Catherine in Malawi: October 2014

MOTHER'S DAY

Malawi celebrated Mother's Day on Wednesday, 15th October. A public holiday, a nice day to chill out with friends and family. This mother's day was different from last year's, in area 3 hosting a Bray on our compound. This year I decided to do something creative with the Saturday afterschool club in area 11. As part of the teaching taught and showed them how to be creative, with art making their first ever card. A mother's day card for their mothers. It was great fun they all loved the exercise and took it seriously, even the pre-school infants.

There has been an enormous change in the attitude of the children towards learning following my long discussion, emphasising the importance of education to them, they have changed and the change is evident. In their behaviour towards each and towards me. No longer have the attitude of just turning up to eat and disappear. The children are on time for classes, they set up, commencing with an 'ice-breaker' singing, helping the pre-school infants recite and learn their alphabets. The change attitude of these children has greatly impressed me to want to do more for them.

A few weeks back I called for a meeting to meet some of the parents of the children, call it parent teacher consultation. The objective of the exercise to meet with the parents, discuss their child(ren)'s progress. For the parents to also know me, who I am and what I am doing, very important. It was also an opportunity for me to learn more about them, what, aspirations they have for their children, if any. Again emphasising the importance of education and asking the parents who turned up to do the best for their child(ren) by encouraging them to actively learn and become a better generation children, getting out of poverty. Being passionate about children and family, I wrote an article on the importance of education which pleased to say was published in the Malawian National Newspaper, 'Nation on Sunday', in September.

The mother's day cards was a hit with winning cards receiving monitory prizes. The cards were judge under three categories; senior, primary and pre-school. for first prize for the senior children - MK 200.00; second place - MK 100.00 and third place MK50.00 Kwacha. Primary children ; MK 100.00, MK 50.00 and MK 30.00. The pre-school children however, all received MK20 (Kwacha), for trying - motivating them to work harder each time.

The parents I spoke to afterwards were very happy and impressed by the creativity of their children. The next activity will be making Christmas cards. Currently looking into sourcing reading books for the children.

I have five star pupils which I plan to support with education; two senior girls; three primary aged children - two girls and a boy. I can say I am very proud of the children for what they have become and achieving, also proud of what I have done with them too.