Originally published in 2020, we are republishing this piece to coincide with the upcoming issue of Take My Hand, containing updates from graduates in Sierra Leone. Get to know these four Participants during their time in Ghana. by Yukiko Oyanagi,
The Asian Rural Institute released the 7th edition of Euodoō – Journal of Rural Future Study in early December 2024, continuing its tradition of sharing profound insights and reflections that resonate with ARI’s mission.
Marking the seventh annual publication, this special edition coincided with ARI’s 50th-anniversary celebration, featuring a collection of essays and reflections that highlight the organization’s focus on sustainable farming, community building, and servant leadership. Through these pages, contributors share their learnings and experiences, inspiring readers to join the journey toward building a resilient and equitable “rural future.”
Highlights of the 2024 edition include:
These contributions explore themes at the heart of ARI’s work, providing thought-provoking perspectives on how rural communities can thrive through intentional leadership, sustainable practices, and shared values. The journal also reflects on ARI’s rich history, celebrating half a century of empowering individuals from around the globe.
Whether you’re an ARI graduate, a supporter, or simply curious about how sustainable practices intersect with leadership and community development, this edition offers valuable insights to inspire action. The price is ¥800 + ¥430 shipping all over Japan. Please reach out to ARI if you are interested in buying the journal.
On January 25, the Asian Rural Institute welcomed supporters, families, and nature lovers for ARI Friends Day x Oohnata Marche Winter Festival. With the theme “Let’s Connect with Nature and People”, the event brought together learning, hands-on experiences, and community spirit.
The Friends Market was filled with fresh organic produce, handmade goods, and delicious local treats. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to support relief efforts for the Noto Peninsula Earthquake, extending ARI’s commitment to helping communities in need.
In the Forest Experience, participants of all ages enjoyed tree climbing and orienteering, discovering ARI’s beautiful natural surroundings in a new way. Exciting lectures also took place, including one by Thi Thi Win (ARI 2014 graduate) on her work with farmers in Myanmar, and another by Yoshihiro Kimijima, who spoke about sustainable food education in schools.
Throughout the day, new friendships were formed, ideas were exchanged, and a shared appreciation for nature and sustainability grew. ARI Friends Day once again proved to be a meaningful space for connection and learning.
We are sharing with you a series of travel logs written by ARI staff member Steven, who visited Africa in August.
In this log, we would like to share with you the activities of ARI graduates who gathered at the conference. Although I am sure that behind the great deeds described, there were dozens of times more hardships hidden, I feel that the learning at ARI is indeed contributing to improving the lives of people in the community.
Let’s get started on our trip to Africa!
【An African journey to visit ARI graduates, Day 20-23 Part 2】
AFARI ARI Graduate Convening
The American Friends of ARI (AFARI) organized a convening of ARI graduates in tandem with the conference. In this way graduates could benefit from the resources of symposium and also learn, share and just get to know each other. Three participants of the AFARI Tarr Fellowship program were flown in – Saidath “Sailove” Murorunkwere (2020) from Rwanda, Patrick Kullie (2019) from Liberia, and Mambud Samai (2018) from Sierra Leone. Graduates in the region were also welcomed, with AFARI paying for the conference fees, lodging, and meals, while they managed their own transportation costs. Two joined from Zambia, John Nyondo (1983 / 1993 TA) and Judy Daka (2001). This is the couple that kindly drove us the height and width of their country just a week before. There were another six from Malawi – Venitta Kaduya (Veh) (2018), Cecilia Mpinga (2016), Ernest Maganga (2014), Enet Nkasikwa (2013), John Chinkhata (2013), and Fr. Njala Banda (MacDonald) (2010 / 2016 TA). John Nday (2010) from the DRC (but working in Mozambique) also signed up, but couldn’t make it because of visa delays. From outside of Africa there were Sherry DeLeon AFARI staff, Bev Abma AFARI board member, and Steven and Kai from ARI. There were 13 of us in total. Sorry for the jumble of complicated names. Don’t worry, there won’t be a test.
During the days we attended conference events, and in the evenings, met for discussion. This was AFARI’s second Graduate Convening (I think), and the first one I was a part of. I really appreciated the atmosphere of this gathering as it meshes perfectly and the goals of my work in graduate outreach which are “Bringing the ARI Family Together,” and “Building a Global Community of Learning.”
A few updates from a few ARI Graduates
Here I will share a few words from a few graduates. This is by no means a complete account of their work and some of it is a repeat from above. It is meant to be a tiny window peep into their lives. Don’t worry, though, if you want to know more, we also have video interviews up and coming! Yep, I’m gonna become an awesome video editor just for you, and because their amazing stories need to be shared!
Cecilia from Malawi
“If you have a goat, people think you are rich!” I jotted these words down because they enlightened me as to why she chose to start a goat project. By village standards it is a clear action of moving forward economically.
Ernest from Malawi
Ernest works for the Hygiene Village Project (HVP) as a Program Officer, a position to which he was promoted after his ARI training. Unfortunately, we missed seeing his work firsthand, due to cancelling our trip to Blantyre. As indicated by the name, this organization focuses on water sanitation and hygiene under the motto “Everyone forever.”
They introduce eco-san toilets and teach people the hygienic importance of not using anywhere in the bush as a bathroom. I recalled seeing signs around the area saying, “this is an open defecation free zone,” and Ernest said these were placed by HVP. They also dig boreholes to give people access to clean water sources. Many people still get their water directly from rivers, which causes all kinds of health problems. According to the Malawi National Vision, universal access to clean water and education should be available by 2030, and by 2063 every Malawian should have achieved a middle-class standard of living. Ernest noted the challenges of climate change, especially the desertification that is happening all across the country. “Nature is fighting back, now,” he stated, citing the massive destruction of Cyclone Freddy.
“I lead by example. I don’t stand around. I have to get involved.” With these words, Ernest emphasized the importance of the leadership training he got at ARI. Before ARI he would go to a village and perform a needs-based assessment. Essentially, he would go in and tell them what to do. Now, he sits with the villagers to analyze the problems, hear what they think, and develop a plan together. By this method, the people have more ownership of the project. This is the approach of PLA (Participatory Learning and Action) that he learned in Tomoko san（An ARI director）’s class.
“The gap between the people I am leading and me has narrowed,” continued Ernest. “If I just decide, command, and collect reports, the people don’t own the project. The leadership approach of ARI brings oneness of achievement, when we plan and work together. I am even influencing the top management to lead in this way, and it is gradually sinking in.”
Enet from Malawi
After ARI, Enet became a full-time farmer, supported by her husband and the whole family. Through farming, she can raise her family and spread her knowledge through the community.
Judy from Zambia
Judy trained “home based care workers” to administer TB pills to community members who had contracted TB. The reason for this is because, even if given medicine, people often won’t take it. Because of the work of these volunteer health workers, there is now no TB in the community!
John from Malawi
After hearing Judy’s TB achievement, John was excited to share his. When he was still with the Hygiene Village Project, he went to a place near Lake Malawi that had a high rate of cholera. After working with them to build latrines and drill boreholes there was not a single new cholera case. He repeated the same scenario in another area with 78 villages!
Mambud from Sierra Leone
Mambud’s Farming on Crutches program has reached 350 amputees around the country. Recently they had a comprehensive training session for 60 amputee farmers. The amputee football team he started about 20 years ago, called SLASA (Single Leg Amputee Sports Association), was the first amputee football team in all of Africa! They compete internationally and were even invited to an exhibition event at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Sailove from Rwanda
Sailove shared about her one chicken per child project which is modeled after a national program called One Cow per Family. She wanted to do something for children because “my childhood was not good.” She was orphaned during the genocide killing spree and after that she never smiled and rarely talked, due to the trauma. Seeing her now, you would never know this side of her. Hardly a moment can pass in her presence without seeing a smile.
The children are each given a chicken and an avocado tree to care for, with a goal of nurturing leaders for tomorrow. Any child can participate regardless of religion or tribal affiliation. “There is no discrimination,” says Sailove, placing great emphasis on that point. So far 100 children have been provided with chickens and avocado trees. This whole idea was initiated by Sailove, and her organization has been a big support.
On Saturdays 500 kids gather to learn farming, arts and crafts, and do bible studies. Sailove herself is Muslim but the organization she works in has a Christian basis. This program is meant to help keep kids, especially girls, in school rather than going to get married at a very young age.
“When I came back from ARI, I started to think big. My eyes were opened.” Sailove also started a reusable sanitary pad project. Using cotton fiber from banana fiber, they make washable sanitary pads that are much cheaper than disposable ones in the market and can be used for two years. This idea came from sanitary pad class she had at ARI.
She also excitedly spoke of starting organic farming and teaching her colleagues and community how to do composting. “Thank you, ARI, that I became an organic farmer.”
Patrick from Liberia
Patrick explained that before he went to ARI, he was a teacher inside the classroom, but after ARI he went outside to teach hands-on with the kids. His first project was called “farming for education” in which he taught children how to grow small gardens to raise money for school fees. This later inspired the raised bed nurseries he presented about.
With money from the Tarr Fellowship he is starting vocational training for women and was able to buy an addition six sewing machines to add to the three they already had. He is also teaching them casava and vegetable production.
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】
Vol.20 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 20-23 Part 2】<== Now, you’re here
Vol.21 【The African journey to visit ARI graduates Day 24-26】To Be Continued …
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】
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】
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】
At the Asian Rural Institute (ARI), winter is in full swing, and the weather has been bringing its own quiet charm to the campus. The crisp air and changing scenery remind us of the beauty of nature in this season. Whether it’s the frost on the fields or the stillness of the mornings, there’s something peaceful about this time of year.
As we enjoy these winter days, we’re also looking forward to April, when a new group of participants will join the ARI community. Their arrival is always an exciting time, bringing fresh energy and new perspectives to our shared work and learning.
For now, we’re making the most of the season’s simple joys while preparing for the months ahead. From all of us at ARI, we hope you’re enjoying this season as much as we are!
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】
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