By Alice Leaper

The rain finally hits us, although a little late, and the garden breathes a sigh of relief and our world turns a lush green again.  Josie's fingers have got green as well as she is often found busy planting here at Butterfly.  The nursery has also benefited from her skills, and the children will hopefully be able to snack as they discover new edibles in the garden.  She has also agreed with committee members of Chikale primary school that their garden should get underway.  Initially parents and teachers will benefit from training organized through the education department who has a great project linking schools to nutrition and permaculture training, with some great facilitators.  Once the initial training has taken place the group will look to meet weekly to work in the garden and because teachers are involved then they can relay the message to the children using the garden as a practical teaching tool.  

Since Katie, a past volunteer at Chikale, left there has been some drama with the building I have been left in charge of in her absence.  Unfortunately the builders that are completing her developments of two new classrooms were caught stealing.  Things are back on track now and, although difficult for them in all the rain, the Mayoka building team have been employed.  I hate to name and shame but we also had to loose a nursery school teacher, Margaret, as she was involved in the theft.  However this may have been a blessing in disguise.  Maya, our long term volunteer, the fantastic teacher Zione and I got to interviewing and have found a new young lady-Temweka, who has made a promising start.  Zione expressed that it had previously been hard to assert her authority with an older or male colleague.  This new and improved team has come up with a new structure with added themes, lessons and rewards for excellent students.  After leaving these positive changes behind, Maya has had to return to Canada.  She has made such a difference and was a real celebrity amongst the kids.  She took the role so seriously, never

 missing a day and always arriving on time to assist the teachers.  The school has now reached its capacity this term so we can reflect on how much she really did do.  She quietly went about it in her humble manner as we got to know her and she came out of her shell. 

She provided one on one computer lessons as well as spending time with the widows group.  She motivated them up to Butterfly twice a week and they churned out some great textiles for their income generation including hammocks, dice for nursery schools and cushions.  It has become a great social network for them to get together over cups of tea and have some fun as Maya gave them all a goodbye beauty treatment.  What a lovely sight to see cucumber eyed, face masked, nails done, Malawian women, relaxing and having a good time.  A recent donation of four sewing machines from Tools for Self Reliance means this group and others can be now fully accommodated.

Some other volunteers were also great income generators around Christmas time.  Known as KK and Spud,    They were here for a couple of months and came up with the most innovative ideas I have ever seen.  They really helped bring in some extra cash for our projects as well as providing so much fun in the process.  Wonderful things were created with 100% recycled 'crap', they will forgive me for saying so including crackers, and Chibuku wallets and hats.  They were also talented on computers and did lots for our information room, sorting out systems, training Frighton and giving lessons to

members.  Another local school benefited from their skills as they helped with constitutions and gave more lessons to

teachers.  Butterfly on general gained so much form their lively charisma as they were always pitching in with what was going on around, nutrition workshops, mango mayhem with the F.A.W.N.s, gardening, youth club and general lodge running.

All these products made were put on sale at the youth club Christmas pageant.  This was such a success we put on two performances due to popular demand.  It included singing form the nursery school kids, poetry form disabled club translator, a performance from the disabled guys and a nativity play form the u15 youth with a dance routine and dance off to finish up.  The money they raised entitled them to an away trip of football and netball to Mzuzu, this took place in February and unfortunately both teams lost 6-3 and 15-7.The girls were really encouraged by the dance and drama, have attended daily and are now members.  When meeting with parents they were enthusiastic about what their girls have been doing and now have no reservations about their safety. 

We have been able to do some interesting workshops focused for girls about stigma, periods and sex education with Diana and James a VSO doctor and teacher.  This has prompted a need for sanitary towels and the like, to stop girls missing school.  Knitting has also been a hit and taught by a new volunteer Lisa who is doing her PHD studies here.  Although I hate following gender stereotypes this is what’s proved most popular but a few girls can give the boys a run for their money on the pool table.  Kumbu has finished the pool room outside youth club that Colin started, so they can be more rowdy outside and free up more space for table top activities and learning.

The disabled school has also developed with new members and a new translator.  Robert moved on as he got a new full time job at the hospital.  George is a great asset to the team with his patience and reliability.  I am really getting into it with thanks to a potential volunteer, Ian Hook who I am in touch with on the INTERNET.  He hopes to come out later in the year and is experienced in this area.  He is teaching me the P.I.V.A.T. System and Makaton and getting me to contact special needs co-coordinators for further advice and links.  The more I

learn the more I warm to the group and it is really interesting to see how their minds work.  Katie if you're reading your bright pink monster puppet has joined class and is teaching people how to behave.  We have also received letters from a special school Round Oak that Raj organized, thanks.  I would really benefit from qualified assistance.  If you are reading this and think that’s you please email or better yet come out and help me.

The F.A.W.N.S have had a busy time this mango season.  As well as collecting their healthy food package they were assisted with income generation ideas such as chutney, jam, wine and even mango biscuits.  A friend and talented illustrator from back home Lucy Sturgess, www. lucyjoy.com, has kindly designed some beautiful labels for the products to go on sale which really shows you can help out wherever you are and whatever your skill.  The question and answer sessions are becoming really open and I'm sure life changing.  I have created a folder containing the wealth of information and, with thanks to Becky Mitting a VSO doctor and great friend, have been able to learn about their drugs, their bodies and practice a safer way of living accordingly.  Particularly one mother, who's baby has reached 6months, as I am lucky enough to be able to supply formula milk so she can stop breastfeeding.  I am learning a lot with them.  It’s a slight risk to contract HIV through the breast but most mothers have no choice as the price of formula is too expensive. The biggest problem is mixing bottle and breast as when you start to eat or drink formula it opens a lining in your stomach that can let HIV in when you go back to breast.  Becky and her husband Will have not only supplied knowledge on tap but so much fun.  They have returned homeward bound but will remain close always.  They have also

offered a donation so thank you so much for everything guys!

There have been other volunteers that have popped through just for a day from places like D.A.P. They have aided this group with recipes such as soya milk and Nina taught them about the wonderful tree Moringa, all its wonderful properties, and what to do with each part.  She very kindly sent back some seeds form Salima so we have been able to plant and give out some to the group, nursery and primary school and hopefully others in the area.  Nkhata Bay hospital volunteer nurse Liz Ottoway also offered them her time this month and welcomed them to clinic to have meds checked as they had a lot of complaints of pain.

After a long time waiting I can finally help Liz with her lake shore clinic.  Our engine has been paid for so Kumbu's boat can be used as an ambulance to travel up north side reaching people who don't have access to hospital.  Liz has been planning this for over a year and now it can finally get underway .  With special thanks to the Bolton family for their generous donation we were able to get this engine from Tanzania. 

I have set up another project just recently with a local guy Amos and a small committee.  He, as I'm sure everyone will agree, thinks that old people deserve a comfy place to sleep at night.  The project is called New Beds for Old Heads.  I have been to our first target village with Amos, Makombo, a beautiful spot just outside town and met the first 6 old people to receive their mattresses.  They are all sleeping on cement or mud floors and are over 70and in arthritic pain.  There is already a growing list of others who are suffering.  A mattress costs £15 with delivery so if you would like to donate please get in touch.  I will try and post photos of them receiving them this week on the website.

We have been blessed with photographers recently.  Regina, from Germany, Emma, who is volunteering at Phunzira in Ruwarwe village, and Paul and Lani, who are travel writers.  They stayed for some time and took some beautiful shots of our projects and hopefully something positive will come out of the article they are including us in.  Josie has been busy setting up Butterfly page on Face book so you can take a look there and stay in touch easier and for people who have been here feel free to add things to it as we never get enough time to upload photos and the like.

With the festive season over we expect a quiet period but it would seem the news of Butterfly is beginning to spread.  Of course there are fewer customers but we have a constant flow of interest from volunteers inquiring on the website.  It is also a time to renovate and build around the site at Butterfly with a new compost toilet and shower going up and hope to tackle the dorm building, which we have been wanting to do for ages.   There has been  a new addition to the kitchen team, Happy, who could prove to be a real asset.  Fanny as well is doing really well in the kitchen and new things, lasagne, onion bhaji’s  are being added to the menu as they learn more.  Ivy has also joined us as a cleaner and is another asset to Butterfly.

There has been another appearance of something we don't really want around -the croc but he is causing no trouble so please feel welcome.  Josie and I have decided we would like to concentrate more on our projects and other aspects of our lives so we are putting a shout out to people who would like to come and help us run the lodge for a few months but of course do project stuff too.  We are sorted for this year but from next year will look to have people for 6 month stints.  If you’re interested get in touch!

“Hidden in our hearts is a longing to live deeply and with purpose and joy, to know and to be known, to be concerned with another; and to make a difference.  In this dance of giving and receiving, we create our community, our World and ourselves”

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