I traveled about today as the Malwaians without vehicles do - by whatever means available - heading for Chilumba up the coast to talk to the headmaster at the secondary school there about needy students. This is the nearest government-run boarding secondary school,

approximately 34k from Livingstonia.

I met friend David Mhango and we hiked down the Gorodi Road through 16k of twists and turns, descending 3000 feet in about 2 hours.  We hit the tarmac highway in the town of Chitimba, then caught a mini-bus (a jam-packed Toyota van) up to the Chilumba junction, then hoofed it the last 5k to the secondary school.

At the school, we met Headmaster E.K. Chirwa and 6 needy students including 4 orphans and two visually-impaired students.  It was a very moving experience - the young people were so deferential and regarded us with hope tempered by their real-world experience.  It was all I could do to not promise them the moon.  But we explained that this was an information-gathering visit and we would get back to them.

Afterwards, we caught a matola (rickety old pickup truck - you ride in the bed with several others) back to Chitimba, had some cold drinks and then began the long ascent up Garote at about 4:10.  Three hours and a steep 16k climb later, we arrived back in Livingstonia, tired and thirsty.

We’re waiting on lists of students from the Day Secondary headmistress, the headmaster at Livingstonia Secondary and the director of the Primary Health Care office who is sort of the social services director for the plateau.  We’ve let them know that we need their lists by April 10th as we’ll be leaving here for about about a

week to travel to Zambia.  Enroute, we’ll access the project funds to deposit in the school accounts in Mzuzu to cover the cost of fees for the designated recipients in time for the start of term 2 on April 20th.

Sounds like an early spring at home by all accounts.  Hope this finds you well, enjoying the changing season.

Best,

Steve