Published on
April 30, 2008 in
Diary.
At 8 am, Fairtrade premium committee members gathered in order to meet and discuss with Symon Banda, the liaison officer. We discussed with him. Symon advised us to keep on working and complete smoothly the already proposed projects. After discussion, he notified us that he should be back at Kasinthula with one of the Fairtade Labeling Organization representative and that shall be the best time for the farmers and or premium committee members to say or ask whatever they think on running of the premium or any compliance with the standards. Symon wished us all the best before left and we too congratulated him for the pieces of advice he used to assist farmers on using the premium funds.
No lunch. I did not go home for lunch because I had no enough time to go home and took food. I only had a bottle of coke and a packet of biscuit. I communicated my wife and informed her not to prepare lunch for me.
At 2pm, I left for home Chinangwa village escorting David to interview Robert Mose and his three fellow farmers. I directed David to meet them. He finished interviewing them at 5:40pm. David dropped me at home when he was going to where he was resting. David congratulated me for the translation I did to the farmers he was interviewing.
Published on
April 29, 2008 in
Diary.
My brother accompanied by his friend left for Ngabu to buy a bull cow for breeding. After paying for the bull, they footed up to home, which is almost 55 kilometers from Ngabu. They took a rest at Jombo dip tank for it became dark. When he got home, he was so tired and spent one day without moving for his legs got swollen.
Man killed a baby. A man was arrested for killing his own baby with a heavy blow. The man had a policy of the radio not to be switched on when he is not around. This day he went to visit his friend at a certain village and when he got home, he found the radio already switched on. “Who has switched on the radio without my authority and what did I told you about this radio?” The man asked his wife. “I was listening to the news and sorry for switching off the radio without your authority,” the wife answered. Whatever the wife said did not hold any more water. He started bulling the wife. Unfortunately, the newly born baby was at the woman’s back. Some people rushed to the house in order to rescue the woman, but the man before well-wishers of the woman arrived at the spot, he accidentally hit the baby with heavy blow. The baby died at the spot. People witnessing the scene called police officers who arrested him and is expected to answer charges of murder.
Published on
April 28, 2008 in
Diary.
I woke up early around 5am to inform other farmers who were selected by David of New Castle University who had been at Kasinthula doing his research on Fairtrade issues. After breakfast, I left for the work. At around 9am, general manager, Brian Namata brought his mobile phone. “Hold on” said Brian. He gave me his mobile phone. I responded the call, grateful he was Philippe of Ubuntu Cola who was speaking to me asking my health status and some developmental projects, which have been implemented through Fairtrade premium funds. Philippe Sibaud also congratulated me for passing rural community development, diploma 1 and wished me all the best together with my family.
David Philips interviewed some farmers at Chinangwa village. At around 2pm, David, Bright, Felix and I went to Chinangwa village following David’s programme to interview some farmers on Fairtrade issues. He interviewed three female farmers and lastly scheduled to meet male farmers the following two days.
Bought relish. After David’s interview, I accompanied him on the vehicle he was using as I was directing him the way to the trading center. He dropped me at the trading center and I went to the butchery to buy goat meat for supper’s relish.
Published on
April 27, 2008 in
Diary.
Most of the church members were away attending the general meeting. There were only choir members at the church. I decided to stay home and listening to some gospel tunes on the radio. Around 7am, I went to see the progress at my garden. When I was at the garden, I received a call from my brother inlaw who came home to visit me.
“I have just decided to visit you today although there was no any appointment” brother inlaw said. “No problem, you are warmly welcomed and you have been missing almost for two months now,” I said. We had lunch together and then went to chat with friend at Tatu’s residence. He was leaving back home late in the afternoon
Published on
April 26, 2008 in
Diary.
It cloudy and cold morning with rain showering signs but not. My friend Alfred got home and asked me to leave for Nchalo to have our wages. I bought 2kg of white sugar, 1kg washing soap and relish. We boarded minibus and arrived Dyeratu deport at 11am. At Dyeratu market, I bought fresh goat meat and some vegetables. I hired a bicycle lifting me home. I enjoyed the meal because everything was in place as balanced diet though was for one day.
In the evening, my wife cooked rice, which she bought at a certain grocery. My young brother and I together took that supper. “Had it been that we daily eat nice and balanced foods like we have done today we could have beautiful skins”. I told my wife while listening to the radio. “Working all day on exhaustion conditions, sometimes without breakfast and or lunch like you experience. How do you think you can build? It is only money that answers” my wife commented.
Published on
April 25, 2008 in
Diary.
Early morning, it was sunny my father got me with a letter which stated that he was wanted at the CID office, Chikwawa police station. Father was wondering that he was called at the station without any agenda indicated. I advised him that he should not go until they indicate agenda.
No breakfast. I left for the work while hungry because there was nothing to take. I took my bicycle out of the house and started my move to Kasinthula offices. It was so painful working up to lunch hour without anything to take. At lunch hour I went home and I did not turn up for the work.
Farmers had their wages. Some farmers had their advances at Ncahlo. Most of them were appearing lat around 4pm with several packages. Others brought with them cooking oil, relish and bags of maize.
Published on
April 24, 2008 in
Diary.
Soon after breakfast, I received a call from my cousin, Charles who asked me to escort him to see his late young brother’s children at Chapananga, 55km western side away from home. We cycled and arrived at 11am from 5:35am. Charles bought some clothes for the children. When we arrived, I was so hungry and tired though we were assisting cycling. He consulted the village headman to ask the father inlaw to late brother to allow us meeting the children.
The village headman called the father inlaw for that issue. “These men have come to see their late brother’s children. Would you let them come together with their mother to them?” the village headman asked the parent. The father inlaw to the late cousin refused that decision. “I can not allow them meeting children just because of the clothes. Had it been that they have brought some maize for them I could admit. These children need food not clothes” father inlaw concluded. The village headman tried to convince him in several ways but he refused. “Lets go back home it is already known that he is not going to give us opportunity meeting these children” I told Charles. “Lets go” Charles replied. It was so tiresome cycling all the way from Chapananga to Chikwawa. We arrived home late eight evening.
Published on
April 23, 2008 in
Diary.
Most of the dried fish, which are sold locally at Chikwawa district and even in Blantyre are taken or bought from Nsanje (southern end of Malawi) bordering Mozambique. Those venders who used to buy fish from Nsanje committed an accident. Early around 3am, the truck over turned at Ntondeza village 2km from Kasinthula Cane Growers. Nine people died at the spot while others seriously injured and taken to Chikwawa hospital. Eye witnesses said that the driver’s legs were amputated. He was only the victim to speak. “I told them that I am tired and wanted to take a nap, but they forced me to continue driving” eye witnesses said that the driver complained. It was so sad and many people gathered at the place. Lots of fish scattered. I went at 7am, to witness myself what happened at the incident place.
Applying for a job. I saw an advert on the National news paper which I admired to apply for. The requirements were in place with me that was a certificate or diploma in rural community development. I wish I could be only invited for interviews. My aspiration is to get employed with an organization that deals with remote people alleviation. I live at a typical village where there are many disadvantaged people. These people include old aged, orphans and high school dropouts due to lack of social and economical empowering.
Published on
April 22, 2008 in
Diary.
The school, which was under maintenance failed to be completed following the head teacher’s misuse of the materials. School committee had been suspecting that one of the responsible teachers was stealing cement for school maintenance. The committee agreed that there should be a stiff security to ensure that the project that was funded by a certain organization should continue and completed smoothly. However, the head teacher was stealing some of the materials. A certain woman who was fetching firewood at a certain bush saw a man hiding four bags of 50kg cement. The woman tipped some people who were at the meeting at the school premises who started following the matter. When they were about to reach the place they saw a man who hid those bags of cement going out of the bush. They called him and asked the woman if he was the one. The woman stated that was the one who hid cement. He was forced to show them where he hid cement. The man started trembling and he directed them where the cement was. Police officials were called who arrested the man. The project had been a failure because of the unfaithful leaders. At the police station, the man revealed that he was directed by the head teacher to hid four bags of cement on daily basis. The head teacher was transferred on the very same day to another school. This teacher was not legible to be responsible personnel on implementation of sustainable infrastructure like school.
Rats killed chicks. Most of the times my wife and had been wondering the way chicks were found dead and some parts eaten. My wife was suspecting a snake to be used. At around 10 night, I woke up after chickens made a strange loud noise. I had my torch lit in order to see what was making chickens uncomfortable. I saw two rats pulling a chick that was already dead. “Wake up I have seen what killed chicks. But they have already rushed into our house” I told her. “How can we kill these rats?” she asked me. I told her that we should firstly enquire from other people.
Published on
April 21, 2008 in
Diary.
I did not take anything as breakfast as well my wife. I felt sorry for she has a 24 hour breast feeding, but nothing to take as breakfast. I went to Nchalo for check up at the hospital. I met the doctor responsible and was so grateful for quick improvement and recovery. He just provided me with some drugs to continue taking. After meeting the doctor I went to the deport for lifts back home.
A cycling farmer collapsed. One of the Kasinthula cane farmers collapsed from the bicycle, which he was cycling. He was drunk and cycling at the market premises. He wanted to show off by leaving handles while cycling. Unfortunately, the front tyre stepped on a stone and he failed to negotiate the bicycle. He fell down alongside a group of people who were shopping. Some people laughed at that incident while others felt sorry for that. The man just stood and took his bicycle and started walking.
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