Malawi—The Warm Heart of Africa
Mrs. Kumbanji's Kitchen
This is a typical family kitchen. It is located in the back yard of the family home.
Mrs. Kumbanji is making a delicious lunch for us to eat together, consisting of vegetables and nsima.
It takes a while for lunch to be cooked and served so we would do all our visiting before we eat and then after we finish we will get up and go home.
It is a real honor to be invited into homes to share a meal together.
Mrs. Kumbanji is a young widow with two small children. She donates her time working with those less fortunate than her.
A father and His Son Share a Big Lunch
This man is the donkey care provider for the mission station in Namitete. We have two donkeys and a cart that are used to raise funds for the families that live around there. This dad takes great care of the animals and he takes time for his boy as well.
He asked us for some shoes and I think they could both use a pair.
Local 7-11
We like to refer to this as the local 7-11, a neighborhood grocery store where you can get all the items you might need.
There are stores like this in almost every village that we have been to. They will sell items like sugar, oil, soap, tea, cookies and many other things.
This is a great business and if you can build a room like this and stock the shelves you are able to look after the needs of your family for years to come.
A cold coke…anyone?
Basic Facts About Malawi
| About Malawi: | Social Statistics: | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Government: | Multiparty Democracy | Population: | 14,268,711 (July 2009 est.) 85% rural; 55% below poverty line; 23.4% no education; 38% in need of food |
| Capital: | Lilongwe | HIV/AIDS Rate: | 930,000 people living with AIDS (2007 est.) — 8th highest infection rate in the world |
| Independence: | From Britain in 1964 | Life Expectancy: | Male: 44 years Female: 43 years |
| Area: | 118,480 sq km (3.5 times the size of Vancouver Island) | Daily Average Wage: | For a man: $1.39 For a lady: $0.84 (A coke costs $0.45) |
| Climate: | Sub-tropical; rainy season (Nov. to May; dry season (May to Nov.) |
Economy: | 90% agriculture |
Sources: CIA World Factbook, Malawi National Statistics Office and Malawi National Aids Commission.
www.jonats4africa.org/malawi.html
Updated: October 7, 2009
