Hi from the Egp Malawi group: Amy Choi, Juliet Clarke, John Macdonald, Amal Paonaskar, Shervin Poladi, Jennifer Whittam and Sarah Williamson.We've set up this website so you can have an idea of what we've all been up to this summer and see where all your donations have gone. We'd all like to thank everyone for all their generosity which has made this project possible.
The project took place in Northern Malawi in a town called Rumphi
, we were staying in a nearly finished 3 bedroom house with limited furniture. We had a flushing toilet and a shower but no hot water. We were lucky to be provided with an electric cooker and a fridge lent to us by VSO voluinteers in the area.
, we were staying in a nearly finished 3 bedroom house with limited furniture. We had a flushing toilet and a shower but no hot water. We were lucky to be provided with an electric cooker and a fridge lent to us by VSO voluinteers in the area.The first week we took part in training focusing on Participatory Rural Appraisals. This helped us get to know the members of the NGO we were working with called DAMRA (Development Action for Marginalised Rural Areas). There were also government represen
tatives and members of the two communities which DAMRA's projects serve training with us. We learnt a lot about the importance of involving the local communities in development projects and a lot about the people we were working with and their culture. Most of the people we were working with are subsistence farmers with very little income and few opportunites to find other work.
tatives and members of the two communities which DAMRA's projects serve training with us. We learnt a lot about the importance of involving the local communities in development projects and a lot about the people we were working with and their culture. Most of the people we were working with are subsistence farmers with very little income and few opportunites to find other work.During o
ur second week we started work on the chicken houses. We started dig
ging the foundations for the two buildings which involved using hoes to hack at the ground and shovels to remove the soil. Much of the ground was very hard so we also had to wet the soil sometimes to get through. During this time we were also involved in the brick making process. In Malawi bricks are made by wetting soil to make mud, stamping on the mud and then using moulds make bricks which they leave in the sun to dry and then burn in a kiln. The pictures show a brick kiln burning and Amal and Mr Mzembe (DAMRA member) chopping wood to burn the kiln.
As none of us from EGP had any real building skills our main job was to make sure the builders had all the equipment they needed at all times. We relied heavily on our foreman (Mr Mkandawire - left) to co-ordinate our work and make sure we were on schedule.
ur second week we started work on the chicken houses. We started dig
ging the foundations for the two buildings which involved using hoes to hack at the ground and shovels to remove the soil. Much of the ground was very hard so we also had to wet the soil sometimes to get through. During this time we were also involved in the brick making process. In Malawi bricks are made by wetting soil to make mud, stamping on the mud and then using moulds make bricks which they leave in the sun to dry and then burn in a kiln. The pictures show a brick kiln burning and Amal and Mr Mzembe (DAMRA member) chopping wood to burn the kiln.
As none of us from EGP had any real building skills our main job was to make sure the builders had all the equipment they needed at all times. We relied heavily on our foreman (Mr Mkandawire - left) to co-ordinate our work and make sure we were on schedule.
For the first few weeks before we had a water tap installed that involved carrying water from the river at the bottom of the plot of land up to where it was needed.
We also carried thousands of bricks from various places to the builders as well as erecting the scaffolding which was knocked up by the builders on site within an hour or so. A large part of the job was mixing cement which we did with wheelbarrows and shovels. 
It was really great to watch the buildings go up and seeing the transformation of the site from a piece of farmland to a means of income for a great community group.
It was really great to watch the buildings go up and seeing the transformation of the site from a piece of farmland to a means of income for a great community group.
As you can see the project was a great success and although there were difficulties at times, in the end we managed to finish two chicken houses which will provide space for up to 800 chickens, a store room and two offices. The first set of chicks arrive on the 24th of august. This project should allow DAMRA to not only cover their running costs but also to provide revenue which will be used for projects in 3 rural communities. The people in these communities have very poor transport routes which limit their ability to sell and buy goods which they need. Many of them walk for hours to gain access to water which is often unclean. Their crops are also limited as fertiliser is expensive and irrigation is poor. DAMRA focus on projects involving the issue of food security, hence their projects in these areas will involve improving irrigation, soil fertility, nutrition and variety of foods. The training provided will help DAMRA to make sure their efforts focus on needs of the communities, and will ensure that the communities themselves will be involved in the projects.
Thank you all again for your support and interest in this project. We all enjoyed getting to know some very determined and dedicated people in Rumphi. Although this was a small scale project it will effect many people who are extremely grateful for the opportunity provided and for all the support everyone has given.
