And Family of course

Mum, Tapiwa and Yewo


But for all other academic staff: blindness in children, cataract, Primary health care, Ophthalmologists, Blantyre, Malawi , blah, blah, blah  check our website

www.bicomalawi.org

you will be overwhelmed with what we do.

 

Where Have I been to in this world?

Well,as i was  born in a rural area in Northern Malawi, I am not sure whether I should say I had a humble beginning. My father was a civil (public servant) and in those days it was not easy to put food on a table to feed the 8 children. Being the first born, I may have faced some pressures to prove the best (or maybe I was used pushed to prove the best).

Having gone through primary education in Mtwalo, Mzimba  I ended up in a secondary school in Mzimba and then eventually at Chancellor College, University of Malawi.

I then proceeding to do a medical degree and the others, eventually becoming an eye specialist, community eye specialist and an Ophthalmic epidemiologist.

But most important I ended up seeing many countries that are very different from the Mtwalo where I was raised up.

Here are the countries I have lived and visited –listed in no particular order.

Australia, England, Switzerland, France, Germany, USA, Brazil, Argentina, United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Abudhabi),India, China, Egypt, Cameroon, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Mozambique and the like. Indeed this means I have been to very one of the 7 continents of the world.

By Malawian Standards, I can confidently say I have extensively travelled. By Mtwalo standards, I possibly have set an unbeaten record when it comes to travelling.

I wonder how I ended up in all those places: but its simple: its to do with my work with blind children from rural Malawi that has made me see all these places. This is paradoxical: most people would think that when you start working in the community you rot there; for me it is the working in the community with poor communities that has made me exposed. I continue doing this work-most likely because I was raised up in the same poor communities and I understand their lives. Today I look back at my home pictures. Who would have known that someone coming from as remote as here would have ended up going to Universities in 4 continents. In no way is this out of my own making or my hard work; it is him the almighty that has isolated and blessed me. Who am I to be given the opportunity to dine with the most distinguished when they are more deserving persons? If you believe in predestination, God Can bless you too.

But the world is round; so wherever I go, I still end up in the same place where I left from-that is Malawi.

I rest my case.

Would you agree if I said I have travelled a bit?

What do you think?

  Email me!

Isn’t he growing?

Yewo my son is just 8 weeks old now.

Isn’t he growing?

Comment at : director@bicomalawi.org

Email me!

I am in Mozambique

My short visit to Maputo Mozambique this week reveals that Mozambicans like to enjoy life to the fullest. I am staying at Rovuma hotel and its looks deserted. Everyone is at the beach.

Look at how the beach is full.

We have clean water with nice beaches in Malawi –Lake Malawi but i have never seen such a big group gathered like this.

I am here to talk about Trachoma: a neglected blinding disease and to agree as a region on what to do about other neglected tropical diseases. Trachoma is an infection of the eye that causes conjunctivitis. Communities with high trachoma infection are prone to the blinding diseases if not treated. Mozambique has trachoma on the Northern Province bordering Malawi but currently nothing is being done. Hence people are getting blind from the diseases every day.

But I am finding it difficult to put my agenda forward, especially when the people I am supposed to be talking to are busy enjoying themselves.

Tomorrow I will go to Manicsa district, not manica.

Should Malawians be enjoying as much?

Comment at : director@bicomalawi.org

Email me!

My son

I did make it to 2012 and so did my son.

Also Born prematurely like her sister Tapiwa, my son Yewo arrived on 14^th January 2012 right in Blantyre Malawi at Mwaiwathu Private Hospital.

I gues I can confidently say I now have a complete family; with neither myself nor my wife willing to go through what we have been through again.

Tapiwa means “we have been given”-by God and Yewo means “thank you”.

Tapiwa is very happy to have a baby brother (someone to harass).

So less sleep for the next few months.

You want to say something?

Email me at director@bicomalawi.org

Email me!

Didn’t celebrate World AIDS day

I should have blogged about this as I do every year. But I was in Bangkok Thailand and had very little access to internet.

So I just thought about many relatives that I have lost to AIDS including my uncle who died 9 years ago (it feels like yesterday).

30 years later, AIDS is still on the rampage. Now we are talking about stopping the Global fund due to global economic crisis.

Give me a break. When we are busy investing in nuclear weapons , how can we say we do not have the money for ARV’s to help the many African who have the disease.

My theory: if AIDS was more common in Europe funding never have been an issue. As beggars we do not have options but to keep on pleading with them.

Rest in peace all those who have died.

Comment at : director@bicomalawi.org

Email me!