Malawians & research culture

Last year a medical doctor friend who is doing his postgraduate studies in US went to Malawi to collect specimen as part of his research project. He bemoaned the lack of cooperation he received from fellow Malawians. They grudging helped him. There are a catalogue of Malawians with similar experiences and I am no exception.

What surprises me is that any foreigner who visit Malawi get moved by the eagerness to help and friendliness of Malawians. When I browse through blogs, web pages or interviews of foreigners who visited Malawi I am very proud of their descriptions of Malawians - 'warm, helpful and friendly people'. Indeed from the little I have seen of other countries we are a very friendly people. I am not sure if any country can surpass us when it comes to hospitality.

However I get surprised that while as a nation we can do anything to help foreigners (Azungu) do research in our country (even on our people with questionable research projects) we refuse to do the same to each other. Akufuna akhale ndani ameneyu? Akaphunzila adzatinyasa. Surely there is a need as a Malawian people and organisations to develop a research culture. 'Ngakhale adzatinyase' the fact is research is good for the overall development of our country. Unfortunately the reaction to most research students abroad is to research on issues to do with the country of their study which cannot directly benefit Malawi. May be that is advisable.

The availability and efficiency of the Internet and the tendency of many organisations in the West to host information on their websites has made it easier for research students to access information for study. However this is not yet the case in developing countries. Most organisations have no web presence. To research in Malawi you have to depend on the willingness of fellow Malawians to help koma simasewela pokhapokha uli Mzungu!. Kodi AMalawi anzanga limeneli si tsankho?

Free advice to Malawi research students abroad: be sure-footed that the information and data you want to collect for your studies from Malawi will be made available otherwise the tendency is 'akufuna akhale ndani ameneyo?' Akhawula, adziwanso. Sad. Secondly if you don't want to be disappointed always and I repeat always have plan B until the Lord answers our national anthem prayer...'Lord remove hunger, disease and ENVY in Malawi'.

Surely ladies and gentlemen of Malawi origin we cannot sacrifice the country because we want to punish individuals we don't like. By the way don't you know that the greatest pleasure you can give yourself is to help somebody else. I bemoan our short sightedness. Chonde chonde Amalawi anzanga tiyeni tisiye kunjenjemelela Mzunga and start supporting each other.

Christian internet radio

Moni moni okondeka Omvela,

This is to solicit a name for an all Malawian music Internet Christan radio station. A motto will be a fantastic bonus. I will really appreciate an explanation for the choice of your name. There is no criteria for the name. Sorry that at this point there will be no rewards.

I will host the radio station here in the UK. This phase will be for academic reasons only. In coming out with your proposed name you may want to know that after the academic phase, I may carry on with the Internet radio with high chances of covering most African gospel music. This will depend on the success rate.

There are a number of legal, administrative, technical and financial hassles to overcome. Of which I request your prayers. Please feel free to send me an email with your suggestions.

Bwanji tionane nthawi ngati yomweyi sabata ya mawa.

Munali ndiine Muulutsi wanu, Cryton Chikoko

Africans needs genuine help

Last year Tony Blair in his foreign policy speech in the US described poverty levels in Africa as 'shameful'. Today the Metro newspaper quoted a consultant anaesthetist Raymond Towey who described medical care in sub-Saharan Africa as 'obscene.'

I will reproduce the whole article titled "Africans 'treated worse than dogs" in its entirety as published in the newspaper:

Animals receive better medical care in Britain than millions of Africans get in their home countries, a senior doctor claimed on Thursday.

Consultant anaesthetist Raymond Towey spoke after returning from a 14-year stint working at hospitals in Uganda.

He was amazed to find that open heart surgery is regularly performed on Britain's pet cats and dogs.

In sub-Saharan Africa, people needing such expensive treatment are 'sent home to die', he claimed.

The 63-year-old, who worked at Guy's Hospital, London, before going to East Africa, said: 'I watch animals having operations on TV in conditions that are absolutely fantastic and I know patients in Africa are having much worse care. The disparity is enormous.

'I am not saying vets shouldn't do that, I'm saying that, if you can do that for animals in society, why can't you do that for human beings.

'Our priorities are such that we leave Africa out of the human family.'

Up to 60 per cent of hospitals in Uganda are not equipped for even basic surgical procedures, research shows.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, Dr Towey noted that life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa was equivalent to that enjoyed by people in England in 1840.

He added: 'I am left with one word that alone sums up my assessment of the amazing advances in the UK and the appalling comparison with medical care in sub-Saharan Africa – obscene.'

Sadly my nine years working in the hospitals in Malawi makes me to agree with Dr Towey. The HIV and AIDs pandemic coupled with lack of drugs, necessary hospital facilities and systems and low moral among colleagues makes it even more stressful to be a health care worker in Malawi by the day.

As much as I don't agree with handouts, there are a lot of things the world can do to improve the welfare of Africans other than the meagre efforts we see around which aim at appeasing the conscious of the rich countries . I am not here begging for sympathy but thus the most noble thing human beings aught to do to each other - genuine help.

As of today the only comment on the Metro website comes from David of Oxford, UK who simply said, 'True observation, where is the love?'. I bet it will be difficult to get a better comment than that.

Group work

Today I left the University Library for home by taxi after 3am. This was the consequence of group work. We met at 12 noon! One member of our group had to spend the entire night in the library to finish his bit. We joined him later to do the powerpoint which we finished at 09:58am ready to present at 10am! As a group we had to work on a community radio application which will make up seventy percent of the entire module grade. As of yesterday we had an incomplete assessed research work group presentation to submit this morning at 10am. Its sad that we had to complete our work this morning. I often finish my work way before the deadline.

I was getting worried that we will come out with a poor work. Thankfully, as often is the case, the Lord intervened. We came out with a good presentation and a great accompanying document. Of course with mediocre research work. I predict that I will continue to swim in the secure grade category. I really want to get a good degree. All in all Neil did a fantastic job.

Wednesday next week I have an individual presentation to make for another module. Panopa sukulu yatentha. Please pray for a good presentation.

My one year anniversary with Asda

I got a badge and a certificate of achievement! Looking back: I have enjoyed meeting many people (customers) and fantastic colleagues in the shop.

Life skills in church

Today I didn't stop admiring the English how they play musical instruments in church. I sit near the front of the church. In Bolton I was surprised how the worship team composition kept on changing. It was like everyone in the church could sing and play some kind of instrument. Ndimati kukadakhala kumudzi aliyense apa sadakatulutsa gospel album yake! In Malawi we have very few people in church who can play music instruments. At times the church has to plead with some of these talented folks just to do that?

I recall a zealous Malawian church plant in Manchester which bought a keyboard. Alas! There was no one to play the instrument in the church (timaona ngati ndi zophweka). In retrospect I can vividly remember how few Malawians who had the 'accident' to learn how to play music instruments play hard to get in Malawi (amashupa). These 'elite' boys can spoil a band festival or a wedding reception. While I agree that they need to be payed I should also say that some of their demand are completely nonsense. They can ask to be picked from their homes and often they stay where it is difficult to drive a car (kuchiphedi kumapuloti kwinakwake). I discovered that such tendencies continue even here in the UK among Malawian communities in Manchester. Old habits die hard.

Back to the English: what I learned later is that English kids are obliged to learn one music instrument or sporting activity during their secondary education. All this is to prepare the funny loving Brits to enjoy life to the full when old. Fantastic! I wish that was the case home. I was also informed that playing music instruments helps children to learn to focus. Their mental ability get enhanced. Their brains get sharpened spilling the benefits to their studies. Of course to learn how to play a guitar, drums or keyboard for school kids is unthinkable in Malawi. The fact is that most of our children in Malawi even to be alive is a miracle. There is untold deprivation in our community so much that to think of buying music instruments is total madness. I have my private dreams on that.

Having grown up in Malawi in such abject poverty I struggle to have fun even this time when I have pounds from my petty job. You may want to know that I am undergoing a mean revival. I am learning to buy gifts (Donalisa may not agree). We will be eating out regularly! We are steadily advancing on our standard of living. On the other side I feel sorry for Donalisa who is learning fast to enjoy life in the UK (Ndimamva chisoni kuti koma uyu kumudzi akatha kukhala). To me some things that she wants us to adopt are pure English and laxurious in nature (mwina ndinali wolila kwambili!). This explains why most Malawian girls (unlike boys) in the UK do not want to go back to Malawi (azimayi amafuna moyo wofewa). Almost all Malawian girls they tell me 'why should I go back to Malawi. Ndidzikatani?' They would rather stay illegally in the UK than to face the poverty again in Malawi. It has taken me to live in the UK to understand the sugar dad phenomenon in Malawi.