ICS Malawi

So, as part of an ICS placement, most of the volunteers are paired with another volunteer with whom they will be placed in the host home and share a room. This is the case for all teams unless they have an odd number, bar the Team Leaders. I got Olivia (hereafter Liv), the scouser who's too posh to have a scouse accent (ha-ha I'm joking Liv)! I spent literally every single day of three months with her. For any introverts, or extroverts that have introvert tendencies, you know the concept of that is a bit daunting. 

1. Be yourself. It’s like starting school again, or freshers if you’ve already been there, done that, with the whole Uni thing. Most importantly you’re all in the same situation, and you wouldn’t have been selected for the ICS programme if you weren’t all like-minded people, so there’s no doubt you’ll all get on! Oh and don’t worry about sharing a room with one of them, you’ll be too close by the end!

Before starting your ICS placement, fears of moving in with an entirely new family, with a different and unknown culture to you, definitely crosses your mind. However, three months down the line and you wonder why you was ever concerned, so I am here to reflect and give some tips on host homes regarding my time in Malawi.

Language

In my last blog, I discussed the most reflecting part of the ICS placement. But in this blog, I will discuss something very different and important.

With my 10-week placement in Malawi coming to a close, I felt this series of blogs needs to be wrapped up with a third and final piece. Going back a couple of weeks, I decided to base this blog series on the differences, which I have come to notice, between Malawi and the UK. This is what interested me the most because in my previous blogs I discussed differences between the UK and Malawi by identifying the varying perceptions which surround, for instance, time and appearance.

Malawi is a country with a fast growing population. Despite this, it is a country that poses attractive topographical features that beckons our friends from the west and east to pay the country a visit. It is well known for its peaceful co-existence and great scenic beauty. 

This blog is about the life of Malawian children who are girls. Our main focuspoints us to the northern region of Malawi, particularly in the Nkhata Bay district.

Growing up in a country faced with the HIV pandemic it becomes a routine to hear at least a word or two on HIV & AIDS related issues affecting the nation. As early as when we are six years old, we become accustomed to AIDS related stories, whether just myths or the reality on the ground. As we grow into youths we are made aware that there is this deadly pandemic that we need to deal with, including developing a positive mind to live in a positive world.

It’s now been over a month since I first arrived in Malawi. Amongst all of our cultural differences the thing that has stood out to me the most is the sense of community and how happy everyone here is. Families in Malawi don’t have much compared to us back home, yet they seem to be so happy with their lives. It's such a breath of fresh air to see children being children. Playing outside and getting covered in dirt, instead of sat inside playing with an electronic device of sorts. 

The chitenje, pronounced chit-ten-jay, is a traditional piece of cloth worn across East, West and Central Africa, and is mostly worn by women. It is worn around the waist or the chest, on the head as a head wrap or to hold a child in a baby sling. 

This is a question most young ones ask themselves on issues that concern sexual reproductive health (SRH) issues. Cultural beliefs are becoming a hindrance to the youths age 20 and below. Most Malawian cultures don’t allow youths to talk about sexually-related health issues with their parents as well as other grown-ups in their communities. These boys and girls are scared to talk to their parents on issues that affect their lives. In Malawi, a girl cannot ask her mother or father how to use condoms during sex, as this is considered as a taboo and that child might be punished for it.