Bandawe Girls Secondary School
BAGSS is run by the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, CCAP, and is in the Synod of Livingstonia. Compared to our schools in Scotland, it is poorly funded, with only small grants from the Malawian Government. Even though the school has very little, everyone is happy to be there, and the motivation from teachers and pupils alike was inspiring to our group.
· The school was set up by the Mamie Martin Fund to promote sexual equality in schools and to allow the girls of Malawi to be taught to secondary level. Something which was rare before the MMF’s initiative.
· The school has been open since 1995, and the school role has increased exponentially since then.
· The majority of girls are chosen to go to BAGSS after doing an exam, provided by the Malawian government, but a small proportion are chosen by the Synod, and are usually more local.
· Currently, there are around 300 girls at the school. In forms 1-3 there is up to 80 girls in one class, with one teacher. In form 4 however, the year in which pupils in Malawi sit their most important national exams, the year is split into two classes of around 40 pupils. This decreased class size, although still much higher than a class in Britain, enables the teacher to focus more on pupils which may have been struggling in the larger classes.
· At BAGSS, about 12% of girls have their school fees paid by the MMF.
· BAGSS is a boarding school, and some of the girls come from as far north as the Tanzania border, and as far south as Blantyre. It is difficult for them to be away from their families for such long periods of time, but their commitment to education and their ambition to create a better life for their selves and their families was astounding. It was humbling talking to some of the girls who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS and other common African diseases. Even through all of the pain that they have gone through; they are still happy, and striving to create a good life for themselves.
· As the teachers salaries are so poor, the school must provide accommodation for their teachers, or they will be unable to maintain a staff. The staff are accommodated around the school campus in small houses, with their families.
· The girls live in hostels in the school. There can be up to five girls in a room barely bigger than a cupboard, all with their personalised area of wall space. Due to the large number of girls in the school, one of the home economics labs has had to become a temporary hostel, with girls sleeping on the floor until their new accommodation is completed. As the school is dramatically under funded, there are barely enough showers for all the girls, and they therefore have a slot in which they can take a shower. This slot could be any time of the night or morning, with girls having to have showers at two o’clock in the morning!
· The school is spread out around a large mango tree. This tree acts as a communal point for everyone in the school. Assembly takes place every Monday and Friday under the mango tree, and the girls have entertainment under this tree as well.
· There are five classrooms, one each for forms 1-3, one for form 4A and one for form 4B, a library, a staffroom, a laboratory and store, a home economics Lab, offices and a few other rooms, all in separate, single story blocks. The buildings are in fairly good states of repair, and although there is almost no equipment for the teachers to work with, classes are still well taught and enjoyable. There is no computer network within the school, however most teachers have access to a computer in the staff room. The laboratory is basic, but the equipment they have is well kept, and the chemicals are quite well stocked. The pupil dining room, however, is accommodated under two gazebo tents that were donated by a British charity. The food is prepared by dinner ladies in large pots, outdoors, aided by the lunch-time prefects.
· When we visited the school, we took part in some of the lessons. A lot of the subjects the pupils learn are very similar to what we learn, however they have to be delivered in a different way, as the teachers do not have technology to hand. The desks and chairs which the girls sit on and work on are very uncomfortable, and we were beginning to get numb after only 3 periods. Sitting in a Malawian class was a very enjoyable and different experience to anything in a Scottish school. The pupils treat every elder with respect, bowing their head when addressing a teacher, or receiving anything with their head bowed and both hands out. When the teacher asks a question, an excitement erupts in the room, as every girl clicks their fingers and tongues to try and get the attention of the teacher. For the Malawian girls, it is a privilege to learn, and the girls treat education with respect. When a girl gets an answer correct, every other pupil in the class will clap for her. Not snigger, as would probably be the case with some of the immature Scottish pupils that are in our schools.
· When the hand bell is rung to signal the end of the period, the girls will thank the teacher and bid him a good day. This was an unexpected uproar, and we were taken aback at the volume of the girls thanking their teacher. When the next period teacher comes into the class, a while after the bell usually, he is greeted by the same volume and asked how he is. The teacher does the same to the pupils. There is a mutual respect (or love…) between teachers and pupils.
· The teachers at the school usually teach more than one subject, often up to 3, and also take part in after school activities with the girls. Some of the subjects that are taught at the school, subject to resources are; Mathematics, Physical Science (physics & chemistry), Biology, Agriculture (like biology and geography), English, Chichewa, Home Economics, Social Studies (modern studies) and Religious Studies.
· The pupils stay in the same class all day, unless they have a practical session in a lab, therefore the pupil’s attention span may be slightly less than if they were more stimulated by moving to different rooms.
· School starts very early in the morning, at about 7, and ends fairly late in the afternoon, at around 5 (although there is a lengthy lunch break during the heat of the day). Before and after school, and at the weekends, the girls at the school have prep, for homework and revision, and they must also catch up on their chores.
· The school is managed by the head teacher, Mrs Msowoya and the depute head teacher, Mr Nyasuru. As well as carrying out their managerial duties, they also teach. They are also assisted by a finance person, Mr Amphande.
· As Mrs Msowoya was ill when we arrived, Mr Nyasuru became our tour guide and protector. He had a steely aye, and watched over us on our many expeditions. He clearly enjoyed, and was committed to his job, like all of the staff at BAGSS, and I very much enjoyed meeting him.
· The girls are helped in their day to day lives by their house matron, who cares for their health and well-being. These ladies always have the girls’ best interests at heart, and they were in charge of presenting us with our gifts at the end of the trip.
· The school also has a volleyball and netball pitch so that the girls can easily take part in their favourite pastime.
Malawi 2008 | Comment (0)
Cities, Towns and Economics
When we weren’t working hard with the girls, we had the opportunity to visit other towns and cities in Malawi.
This gave us the chance to experience their culture in a different way .
The places we visited were :
Lilongwe Nhkata Bay Mzuzu
Lilongwe
On arriving in Malawi, we visited the capital, Lilongwe, situated in the Central region of the country. Due to it’s location, Lilongwe is the 2nd largest city in Malawi and since it became the capital in 1974, the once small village is now the political centre of Malawi with an estimated population of 598,000.
The city is split up into Areas, and as the city grows more Areas are being added. Our hotel , the Korea Garden Lodges, was situated in Area 3, a very lively area in the city.
It has many similarities to what we think as a capital city, such as a lively town centre with traffic, shops and a throng of people. However, I’m sure you wouldn’t meet a witchdoctor in the middle of Edinburgh.
Nhkata Bay
The girls had a day off on Malawi Independence day, so we took this as an opportunity to go to Nhkata Bay, a busy fishing resort in the North of Malawi.
Nkhata Bay is on the shore of Lake Malawi and is the country’s busiest port. The Ilala steamship visits here and exports items such as tobacco, tea and sugar, Malawi’s most important exports.
Also due to the lake, fishing is very important in the area for income.
This day out provided a great chance for us to be tourists and more importantly, start the shopping. The town had a thriving market place with many Malawians lining the road trying to sell their produces to you.
Mzuzu
The last visit we did was to Mzuzu, where the Maimie Martin Fund headquarters are based.
Mzuzu is the capital of the Northern region of Malawi and is in an area which mainly works in agriculture, as its climate makes is ideal for cultivating crops such as coffee and rubber.
On the road to Mzuzu we passed a rubber plantation and were given a talk by the owner.
This particular one was the largest in the area and served not only to Malawi, but other surrounding countries such as Tanzania. The plantation was a large source of income for the area and provided many jobs.
The first part of the day was a visit and lunch at the Maimie Martin Fund, to see what the charity does in Malawi. To hear of all the good work being done and meet the people behind it all was heartwarming. Later on in the day some pupils and teachers then took a visit to the Government buildings in Mzuzu.
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Malawian Food
The food in Malawi is massively different to the food in Britain. We have hundreds of options for each of our meals-we can eat Italian, Indian, Chinese, French or Mexican meals whenever we choose. The people of Malawi only have a few basic options available: maize, rice, msima, potatoes, beans and fish.
Msima is the staple food of Malawi and can be made from corn, cassava or other starch flour. The msima that we ate on our trip was made from cassava flour.
The cassava is dried out in the sun and then ground down into flour which is used to make the msima. Msima is usually eaten with different relishes as it is very bland. Usually to eat it is rolled into a ball with the fingers and dipped into the relish.
Msima is great for the energy that it provides. Farm labourers eat a large plateful in the morning, and so don’t have to eat for the rest of the day because gives them energy and keeps them going.
I tried msima on my first night at Sambani lodge. I really didn’t enjoy it as it was so bland and sticky and chewy. It was an interesting experience, but not one that I’d be willing to try again.
As well as msima, chambo was eaten a lot. Chambo is a type of fish found only in Lake Malawi. It is not only delicious- it also comes in large numbers, so there is usually enough for all.
Chambo can be boiled, fried, roasted, grilled, stewed or smoked etc. It can also be used in ndiwo.
Ndiwo is the word for the relish usually eaten with msima. The ingredients of ndiwo vary throughout the regions of Malawi. In the east of Malawi, meat is expensive and many people can’t afford it, so ndiwo is made with vegetables, including cassava. In the regions next to Lake Malawi, a delicious, traditional relish is made with curried chambo.
The food that I tried in Malawi was very different to the food I usually eat at home, and I’m not sure I’ll miss the Malawian food. I am glad though, that I have had a taste of the culture in Malawi. It’s a great thing to have done.
Malawi 2008 | Comments OffEntertainment
The entertainment “curriculum” available at BAGSS is certainly a varied one. We were warmly exposed to how our Malawian sisters entertain themselves both IN and OUT of the classroom…
…Yes! There are pupils who find learning – quenching their thirst for knowledge – invigorating, gratifying and very entertaining. This is, in no small part, due to the respect; enthusiasm; talent; innovation and definitively positive outlook with which the teachers teach (with far more limited resources than in Scotland): all of which is reciprocated by the pupils – creating an exceptionally inviting learning environment.
*(Perhaps a mention in the direction of the group member who is talking on “Lesson Observation”/Education – wasn’t sure if they had been assigned)*
Out of, and occasionally in between, the classroom; the girls congregate and truly joy in one another’s company. For their own “entertainment”, the girls enjoy a variety of activities which are largely organised by the prefect designated that role.
The BAGSS girls have recently formed a DRAMA group with the help of their playwright, director and biology teacher – Mr Kamanga (who visited us in February). During our stay, we were given a very poignant performance of a drama in which the alarmingly current issues in Malawi, of corruption, exploitation, sexism and PREJUDICE were accurately highlighted.
With limited MUSICal resources, their voices are their only instruments… and what VOICES! The girls sing in a variety of choirs, at the twice weekly assemblies and also at church which they attend each Sunday morning. Amongst a group of many musicians, there was not one of us who failed to be moved by the depth, emotion and raw talent in their voices. We attempted to entertain them with some Scottish songs and atop Bandawe’s very own “mountain”, there were many wonderful moments as we sang in unison.
Our Malawian friends are very adept SPORTswomen and fierce competitors as we found out when we felt the “compulsion” to take them on at volleyball; their sport in their own back yard. They had great skill and teamwork, a far cry from our near-shambolic defence. It was a close-affair however, “nothing” to do with the partisan and somewhat biased officials who we befriended and who gave us the occasional extra point. They coached the other members of the group the art of volleyball with VARYING success.
Many of the origins of modern DANCE lie in Africa and hence, the dancing inadequacies of the majority of the group were plain for all to see, and mock! The girls’ natural rhythm and unpretentious demeanour allowed us to learn a little from them at the weekly social/ disco (a Malawian twist on a western idea – for the better), every Saturday evening “under the mango tree”. They are all very proud of their African roots and history but at times even more so of their native TRIBES. They showed this with the passion and enthusiasm with which they performed their tribal dances. So enthused were they that they “invited” us to join in… a MUTUAL culture shock?! We repaid the favour with a dose of Scottish country dancing. After a brief introduction, the girls were eager to join in. They did so with varying success. So excited were they that during the progressive dances, keeping a hold of your partner was a rather strenuous ordeal.
The fun and playful side of breaks during the school day, that is no longer common place in our secondary schools was majestically reinstated into BAGSS life. Their creative games endeared us and almost all of the girls to participate- the majority of which had similar origins to those games we grew up with in Britain… with a Malawian twist of course!
The recurring theme throughout the girls’ many inventive sources of entertainment is that of friendship and unity, this key component of school life brings the girls closer, converting them into a very tight knit bunch for whom simply being together is ample entertainment. So truly welcoming was BAGSS that we felt as if we were part of that extended, entertained family: who without the burden of technological or material dependence remain happy, fulfilled and without jealousy or greed.
The girls “entertainment” of us in befriending and looking after us allowed us to experience and develop, in great depth, the SOCIAL SIDE of the trip – the beginnings of what we hope to be a rather special link that will stand strong for many years to come.
By Thomas Downs
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The Malawian Education System
A few of the most memorable things about BAGSS could be listed as: the friendliness and hospitality shown by both pupils and staff, the girls’ musical talent, their energy and their calm. Although the BAGSS pupils definitely know how to relax, they have certainly worked hard for their education.
Children in Malawi start their education at the age of 6 and study at primary school for at least 8 years.
In Malawi, primary education is both free and universal, as opposed to secondary, which is always fee-paying and is only attended by pupils who pass their primary school leaving certificate exams. Some pupils spend far longer than 8 years at primary school before they are able to pass their exams and move onto secondary education.
Although free primary education means that large numbers of children now attend school, primaries are often very crowded and often don’t have enough teachers. In Bandawe’s local primary school some teachers would teach over 100 young children in one class.
Not every child can afford to pay for secondary education and the Mamie Martin fund allows girls such as these to further their education.
Secondary school consists of 4 years of education and two sets of exams. The Junior certificate examination is sat in form 2 and the Malawi school certificate examination is sat in form 4. To achieve their MSCE a pupil must study 8 subjects and pass 6 of them.
For the girls at BAGSS passing exams is incredibly important. Better exam results mean a brighter future and a better job. Unlike some Scottish pupils, the girls recognise that education is an important privilege that is to be appreciated.
Most lessons at BAGSS are taught in English, as a lot of emphasis is placed on learning it as a very useful second language. The mixed secondary school close by BAGSS runs an English literature class and there is talk of BAGSS doing the same thing in a few years time. Chichewa lessons are, of course, taught in Chichewa. Classes in BAGSS last an hour and consist of more practical subjects than their Scottish counterparts: Art, Media and Drama are not taught. (although a thriving drama group is present at the school and even put on a play during our stay)
As well as English and Chichewa, pupils learn subjects such as mathematics, agriculture, history, Bible knowledge, geography, physical science, biology and home economics. All the girls we met had definite and practical career plans; to become a nurse, a minister, an accountant, a teacher, a lawyer. The girls were completely focused on achieving the goals which their education made possible.
It certainly wasn’t all work at the school though, sports such as volleyball and netball were very popular as well as dancing on Saturday night and games such as skipping and a very enjoyable Malawian version of hopscotch. Both Saturdays that we spent in Malawi ended with a disco beneath the mango tree.
The teachers at BAGSS encouraged the girls both to have fun and work hard. Not once did any of the FHS party see a disciplinary problem. Although there were rules, (such as no mobile phones) it was obvious that the teachers trusted the pupils to behave. Pupils treated their teachers with respect but would often laugh and joke with them in class.
Things were different at the mixed secondary school. We visited a form 4 English literature class of 20 boys and 5 girls, a ratio that is an almost perfect representation of the gender imbalance in secondary schools as a whole.
The girls in that class were very quiet, never answering the teacher’s questions and generally keeping themselves to themselves. In mixed schools girls are vastly outnumbered by boys and Mr Kamanga told us that many girls feel intimidated by boys at their school. The rate of girls dropping out of school is much higher than that of boys. Perhaps this is why schools like BAGSS and organisations like the Mamie Martin fund are so important: they give hard working, ambitious girls a better chance of doing well.
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A short history of Malawi
Malawi
The Warm Heart of Africa and the Second Scotland
By Kathleen Sargeant
Malawi is one of the world’s poorest and least-developed countries, crippled by HIV/AIDS, famine and disease. In 2005, there were 950,000 orphaned children in Malawi. In 2006, it was estimated that, on average, Malawians had a life expectancy of forty-nine years. In 2005, one in every eighteen women died during childbirth. Malawi is a country that depends upon international aid, a country struggling to develop and survive in the modern world.
But Malawi’s people do not think of themselves as poor or suffering. They are a nation joining together, not only to survive, but to enjoy life as a family. The Malawians have a deep, obvious faith – a faith in their God, faith in their country and in each other.
By international standards, modern Malawi is a young country. It was established as a British colony in 1907 and gained independence in 1964, under Hastings Banda as Prime Minister. Malawi became a republic in 1966, a one-party state with Banda as President. There was a referendum in 1993 and a multiparty system was voted for by the population. The current leader, Bingu wa Mutharika, was elected in 2004 and immediately launched an anti-corruption campaign and a fight against HIV/AIDS. All over the larger cities in Malawi, there is evidence of this battle. Huge billboards displaying the sincere face of President Mutharika and captions of advice for the Malawian people can be found lining the routes into major cities, such as Mzuzu and the capital, Lilongwe. Clearly, the country is in good hands.
Malawi is a landlocked country in southern Central Africa. It is bordered on its north side by Tanzania, in the south by Mozambique, in the west by Zambia and on the east side by Lake Malawi, which stretches from Malawi’s northernmost point to the capital city of Lilongwe. Malawi’s official name is the Republic of Malawi and it was formerly known as Nyasaland in colonial times. The country’s area is approximately 118484 square kilometres, which is just over half the size of Great Britain. Malawi has a population of slightly over 13 million people.
The highest point in the country is Sapitwa Peak on Mount Mulanje, near Blantyre, Malawi’s largest city. The national currency is Malawian Kwacha and 1 British pound is worth about 270 Kwacha. The country’s official language is English but Chichewa is the national language, and is taught in some schools. However, many people speak other languages or dialects in addition to English and Chichewa, including Tumbuka, Chitonga and Yao. In one northern village on the borders with Zambia and Tanzania, it was reported that a combination of twenty-seven languages and dialects were being spoken. Malawi is known as ‘the warm heart of Africa’ and, as we were told by Mr Kamanga, who visited from BAGSS last year, ‘the Scots will always be welcome in Malawi’.
A link has long-existed between Malawi and Scotland, mainly because of the explorer and missionary, David Livingstone. He was the Scot who was the first European to explore Malawi and several other countries in the African interior. Everywhere we visited in Malawi, we heard something of Livingstone. He is celebrated for bringing the Malawian people civilisation and Christianity. Around 70% of the population of Malawi are Christian and they are grateful to Livingstone and the Scottish missionaries for ‘bringing them to God’, as one minister told us. Livingstonia in Malawi is named in the explorer’s honour, along with Blantyre, which is named after the town in South Lanarkshire where he was born.
Currently, Malawi is in the Scottish headlines because of problems caused by the tobacco trade. Duncan Bannatyne, the Scottish business tycoon, recently visited the country to make a documentary about these problems and was shocked by what he saw there. 60% of Malawi’s export earnings are in the tobacco trade. Tobacco growing has damaged the environment because of the number of trees that are having to be cut down to make way for tobacco fields. Tobacco advertising in Malawi is not regulated and the youth are often targeted. As there are little or no rules about selling tobacco, single cigarettes are sold cheaply to children, who are usually between the ages of six and twelve years old. The selling of single cigarettes also means that those who buy them have no access to the limited health warnings printed on the original packets. Though campaigners are keen to stop the trade between Malawi and the large western companies causing the problems, the success of anti-smoking campaigns will mean that the livelihood of millions of people, who depend upon the tobacco trade, will collapse.
This seems a bleak outlook for Malawi’s people, but a lot is currently being done by the Malawian government, and by Scottish charities such as the Mamie Martin Fund, to improve the education of girls in Malawi. For years, women have been treated 
as second-class citizens. In school, male and female students are not seen as equals and girls see themselves as inferior. As a result of this, fewer girls are selected for secondary education, because generally their work deteriorates as they move up through primary school. Many girls drop out of school to work or to get married. 40% of marriages in Malawi involve children between the ages of 15 and 18. However, this trend has been recognised by the international community and much is being done to improve the lives of girl 
students. At Bandawe Girls’ Secondary School, every girl has the desire to do well in her exams and go on to be teacher, doctor or nurse. One girl, Happiness Njikho said to me, ‘I want to be a mechanic so I can help my country. Malawi needs people to do this job.’ The schools with a female headteacher are lucky because having a woman in a powerful position shows the girl students that women can do the same work as men and the traditional ideas of men and women’s work are simply stereotypes. The girls at BAGSS are blessed with Mrs Msowoya as a headteacher. She is one of the strongest women I have ever met, intent upon protecting her girls and helping them on so they may achieve their goals. Happiness also told me why there were strict rules at BAGSS about mixing with boys. She said that they were kept separate so they would have a better chance to go on to higher education. At many schools in Malawi, girls are expelled from school if they become pregnant, though the boys who father their children are allowed to continue their education. More girls’ schools are being built up all the time to put an end to this, but it will be a long time before the government of Malawi finally tackles the problem completely. For now, we can trust that charities such as the Mamie Martin Fund are making a difference.
Though it is a country with many problems, Malawi has one of the most important things of all – a people who are loyal to their country and ready for change. It will take many more years for Malawi to be developed but Scotland will continue to support her sister nation, I am sure.
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Travel and Transport
by Zoë Ashwood
Day 2: 30th June 2008
Arriving in Malawi
“This is it,” I said to myself as the orange seat belt sign finally appeared above me. Sucking on the umpteenth hard boiled sweet, the plane began to fall through the clouds.
And then I saw it… miles and miles of orange soil below me.
Those green trees.
And in the middle of it all, a tiny airport.
“Kamuzu International Airport,” I read.
The plane finally stopped and we disembarked down some stairs, feeling like movie stars, until our feet finally touched orange Malawian dust.
Looking around, I could see only a handful of planes, later finding out that only ‘Air Malawi’, ‘Air Zimbabwe’, ‘Ethiopian Airlines’, ‘Kenya Airways’ (we flew with them) and ‘South African Airways’ used this small airport.
After making our way through customs- and boy, did that take some time: our first true experience of “Malawian time”- we were greeted by a swarm of smiling Malawian bus drivers… tens of hundreds of thousands of men touched your arm; tried to help you with your luggage; offered you a “good price”… I don’t think I’ve ever been more pleased to see Mr Kamanga’s face than when he emerged from the crowd.
We were then shown to our bus: the bus in which we would be spending literally hours during our next two weeks.
Now feeling embarrassed to admit, my first thought as I saw the bus in front of me, was that it was very old-fashioned. Something you might have seen in Scotland half a century ago possibly.
The inside of the bus especially. The chairs were a light brown leather, some of them torn in places. Some of the seats had no leg room: you were literally forced to sit cross – legged for the whole journey. (As Thomas found out!) Some of the other chairs, made of an ancient light brown suede material, you had to fold down.
None of the chairs had seat belts. If we had crashed, we would have had a number of casualties. The exterior of the bus was, in fairness, more modern: painted a white with green and red stripes, if I am not mistaken.
Then. Compared to some of the other “buses” or “taxis” we came across in Malawi, we were exceedingly fortunate. I really began to believe Mrs Dallas had had to specify, when booking, that she needed brakes on the bus! All around us, we were able to see on the roads – bus – loads of Malawians. Only these “buses” were really pick – ups with a few men enclosed in the front, while as many men and women, boys and girls as possible plus a few more crammed onto the back. No roof over their heads.
Health and safety was not the issue in Malawi obviously.
No bus stops: just a few words to the driver: a quick “pullover” would do. You could get off wherever you so desired.
These “buses” along with the “taxis” of course, provided the main mode of long distance travel in Malawi.
We travelled on foot (the main mode of travel in Malawi – being both healthy and cheap – cheap being the essential criteria) as we entered the capital: Lilongwe.
Much later, when we returned to Lilongwe, I saw for myself a Malawian taxi depot. Many: maybe ten or even more, large mini – van/ mini- buses lined up outside a large supermarket, next to a busy road. These taxis, with their rows of seats crammed full on their journeys, provided many Malawians with a job. The head teacher of BAGSS, if I am correct, owns one of these to supplement her very poor teacher’s salary (education is not yet seen as a high priority in Malawi).
“Mirror… Now Signal… Manoeuvre!” W
We did see a few Malawians taking driving lessons in Lilongwe, but for the rest of our trip, we saw very few cars. Having spoken to some of the teachers at BAGSS, they were shocked to find that in Scotland, families can own two or even three cars. In some remote villages, people have never seen even one car.
Train – Spotting- I only saw one train line and absolutely no trains!
What we did see was the “only cargo ship on Lake Malawi” during our day trip to Nkhata Bay.
CO2 emmissions, carbon footprints and food miles are empty terms in Malawi. I can see that most Malawians will travel only short distances for the majority of the time (though the girls at BAGSS come from all over Malawi and so some do have to travel a substantial mileage by bus to go home for the school holidays). Most Malawians will not leave Malawi during their lifetime. Mr Kamanga, who visited Falkirk High School in March, has only ever left Malawi to visit Scotland. Holidays are not high on many Malawians’ agendas. Malawians have bigger issues.
The day- to- day battle for survival being one.
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Who, where, when, why?
Who: Four members of staff and twelve pupils went on this journey.
Mrs Dallas (Party Leader)
Mrs Conington
Mrs Easton
Mr Innes
Zoe Ashwood
Laura Cruikshanks
Thomas Downs
Lisa Ferrie
Christie Gourlay
Patrick Mallon
Isla McInnes
Callum Morrison
Alison Orr
Rebecca Orr
Lynsey Robbie
Kathleen Sargeant
Where: We flew to Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, and travelled from there to Bandawe, a Mission Station in the remote north of the country. It’s near the town of Chintheche, and not far from Nkhata Bay and Mzuzu.
When: We left on the 30th June 2008, returning on the 15th July.
Why: This is the big one! Through a charity, the Mamie Martin Fund (www.mamiemartin.org) our school (Falkirk High School) has been twinned with Bandawe Girls’ Secondary School, which is part of the mission station there. We had some objectives with this trip:
· We were furthering the MASCOTT programme, through which the Scottish Executive encourages links between Malawi and Scotland.
· We wanted (pupils and staff) to become effective contributors to our own society, as well as to Malawian society, by giving them a chance to experience life in Malawi with all its glories and hardships. We thought it was important for us all to experience a very different culture to our own, and learn from it.
· We’re aware that there’s always so much more that we can do for poorer nations, and we wanted to give ourselves the chance to become confident individuals by broadening our experiences in a very positive way.
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Malawi’s Mother Tongue
Although it may sound strange, if you asked a Malawian to name Malawi’s mother tongue, they would more than likely answer – English! Yes, believe it or not, because Malawi was once a British Protectorate, the official language is English. All school pupils study it and so almost all Malawians speak English fairly fluently.
Of course, Malawians also have their own, African mother tongue – Chichewa. This is the language of the largest tribe in Malawi – the Chewa. Chichewa, the language of the Chewa tribe has become adopted as the national language and is therefore spoken by almost all Malawians.
Now, as if 2 languages weren’t enough! Malawians who do not belong to the Chewa tribe are also able to speak their own tribal language. There are many but some of the most commonly spoken are Chitimbuku, Yao and Chitonga.
The Timbuku and Tonga tribes live in the north of Malawi. The area we visited is populated mostly by the Tonga people, so, whilst we were living in Tonga country we attempted to learn some Chitonga – their tribal language.
Ada Tom Ampande, the bursar at BAGGS gave us a lesson in Chitonga most evenings after dinner and we practised on anyone willing to help. The staff in the hotel, teachers and pupils at the school and innocent passers-by were subjected to our pigeon Chitonga. By the end of our stay many of the group could happily, if not fluently, meet and greet people in Chitonga. The locals smiled and laughed and welcomed our attempts to converse with them in their own language and I believe we gained their respect for at least trying. Personally, I really enjoyed trying to perfect the few phrases we learned and was very chuffed to be referred to as Ama Tonga (Mrs Tonga) one day. I guess I’d arrived – in linguistic terms.
Well, now it’s your turn. Here are some of the words and phrases we learned. Give them a go and maybe you too could learn to Bluff Your Way In ChiTonga!
ChiTonga English
Muzungu White person
Wazungu A group of white people
Ada/Ama Respectful way to address a man/woman
Mwayuka uli Ama/Ada? Good morning/How are you?
Ndayuka umampha. I’m well.
Kwa li yi mwa? How are you?
Mwatandala uli Ama/Ada?Good afternoon /How are you?
Ndatandala umampha. I’m well.
Kwa li yi mwa? How are you?
Yewo OK
Ndawonga Thank you
Paweme Goodbye
Malawi 2008 | Comments Off
Travel log Bandawe
Our trip to Malawi was certainly an eye opener. We learned so much about the country, it’s people, their history and culture and of course their schools. Please explore the following pages to get a flavour of our trip and also learn more about Malawi – The Warm Heart Of Africa.
Bandawe girls secondary school
Malawi 2008 | Comments Off