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Rural Leaders ― a Travel Log Vol. 19

We are sharing with you a series of travel logs written by ARI staff member Steven, who visited Africa in August.
The finale of the trip will be the ECHO East Africa Conference! In the first half of this log, we will tell you about the conference and some interesting topics and ideas.
Let’s get started on our trip to Africa!

【An African journey to visit ARI graduates, Day 20-23 Part 1】

The ECHO East Africa Conference
Okay, so here we are at the conference with folks from all over east, central, and southern Africa talking about the issues they and their farmers are facing and the creative ways they are tackling these issues. The official title is ECHO East Africa and Canadian Foodgrains Bank Joint Symposium on Best Practices in Sustainable Agriculture & Appropriate Technologies. I didn’t take a lot of notes, preferring to just listen and take things in, so this post isn’t going to be long! Whew!

One big reason Kai and I are here is to network and share about ARI, what Kai has termed active recruitment. In this line, one big, unexpected encounter was with Erwin. Erwin is the founder of ECHO. It turns out he lives in Arusha, Tanzania which has been his home for more than 30 years. He is super soft spoken and laid back, but so on top of things…culturally, African contextually, small scale farmerily (okay, that isn’t a real word, but you know what I mean).

It was also amazing to meet so many talented and shrewd community leaders. These are not “third hand” folks, who have come to Africa to talk about everything the Africans are doing wrong and how to do it right. These are “first hand” folks – on the ground, in the community, ‘these are my own people’ folks. I loved listening to them speak about their people, their problems, and their own approaches to improving their lives with such eloquence. These are the kinds of people ARI is here for. During mealtimes, when we had a chance to talk and get to know each other and share about ARI, well, those were some lively conversations!

A few snippets

ANAMED – Mindset change
ANAMED is an international organization that promotes natural medicines. The couple that presented has been living and working in Malawi for a very long time (30 years, maybe). The main premise of their talk was “mindset change” in relation to sustainable agriculture. They work with farmers for the long term, which is a big contrast to the project approach, where outside experts come and do a project in a village and then leave. In the end, nothing really changes. Changing a person’s or a people’s mindset requires long term commitment and dedication. Mindset change is something our ARI graduates speak about frequently as being both a big challenge and hugely important!

The name ANAMED sounded familiar and during the presentation I finally remembered why I knew it. One of our graduates in Cameroon is affiliated with ANAMED. They produce all kinds of herbal medicines. The place is called Rural Transformation Center and there are actually two graduates from there – Collins and Ben.

VSLs
This presentation answered a question I had in my mind for a long time. Village Savings and Loan groups (VSLs) are a great way for rural folks to save and pool their own money and then make it available to each other for small loans. In this talk I learned about two main categories of borrowing – consumption and investment. Consumption loans are when money is borrowed for an expense like school fees, doctor bills, purchasing a house. These kinds of loans are helpful when a villager needs a large amount of money up front but must be repaid with their existing income. Investment loans, on the other hand, are when money is borrowed for business purposes, so that money brings in more money! So, investment loans are more suited to growing the economy of a village. This was my Banking 101 class.

Raised beds
This presentation was given by our own ARI graduate, Patrick Kullie from Liberia (2019). He has been growing seedlings in raised beds and a few points I jotted down are:
 ▪ The frames are made of bamboo (very local resource).
 ▪ The soil is treated with boiling water to disinfect and kill the seeds of weeds.
 ▪ Having the beds raised makes it easier for disabled people to grow seedlings.
 ▪ The seedlings can be easily transplanted to gardens or sold to local farmers.

Farming on Crutches
This session was also given by an ARI graduate, Mambud Samai, from Sierra Leone (2018). He talked about his work with amputees, which he has been at for more than 20 years. It all began when he formed an amputee sports association. After ARI he started a permaculture project teaching amputees how to earn a living through farming. I personally know his story very well so I didn’t take any notes, but one day soon I will share more about it. In the meantime, you can take a look at this video that was produced in 2019. I was there with the filmmakers but did my absolute best to stay out of the way of the camera.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zjOBhgwUasA

The thing that stuck out most for me in his presentation were the photos of “permaculture couples.” Mambud has performed at least two wedding for people who met each other while working on this farm! Oh, did I mention that he is also a pastor?

Words from a random mealtime conversation
Meals were one of my favorite times. Not only because I like to eat all the good food they were serving up, but also because of the vibrant conversations. The following are a few words someone passed on to me said by the principal of an agricultural college. So sorry, due to my bad memory I can’t credit the principal or the college, but I thought these would work well in an ARI admissions brochure:
“If you don’t want to touch the soil, don’t come here.”
“If you think you already know too much, don’t come here.”

Chaya
This was my favorite presentation overall. The woman speaking was so passionate and so articulate, you just couldn’t help wanting to run out and grow some chaya and cook it up for dinner. Chaya is a kind of bush, and you can eat its leaves. It seems to thrive in many kinds of climates and soils and is more nutritious than spinach. She shared a chart that showed vegetable consumption by country within Africa and then a chart of life expectancy. There was a direct correlation between the two, so “eat your vegetables” was her strong message. She and her team even brought several cuttings of Chaya, which only need to be put in the ground and watered to start growing. But be sure to plant it right side up. “Do you know which side is up? I’ll teach you!”

A small debate started when one audience member said they were afraid to eat Chaya because it contains toxins. This is true, it turns out, but only needs to be boiled first, just like spinach and casava. It’s better not to eat it raw, but even then, only great amounts consumed would have harmful effects.

The most memorable part of her talk was when she went on a tangent about relish. Relish in this context was sauce, or soup, that is obligatory for any African meal, as you need something to dip your Nshima in. Traditionally, “the worth of a woman is in the relish,” she explained. “If a man has five wives, he will eat and sleep with the wife that makes the best relish!” In a roundabout way, this was connected with eating more vegetables I suppose, especially chaya!

Prayer from all nations
The second to the last evening, ECHO had a big community supper which featured a mouthwatering braai, known as a barbecue in other parts of the world. This was followed by a traditional dance performance, which some of our graduates joined in. Finally, we had the “prayer from all nations.” This is quite a moving experience wherein a representative of every language speaker present is invited to come and give a prayer. For some reason, Kai wasn’t around, so for the second time in my life I went forward to pray publicly IN JAPANESE. Well, since there were no other Japanese speakers, no one would know my mistakes, and I’m pretty sure God would get my meaning, no matter how badly I messed up. So, no worries! We all lined up, there must have been at least thirty different languages represented, and one by one offered our prayer. If you ever have a chance to attend an ECHO conference, be sure not to miss this!

Written by Steven Cutting (Graduate Outreach Coordinator)
Travelling with Kai Shinoda (Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator)


Click here to read the series of articles

Vol.0 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Prologue】

Vol.1 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 1-2】 

Vol.2 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 3】

Vol.3 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 4】

Vol.4 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 5】

Vol.5 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 6】

Vol.6 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 7】

Vol.7 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 8】

Vol.8 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 9】

Vol.9 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 10】

Vol.10 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 11】

Vol.11 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 12】

Vol.12 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 13】

Vol.13 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 14】

Vol.14 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 15】

Vol.15 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 16】

Vol.16 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 17】

Vol.17 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 18】

Vol.18 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 19】

Vol.19 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 20-23 Part 1】<== Now, you’re here

Vol.20 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 20-23 Part 2】To Be Continued …

Rural Leaders ― a Travel Log Vol. 18

We are sharing with you a series of travel logs written by ARI staff member Steven, who visited Africa in August.
The trip is finally coming to an end, but before going to the final destination for the ECHO conference, they saw one more graduate’s activity.
As many as 1,700 girls were spared from dropping out of school thanks to a skill that Veh（2018 graduate）learned at ARI!
Let’s get started on our trip to Africa!

【An African journey to visit ARI graduates, Day 19】

ECHO
Today we head to Lilongwe to attend a conference organized by ECHO East Africa and an ARI graduate convening organized by AFARI (American Friends of ARI). ECHO is a very cool organization that provides training for small-holder farmers all over the world. Their values and approach are a close match with ARI’s. In fact, when I first met staff from ECHO, they said, “Oh, you are ARI? At our training sessions we often meet people who are already familiar with our organic farming techniques. When we ask them where they learned them, their reply is ARI! It’s nice to finally meet you!”

Mac’s new organization
Before departing Malindi, Mac did a PowerPoint presentation for us on the organization he started last year called Anamagelo Charity Trust. The name comes from his mother’s nickname and the organization itself was inspired by his mother, who never thought of herself and was always giving to her neighbors. In short, the charity’s focus is education, including child sponsorship and school renovation. One recent project was to rebuild a nearby school that had collapsed in cyclone Freddy. Mac is hoping to send some of its staff to ARI, but according to ARI policy the organization will need a bit more time to mature before we can approve it for applications.

The drive to Lilongwe was uneventful, because we have long gotten used to goat traffic jams and police checkpoints. One policeman said he would have to fine Mac for having a beard! (This was a joke, of course. Or was it?)

Veh is on the airwaves!
In Lilongwe we met Veh (2018 ARI graduate) again, this time in her home. I think I already mentioned that Veh is a radio personality for Zodiac radio, hosting an early morning show for farmers. Her husband works for the government in the department of sanitation, so Veh told us that if we see any trash around town, we should complain to him! Veh looks very much like a city girl with a house in a more upscale part of Lilongwe, but I really like her approach. She goes out to seek opportunities where she can help communities, and this is what she was eager to show us.

Veh is helping to keep1,700 girls in school!
“Four girls have been saved from early marriage,” Veh explained as she drove us to a local school. “What? What do you mean?” I asked. “It’s because of our sanitary pad project. When girls reach puberty, they drop out of school. It’s simply because they don’t have sanitary pads, so they stay home from school for a week every month during their period. Eventually, they fall behind and quit. After that, there are few options open to them, and some are forced to get married as early as 14 years old.”

Veh learned about making reusable cloth sanitary pads at ARI and when she got home, she approached the head teacher of Dzenza Primary School, which is not far from her home, to ask if she could teach this skill to the girls. “No problem. You can start,” was the immediate reply. This was kind of a shock, because topics like this can be taboo in this society. Veh expected to meet resistance, but there was none. So, for the last seven years she has been teaching the girls how to make their own pads. ¾ of the 2,300 strong student body are female, so there is no shortage of demand for this product. The school now employs a tailor to make these pads, but Veh ensures that the girls also know how to make them themselves. We met a group of “Veh’s girls” who were just about to take their exams for secondary school. Veh has watched as these kids grow up and is proud that they have stayed in school and are not afraid to hold on to their dreams. Veh herself is an inspiration to them. She is successful and self-confident and with her smooth radio voice, that the kids hear on the public airwaves, they find her very cool!

A couple of side notes about this school are that it was established as a Presbyterian Mission School in 1928 and the church on the grounds was built in 1932. In one of the classrooms, we saw kids practicing karate. I wondered if this was a JOCV project (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers – like the Peace Corps, only Japanese!). JOCVers are famous for teaching sports to kids around the world, especially karate!
And lastly, Veh pointed out a borehole that was built with funding from a Mission Intern that she met at ARI. His nickname is ‘King,’ but I don’t remember his real name, because we never used it. Unfortunately, the well has gone dry, so they need to check into how to revive it.

Big family hugs
That evening the four of us (Veh, MacDonald, Kai, and Steven) headed north to Mponela to the spacious Hotel Linde, the venue for the ECHO East Africa Conference. This is also the site of the ARI graduate convening, which I am very excited about. Mambud from Sierra Leone and Patrick from Liberia were already there and greeted me with exuberant ARI hugs. The ARI Worldwide network is really a big family. I’ll talk more about these two graduates and the rest of the conference in the next entries, but for now, I think I’ll settle in for a good night’s sleep.

Written by Steven Cutting (Graduate Outreach Coordinator)
Travelling with Kai Shinoda (Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator)


Click here to read the series of articles

Vol.0 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Prologue】

Vol.1 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 1-2】 

Vol.2 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 3】

Vol.3 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 4】

Vol.4 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 5】

Vol.5 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 6】

Vol.6 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 7】

Vol.7 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 8】

Vol.8 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 9】

Vol.9 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 10】

Vol.10 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 11】

Vol.11 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 12】

Vol.12 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 13】

Vol.13 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 14】

Vol.14 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 15】

Vol.15 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 16】

Vol.16 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 17】

Vol.17 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 18】

Vol.18 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 19】<== Now, you’re here

Vol.19 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 20-23 Part 1】To Be Continued …

Rural Leaders ― a Travel Log Vol. 17

We are sharing with you a series of travel logs written by ARI staff member Steven, who visited Africa in August.
Today is a Sunday to relax, which is essential on a long trip. The warm support of McDonald is very touching.
Don’t miss the incredibly cute-sounding Chichewa language lesson that will make you instantly friends with Malawians!
Let’s get started on our trip to Africa!

【An African journey to visit ARI graduates, Day 18】

A slow day
Sunday is a day for rest and so that is what we did. In Zomba, I started having the same symptoms as Kai, so MacDonald took me to his village clinic, where they set me up with some good meds, including pineapple flavored cough syrup. MacDonald wasn’t due to preach that day, so he attended another service. I wanted to join him, but he instructed Kai and me to sleep. So, we settled into our rooms in the Njala Resort on the edge of the lake and set our thoughts to getting healthy again.

I was feeling much better by later afternoon, so I took a walk around the compound. The church, from which I heard sweet Sunday morning singing, boasts a large stone on which Dr. David Livingstone sat to rest in September of 1866.

In the evening Catherine stopped by, coming all the way on her motorcycle. She really wants to send one boy from the village we visited to ARI. Jacob is his name. He is a super capable guy, dedicated to his village, but he doesn’t have a sending body to back his application to ARI. This is something we will have to work on over the next months.

Mac’s small dream
That evening, as we took supper by the shimmering waters, we talked a little more about Tito. Although they were solidly on opposite sides of the big conflict, Mac helped out Tito financially from time to time, after he had been excommunicated and had no salary. I asked MacDonald if it is good for ARI to train clergy. He responded that the leadership aspect of ARI is very good for clergy because they are so much connected with people. Regarding farming, however, it all depends on if there is support from upper church leadership or if agriculture, often referred to as “care for creation,” is a part of the mandate of the church. In Mac’s own experience, he said he has generally made more use of the leadership training, but his dream is to be sent one day to a rural parish where no other priest wants to go, to start farming with the church.
Mac also helped me to find 2018 ARI graduate, Sister Stella Notice. In 2018 we had three sisters from Africa! She had been hard to get ahold of, but eventually Mac found that she had left the nun’s life and was living in the north of Malawi. I was never able to talk with her directly.

Chabwino
We will end the day with a Chichewa language lesson. Whenever Mac was on his phone, he would wrap up conversations saying “chabwino.” It is such a cool word and fun to say so I asked him the context for usage and got the following lesson:

Zili bwino? Is it okay?
Zili bwino. It is okay.
Chabwino. Okay, good.

It was our last night at Njala Resort and the chance to drift off to sleep on the echoes of fishermen shouting out into the night.


Written by Steven Cutting (Graduate Outreach Coordinator)
Travelling with Kai Shinoda (Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator)

Click here to read the series of articles

Vol.0 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Prologue】

Vol.1 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 1-2】 

Vol.2 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 3】

Vol.3 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 4】

Vol.4 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 5】

Vol.5 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 6】

Vol.6 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 7】

Vol.7 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 8】

Vol.8 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 9】

Vol.9 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 10】

Vol.10 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 11】

Vol.11 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 12】

Vol.12 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 13】

Vol.13 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 14】

Vol.14 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 15】

Vol.15 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 16】

Vol.16 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 17】

Vol.17 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 18】<== Now, you’re here

Vol.18 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 19】To Be Continued …

Rural Leaders ― a Travel Log Vol. 16

We are sharing with you a series of travel logs written by ARI staff member Steven, who visited Africa in August.
Again, they were welcomed with the powerful dance of the Nyaw at the village!
“If a leader wants the people to united, they will unite. If a leader wants the people to fight, they will fight.”
McDonald’s words made us think deeply about what makes a good leader.
Let’s get started on our trip to Africa!

【An African journey to visit ARI graduates, Day 17】

Chikwinga Village
Today we got to go to another village. Yeah! This is the reason we come all this way. It is one thing to hear about the work our graduates do, but it is another altogether to get the sights, sounds, and smells of the village, to talk with the villagers and learn what their lives are like, to see their full humanity in its beauty as well as its pain. MacDonald kindly drove us across the dusty roads to reach this place called Chikwinga Village where we were, again, welcomed by singing and dancing. I’ll never get tired of that. This time the Nyau were dancing together with the ladies, looking as fierce as ever. Their masks were different from the previous dancers, and I believe each style of mask has its own meaning, though it is difficult to get deeper explanations when I ask about it.

Goats are good!
The women’s group here is called the Integrated Goats Pass on Project, initiated by Cecilia Mpinga (2016 ARI Graduate). Cecilia first came to this place with the Hygiene Village Project NGO in 2018 to teach them about eco-san toilets. At that time, she encountered a group of 12 widows who were very hard working, but struggling with basic household needs. So, in 2022, with funding from the Tarr Fellowship of the American Friends of ARI (AFARI), she started a goat project, purchasing 18 goats (6 male, 12, female) and distributing them, two per three women. The ladies work in pairs so they can help each other out as needed.

Our little gathering started off with each woman introducing themselves. MacDonald carefully repeated each name as he heard it, to make sure he had it right. It was impressed by how this simple act fostered close engagement. They explained that they haven’t started “passing on” yet as the goats they received were very young and it was some time before the first offspring arrived. They anticipate reaching 10 goats each after passing on some of the babies. The most immediate benefit of the goats is the manure, which they compost with leaves and use in their gardens. With the small money they have made so far, some have purchased bamboo shoots to grow and sell. Climate change has been a challenge for them, particularly the drought of this past spring.

Thank you, Cecilia
They all shared how much they appreciate Cecilia for teaching them new skills in farming and goat rearing, noting that she always comes when they ask for her help, even though she doesn’t get any allowance for that. Cecilia also links them up with agricultural advisors in the government. Their dream is to continue to expand the project to earn enough money to buy iron sheet roofing and have enough food and clothing.

The meeting was followed by a walk around the village to see how they care for their goats. Some are in raised pens and some in fenced areas. They are all kept close to the house for good care and security. It is not uncommon for livestock to be stolen. They are fed maize bran, legumes, green leaves, and a little salt. Village life in Malawi is not easy, but small projects like this can bring marked improvement to people’s lives. I felt proud to see Cecilia, an ARI graduate, taking this initiative of her own accord, for the sake of these ladies.

Before departing, Kai and I did our video interview with Cecilia, but some days later she messaged me with some additional words about the impact of her ARI training, as follows:

“One more thing I didn’t mention when we had time to express our learnings after ARI is my personal strength. Before attending ARI training, I was too shy to speak during meetings and had no courage to conduct an activity on my own. After I returned back, I am strong enough to speak at community meetings, i.e. plan and implement big events with my church, community, family, or at work. Any event assigned by somebody, I do it with positive results. For example, at the family level with my clan, I can plan an event and implement it, and they rely on me. Some of my family members change my name during an event, calling me the PROTOCOL. Other members in the community invite me to help them during wedding ceremonies and they give me the position of CHIEF PROTOCOL. I got all the strength at ARI during the Harvest Thanksgiving Celebration and also Rural Community Study Tour!”

Around midday, we headed back to town with MacDonald. Reflecting on the events of the morning he said, “If a leader wants the people to united, they will unite. If a leader wants the people to fight, they will fight.” I think this comes from his own experience seeing communities all over the country. When he sees places like Chikwinga Village and people like Cecilia, he is greatly encouraged. However, when he sees greedy, self-serving leadership, which is not infrequent, he is greatly disappointed.

WOG meeting
(it’s WOG, not Warg. If you are a Lord of the Rings buff, yes, I know what you are thinking!)
Back at Geoffrey’s house, (remember, that is John’s brother, and remember, John is a 2013 ARI graduate), we had a big WOG meeting. WOG being Geoffrey’s organization, Word of God ministries. All the staff were invited and sat in a circle in the garden to talk. Before I get into details, however, I want to share a Malawian proverb:
“A guest is like dew. It comes and goes quickly.” Meaning a host must value the short time they get to spend with their guests.
As I mentioned above, WOG’s priority is evangelism, but also with branches into community development. They have three plots of land they want to start farming, with big hopes for John to help them. (1) ½ acre next to the house. (2) some fields about a 20-minute drive away that they have just purchased. It is a beautiful area with many other farms around and a river lined with palm trees flowing through it. It seems they don’t have much experience in farming. Going organic sounds appealing to them, but they really don’t know. MacDonald was advising them to start right away, clearing all the brush and composting it! (3) the 20 hectares mentioned above. I honestly don’t know how to use such huge land because ARI style farming is so intensive that we get huge harvests from small plots. They seemed to be thinking about fruit orchards.

WOG was registered as an organization in 1997 but had a slow start. At the time, Geoffrey was still working in the Malawi Broadcast Company. He even went to Japan on a collaborative project with NHK. In 2009 he invested himself full time in the WOG and in 2010 started doing village banking. I am not sure if this is different from the VSLs I have been seeing, but it seems to include a component of training about coming up with a business plan. Staff member, Dorothy is managing the Village Banks now and in answer to my question of how many villages they work in she said, “many!”

Taking what they call the “village approach” when they enter a new community, they will first set up a fellowship. These are Christian groups for bible study, prayer, and worship, but Geoffrey didn’t elaborate too much on them. It is from these groups that they establish village banks. This makes a lot of sense because the most important aspect of village banking is establishing trust. Geoffrey is also careful to keep the members centered on the Gospel, rather than money. In 2021 they had to stop their activities due to Cyclone Freddy but could restart in 2023. Geoffrey has a strong interest in OVOP, stands for One Village One Project. This is an approach to business done (or tried) in Japan and Thailand (and probably other places) in which each village produces and markets its own unique product. It is an interesting model, and I have heard of successes and failures attached to it, but since it exists only as an idea in Geoffrey’s head at the moment, I won’t go into it more. He also mentioned the concept of “trading centers.” These are meant to be like markets, except that products are sold at a fair price. He is trying to think of ways of keeping food prices down for people, but MacDonald was quick to point out that farmers also want and need a fair price. This set Geoffrey to thinking.

They are keen to send staff to ARI, to get the agricultural training needed to quickly develop their land. Furthermore, they see ARI’s leadership training as closely fitting their approach of “Empowering to Empower.” We wrapped up the visit with a group photo, together with grandpa. I am still trying to imagine what his eyes have seen in the 91 years of his life.
We arrived back at MacDonald’s house on Lake Malawi after sunset.


Written by Steven Cutting (Graduate Outreach Coordinator)
Travelling with Kai Shinoda (Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator)


Click here to read the series of articles

Vol.0 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Prologue】

Vol.1 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 1-2】 

Vol.2 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 3】

Vol.3 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 4】

Vol.4 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 5】

Vol.5 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 6】

Vol.6 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 7】

Vol.7 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 8】

Vol.8 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 9】

Vol.9 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 10】

Vol.10 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 11】

Vol.11 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 12】

Vol.12 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 13】

Vol.13 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 14】

Vol.14 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 15】

Vol.15 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 16】

Vol.16 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 17】<== Now, you’re here

Vol.17 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 18】To Be Continued …

Rural Leaders ― a Travel Log Vol. 15

We are sharing with you a series of travel logs written by ARI staff member Steven, who visited Africa in August.
Today’s trip also reunited them with many graduates.
You might feel culture shock at Malawi’s interesting culture and people’s way of thinking.
Let’s get started on our trip to Africa!

【An African journey to visit ARI graduates, Day 16】

Off to Zomba
Today we head to Zomba! Not Zombi, but Zomba. It’s important to keep that straight. After a quick discussion with Mac, we decided to change our plans and cut our visit to Blantyre in the south. The schedule was too tight, and we needed some time to rest and recover our health. So, we are off to Zomba and will come back here tomorrow.

“Care for creation”
The first stop along the way was the Chilema Lay Training Center, run by the Anglicans and the Presbyterians. MacDonald was stationed here before going to Malindi. It is the residence of the newly installed bishop, Bishop William Mchombo, who took the position just four months ago, after the excommunication of the previous bishop and all the drama involved with that. He kindly met with us for a brief and pleasant chat, during which we learned that caring for the environment, or “care for creation” is high on his list of church priorities. It comes within the four pillars of the diocese, which are (1) Evangelism, (2) Liturgy, (3) Investments for diocesan sustainability, and (4) care for the environment. He seemed to have a good understanding, or at least appreciation of the work of ARI, and we spoke about training more people from the diocese. He himself mentioned sending women to ARI, explaining that the coordinators of the women’s groups are very passionate and dynamic. This was music to our ears, as it is always a challenge to recruit women leaders.

After the meeting, MacDonald told us that after ARI, he was assigned to the diocesan farm where he started to introduce organic techniques. He met a lot of resistance, with people saying they need fertilizer for quick profits, and was eventually transferred. This is something we should discuss more with the church leaders here as we consider future applicants, but I can already see that their attitudes toward organic farming are changing.

Tito and the other side of the story
Next, we went over to Tito’s house (2012 ARI Graduate). I didn’t expect to meet Tito because he was strongly on the past bishop’s side during the big church fight and ended up getting himself excommunicated. More about that will come, but let’s take things in turn, according to how he told us his story, which he shared in his living room as we enjoyed popcorn and ground nuts from his garden. By the way, the popcorn was delicious. I didn’t know that it is made from a special variety of corn and many Malawians grow it. I wish I could tell my dad about this, because he loved popcorn!

When he came back from ARI in December of 2012, he was assigned a church near Lake Malawi in a place called Nkope (in the Mangochi area). The soil was sandy, so he built it up using composting and bokashi techniques he had learned at ARI. People were surprised to see crops growing in places they thought impossible to farm, but he showed them how he was doing it, and they began to follow. He taught women and youth, not only from his church, but from other churches and the Muslim community as well. He also started a ministry for the blind, setting up a hostel for blind girls and boys.

In 2017, Tito was moved to Malindi, where Mac is currently, and given the position of rural dean. He planted Moringa trees and started an organic garden, in which he used bokashi, wood vinegar, and other techniques brought from ARI. Two years later he was again transferred to Chilema, where the bishop resides. Then on October 23, 2022 (that date is fixed in his life forever), he was ex-communicated together with the bishop and 13 other priests. He didn’t go into details about it, just saying that he supported the bishop and didn’t join with all those raising their voices and protesting. From that day on, he had no salary or stipend of any kind and was also given an eviction order. Fortunately, he and his family were provided with another house and some land on the compound property, and so “to survive, I used the land.” He proudly walked us around the garden that had become their means of survival. It was lush with casava and vegetables. In the style of a good organic farmer, he showed us his bags of chicken manure (from 30 chickens running hither and tither), corn bran, ash, and rice husks which are all used to build the soil. With a stick, he expertly knocked a couple of papayas out of a tree and presented them as a gift.

Over a lunch of beans and dried cassava, Tito explained that, while he was in ARI, he had written in his reflection paper that the peak experience in his life was the death of his mother. But now “my peak experience is excommunication.” Citing what he learned in Japan, “Don’t give up. I am a servant leader!”

His status in the church is currently under discussion by a pastoral committee, and there is a good chance he will be reinstated soon. He is waiting to hear their latest decision and expecting it next week.

The Chingale Community
In the late morning, we headed out to meet with 2016 ARI graduate, Towera. The bishop (new bishop) kindly provided a good car and driver to navigate the rural roads. Towera works as a Program Officer for a local NGO called the Chingale Neno Recovery and Development Program which was started in 2007. Simon, a participant currently studying at ARI, is also from this organization. To our surprise we found that he is the son of the founder and current director, whom we met with briefly in his office. Dad seems to be getting on in years, so he is thinking of handing over his duties, but he didn’t talk about that. Rather, he spoke of “the fruits of your institution,” (ARI), saying to Towera, “Before you went to Japan, you were not like this.” To which Towera added, “I was lazy before, but after ARI I am a very hard worker.” After her return she was promoted from project manager to program manager, and it looks like she is in line to be the next director. So, I guess Simon will not follow a hereditary trajectory, as I had been thinking.

Their eight staff work in the sectors of food security (farming, I assume), livestock, village savings and loan, child survival (I think that is to do with nutrition for young kids), psycho-social (maybe gender-based violence), youth recreation, and the disabled (identifying them in the community, and if needed sending them to a place that can better care for them). I’m sorry for not giving more details on these. It was a very quick meeting. One thing they were proud of is that all employees can work in all sectors, so they cover for each other if needed. “Even the driver can go to the field!” exclaimed the director. The organization received funding from Growing Hope Globally from 2014-2016, and they were the ones to introduce them to ARI. Now they are supported by the Presbyterian Development Agency.

Feathered surrogate moms
One cool thing I learned about poultry raising while talking with the staff is that you can collect their eggs. (Wait, I’m not done with the story yet!). Any fertilized eggs you want to hatch, you can give to other hens that are brooding. In this case they put them under the bums of the local chickens, who will happily provide all the motherly love needed to bring the babies safely out of their shells. Any farmer worth their salt would know this, and I’m sure I even knew it at one time or another, but it was nice to learn it again.

A gathering of the Cheputula women’s group
Next, we headed out to one of the 300 villages they work with. As per their wonderful custom we were greeted with singing and dancing, and how can you not feel great after that! This was the ten members of the Cheputula Village women’s group, which also happens to include a few men. As we all took seats under the shade of a tree, I counted more than ten people, but decided not to ask about these details, and let them get on with sharing their activities. These include a “passing on the gift” goat project, introduced by Towera. They are given two goats and the first offspring they must give to a neighbor, but the ones that come after that, they can keep. Each household aims to reach 20 goats. There are less goats in the village overall right now because they are being sold to buy food. Normally their fields would be providing them with their daily needs, but the drought is not allowing that. Towera’s own maize farm is irrigated, so she could get a good harvest. Few farms in Malawi are irrigated, though there are many good water sources, like Lake Malawi which runs along much of the length of the country. This is one of the ever-present topics of conversation; that if the government supports people with irrigation the country wouldn’t be one of the poorest in the world, still having to struggle for food every time it doesn’t rain (or rains too much, as it did in 2023 when cyclone Freddy hit!).

They also have a Village Savings and Loan group. The interest rate is 20% and they need to repay a loan after two months. At the end of each year the accumulated interest is counted and distributed among the members. I may have gotten these details wrong, as they are very different from the other VSLs I met, but one good thing about VSLs is that the group members themselves create their own protocols and bylaws, to suit their own needs.

Dancing with the Nyau
As we were talking, some kids started walking by, and then more kids and then people carrying drums and chairs and things. This was the makings of a village gathering and it was meant for us. They formed a circle and started drumming and dancing and inviting us to join them. It was a great time for videos, and as I was taking some, they pointed me in a certain direction and out from behind a building came two elaborately costumed mask dancers called Nyau. The dance they were preforming was called the Gule Wamkulu a tradition of the Chewa people. They were a hit with the villagers as well as with us visitors – a truly electrifying African experience.

The Chapweteka Village “audit”  
Almost as fast as they arrived, the dancers vanished and the villagers dispersed. Then we met with another VSL, this one from Chapweteka Village. As if we were auditors, they started the meeting with the treasurer opening up their books and reading us their accounts. Such was the level of transparency and trust they wanted to foster, or they have been taught to foster in their group. It went like this:

In 2020 we started the group with 16 members.
Accounts closed in December with the following:
Shares – 500,000
Emergency fund – 320,000
Interest – 180,000
Something else, I couldn’t catch – 40,000
Total – 1,020,000 (hmmm, they seem to be 20,000 short. Maybe I missed something. Good thing we aren’t really auditors!)
This is when funds are distributed among the members.

In January 2021 we reopened the bank
December 2021 we closed accounts with the following:
Total shares – 320,000
Emergency fund – 150,000
Interest – 150,000
Something else – 120,000
Total – 630,000

Hmm, it doesn’t add up again. Maybe something to do with the “something else” I couldn’t understand. But don’t start thinking any fishy business was going on. All the members know every detail of these accounts and that is the power of a VSL. The people are in control, and they are the ones to benefit. They continued reporting their accounts to the present, noting that in the year of the cyclone amounts were down overall because their money had to go for repairing their houses rather than being saved.

Sharing food…
When we finished up, we all walked down to a roadside stand where they had prepared several local dishes for us to try. There were small dried fish called Usipa (something like sardines), nsima made from sorghum (which is a good idea because sorghum is more drought resistant than maize), maize nsima, sweet potato leaves, a fermented drink of some sort that they called sweet beer, and two kinds of cake. One cake was made with maize, flour, soy, and sugar, and another had banana in it. Being such a huge banana lover, I went for the banana cake, which was delicious. Unfortunately, I neglected to ask how they made it, if they used clay or earthen ovens. They urged us to try all the dishes, which we happily did, taking in the different flavors and textures. Just in case you are confused, nsima is the same as nshima. Only the pronunciation differs between Zambia and Malawi. I deeply appreciate the rare chances I get to eat food prepared by villagers, together with the villagers. It allows me to experience their culture with all my senses, including taste and aroma, and give reality to the words Takami sensei spoke often at ARI, “Sharing food is sharing life.”

WOG Ministries
For our evening accommodation, John’s brother, Geoffrey, kindly offered his home. John is a 2013 ARI graduate, who is now working with his brother in the organization he started called the Will of God Ministries, or WOG. Geoffrey was excited to host us and connect with ARI. The Will of God Ministries International is a faith-based NGO, and their approach is to “study, do, and teach.” Following the line of Ezra in the Bible, they study the scriptures to understand and apply them and then to go out to teach and evangelize. As you can guess they are heavy on evangelism, but recently they have started a component of social-economic development and this is where ARI (and his brother, John) come in. Geoffrey is an electrical engineer by profession and his wife is the principal of a nursing college, having obtained an MA in health promotion and a PhD in nursing in South Africa. Their father, who was born in 1933, also resides with them. The first 31 years of his life, this country was still a British colony called Nyasaland. I wish I had been able to ask him about all he has seen in his 91 years.

When we arrived at the house, we were kindly received in the living room with snacks and conversation, but the only furniture was outdoor plastic chairs. I didn’t think much of it, because each household has its own character. However, about an hour later, a truck pulled in and several couches and comfortable chairs were brought in, immediately transforming the atmosphere. Then the truck left and returned with beds for us to sleep on. Geoffrey quickly explained that all this was meant to come before our arrival, and I remembered that in this culture, it is a sign of prosperity and hospitality to have a comfortable sofa set in the living room.

…no time to waste
In his slow and methodical way, John told me about his experiences at and after ARI. He was one of three Malawians in the training program that year. The things that made the biggest impression on him were servant leadership, organic farming, and the Japanese culture of being hard working. “In Malawi, we waste time,” he explained, “but in Japan there is no time to waste!”

“I visited places in my life I never expected, like Hiroshima and Tokyo Tower,” John continued. “We went to ARI to learn, and we learned…how to be humble, how to be self-reliant. We learned how to live together with people from other countries – That We May Live Together. But the main was organic agriculture.” After returning home he started implementing organic techniques on his father’s land. It wasn’t fully organic, as he used fertilizers and hybrid seeds, but he introduced bokashi, making it from chicken manure, ash and corn bran. He also raised pigs and chickens, “like I learned from Jil and Uncle Timo at ARI.”

At that time, he was also still employed by his sending body, Hygiene Village Project (HVP). That organization helps people set up ecosan toilets, like what we saw at Enet’s place. From these toilets, you can get fertilizer for the garden. Unfortunately, his contract ended in 2019 and wasn’t renewed due to lack of funding. Without a steady income, he really struggled, but still volunteered for HVP from time to time. From 2021, WOG employed him as a program officer, to look after their fields. They have a lot of land, including one piece that is 20 hectares. They want to develop this land for income for the organization and for training purposes and are looking to John, and ARI, to help. John ended his talk with me by saying that his future plan was to progress more!


Written by Steven Cutting (Graduate Outreach Coordinator)
Travelling with Kai Shinoda (Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator)


Click here to read the series of articles

Vol.0 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Prologue】

Vol.1 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 1-2】 

Vol.2 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 3】

Vol.3 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 4】

Vol.4 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 5】

Vol.5 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 6】

Vol.6 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 7】

Vol.7 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 8】

Vol.8 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 9】

Vol.9 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 10】

Vol.10 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 11】

Vol.11 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 12】

Vol.12 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 13】

Vol.13 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 14】

Vol.14 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 15】

Vol.15 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 16】<== Now, you’re here

Vol.16 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 17】To Be Continued …

Rural Leaders ― a Travel Log Vol. 14

We are sharing with you a series of travel logs written by ARI staff member Steven, who visited Africa in August.
On this day, Steven visited a Village Savings and Loan (VSL) group, which was started by 2012 ARI graduate, Catherine. She teaches more than just business. She teaches each household how to live independently, encourages them to have dreams, and motivates villagers live together in unity!
Let’s get started on our trip to Africa!

【An African journey to visit ARI graduates, Day 15】

The vibrant village of Liganga
Today was a village visit day. Since Kai needed time to rest, he remained at Njala Resort, and I headed out on my own. Mac’s friend took me into Mangochi, where I met up with Catherine (2012 ARI Graduate) at her organization’s office. Since 2020, she has been working for World Relief International, but when she was at ARI she was with the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian, Livingstonia Synod AIDS Program, in Mzuzu, in the north of Malawi. We all piled into the car and headed out to meet one of Catherine’s Village Savings and Loan (VSL) groups in the Nabale area. “We” means Catherine, an intern named Wezzie, and one of the group members, and, of course, the driver and me.

 “I teach them Foodlife Work*! ”
On the way, Catherine explained that she works with 102 rural area groups of 25 about members each. They use the “household approach” meaning they regularly visit families in their homes to teach them about sanitation, business, and integrated household farming. This includes backyard gardens and small livestock such as chickens, goats, and doves (aha, I knew those doves in Zambia weren’t just for symbols of peace!), but not pigs because of the high Muslim population. As you might guess, the manure goes straight to the compost pile and then to the veggies. Tree planting is also a big part of their program. “I teach them foodlife work!” exclaims Catherine, “just like we did at ARI.” Household visits are done once a week, rotating around 1,100 homes. To manage these large numbers, they train village volunteers to assist them. Their aim is to “move people from dependence to independence.” As we pulled into the village of Liganga, we were met by exuberant singing and dancing. These were the ladies (and a few men) of the Tilimbika VSL Group, which started with 12 and is now up to 34 members. The group chair gave us a formal welcome and asked me to introduce myself. Catherine prepped me with the proper Chechewa words, which you can see below. I had to peak at my cheat sheet, but they all understood and appreciated the effort!

The group meets every Friday for “Foodlife work.” Then they sit together and discuss problems on the farm such as what to do about unpredictable weather patterns, also known climate change. Next, they review their accounts and handle the financial business of the group. What they were most excited to tell me about were their creative and innovative initiatives, which are many.

First, there is the tree nursery with 480 seedlings. Last year they planted 2,000 trees around the hospital, church, school, and their own houses. Indeed, this meeting was taking place under the cool shade of sprawling tree branches, and the whole village was scattered with greenery. This year, their target is 8,000 trees. I’m not sure how they will achieve this, but the more important thing is that they simply keep planting, which they look eager to do. They not only plant the trees, but also take good care of them, taking turns to give water and fertilizer made from composted manure. This is part of their foodlife work.

In addition to their own farms, they keep a group field (more foodlife work), which last year produced 45 bags of maize. Some was sold and the money put into the VSL, and the rest was shared among the members. Decisions on work allocation and use of the harvest/profits are carefully discussed and agreed upon by the whole group.

This is what a self-sufficiency mindset looks like
At one point during our meeting a table was brought out filled with goods made by the hands of the group members. These included moringa powder and baobab powder which the villagers themselves were explaining the benefits of. “It is good for malaria and for malnutrition and helps people with HIV.” There was also homemade soap, imbued with moringa. One girl explained that she used this when she had a skin problem (scabies), and it healed her. Hats and sandals made of woven plastic bags were on display – from trash to usefulness – and one lady was busily demonstrating how to weave the plastic. “We got this idea from the radio. They announced a phone number, and we called it to learn.” Two women were showing how to weave the grass mats that are so useful in the villages. I was told that all the products on display were available for sale. So, I took the hint and bought a lot of stuff to support their efforts. I especially love the soap.

One thing I found very interesting were the “brickettes.” These are just paper that has been wadded into balls, soaked in water, and dried. Used in place of charcoal, one pot can burn for an hour, and to prove this, they cooked sweet potatoes during the meeting. They get the wastepaper from the school mainly. The sweet potatoes were soft and sweet, but too many for me, so I tried to share them with the kids. Some rejected them and a few took them. One boy said to the others, “why do you take the food we eat every day, just because it is given by a visitor?” This showed me that these kids are not hungry, and things are going well in this village, but I’m sure they were hoping for some candies. Those paper brickettes may not be a long-term solution, but they were the first practical attempt I saw to stop charcoal usage!

The village headman was present, and he is sharing his knowhow with the group, such as how to multiply sweet potatoes and cassava. He would like to start them doing mushroom cultivation, but I wasn’t sure if he would teach that himself or if he wanted to find someone to teach it. Another important job of his is to resolve conflicts in the village.

A goosebump moment
Catherine then turned to ask me if I had any questions, which I did. First, I wanted to know what I would see if I returned in five years, that is, what is their dream? They said all the houses would have iron sheet roofs, and their group would be a registered cooperative with a warehouse for their harvest. There would be a big forest, and everyone would be harvesting fruit from their own property! What a beautiful vision in its simplicity and clarity, reflecting exactly what the villagers want and need because they created it, and they themselves can see it happening. This, I thought, is the result of training grassroots rural leaders like Catherine. This is why we do what we do at ARI! It gave me goosebumps!

What is the beauty of your community?
Next, I asked my favorite question, “What is beautiful in your community?” They pointed out that Lake Malawi is nearby which can provide water for irrigation in the dry season, to grow sweet potatoes, maize, and casava. Beauty to them was not visual beauty, but the practicality of the lake! And there it is! People do irrigate from the Lake Malawi, which is not what I had been hearing. Probably, irrigation is done only by those who are very close to the lake, and as of yet, there is no large-scale irrigation. This is all they had to say about beauty. Often, we don’t see the beauty in us or around us. We’re more likely to look at the problems and defects, so the question may not have made a lot of sense to them. But everything I had been seeing was beautiful to me. Especially the energy and vibrancy of this group.

Lastly, I asked why they trust Catherine, who has come from outside the village, to teach them. They replied, “there is profit in what we are being trained. Before, we were doing nothing!”

Some innerworkings of a VSL
The conversation then moved to a testimony of how their lives have improved. Before, they spent their money to buy vegetables, but now they have vegetables right in their own back yards. They also spent a lot of money on fertilizers, but now their skill of using manure as compost is high. Their next dream is to start rearing goats. We better add that to the dream list above! They also love their VSL, which has given them the capacity to start small businesses and cover their children’s school fees.

Their mention of the VSL led me to ask about how they built the trust needed to start this group. Above all else, a group of this nature must have trust. They explained that they have a constitution, and everyone knows the rules, which were explained in detail:

1) They will meet every Friday at 2:00 PM
2) Any member who is late will pay 200 Kwacha
3) Any member who is absent without a reason will be fined
4) Mini meetings within the meeting (i.e. groups chatting) will be fined 100 Kwacha
5) If a member is absent for two weeks, they will be contacted and asked if they wish to stay in the group

Additionally, they have a “Social Fund” to assist members who are sick. The group’s money is kept in a cash box, and when the amount becomes large, it is deposited in the bank.

Catherine asked me to share “ARI knowledge” with them. I always hesitate to bring in “outsider ideas,” but Catherine pressed me, so I tried to give some suggestions relating to their own local resources. I asked what they do with their animal bones, and they said they throw them out, so I mentioned making bone charcoal to enrich their compost with calcium. I also inquired about what they are doing with the fish guts, and found they are drying it and making it into powder for animal feed, so that is a local resource they are already using! Bokashi is also not new to them, but they make it in their own way. After four years of composting, their soil has improved greatly and has greater water holding capacity.

“Nature was meant to be shared”
The meeting concluded with the signing of the guest book and words of thanks from the chairlady, and more singing! The enthusiasm of the villagers, the self-confidence to “move from dependence to independence,” was electrifying.

Wandering around the village, we soon found the tree nursery, where they are growing Acacia, Mtete, Ndia, Atanga, and Guava – all local trees. This activity started in 2020, and everyone is happy about how much trees have improved their lives. “Here, every house has a tree” and every household plants five trees a year. They provide shade and serve as windbreaks. Some have fruits or medicinal properties. Branches can be trimmed for firewood, fencing, or roof thatch. Seeds can be sold and leaves become compost! There is nothing bad about planting trees and the only thing that limits their numbers is they don’t have enough tree tubes for the seedlings! “The relationship between people and trees is very important. That’s why we plant.”

There was also a rabbit hutch, from which they carefully collect the manure every day. Bunnies produce lots more bunnies at a rapid pace, and these are distributed throughout the village. Everyone has a backyard garden complete with banana trees, and people readily share the suckers (needed to plant more bananas). Why do they do this? “Because nature was meant to be shared,” they shouted.

The Lake of Stars
We then went to take a look at Lake Malawi, or the Lake of Stars, which is what David Livingstone of “Dr. Livingstone, I presume” fame called it. This time we were viewing it from the west side (MacDonald’s house is on the east side). It is a source of pride for Malawians for its beauty and as a critical resource. There we found people washing clothes, and kids swimming and bathing. There were a few dugout log canoes, which I thought only existed as drawings in textbooks. The lake truly is beautiful and reminded me of my childhood spent on the shores of another huge lake in America – Lake Michigan.

A little more about Catherine Mtambo
During lunch at Catherine’s house, she shared about her family and work. She got married in 2012 but divorced in 2019. She has three boys, born in 2009, 2012, and 2017. At Livingstone, she was mainly working with micro-finance groups and continued this same work in Mangochi when she started with World Relief in 2020. The organization’s motto is “forward together.” When she meets a new household, she does a “vision journey” with them, to help them see where they want to be in the next years. The very poorest of families in Malawi can receive a “Social Cash Transfer” from the government. The government hires NGOs like World Relief to work with these families to help them stand on their own and “retire from the cash transfer system.”

Before departing, Catherine proudly showed me her motorbike, which is much more useful than a car to get out in to the rural areas. She was going to take me to Liganga village by this bike, but was worried about the fact she didn’t have an extra helmet for me. At first, I thought this was for my safety, but it was in fact for fear of being fined by the police!! (And for my safety, she quickly added!!!!)

Back at Mac’s house I found Kai feeling much better. We enjoyed supper together on the veranda while watching the orange sun sink into the depths of Malawi’s glistening lake. On the menu was Chambo, a fish you can find only in the waters beside us.

* Foodlife work: morning and evening farm work, livestock care, meal preparation and other work at ARI that puts into practice ‘foodlife,’ a term coined by ARI to describe the inseparability of food and life.


Written by Steven Cutting (Graduate Outreach Coordinator)
Travelling with Kai Shinoda (Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator)


Click here to read the series of articles

Vol.0 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Prologue】

Vol.1 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 1-2】 

Vol.2 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 3】

Vol.3 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 4】

Vol.4 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 5】

Vol.5 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 6】

Vol.6 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 7】

Vol.7 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 8】

Vol.8 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 9】

Vol.9 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 10】

Vol.10 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 11】

Vol.11 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 12】

Vol.12 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 13】

Vol.13 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 14】

Vol.14 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 15】<== Now, you’re here

Vol.15 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 16】To Be Continued …