February

One of the shop keepers at my trading center outside his shop with his baby.

Selling "chips."

Youth selling meat.

A woman selling pastries called "mandazis."

A man selling small fish called "usipa."

Clothing and fabric for sale

My friend Rasheed.  I just taught him how to play chess.

Youth from the youth club at the health center playing a dancing game.  They're happy because we just got donated books for a library and decorated the room with health posters.  Next step - table, chairs/benches, and a bookshelf! 

Some of the form 4 students.

Nala with a new friend.















December and January

Me with my cat, Mtima, and dog, Nala. 

Mua Mission in Dedza

Mua Mission

My friend Scheller, who I spent Christmas with.  Here she is in her garden with her dog, Sophie.

Nala and Mtima

Two of the teachers at the secondary school where I teach "Life Skills."

Beans with tomatoes, onions, garlic and green beans.

The room at the health center designated for youth reproductive health but is currently not being used.  I have big plans for this room.  Just got a bunch of books donated to create a library there.  Next step - furniture.  I started a youth club at the Health Center with my counterpart.  Right now we're focusing on HIV / AIDS but we plan to expand to cover other youth health issues. 

This is Elijah and Davis.  They help me with cleaning the house and with my vegetable garden.

Nala!

















Keep in Touch!

While the address at the bottom of the post will still work, I will only get that mail on the infrequent occasions that I travel to the capitol.  My local address is:


Erica Lucille Ward, PCV
c/o Kamsonga Health Center
Kamsonga, Ntchisi
MALAWI
AFRICA


It has been recommended that packages sent to Malawi be in padded envelopes, written in red ink, with various Biblical verses on the outside of the package to prevent items from theft.

The Peace Corps address in the capitol:

Erica Lucille Ward, PCV

PEACE CORPS/MALAWI

P.O. Box 208

Lilongwe
MALAWI

AFRICA

AIRMAIL


You can also email me at eward06@gmail.com. However, I may have limited access to the internet.

November

Some patients at the health center.

My friend Noel, the Medical Assistant at the health center, in his office.  

This room at the health center is currently not being used.  I hope to remedy that by starting a youth health program (ages 10 - 25). 

I'm helping Noel put drugs into dosage bags.

My cat named Mtima (meaning "heart" in Chichewa).

Mtima yawning.

Mtima on my lap.

Mtima sleeping on the window ledge.

Ntchisi hospital.  My site, Kamsonga, is in the district of Ntchisi.

Kamsonga hill, which my house and the health center are next to. 



Some of the students in the Form 3 Life Skills class that I teach at Kamsonga's secondary school.  This term we discussed topics such as: physical, mental and emotional changes during puberty; moral dilemmas; roles of leaders and citizens in a democratic society; stress and anxiety management; self-esteem; and self awareness.

Stove-top popcorn.

My friend and fellow Peace Corps Volunteer, Sally's, house in Salima.

Inside Sally's house.

Cooking vegetable dumplings - yum!

Lake Malawi!  We went there for Sally's birthday.

Sally with her birthday cake.

Monkey by the lake shore.

Thanksgiving dinner!



Buttered corn, mashed potatoes with vegetarian gravy, salad, green bean casserole, macaroni and cheese and coleslaw!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving























October

This is Edward Masite, my counterpart, who is helping me to get to know Kamsonga.  He's a Health Survaillance Assistant. I will continue to work with him throughout my service in the Peace Corps.  He is smart, hard working, has vision, and his English is very good.  I am lucky to have him as a counterpart.

This is the health center.  Right now I am not doing work there but I suspect that my main project will be sex education for youth ages 10 - 25 there.  There is a room for youth health activities at the health center but right now it is not being used. 

This is my boyfriend, George Yamikani Phiri.  He's an Intern Medical Assistant (a position somewhere between a nurse and a doctor) at the Health Center. 

This is the secondary school where I've started teaching "Life Skills" classes to Forms 1 and 3.  Life Skills is basically civic, ethical, behavior and sexuality education.  A secondary school is like a high school and there are four forms so I'm teaching the equivalent of freshmen and juniors.  The Form 1 students struggle to understand my English but they are getting better. 

This is the primary school and "football" (soccor) field.  There are games on Thursdays (market day), Saturdays and Sundays. 

This is my bike.  One time I rode for 34 kilometers in one day! 

These are two maps of villages I visited within Kamsonga's catchment area.  The Health Survailance Assistants of those areas drew them.

This is my friend Alfred Nyasulu.  He's a police officer.  One of his friends just gave him this pool table!