My Malawi Study Trip by Cathy Bernard

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.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]