In Chikwawa but very hot

Electricity  crisis remains a problem in Malawi , with most parts of Blantyre still being rationed .

Fuel has been better, but still erratic.

16^th  November so far still no rains. God help us

Was in Chikwawa where it is very hot.

Yes I am in Primary Eye care research these days.Some people call it operational research.

Research! research !research that’s my life thes days

What do you say?

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Facts about Community Health workers in Malawi

Health surveillance assistants (HSAs) implement the bulk of community health projects in Malawi; and they do a good job if trained properly and given the appropriate incentives . I can help in organising such trainings if need be.

Challenges involve motivating them to continue doing the work in the community; and providing adequate supervision.
In Zomba district, one particular group that we trained did extremely well in identifying many children from their communities with eye problems.

There is a World Health Organisation document which talks about guidelines for incentives for health workers, and I am currently studying it to find out which ones can be available to motivate the HSA’s

Without HSA’s ,I believe the health system at community level would collapse in Malawi .But can HSA’s do everything and do it well? Have you heard about Task shifting? If not ,that will be the subject of my next blog. Have a good day.

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My involvements in community Health

I had had several informal requests as to whether I could get involved in other health related projects in the community .The recent email from Domasi Zomba invites me to visit a community project dealing with HIV/AIDS and help build capacity .
One fact I can clearly state is that I am neither a donor nor a supporting funding partner. Infact I am looking for people or organisations who can contact me to give me tips of how to convince some donors or individuals to give money to me to help the poor blind children in Mangochi.
For certain of you have some monies and want me to assist you in setting up community projects or coming up with monitoring and evaluation indicators , I am nore than happy willing to assist you. Much as I focus in blind children ,I am more than available to be involved in any community health projects especially those that involve training of health workers and volunteers.
For those NGO’s interested to know about my detailed experience in working with health workers in the community, email me and I will get back to you . If you have a proposal send it to me then I can look at it and advise. If you have an idea send it to me then maybe we can develop the community proposal .

I have been involved in community projects in Rwanda, Mozambique , Tanzania and Zanzibar in addition to the many I have done within the country and I am more than available to go to new areas or countries. I can be involved in the designing , implementation and evaluation of the programmes .

I cant just leave without thinking about the community .

What do you say?
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Are you a health worker based in the UK ? Will you help?

A film for the World Health Organisation (WHO) is currently being produced by a company in the UK. The film will look at the improvements to Malawi's health services that the WHO has been helping to implement. The film makers would like to talk to Malawian doctors, nurses and midwives who are currently based and working in the UK. With your help, they would like to discover what impact the WHO's interventions are having on the ground in Malawi. Have your say on what needs to be done to improve the Health System in Malawi .

I have accepted to participate in the film.

Are you available for a chat with me before being introduced to them?

Email me!

How was your day?

How was your day?
I spent time today in the eye clinic and the ward supervising my staff.There were a total of 45 admitted patients in the ward ,quet a number ?
I am going home now.
See you,

The Joys of working in a community in Malawi

How you ever thought of how hard and impossible it is for a professional person to work in a rural area in Malawi where there is no internet?The truth is that it is not that difficulty .
We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.
Charles R. Swindoll

A recent NGO International advert looking for health workers to work in developing countries caught my eye. It started like this :”Heroes not wanted. If the main motivation for applying for this job is money ,then we are probably not looking for you. “ I should have applied for this job, but didn’t because my currently job has almost the same conditions.
Working in a community in Malawi can be very challenging but also very rewarding (not financially).The job satisfaction comes from the fact that you are able to help in situations where communities feel helpless; and by the end of the day you have much more satisfaction(even though your pockets are still empty) .Initially we all crave for money, but eventuality we realise that money is not the only thing that we need to think about. Afterall all this evil, robbery, corruption, political wrangles that we have in Malawi have very little to do with people wanting to serve our country; but rather to enrich themselves.
If you really want to serve or do something for Malawians think of doing something peacefully in the community where people appreciate your role and you appreciate theirs.
One interesting thing about the rural Malawi is that despite the many problems available(HIV/Aids,Hunger,e.t.c),people are usually smiling and happy .This is in great contrast to the west where people have all this money and credit cards, but everyone looks so gloomy when you are with them in the trains and buses. You can be sure that when you spend a whole day in the community in Malawi, your face is full of smiles.
Of most interesting to me is the children I found everywhere I go in the rural communities of Malawi ,actively running after my car and willingly asking to have their pictures taken (not this business of asking for consent to take a picture in the west and being embarrassingly refused).As a result I end up with lots and lots of Photos of children from all the districts in Malawi.
Lunch is also served with a lot of respect from the following resthouses ( Nsanje discovery lodge in Nsanje, Matechanga in Chikwawa, Mulanje view motel and Chididi in Mulanje, Jali in Zomba, Chinese restaurant in Mangochi, Kanthunkhako in Mzuzu) and many other places all over Malawi.After all having a full meal with a drink and a lot of respect for only USD 2,who can complain !!!!
I love working in the community in Malawi.