ICS Malawi

In my last blog, I discussed the cultural difference between the UK and Malawi concerning time and the different factors that make up progress. I concluded that the UK had a lot to learn when it comes to the treatment we afford each other. We have placed too much dependence on material wealth, work and self-interest due to having so much expectation to achieve happiness and a sustainable future. This has led us to take the priceless things for granted, such as family, friends and the NHS.

I was reminded frequently through Progressio and a range of contacts that I would need patience diplomacy and the ability to keep a level head during development work. This effect was always going to be amplified considering my team were embarking on the first cycle of a fresh project! I would be lying if I said my resolve hasn’t been tested even in the first few weeks of placement. 

(Disclaimer: cheese factor - high...)

Picture the scene; it's 4pm Sunday afternoon, our first day off on our ICS placement and we're entering the ninth hour of a power outage in Mzimba Boma (for those of you who don't know, a small rural town in northern Malawi).

We've read. We've sunbathed. We've hand-washed our knickers. We've napped. We've cooked. We've cleaned. We've declared boredom.

Not so long ago, we had the arrival of the British volunteers in Malawi. As they settled into their specific host homes in Mzimba Boma, they were most welcomed by their host families. Together with the Malawian volunteers, they started the purpose of their journey.

This was actually the first time I worked with British volunteers in communities and the interaction we had was so amazing. The way they communicated with the locals was so surprising and unexpected.

When travelling the world as a tourist, you see some amazing things. There’s the wildlife and landscape, local foods and drinks, modes of transport, traditions, clothing… the list goes on and on. It’s an incredibly mind-blowing thing, to step into the unknown with a passport and a money belt, filled with confusing foreign currencies, and experience something completely new.

I’ve been asked, or more importantly volunteered, to write a blog for YONECO (Youth Net and Counselling) in association with Progressio ICS on whatever topic I wish, so long as it’s based on my time here in Malawi. Well, if there’s one thing which struck me immediately, and something I’ve wanted to put into words since I arrived, is the massive understatement (or at least for me,) concerning our cultural differences.

Stepping into Lilongwe, Malawi, for the first time was simultaneously one of the most exciting and nerve wracking experiences of my life. Our first few days here brought with them a tidal wave of learning, as we immersed ourselves in the culture and began studying the language Chitumbuka.

There were a few moments during this initial process that really stood out to me. While studying Chitumbuka, we learned that if someone were to ask you about your country of origin, you would typically respond with, ‘____ is our home’.

Almost four months after my ICS placement and it is still something I think about every day. My Malawian family and friends I dream about re-uniting with and miss them immensely; sharing a life altering experience creates an unbreakable friendship. Although my days of waking up to a rooster alarming at five thirty or telling stories like The Ugly Duckling under a mango tree are now over, there is so much about my experience that remains. Here are a few invaluable things I learned along the way:
 
1. I was a product of my culture
 

For three days I never left the complex in the capital of Malawi but on the fourth I had my baptism of fire. A two-minute meander took me and my fellow UK volunteers into a busy market. I could feel nearly every eye in this hub of activity on my party and never have I been so acutely aware of my every movement. It was my intention not to appear in any way disrespectful and not to appear overly amazed by my new surroundings. I thought, at the time, there was varying reactions from the people ranging from curiosity and surprise to animosity. 

Wellington Sibande took part in Progressio ICS first as a volunteer, from July to September 2015, and later as a Team Leader in Mzuzu, Malawi, from October to December 2015. Following his ICS experience, he was invited to speak at the Girls Education Forum in London, which took place on 7 July. 

What inspired you to become an ICS volunteer/Team Leader? 

I wanted to improve my leadership skills, lead a group of people with different backgrounds and diverse cultures, work cross-culturally, make new friends, gain public speaking skills and learn.