Fiskani: April 2009 Archives

The SolarAid team in Malawi will have one man less after the departure of one of the volunteers, Carl van Zand, who has been re-deployed to Argentina to help establish another micro-solar project.

Carl came to Malawi in February 2008 and he almost made it his home due to the warm and cordial relationship he enjoyed with the warm-hearted people of Malawi.

Carl and I in Mzuzu, Malawi

Carl made numerous friends and was much loved by the people in the villages where he frequently went to train local groups in micro-solar assembling and marketing.

Because of his humility and understanding of the African cultures, he had no problem mixing with local people. He respected the people around him and was also eager to learn one or two things from them. No wonder then, when it was announced that he is leaving the country, many people became disappointed. But when a farewell get-together, representatives of our partner groups saluted him for his wonderful work and wished him well in Argentina.

Carl has been a strong pillar of the Malawian project. Without pretence, his departure is regrettable but we take solace in the fact that the local people have absorbed his technical knowledge and are able to apply it practically. For Carl, leaving the Malawi project at this stage is like a dad leaving his baby when it has just started crawling. He came, he worked and he delivered. I hope that one day he will have a chance to come to Malawi again to see the fruits of his contribution. We will miss him very much and we wish him all the best in Argentina.

Earlier this week, I started telling the story of Edess Mhoni. The end is a happy one, thanks to SolarAid.

After receiving a loan, Edess started a business selling dried fish, beans, kerosene and eggs. She would order some of her merchandise- like paraffin- from Mzuzu, a return trip costing K1400 (about £7). This business was not reliable because the supply of paraffin is not guaranteed.

"Sometimes I'd go to Mzuzu to find that the suppliers had run out paraffin. It is frustrating because you end up buying from vendors at an exorbitant price. I, in turn, increased my selling price back home to maintain profit levels which results into the customer paying more and very few of them can afford to buy. It's no longer a lucrative business".

Micro-solar training helps carve the way
When Edess heard that SolarAid would be training entrepreneurs in the area in micro-solar business, she did not hesitate to express her interest to join the bandwagon of micro-solar business trainees.

Edess saw a big opportunity to diversify her business.

"When I saw the micro-solar products, I was convinced that my life would change for the better once I start selling them. The coming of SolarAid in our area is a huge blessing to us. No organisation has ever offered such an opportunity to vulnerable women like me before. I cannot let such an opportunity slip through my fingers".

Increased income, better quality of life
Edess now hopes that the micro-solar business will boost her income levels thereby helping her to buy the much-needed food supplements that will keep her healthy and strong as she continues taking her anti-retrovirals.
"Without doubt, my business will pick up with these micro-solar products that SolarAid will supply to our group. This has just come at the right time when a lot of people need light at night to process their tobacco in readiness for the market. Tobacco farming is very common here. They will provide a ready market for the products. Besides, the solar light will help my own children as well to study at night and do well in school".

Edess is not the only woman in need of this assistance to stand on their own. There are several of them out there. You and I can make the difference by extending our helping hand. Please donate whatever you can afford, so that someone somewhere is assisted just like Edess.