Adventure: Educational visit I will live to remember

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR



It was around 6:00am when we set on a long, winding road. We were on a journey destined for Cape Maclear in Mangochi. We were four in number; thus Sellina Khonje of Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), Welton Phalira of the  Lake Chilwa Basin Climate Change Adaptation Programme (LCB) myself and a woman who was very new to me.



            Watipaso (facing the camera) with Chanco students enjoying the boat ride



Mr. Phalira was driving us; and I did not remember asking him who the woman sitting on the behind seat was. I just greeted her.

Maybe before I continue, I need to fill you in why we were going to Monkey Bay. LCB Climate Change Adaptation Programme, a local non-governmental organization dealing in issues of climate change, has just received a grant totalling US$5.4 million from a Norwegian government to help the organization fight effects of climate change.

As you may be aware, climate change is one of the biggest issues facing the world today. Climate change continues to be a subject of intense public and political debate.

No wonder then that governments, states and non-governmental and civil society organizations are ganging up to find means for alleviating, or indeed, fighting the effects of climate change on humanity.

In Malawi, LCB, which is based at Chancellor College in Zomba, is one of the NGOs that has managed to mobilize financial and technical resources for

LCB has worked on the issue of climate change for some time now to further the understanding of this issue among communities around the basin.

But with the funds it has received from Norway, the organization intends to build the capacity of local and district institutions dealing in environment and natural resources management.

The programme, which will run for five years, will be jointly implemented by Leadership for Environment and Development Southern & Eastern Africa (LEAD SEA), WorldFish Centre (WFC) and Forestry Research Institute of Malawi (FRIM).

One of the local institutions, which is receiving financial and technical expertise from LCB is all-student Green Campus Initiative, based at Chanco.

Mixing with Chanco students

Mr. Phalira had briefed us earlier that we would be joined by students from the Chancellor College. So our stopping at the higher learning institution did not surprise me. Besides, our host had to collect a few provisions necessary for our trip like packed meals.

What surprised me, though, was that, instead of the car we were travelling in, we were duly asked to disembark the Toyota Sprinter and join the university learners in a school bus.

Now, one thing we can all agree upon is that travelling with secondary and university students is challenging as it is exciting.

It becomes challenging in the sense that one has to endure some noise emanating from their chattering. And, I must be honest here; I did not expect the Chanco students to behave differently. So chattering they were that I could not avoid an induced laughter as the bus cruised past Machinga, Mangochi to Monkey Bay.

I must say also that the journey was exciting because most of what these esteemed learners said were worthwhile. They discussed real issues ranging from politics, religion to development. It was educative, indeed!

Arrival at Cape Maclear

The time was just a few minutes away from 1:00 pm when we arrived at Lake Malawi National Park. By this time, almost everybody was feeling the pinch of hunger. Students were very excited about the fresh waters of Lake Malawi that they ran into the waters for a swim immediately the bus door flung open.

I resisted the temptation of following suit because, being a child who grew in the rural areas of Mzimba and Kasungu where we know the existence of Lake Malawi through a classroom, I thought this could be a gamble.

I was green with envy as I watched students chasing one another as they enjoyed their swim. A few minutes later, someone announced that it was time for lunch. If it wasn’t for this dutiful girl, Alinafe Hanke, bringing me the meal, I would have missed lunch.

Not that there was chaos, but I could not imagine standing on a queue to receive my pack (packed meal) with all strange people looking at me, especially the ever-judging eyes of girls. Or was I being too judgmental? All in all, we ate and moved on with our business.

A visit to Panda Garden

We had come here for a purpose. It has been in LCB management’s mind that university students can play a crucial role in the formulation and implementation of policies and programmes necessary for fighting effects of climate change.

Our purpose here was to learn how Panda Garden is changing the lives of poor communities in Chembe Village, T/A Nankumba’s area.

The garden is demonstration centre being run by an NGO, Health, Environment, Education and Economic Development (HEEED Malawi).

The centre is helping the communities enhance their resilience and adaptation to climate change by teaching them how to make fuel briquettes, hand-made paper products, aquaculture ponds, vegetable gardens and tree seedlings.

Fuel briquettes made from dried tree leaves

Of much interest to me was the fuel briquette, which HEEED Malawi is making from vetiver grass and dried tree leaves. Officials from the organization go about gathering dried leaves of any tree; soak them in water for some days; pound them and make a stove out of it by pressing it hard with a machine.

The briquette has to dry completely before use. We were told these stoves are helping communities in that area to conserve their forests, which are also tourists’ attraction sites.

It was very interesting to learn that people in Mangochi are cooking with dried leaves manipulated into briquettes. It was equally education to learn that from the waste paper one can make a card of his choice.

When all was said and done, it was time for a boat ride. Again, I have to be honest with you, dear reader. This was my first time in since I was born. When the engine boat took off for Thumbi Island, the first thing that came to my mind was to say my last prayer. “Forgive and receive my sinful soul Almighty God, for I don’t know if I will return to safety!”

I was, however, surprised to see my fellow passengers making noise as if they were travelling in that school bus. We reached the island, but a few of us refused to disembark from the boat because we had our shoes on.

The boat rider took us back safely and I could not help praising God for his loving kindness. 

“I thought I was living for the last day today. I thank you God for your protection,” was all I could say as I jumped to the shore.

Honestly speaking, the trip to the Cape Maclear showed me that we can recycle and reuse some of the wastes that come from offices like paper and cartons. This will help us conserve our natural resources and fight impacts of climate change.

It also taught me the importance of meeting new people like university students, of listening to their views and reacting to what they want and need directly.

END