Malawi - The warm heart of Africa

I quite agree with the saying, "Mankind plans, but the best of planners is He, The Almighty."It was literally a month ago that mom departed from the Kingdom back to her home in South Africa and I was expecting to see her again no sooner than November. However, three weeks ago whilst my folks were vacationing at our holiday home Dad decides to give me a tinkle and inform me that he would be traveling with mom and a few significant others to Malawi. The purpose of the trip he said was a fact finding mission in establishing how various schools in the underprivileged areas of Malawi were being run. I knew that the family, especially dad was involved with funding a school in Malawi, but i didnt know the details or the depth of the project. The second purpose of the trip was to be present for the opening of a Masjid built by my family in a rural area to bring reward for all those individuals that have passed away within the family.

I have always traveled extensively with my folks and there was never a trip I missed. So naturally I wanted to be there to. Thanks to the kindness of my seniors I managed to secure an exit/re-entry visa on short notice and made my way to South africa via Dubai. I spent one night in South Africa and the next day we all took a flight from South africa to Blantyre, via Harare to pick up passengers and then Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi to clear customs and immigrations. With the exception of dad no one knew that I was arriving into the country so the shock and happiness on their faces when they seen me was certainly a moment that I would never forget in my life.

The airport experience in Malawi was quite hilarious, comical in fact. All passengers disembarked in Lilongwe to clear customs whilst the plane waited for us to take us to Blantyre, approximately a 25 minute flight from Lilongwe. As we got of the plane we seen our luggage being driven away in a trailor like vehicle.We got our passports stamped, picked up our luggage and went through customs and police clearance which was literally 10 steps away from each other. The airport has no sophisticated scanning device systems and so you are likely to be asked to open up your luggage (Not that they do a thorough inspection in any case).

We landed in Blantyre around five thirty in the evening at Chilekha airport. The airport was so small that it resembled a double storey home.We were received by dads very close friend (more like a brother) Sheikh Ayoob Patel whose ties with my family goes back at least 20 years ago when my late grandfather was still alive.We then made our way to his home in Zomba which is one and a half hours from Blantyre. The roads in Malawi are a nightmare. Cars will never survive and so four by four and heavy duty vehicles are the best for the rough terrain. By the time you reach your destination your body feels sore with all the bumps on the road.

Sheikh Ayoob's family gave us a warm welcome into their home and we had a sumptuous dinner prepared by Zohra aunty and her daughter Najma. After dinner we chatted and made our way to the Namanolo Educational Trust premises where we were welcomed by the security guards Jaffer and Umar who took our luggage in to the guest cottage. It was a quaint, cozy building with a lounge, kitchen,and two ensuite bedrooms.

The next morning after having a full breakfast we set out to the rural village where the masjid is situated. Once again we made our way through winding, bumpy gravel roads.The scenery though was picturesque with the village surrounded by the Zomba Mountains. Arriving at the village we were greeted by hundreds of people who were excited to meet us. We handed out blankets, food parcels and money to the community members. The level of poverty in Malawi is alarming. The are no words to explain the depth of poverty within the country.Usually tourists visiting the country dont really realise the extent of the poverty as they would stay in a five star hotel like Sunbird Hotel or Makakola retreat for example. However, as we resided with my dad's friend who is a teacher and looks after the various schools within poverty stricken communities, we were able to experience true life in Malawi first hand. Tears flowed down our cheeks when we seen how the local village people live. There is no running water or electricity. Water is pumped through a well and sometimes small kids walk for miles to fetch water and bring it back to their homes.
Most of the people of the village were not given any form of education. As we drove from village to village we stopped handing out sweets to the kids along the way. The smile on their faces, the gratitude of receiving one stock sweet was a picture that I will never forget.The next day we visited The Alfalah Islamic Institute for girls.Once again this institute is situated around mountains and greenery which creates an environment conducive for learning and seeking knowledge.This school is run personally by Sheikh Ayoob Patel. The school has around 50 students and they are taught secular as well as Islamic education. The girls live in a boarding complex and all their necessities are taken care off by the institute which is funded by people from all over the world especially the South African Indian community.
It was an eye opener to see these girls read as well as speak arabic fluently.These same female students hailed from the poor impoverished villages we had seen the day before. But once they were admitted into the school the quality of their lives have changed.There are some students who are HIV positive, some of them are orphaned and many of them are without a mother or a father.A doctor visits the institute on a monthly basis to monitor the health and nutrition of all the students.
HIV in Malawi is a huge problem like all other countries in Africa. The governments do not have the resources to teach and educate the nation about safe sex practices and of course contraception which is not an acceptable solution in many African cultures.The birth rate in Malawi is huge with around 30 deliveries each day in many of the hospitals. Hospitals do not have enough midwives to cope with deliveries. Their is a huge staff shortage in almost all of the hospitals as the government does not have money to pay for any extra staff.Many women die during child birth leaving the newborn child behind. In many instances these kids are also born with HIV.

Being a teacher is certainly not an easy task.But being a teacher to orphaned and underprivileged kids is definitely an even bigger task especially if the kids come from homes where their parents are illiterate themselves. I honestly and truly salute Sheikh Ayoob Patel for his hard work and sheer dedication towards the kids in his institute as well as the other institutes he oversees and manages, namely NAMANOLO ISLAMIC EDUCATIONAL TRUST.His soft and understanding nature with the students at Alfalah encourages them to further acquire knowledge so that when they complete their education they can go back into their villages and impart knowledge within their local communities.It is good to give the poor money, but making them self sufficient and self sustaining is even better and more rewarding.Sheikh Ayoob gave us an insight into the sewing classes that is run for females. The classes are conducted by sister Ameena formally from Sudan whose husband is a well respected and educated man within the community having been a member of various international humanitarian organisations prior to his retirement. All the garments produced from the sewing classes are packed and distributed back into the poor village communities. Businesses selling materials donate their off cuts to the school. The women who attend theses sewing classes live on the premises of the school and all their basic needs are facilitated by the institute as well during the full duration of the course.When these women complete the program they are empowered to be employed in garment factories or sew privately from home thereby becoming self sufficient and are hence capable of supporting their families.

Sheikh Ayoob designed an excellent itinerary for us and so in between we had a few days of leisure to relax. He had taken the liberty to book us for two nights in to the Sunbird Hotel located right on top of the Zomba mountains.Weather in Malawi for winter was surprisingly very warm and there were many days when we didnt require the need of a jacket or coat. However, on top of the mountains it was quite chilly and warm clothes was required. The hotel is renowned for being the best in Malawi with African themed rooms graced with an open fire place.As the sun goes down and the night sets in, the ambience of the room changes to an atmosphere of warmth and coziness due to the fire place. During the day, after breakfast we spent our time at leisure in the beautiful terrace gardens surrounded by natural mountains and forests. The hotel atmosphere felt as though we were in Europe or Switzerland and yet the stark reality was quite the contrary with thousands of people dying of poverty and malnutrition just a few kilometers away. We also enjoyed a picturesque afternoon at the famous Williams waterfalls where we all gathered for a picnic. Certainly an afternoon worth remembering.

After two days of leisure it was back into the village where we had to inaugurate the opening of the masjid that was built by my family for the local community.Hundreds of people gathered from all over to perform the first Friday prayers in the masjid. Tribal heads and chiefs gathered to welcome us and discuss the future of the villages in terms of future progress. Our family project started off with a masjid but we aim to build a school and boarding facility for the kids of the village as well. We also need to implement a water well so that the men going to the masjid to pray will have water to do their ablution ritual before prayers. God willing these will be completed in the near future. After the opening of the masjid we had lunch and then made our way to the Mangochi district, approximately a two hour rough bumpy ride from Zomba. It is in this region that the world famous lake Malawi is situated.Viewing the lake for the first time creates the impression that you at the sea or vast ocean as the lake is graced with unspoilt white sand. It is impossible to comprehend the enormity of the lake. It is around 365km long stretching up to Tanzania and approximately 60 km wide. At night whilst sleeping, you can hear the waves from the lake. The home we booked at the lake was a five bedroom cottage that came with a cook. Our cooks name was Richard, a Malawian man, tall in stature with a friendly demeanour. He was an excellent cook serving us fresh fish and rice, barbequed T-Bone steak (The best T-Bone steak I've ever eaten) and a variety of other dishes.

The majority of people in Malawi lead very difficult lives. Most people travel either by foot or they utilise bicycles.Usually they leave their homes very early in the morning and return late in the night. Many of the markets operate until eight at night. Goods are being traded under candle light as there is no electricity in many regions. The areas that have electricity usually face frequent power outages..During our visit the country was undergoing a fuel shortage. Most of the garages did not have petrol or diesel. Every alternate day fuel was delivered to various garages and cars queuing for petrol extended many kilometers down the road. Despite the fuel crisis most of the local community were unperturbed. They were still very calm. I noticed that from all the people in the world that I have met the Malawians are the most patient. Nothing in the world bothers them. They have this attitude of being content and perhaps it is due to this contentment that they are able to continue their lives in such desolate impoverished environments.
It was quite hilarious seeing policemen unarmed at roadblocks without batons or radio communication systems.Most policemen do not have cars and utilise bicycles as a mode of transport. Many of them would thumb a lift from passing cars or busses in order to get to their assigned designated posts everyday.Despite this there is minimal crime within the local community with the exception of petty theft now and then.

The depth of poverty and malnutrition in Malawi is indescribable. The UN has many buildings in Malawi but they are not doing anything for the local community. The UN is one of the most corrupt, bogus organisations in the world. They are not helping the poor but rather plunging the country into further debt. The UN is a masonic organisation and I will discuss the origins of this organisation in another article in due course. First world countries like America do not feed their own populations with genetically modified food and yet they would like this type of food to be introduced into poor African countries like Malawi causing people to become sick, develop health problems and cause mass genocide. Indeed one of the clauses of the masonic agenda as re-iterated by Mr. Bill Gates himself on national television is to reduce the worlds population by half.

All religions teach goodness and so it is the duty of each and every individual to help the poor and the needy. All of the schools managed by Sheikh Ayoob is through the donations and generous contributions of people from all over the world especially South Africa. The government does not have the means to subsidise these schools. I would encourage everyone especially the muslim community to make a contribution towards these schools simply because charity is one of the five pillars of the islamic religion. Your generous contributions will allow the good work to continue. The kids of today are the leaders of tomorrow and so by giving these kids an education we are all assisting in empowering another human being and improving the lifestyle of an entire nation. Should you wish to make a contribution to the Al Falah Charitable Trust and I sincerely urge you to do so then please contact Sheikh Ayoob Patel at:


P.O.Box 544

Zomba

Malawi

cell: (+265) 0 999 913 759

Office : (+265) 01 524 684

Email address: alfalah.malawi@gmail.com

Banking details

Acc. Name: Al-Falah Islamic Institute
Acc No. 1151107
Bank Name:National Bank of Malawi
Zomba Branch

Or

Acc. Name: Al -Falah Islamic Institute
Acc. No.0280330009
Bank Name:First Merchant Bank
Zomba Branch

Kindly take note that all donations are distributed within both Muslim and non Muslim communities. Islam is the major religion in Malawi followed by Christianity. Usually in many families you will fnd that the maternal side is Christian and the paternal side is muslim or vice versa.

The day we left making our way to the airport down the narrow winding road with the foggy mountains in front of us, a few thoughts ran through my mind. I have never before encountered a nation with so much of patience, I have never before encountered a nation that is so content despite all the poverty, I have never before encountered a nation who yearns for knowledge yet can not afford it..Alas Malawi!! You are the true heart of Africa!!!!