SAFI: On Campus

Dr. Chibala explaining to us that the graduating students will be demonstrating their skills.
And telling us not to give anything to the children who are following us around.
Some of these children live at SAFI and lots of them just wander over from the nearby villages.
There isn’t a fence or boundary around most places.
Some children could say a phrase in English and used it over and over on us.
The ones I heard the most: “Give me pen. Give me money.” 

First demo: How to grow mushrooms.
This student spoke Chewa (pron. Chay-wah) so he used a translator (on the right).

I have to admit, I was more interested in watching the children then learning how to grow
mushrooms. It might have had to do with the translator’s static-y microphone.

More showing-kids-their-pictures

John McClelland w/ girls--Vegetable patch in the background

Pounding leaves to make “relish”. It is eaten along side the maize porridge “Tsima" 

He was seeing his reflection in my lens. And I can see myself in his pupils.
I wish I knew what was in his mind.

One of the graduate students. She & her husband demonstrated their knowledge of nutrition.
Meanwhile, the baby nursed.

This simple wood burning stove w/ sheet metal pipe is revolutionary.
It keeps the smoke from filling up the “kitchen”, and there is a metal plate
cemented into the circles where you put the pot. It reduces the amount of
wood required to cook.

In the kitchen with a graduate student (also nursing a baby) while demonstrating
how to make VitaMeal.

The kids loved to wear Matt’s hat and sunglasses

Walking down to the fish pond

Get out of the way! Out of control ox coming through.

Recognize these kids yet? Apparently I was stalking them without realising it.
I was just so amazed at how the boy was completely alone with his sister
(I assume) and no adults were with them at all.

One of my favourite pictures

At the fish pond we learned about putting a chicken coup over the water. The chicken poo
feeds the fish.

Next demo was on irrigation, using very little water.

After seeing the grad students, we got to visit the preschool. All the kids standing at the back had been
following us white people around, and they came in to watch the littlies perform, too.
There was one teacher for all these little 2-4 year olds, and they were perfectly attentive and
obedient. It was amazing.

And a big kid performed his tricks too. I think he’s juggling a bottle of sunscreen,
hand sanitizer and an apple--stuff I had in my purse.

Hamilton- Nu Skin media guy

What a poster child for VitaMeal! He looks so healthy--the whites of his eyes, his shiny skin and full cheeks.

We were inside eating lunch and the kids were watching. Of course we all wanted to give them our lunch
but we were warned that mayhem would ensue. Plus, giving handouts is contrary to the goal of SAFI.
Still, I couldn’t eat in front of these hungry kids, so I came outside and took pictures.

What a day.