mr. Frank Kasawentha. Mr. Kasawentha  is a very  entertaining teacher, who could always turn his  Math course into a very fun class to be in.

Frank Kasewentha loved school when he was young and his favorite subject was English. In Secondary School, he lost interest in the subject because it seemed repetitive to him and he became bored.  He was born in Zambia and his family and him moved to Malawi when he was 14 years old, for financial reasons. When he moved from the Zambian educational system to the Malawian one, he noticed that English was much more concentrated in Zambia than in Malawi. Teaching wasn’t his dream job. He started to like mathematics and, because of this, wanted to be an accountant, but the education to have an accountancy degree was too expensive. He therefore went to the TTC (Teacher Training College), because it was free of cost.

At first, he only wanted to be a teacher because it was the easiest way to get income, but throughout his five years of teaching, his interest in his profession has grown. He has a primary school teacher diploma, but because of the shortage of teachers in secondary school he was placed at the CDSS as a Math teacher. Mr. Kasewentha has two children; one is in Standard 5 and the other in Standard 2. There are 8 Standards in primary school and 4 Forms in Seocndary School. His next struggle will be when his oldest child will reach Form 1, because education isn’t free for secondary students. His wife does not work and Mr. Kasawentha is the only income earner in the family.

Mr. Kasawentha told me, “When I’m in class I do hard marking and try my best help students individually in their work”, but it’s really hard for him. He has between 70 to  90 students in each of his classes. There are six classes per day, and each class is 40 minutes in length. I asked him what the worst behaviour he has ever seen throughout his five years. He answered, students making noise was the worst behaviour of his students. In Malawi, there is a great deal of respect towards elders. For example, when a student approaches a teacher to ask him something, the student kneels to the professor and talks with extreme politeness. I have never seen this in my 11 years of education. As the last question of this interview, I asked him what he would do if he had the power to change or modify something in his life. He answered:

“I would change my diploma for a degree, so I may have more knowledge for my students and a greater income for my family”.

I would have never thought that I would get the opportunity to experience a trip like this. Since I was young, I always wanted a big house, a Lamborghini and a lot of cash. Then from the beginning of College to now, my mind shifted from one dream to another. I feel that this trip has triggered something good in me. I am becoming a more mature human being, who is more respectful of his surroundings and grateful to live without any real concerns. This evolution has puzzled me; it’s made me question what I really want to do with my life. I have never asked myself so many questions about my future plans. I used to have it all organized.

In Africa, I felt very relaxed and able to put pieces together in order to  better understand myself. Coming back here, I didn’t have the same feeling. Everything came too fast— in an instant! I was urged by work, school, parents and friends to get back to my original way of living. I really didn’t like that, but I didn’t express any revolt. I never was able to express myself orally or by writing.

From primary to secondary school you are taught many things. What I experienced during those three weeks in Malawi was turned into knowledge; stronger and more real knowledge than I had acquired throughout my 11 years in the educational system. I didn’t just learn the definition of financially poor, I saw it. I didn’t just learn the definition of ambition; I saw perseverant fire in young student’s eyes. I didn’t just learn the definition of happiness, I saw and felt the most pure and basic pleasures of life. I would never exchange those three weeks. Neither for fame or fortune!

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Wake-up call

by Audrey Vanasse-Bédard

This trip was important to me because it was a wake-up call. Experiencing and studying a different culture is imperative to understanding the underlying causes of numerous economic and social problems that affect among others education, women’s rights, health, and poverty. By seeing firsthand these issues it was much better for me to understand and evaluate them than being in a classroom and learning about these same issues. Now, in Montreal, I am looking forward to share my experience with fellow classmates, family members, and friends and raise awareness about global issues.

Regarding the educational system I encountered, I think much works needs to be done, and many other factors not necessarily revolving around education directly have a major impact on the system. For example, many of the villages are situated very far away from schools and many kids have to walk many miles in order to get to school. This becomes more and more difficult when the children’s household chores increase they put school on the back burner. Many families also have some trouble paying school fees, especially if they have numerous kids. Most obviously, there is a lack of resources, one teacher for a large amount of students, many classrooms have no desks, chairs, or blackboards, and classes of 60 or more students have to share 6-10 textbooks among themselves. What impressed me the most was the students’ willingness to learn despite all these setbacks. Children would wake up at 5 o’clock in the morning and do their chores and then walk to school. Students who lived very far from the schools would even stay in crammed hostels.

I think this trip will definitely affect the decisions I make or the actions I take for the rest of my life. After witnessing such strength and determination from these children and individuals I have absolutely no excuse than to give my best at whatever I do because I am fortunate enough to have many opportunities present themselves at me contrary to these students. In the immediate future I definitely see myself traveling some more to gain more knowledge and insight on different cultures and how it affects their way of life.  In the long run I’d like to use the knowledge I have gained to help bring aid in some way to countries like Malawi that are still developing!

Malawi is called the “warm heart of Africa” for a reason: the people are so welcoming. The village we stayed in, Makupo, was instantly home. Everyone who lived there was family. After two days of travelling, we were exhausted, but being greeted with hugs from the villagers as we got out of the minibus refuelled our energy. The Education for All study group was ready to explore what would be our home for the next three weeks. We were eager to experience every thing we could in such a short time. What waited for us was more than we expected or were prepared for: village life, the Chilanga schools, the friendships, the interesting characters, the beautiful sunsets, the food… the list is endless. We had a couple of days to “rest” and then were off to work.

Our guides, Mercy, Kenny, and Francis were always ready to answer our questions. Since my personal project was to study the food, I decided to ask Mercy for help. Of course she was more than willing to answer all of my questions and do so in amazing detail. Mercy not only described how to prepare the foods they eat regularly but also showed me where they grew the things they needed in the village. She took me to the maize mill to see the many steps it takes to make maize flour and let me know I was always welcome to visit the women in their kitchen to observe exactly how they did it. I was able to see their staple food, nsima, prepared from the first step of drying the maize to then creating the flour. Finally she showed me the cooking process. There was no “just add water” to anything in Makupo, no North American convenience foods here. Mercy’s openness and willingness to help me understand made me feel comfortable and able to ask more questions and learn more.

The teachers and students of the schools were just as welcoming. Since we were divided up among the three Chilanga schools, I went to the secondary school with Cate, James, Cari, and Francis as our guide. The Headmaster had a meeting with us to determine what we would be doing for the three very short weeks we were there. He was more than happy to have us teach, observe, assist the teachers, or anything else we chose to do. The teachers were happy to have us in their classrooms and the students excited to ask us questions as well as answer ours. We were their guests and they were willing to teach us all that we wanted to know and learn as much as they could from us. The school’s acceptance of us made our job that much more enjoyable. We were all able to feel at ease for the work we were to do: the interviews we had to conduct, the observing in the classrooms, the helping teachers learn how to use the laptops we brought for their library, and so much more.

This was my first international travelling experience, and it was a huge one. It was my first time flying, and I was not scared. My first time on another continent, and I felt at ease. My first time completely immersed in a new culture, and I felt welcome. Of course, there were many things that I could not immediately absorb or understand, and may never entirely comprehend. This project opened my mind to so many new things, so many new people. I interviewed a teacher on his life history, learned about the food from the people, worked in a secondary school surrounded by students, travelled to different parts of the country meeting new people, and more. Everything that we did, that I experienced, involved the kindness of the people of Malawi.

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Before I went to Malawi I stated that: ‘Helping someone with a sincere heart brings the greatest joy”. Indeed, these words became a reality to my life every single day I spent in there. Even if I am from Haiti, as soon as landed in Malawi I felt like I was home. If I did not know where I was and I was asked to take a guess, my first one would have probably been Haiti.  This is just to show how many similarities there are between these two countries in terms of culture and economic status.

On a personal level, Malawi confirms how much individuals from the Caribbean are linked to Africa. Their dances, the food and the way of life were in some way a déjà vu for me. I will never regret that day I decided to go to Malawi. No matter where one is from, deep down we are all the same and we share the same needs and face challenges.

According to philosopher Ayn Rand, the main purpose of education is to teach a student how to live his or her life, by developing his mind and equipping him to deal with reality. However, because Malawi is a poor country with limited resources, a flawless education system is almost impossible. No matter what age, students in Malawi face high levels of financial, emotional and social challenges every day.

Despite the fact that the resources at the Chilanga secondary school are often limited— and at times nonexistent—the students learn to appreciate what little resources they have, instead of focusing on what they cannot afford.  Students in Form 1 (grade 7) sit on the floor because they have no desks, yet every day the attendance was above 100 students. At the school I met with Tines, Harriet and Friday; these three students from Form 4 (grade11) touched my heart profoundly. Their contagious smiles and laughs are enough to make you love them. Because they live so far away from their school, they have no choice but to stay at the boarding houses on the school’s campus. Their parents must pay 12,200 Kwacha (approximately $90) each semester; this pays for boarding and school fees. When I interviewed them I learnt how hard it is on their parents to send them to school. Mostly all the revenue brought in from selling their crops is spent on their education.  It’s no wonder why education is so precious to them and their family.

“Without an education in Malawi, you cannot find a good job anywhere” said Tines.

Even with limited resources, these three students set high goals for themselves and the future. For instance, Tines wants to become a nurse while Friday aspires to become an accountant. However, these goals can only become a reality if their parents can afford to continue paying for those future costs.

Regardless of race, income or nationality, peer pressure is an existent problem teenagers face around the globe. With a declining economic system, students tend to get involved in gangs in order to survive or to help them pursue their academic goals. Friday relates in the interview that he had many offers in the past to join gangs but he refused despite the personal problems he is facing. According to him, education is the end to his misery. He gets discouraged many times, he claims, but he will not give up that easily. Tines and Harriet—who are only 17—refuse to accept the tradition of getting married in their teens. Many of their friends are becoming pregnant and consequently dropping out school. They believe in further exploring what is out there in other parts of Africa before they settle down to build a family.

“If I had the chance to go to another country, I would go to either Nigeria or Canada” said Harriet and Tines.

No matter where you are from, deep down we are all the same and we share the same needs and face challenges.

Unfortunately, we cannot choose the country we would like to be born in. Students at the secondary school, considered me as “lucky” because I live in Canada. I am from a poor country and I understand the struggles they must face every day. After my interview with Tines and Harriet, they were very excited to show me what they call ‘home’. I was ready for a culture shock before I went to Malawi, but I was not ready for this one. Their boarding house was just one room about the same size of a Vanier classroom, with no furniture. The mats on the floor were their beds. These girls had no privacy whatsoever. For a second, I said to myself it could have been me sleeping on the ground. The living conditions broke my heart and yet these girls were proud to show me their boarding room.

We tend to complain and give up when we face serious challenges. For these students whom I met, facing difficulties is a part of their lives and yet they are motivated to go to school. For them, education is a privilege and the first step to success.

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