Luv Africa has sent sevaral teams to Malawi, the first one was in June 2008 and the second was in February/March 2009. To get there, our teams have to catch three flights covering a distance of around 5000 miles. On arrival in Malawi (approximately 40 hours later) they travel in-land for hours in disintegrating vehicles. At the end of the journey they will find themselves in one of the poorest regions of the world - Mulanje, which is the southernmost tip of Malawi, bordering Mozambique. It is tropical. It is sticky. It is hot. During their time in Mulanje they survive on the local diet. They go to bed late. They sleep in very basic and rural conditions and they wake up with the cockerel at dawn.

Visit One - June 2008

The first visit was, for most of the team of seven, their first time ever in Africa. Our team was fully aware that Mulanje is one of the poorest regions of one of the poorest nations in the world. Average life expectancy is less than 45, malaria and aids are rampant and many babies die only months after their birth. Often the media view of this region does little to assuage this view. The reality, however, was much different to what they had expected:

"Yes there were was poverty, such poverty that children would come begging wherever we went and if you gave them a Kwacha coin (less than half a penny) they would dance off rejoicing in their new found wealth. Yes there was the illness and death the swollen bellies and faces distorted with malaria but there was something else I did not expect; hope. Most of the people I met did not seem hopeless and helpless like the ones I'd seen on my TV screen. And even if they were they didn't live like it. The Malawian people seemed so positive, full of life and often so happy. With huge smiles and welcoming arms they were people with far more love and far more joy then most people in prosperous Britain."

Pete Carrington, Malawi Team Member June 2008

The Luv Africa project has been working in Mulanje for many years. It previously operated under the name Mission Heart. One of the contacts we have is with a local church. Working closely with them has allowed us to establish the less obvious needs of people in Mulanje. For example, after meeting a young teenage girl suffering from a stress related illness, we found out that she was desperately in need of support at school. Through the support of donations in the UK, the Luv Africa project arranged for the payment of her school fees (which her family could no longer provide) and supplied a school uniform. With this support, she is continuing her secondary education today.

"The young people and children I met were intelligent, polite and enthusiastic. I recalled with shame all the times I'd skipped school running from an education that was so treasured to these people. Over 40% of the population is illiterate as education is only free up to primary school age. So few can afford the expensive fees and stay in a vicious cycle of poverty. I met one young guy who would walk almost three hours to school each day and walk 3 hours back. He wanted to be a doctor and as he was orphaned was paying for his own education by working part-time on top of all his studies and homework."

Pete Carrington, Malawi Team Member June 2008

Another aspect of the visit was to support and sustainable businesses and projects. The team visited a fruit tree planting project and a chicken farm that the charity had previously started which provides sustainable food and jobs in the areas we work. To support this the team arranged food safety programmes, which teach the hygienic production of food and aim to limit the transmission of illness.

Our Pastor, Jack, also ran some leadership training for local business men and women, teachers and community leaders which is entitled "Learn to Lead." This was received very enthusiastically by those who attended who said that teaching leadership skills is one of most important types of 'aid' needed in modern Africa.

Visit Two - February/March 2009

We returned in early 2009 with another team of seven (four of which were different from last time.) We wanted to return to see the people we had met and see how the projects we were over-seeing were doing. We also took more aid and supplies and wanted to build on what had been achieved since the last visit.

"When I was asked to go to Malawi I immediately said yes, it would be my first time in Africa. I wanted to go to Malawi because I was touched by a tragic story that was told to me from the people who set up the charity. Consumed by compassion I felt a need to help in some way. To my surprise I received resistance from friends and family who didn't want me to go. People were very willing to criticise the trip, doubting our ability to make a difference in this community. How wrong they were!"

Sophie Nairne, Malawi Team Member February/March 2009

On our visit in June 2008 we had asked people for their specific needs and were able to source many items in the UK to take back with us this time. To make the difficult journey worse our teams took excessive baggage in order to be able to give as much as we could. We took over a full size old hand powered sewing machine, knitting needles and wool as well as assorted tools, all to be used to start and maintain businesses. We also took medical supplies and mosquito nets to help prevent the spread of Malaria.

Our Pastor Jack delivered more "Learn to Lead" courses to local leaders. These were well attended on the reputation of last time and were able to go further with those who had attended last time and were using what they had learned. We also spent a day planting 500 pineapple seeds to create a new pineapple plantation that will provide food and income in a scheme endearingly dubbed "Project Pineapple."

"I am not an expert and I certainly don't have all the experience and knowledge to know how the obvious issues in this wonderful country can be solved in the long term. What I do know however is that we can send our aid money, vaccines and aid workers but surely the real solution of the countries need is in the hands of it people. A people who at present have little access to the education and opportunities they need."

Pete Carrington, Malawi Team Member June 2008

When new teams depart for Malawi, they will continue to build on what these first teams have done. They will continue to take aid and supplies, and will continue to support the local community in any way possible. While the ambition and excitement increases with each project, the underlying motivation remains the same - to bring a better future to Malawi and to all of Africa.

"Sometimes we find it difficult to feel compassionate towards a mass of hopeless and desperate people. We feel powerless because there are so many. However even if we can help just one person: one life is changed. Mother Teresa said:"

"I never look at the masses as my responsibility; I look at the individual."

"I will definitely be returning to Malawi to see how the people and the projects have progressed and to find out how we can continue to help a nation to help themselves."

Sophie Nairne, Malawi Team Member February/March 2009