Thursday 28 July 2011

Thieves at my house in Blantyre Malawi




Its one of the saddest day of my life.
Did I deserve this for helping blind children from my won country? Is this a plan to force my family to leave Malawi.First my Investiments gone, nopw my property gone. So how can i continue working for the community when all the cars are damaged.Forgive those who have done this as they do not know their deeds.

Just want to inform you that around Monday midnight (25 July) a group of thieves (about 15 in total) came to our house in Blantyre, Malawi ,ransacked and broke the brick wall fence; broke all windows of the house and the doors , went in the house and store almost everything they could get hold of in the house.I mean literally evrything :phones,television,radios,blankets,clothing,plates.

In addition they also broke into the cars, breaking the windscreens and side mirrors and taking radios from the cars. The police came 45 minutes later but by that time the thieves had gone. Lucky enough, only 3 people were hurt, the guard, garden boy and my broother -but the rest of the family are ok , in shock.

It will take time to recover from this experience.See how my face looks.I am remembering my village in Mtwalo Mzimba, where theft rarely happens.all I ca say is that God help us and this can better be said in my language:

"A chiuta mutovwire waka"

This is Malawi in 2011.

Shocked. Me too!!!

How can you help?

But what can we do?

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Wednesday 27 July 2011

Washington DC






This place has been very hot for the last few days.
Well you have to stay in door all day.
Managed though to visit the capitol, white house, pentagon and a bit of other places.
I am at Connecticut avenue presenting the issue of blind children in Malawi. Rumours say my presentation was not too bad and we maybe in for another project.
The heat wave here resembles the heat in Chikwawa and Nsanje districts is southern Malawi and also other areas along the lakeshore road (Salima , Nkhotoakota).
Can stay I have enjoyed my stay this time.
But the US governments need to be thanked for their initiatives to fight blindness in Malawi through BICO.
See the picture of a Malawi blind child who may benefit from this project.
You want to support/comment?
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Friday 15 July 2011

Invest in Malawi: Get out of here




Why would an eye doctor like myself want to invest in my own country. Well its because I know sooner than later I need to retire from this community work and spend sometime with my daughter Tapiwa.
So where would one invest in Malawi? For now I will say nowhere because I have just lost USD10,000 due to the collapse of a financial institutions.
You see I was keeping my money with “Trust Securities” a Reserve Bank regulated financial institution and I thought my money was growing every day.
I have just been told every penny I invested was chewed; and that I cannot be compensated in any way.
The money was meant to be my initial deposit for buying a house: now got nothing.
With no forex, no fuel; I am wondering whether it’s still worth staying in Malawi. I may leave if opportunity strikes at the right time.
Meanwhile I am stuck here? Have you noted that I cannot even go and help blind patients in the community because there is no fuel.
Been here for a while, but have never seen Malawi like this.
I rest my case.
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Where and what have I been up to?




At the US embassy while processing for my VISA to Washington; I was asked where-else I have been.
Well guess what I have been to every corner of Malawi but they wanted me to state where I have been.
Here I go (hopefully I remember all countries).
Malawi, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Burundi, Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda ,Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho, Egypt, India, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, France, Germany, Switzerland. Most of these within the last 5 years and more than once.
And how could I have forgotten about England? Been there more than all these other countries combined.
And was I doing there? Of-course Medicine, but mostly community Ophthalmology: presenting my work from Nsanje Inland port in Malawi.
I was then told that unless one has been to Nigeria, they have not travelled. Though I had, but was once again proved wrong.
So guess where my next trip will be after I return from Washington?
And where have you been?
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Friday 1 July 2011

Warning

I am told unless I change my writing style, things are bound to remain worse for me especially that I work for the same government which I am castigating. When did I do that?
I remain an eye doctor regardless of which political party is in power in Malawi. I am not affiliated to any party. You will be surprised that I have never voted for a Member of Parliament or president in my life. every time elections are being conducted I miss them because I am out of Malawi.
But regardless o who is in power my work continues. I want to help the young blind and visually impaired children who do not care about politics (I also don’t).So till them I remain a dedicated community worker. MP’s gets paid a fortune, but I am content with the little I have.
I rest my case again.
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No politics but facts

It’s a fact: No diesel, Petrol and Paraffin (DPP) in my beloved country Malawi for a few week now.No politics
In a few days I have a trip to Washington but the bank will not give me forex.
What has gone wrong?
When you speak, you are labeled to be either in the opposition or Northener.
Due to lack of fuel we have stopped conducting community outreach clinics in Malawi.
The situation does not seen to be improving.
I rest my case.
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Blogger sphere in Washington

Wish could blog more; but maturity has finally caught up with me here in Malawi. Imagine I am always up and down, but can report any more. Today I was at the American embassy in Lilongwe processing a VISA to the USA, and I need to sit down and prepare for the presentation that I need to give to a much bigger audience in Washington. And then I will proceed to London, UK for a stopover .I miss London, haven’t being there for a while. But I cant afford to stay longer, because end July I have trachoma trainings in Chikwawa and Mchinji ) that is in Malawi).And of course my teaching at College of Medicine.24 hours per day isn’t enough; is this a sign of old age.
Yesterday at the USA embassy during the interview I was asked where else I have been; instead of being asked where I have not been. I have to think of where I can not been; especially in Europe as I seem to have travelled to all places that matter such as Berlin and Dresden. Well this next weeks trip will be my 100th international trip; and its good am going to Washington DC.
Impressed that I have seen a bit of the world? (infact all continents).all this in the name of eye care; more specifically community Ophthalmology.
This time I am travelling under my organsisation-BICO.
You been to Washington?
Then tel me what I should expect .
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