Showing posts with label Malawians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Malawians. Show all posts

Tuesday, 17 February 2009

Blogging lessons for Malawians



Blogging lessons for Malawians

So how does one start to blog ? Coz they aren’t many Malawians in this field ; because they do not know to start.
Well I never went through a formal training so I can t have the answers .All I can say is that I taught myself the hard way on the internet ; and I am sure other people can teach it easier to many Malawians .How did it start for me ? I was inpired by a Malawian journalist “Victor Kaonga” who was studying masters in Sweden in 2006 and was writing a lot about Christianity and journalism in Malawi ,and I noted that there were very few blogging articles about health in Malawi .I told myself that since I was a highly qualified person in the field of eye health in Malawi ,I would start by highlighting issues affecting my department in Malawi .And of-course my background and how I used to live that miserable life at Ezondweni , Mtwalo, Mzimba Malawi where my parents are still staying .I goggled on the internet about how to blog and came up with the list of blogging symbols .So then I started and look at where I am three years later .
But many Malawians leaving outside Malawi and within Malawi want to start Blogging but they don’t know how to do it .Is there a simpler way?
In my next blog , I will be highlighting the benefits blogging and I am convinced Malawians are loosing on this one .
If Khumbo Kalua , who came from the remotest of the remote villages in Mzimba , Malawi and had never seen a computer until a few years ago can now freely blog , then yes you can do much better. Ask me I have been there .
And talking about being busy ,my job is really involving –but I still have time to blog –so no excuse .

Are you in IT? Can you help many Malawians start blogging?

Email me!

Blogging lessons for Malawians



Blogging lessons for Malawians

So how does one start to blog ? Coz they aren’t many Malawians in this field ; because they do not know to start.
Well I never went through a formal training so I can t have the answers .All I can say is that I taught myself the hard way on the internet ; and I am sure other people can teach it easier to many Malawians .How did it start for me ? I was inpired by a Malawian journalist “Victor Kaonga” who was studying masters in Sweden in 2006 and was writing a lot about Christianity and journalism in Malawi ,and I noted that there were very few blogging articles about health in Malawi .I told myself that since I was a highly qualified person in the field of eye health in Malawi ,I would start by highlighting issues affecting my department in Malawi .And of-course my background and how I used to live that miserable life at Ezondweni , Mtwalo, Mzimba Malawi where my parents are still staying .I goggled on the internet about how to blog and came up with the list of blogging symbols .So then I started and look at where I am three years later .
But many Malawians leaving outside Malawi and within Malawi want to start Blogging but they don’t know how to do it .Is there a simpler way?
In my next blog , I will be highlighting the benefits blogging and I am convinced Malawians are loosing on this one .
If Khumbo Kalua , who came from the remotest of the remote villages in Mzimba , Malawi and had never seen a computer until a few years ago can now freely blog , then yes you can do much better. Ask me I have been there .
And talking about being busy ,my job is really involving –but I still have time to blog –so no excuse .

Are you in IT? Can you help many Malawians start blogging?

Email me!

Sunday, 14 December 2008

Only a few Malawians in London for Lucius Bandas show








London is an expensive city; and if I had a choice I also wouldn’t be staying there. Unfortunately the institution that I ma based at is in London, and I have to spend a substantial amount of my time (and money) there.
One doesn’t meet many Malawians in London (compared to Manchester) and indeed when you are there to save money (and maybe send some home) you wouldn’t want to be staying in London where you pay for a one bedroom apartment for £1000 per month.
Recently (9 November 2008) I attended a concert by the famous Malawian musician Lucius Banda near Kings cross tube station in London , and only about 50 Malawians were there( overall turn up was very poor).Well the charge per head was expensive (£30) and considering that not many Malawians stay there, its not surprising that less than 50 people would attend. To my opinion on the gig was a flop!!!! .Well am posting some pictures of Lucius Banda and the audience for you to see.

Do you know Malawians in London that would want to be in touch with me?
Email me!

Saturday, 8 November 2008

Malawians in London: I got You .Lucius Banda playing at Islington Acameny in North London on Sunday 9th November:





Finally I have found means of tracking where the Malawians hang in London and I will try to find them .My purpose is to associate with them and see what they are up to and maybe engage some of them to fund for the community work I am doing in Malawi or ask them to do the same.
You remember, for the last 3 years that I have been moving up between London and Malawi (after I left Manchester in early 2006),I have been asking where are all these Malawians who are supposed to be in London ? While on the tube (train) or buses if you look front or backwards, left or right all you see are the Nigerians and proudly enough our African counterparts have the courage to speak loud in their language ,so you can not mistake them for Malawians .But I have not heard Malawians speaking Chichewa on buses. I was once told there were many Malawians in East of London (Stratford ,Leyton and Hackney );I stayed there for 6 months and I didn’t see any. Now I am in North London (Seven sisters ,Finsbury park) and I have held this is where the home of a famous and rich Malawian called Mr Chair is ;but I haven’t met any of his family or bodyguards. And if you do see a face that looks like a Malawian and you try to talk to them; they tell you sorry, I am from Zimbabwe and we are neighbours. I miss the early 90’s when I was in the earlier part of my studentship in Adelaide South Australia as we used to know everyone from Malawi and visit each other and gossip about the then life president Dr Kamuzu Banda (we couldn’t speak loud because we had spy’s amongst us and if reported one could be deported back home, in Ezondweni, Mtwalo, Malawi) ;those were the good days !!! I also remember the late 90’s where I was in Nairobi, Kenya as a mature postgraduate student (now I have over matured) and when I was the vibrant treasurer of AMAKE(associations of Malawians living in Kenya)and we could organise parties and raise funds for Malawi whenever there were floods in lower Shire .Having come to the UK (on an over matured student VISA) and having heard that there were many students, nurses, Drs ,watchmen, carer takers and cleaners ,I expected to find a strong vibrant Malawian community but I was wrong.
After many unsuccessfull attempts I decided to goggle search on some common Malawian names like David Banda, Mkandawire and Phiri in london ;and guess what I found ; that the famous Malawian musician and honourable Lucius Banda with his Zembani Band is playing tonight in Nottingham the 8th of November and on Sunday the 9 in North London at Islington Academy ( a few miles from where I stay).Alas, atleast I know where you Malawians hide and I am going to check on you tomorrow ;I am not going to miss this show ;even though its costing £30 per head ( that’s my monthly budget for food in Malawi).But if you thought that by raising the prize you would put me off you are wrong; I will be there .

And I am going to report about that stuff you didn’t want people in Malawi to know about ;and I am going to dance too .

Are you disappointed ? Surprised ?

Email me!

Thursday, 8 November 2007

Where are all the Malawians in London?


Many years ago when I was a medical student in Adelaide South Australia ,we used to have a strong association of African living in Adelaide (we were only a few Malawians so we couldn't have our own Associations).
In 1999 when I was in Nairobi ,Kenya we had a very strong "association of Malawians living in Kenya" AMAKE in short and I was an active member.Infact the time i was there the association was so active that we were helping Malawians back home with various itmes.I remember the last time they had floods in lower shire we donated some blankets and clothes.I was the treasurer of AMAKE and the chairman was the popular Dr Eliya Zulu who is still in Nairobi.

We used to host celebrations at Independence day at the High commissioners Officers and would invite a guest speaker to give a talk.

I remember during one the years I was treasurer we had Prof Zeleza ( a Malawian Professor based in the USA) as a guest of honour and he have a good talk about the history and politics of Malawi.

I have been in London for a while now since 2004;even stayed a whole year in 2005-2006.

I heard there was a similar association here in London.But who are the members.How do i contact them?

Recently there was an article posted at Nyasa times about a strong Malawian function in Sweden.There were a lot of people there.

But where are the Malawians in London?

Please contact me.