Misangu School



Here are some before and after pictures of the work we have done and a good demonstration of why we needed 3 weeks to complete the task.



Andrew was the only person brave enough to go on the roof to repair and seal up the leaks in the houses.

These are the brand new classrooms which is where the majority our time and money was spent. With a growing school, more classrooms were necessary and will hopefully encourage more teachers to work at Misangu.

There were 30 new desks built, painted walls and new blackboards installed.

Here is Tom and Rob reinforcing the initial doorframe with new wood to withstand the pressure of the concrete walls.

This was the principals house and one of the homes in better condition.

The houses that the teachers are living in are in unbelievably poor condition. Holes in the roofs, which allows the dust and rain to fall on their belongings. Many panes of glass were broken, some even missing. Doors that do not close properly, bricks falling out of the walls, and termites destroying beams and walls. We fixed support beams, propped up door frames, replaced glass, and with the help of the teachers and their families, painted the inside walls white to brighten them up, and installed new curtains.

We also white limes washed the outside of the homes to clean up their appearance. This certainly helped somewhat but there is still much to do to make them what we would consider livable.  

Even though we could not do all we felt was needed, the sense of appreciation from the people living in them was amazing. The things we take for granted like indoor plumbing, electricity and indoor cooking facilities are luxuries in many of these villages.

After experiencing how these villagers live it will be very hard for me to complain about life’s inconveniences back in Canada. We call a plumber to fix something and get upset if they are half an hour late showing up. The teachers here have been living with holes in the roofs and walls and no plumbing for many years, some up to 10 years.

Knowing that we truly made a difference in the lives of these families made it all worth the effort.

(Submitted by Rob DeSmit, Nick Versteeg and Monica MacNeil)

 

Lake Malawi and Hippo Lodge

Hi Everyone

Sorry there hasn't been any updates lately, I spent the last month touring around Zambia, Victoria Falls, Botswana, South Africa and Kruger National Park and didn't have access to a computer. I felt a little disconnected from home, but well worth it.

Here are some pictures of the reainder of our stay in Malawi, hope you enjoy.  :)

Our weekend away started off with a stop at Hippo Lodge where we booked a river cruise to see the wild life.  We saw herds and herds of hippos lounging in the water and also came across a family of elephants.

In this picture you can see the father, mother and the baby. It was truly a beautiful sight.



After we drove another 2 hours to Cape Mac Lodge in Lake Malawi. There we were greeted by a young singing and dancing crew on the beach. I even joined in on the dancing.



The entire weekend was really just time to relax in peace and quiet with beautiful surroundings. This was not hard since every night the sky was filled with beautiful sunsets.

In the morning hundreds of people lined the waters edge to prepare for the day. This picture was taken at about 6 am and as you can see they use the lake for everything from washing dishes, bathing and even brushing their teeth. Due to parasites in the water, none of us chanced swimming in the lake despite its temptation.

The weekend away was truly a delight and totally worth the 4-hour drive through bumpy roads and despite lack of directions. I recommend including Lake Malawi in your itinerary if ever visiting the area.

More to come!!!
(Submitted by Rob DeSmit, Nick Versteeg and Monica MacNeil)