Taking Back Lives - Blog

2011-03-19T09:49:00.004-04:00

Hello Everyone,
I apologize it's been so incredibly long since I've updated you all via our blog. Taking Back Lives has had an incredible last 6 months, with many exciting things to update you all on, but first, I'd like to announce our first Rock Out for a Cause fundraiser April 8th at Lakewood Ranch High.

Featuring:
We The Kings
New City Lions
Tigerweather
Speedwell
Skyline Summer
Dangerfield
Lion Choir

The first 400 people to register will receive a free event t-shirt. If you're in the Bradenton-Sarasota area, we'd love to have you! This event has lots of potential to raise a ton of awareness and funding for Taking Back Lives, as well as help other local charities receive the tangible items they need to function here locally.

For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit: http://rockoutforacause.com

I'll be sure to update you all via our blog on some of our other exciting news! I'm happy to report, we already have raised the funds to build another two classrooms this summer! The plane ticket is already booked and I look forward to being back in Malawi May 25th to August 4th. Having learned a lot about technology use last summer, and what does and doesn't work in Africa, I'll be bringing technology that will hopefully allow us to update you more regularly throughout the trip!

2010-08-26T09:00:00.000-04:00

Thursday, August 26, 2010
The Return: Day 1

As I woke from my double sized bed for the first time in three months, I could not help but think about the orphans I grew close to on the other side of the world. With no mattress, warm clothes, or blankets, there's hardly a way for them to keep warm at night. They woke from their slumber on a cold, dirt floor. No mattress. No blankets. Just them, the floor and their brothers and sisters trying to huddle together for warmth.

(some of the people on my mind)

The thought of this surprisingly does not depress me. It inspires me. It inspires me to do more. To watch over every penny spent, to ensure that every dollar raised is used for the maximum benefit of these kids we're trying to help. Pennies are not mere pennies to them. It's a matter of life and death. Help or no help. Blankets or no blankets. Pennies go a lot further there then they do here. Every cent matters.

We're working right now to write a recap of the trip and plan to give you all an update as a group. We're meeting Saturday, so the recap should come by Monday morning. For now, some pictures of the finished block.

Working with the Right People Makes All the Difference

2010-08-10T20:32:00.001-04:00

The last few days, I have been blessed with the opportunity to spend some quality time with Edward Mphandi, the headmaster at Mazembe Primary, where we are constructing our block. I am so glad he is our headmaster. He has been such a pleasure to work with. From taking time a few days a week to teach us the local language, to organizing the students to clear some land for a school garden, and, most recently, organizing the local villagers to prepare bricks for the classroom block we'll be building next year (20,000 bricks and counting. They plan to be finished preparing the bricks before I leave). In my time here, I've learned that working with the right people makes all the difference in the world between success and failure. I am so glad that we have the pleasure of partnering with Edward and the community of Mazembe to help improve the quality of education for this and future generations.

Tonight, Denis Chilimba is coming into town for a few days, as I introduce him to the community of Mazembe. If all goes well, he will become the director of a Community Development Program we plan to roll out next year. Denis is a headmaster down in Zomba (a good 12 hour bus ride away, of which he's on right now, at 2am). Denis is an incredible person as well. He is currently the headmaster of the highest ranked primary school in the country, with a passing rate of 100%. In a country where the majority of primary schools are passing at best 25% of their students, Denis has fought hard to get government funding, and fought even harder to keep his students in school where they have the opportunity to better their own lives. He is currently planning on leaving Zomba, the city he has lived, worked and grew up in his whole life (and where he quite literally has tought about everyone in town over the past 30 years), to oversee our community development program because he believes in what we are doing.

I am excited about the potential to bring Denis on to mentor Edward and direct our programs here year round. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to work with these incredible individuals who are giving so much of their time and effort to see their children have a brighter future.

As for the classroom block, it is nearly finished, with plastering and roofing being done this week. I hope to see it with the finished coat of paint before I leave. (Pictures to come tomorrow)

2010-08-01T07:20:00.000-04:00

Muzungu (Gringo being the Spanish equivalent) time is a concept lost to most Africans. So it was really no surprise to us for our 1pm meeting with the chief of Mazembe to start around 3pm and include “the people of the village” equaling over 100 people.

We sat under a large tree which is the African equivalent to Starbucks as a typical meeting place in the late afternoon. It would be the last meeting for Nina and I as we are scheduled to head out tomorrow and although tired from spending the last several hours waiting for the villagers to trickle in, there was sentiment at the thought that this would be our last community meeting. The chief started the meeting by welcoming us and having us introduce ourselves and Taking Back Lives. Two hours later, we were asked to share our vision of the community development program we plan to implement a year from now. So, on the spot with 100s of pairs of foreign eyes looking expectantly at us, rays of sunlight filing through the branches of the tall tree that attempted to provide us shade, and a translator nearby, ready to convert our American-accented English into Chitonga, Nina, Dan, and I explained our vision for the program.

Dan went first. I followed. As I stood and thanked the community for welcoming us, I began to explain the importance of health education in preventing disease as opposed to merely providing treatment. For someone who strongly dislikes public speaking, there was something about the situation that gave me power and ease. As I continued, my moment was soon lost as the translator cut in to remind me “No, no, no. That wont work. You speak short fragments, and I translate”. Slightly embarrassed, I managed to start over and get my point across, slightly less empowered as before.

The response of the community was so eager and so enthusiastic that it felt like it was the perfect conclusion to our experience here over the past month. There have certainly been highs and lows as is typical in Africa, as you go from the joy of seeing how TBL has already had such a positive effect on a community that once felt hopeless, to the frustration of realizing how massive the need is and how limited we are at times to help everyone. But nonetheless, the community of Mazembe continues to bring us hope as we press on to the future of our organization.

As stated, Nina and I will begin our journey back home tomorrow afternoon. However, even as we re-enter our old lives, I'm confident in the fact that we will hold true to what we have been told countless times by the community to “not forget them or their situation”.

2010-07-29T08:50:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, I interviewed a boy in Form 1 named Victor who is an orphan, like so many students here. He lives with his grandparents, one of which is handicapped. They do not have jobs besides farming in their field. Victor walks for 2 hours to get to school every day. He watches football but does not play because he is afraid of breaking his legs. His goal is to study and practice medicine in England. The struggles of the children we meet are difficult to listen to, but their hardships are shared by their peers and friends. They have accepted it as a way of life.
Cassie and I are sitting at Kande Market eating peanuts and Mandazis and drinking soda out of glass bottles [real old school!] wasting time before another meeting at 1PM. As a side note, as I am writing this blog in my notebook, about 17 local kids have gathered around us. They are just standing, watching us and fighting for space [count update: 30+ kids]. Cassie has made a new pen pal BFF and we've been harassed for our pens and notebooks. The wooden drum strapped to Cassie's bike has been broken in by 3 mischievious boys who simultaneously gave us a mocking dance show to solicit a response from the two tired muzungu girls. We met with the chief of Mazembe today and the Mazembe community. We introduced our plan for the agriculture portion of our community development program and they were very excited about and welcoming to the plan. We spent Sunday and Monday in Nkhata Bay which is definitely a destination for future visitors! PS- check out Aqua Africa. Tomorrow marks the last day Cassie and I will spend at Mwaya Beach. Saturday we head to Lilongwe and then Monday we make our way back to the states. This has been such an amazing experience! Thank you TBL!

2010-07-20T01:48:00.002-04:00

"We know that it is not only you three and that you have others behind you. Tell them that the people of Mazembe appreciate them and that we now have hope."

The cheif's eyes shone brightly as he spoke with the other members of the school board nodding their heads in agreement as they sat on plastic chairs underneath a tree, overlooking the school block in construction. Our trips to Malawi can oftentimes be frustrating as the need can seem overwhelming. But at that moment, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as to what everyone involved with Taking Back Lives over the past several years has accomplished. Coming from a country such as America, it is sometimes hard to imagine the impact that one double classroom block can leave on a community. But to a school where half the students must resort to sitting outside in the dirt to learn, the half-constructed pile of bricks laying outside brings mountains of hope to the community.

We arrived in Mwaya on Friday afternoon after a grueling 8 ½ hour bus trip. The bus trip could accurately be described in three letters, TIA (This is Africa). We made the mistake of taking a seat up front where upon luggage was piled up until it resembled an African version of the leaning tower of Pisa whereby at any pothole (of which there were many) we were threatened by the probability of it all crashing down. The bus had a seating capacity of 60 and standing capacity in the aisle of 35, but this hardly included chickens, babies, and dead fish, of which there were many, but alas, after the long bus trip, we finally made it to Mwaya where we will spend the duration of our trip.

During our first week here, we have been very busy meeting with school boards, PTA's, headmasters, chiefs, etc. in an attempt to develop a scholarship fund and community development program in addition to establishing out presence in the Mazembe community so that we can work together with the implementation of our future plans. Not to mention our oversight of the school construction, whereby the initial pile of bricks seems to transform into what looks like a classroom block more and more each day. Its been an exciting process and we are estimated to have the structure finished by the time we leave in two weeks. We promised the construction crew a party with pizza and Kuche Kuche (local beer) if this is accomplished, so they have lots of incentive.

Its been a very exciting last couple of weeks and above all, I wish to thank everyone who has played any kind of role in TBL over the last few years to, as the headmaster put it, "make this dream a reality".

-Cassie

First Impressions

2010-07-08T15:19:00.001-04:00

"Do you have the cookies?"
"Yes. Do you have the chocolate?"
"Yes."
"Good."

As Dan would say it, this will be our last night in civilization as we
spend our last evening in Lilongwe.
Our departing feast: Dan and David devoured their plates of beef, rice
and African curry while Cassie and I felt content in munching on our
Malawian special S'mores around a campfire in the dark.
I was fortunate enough to experience the 'African nod' on my first
night here in Malawi which is a moment so memorable that it will
define future moments.

We sat at a restaurant and attempted to order a pizza that is half
ham and mushroom, half ham (since I am the vegetarian of the group).
The server looked at Cassie with such affirmative conviction that we
were quite certain that this man grasped the concept of a 'half ham'
pizza. Rather than delivering what was promised to us by his nod and
"Yes, yes", we received a pizza that was half ham and mushroom, and
half mushroom with these two big slices of ham...which clearly was
half ham, quite literally.

I'm enjoying my first trip in Malawi tremendously and have so much
more to say than what I can ever put into a blog. We drove to Zomba
after a night in Lilongwe and met with Dennis. Cassie and Dan met
Dennis on their last trip to Malawi. He is the headmaster of a primary
school in a village on the outskirts of Zomba with a tremendously
successful passing rate – 100% this past year. We are hoping to employ
Dennis to head the community development program we are currently
researching. In our conversations with Dennis, he seemed very excited
to be a part of the program just as we are very excited to possibly
bringing him abroad. He has an amazing will to help others succeed and
has a beautiful talent to rally people into action, which is exactly
what we need.

Today we met with a representative from UNICEF and discussed ways to
keep children and adults in school, as well as tactics to mobilize the
community in which we want to implement our community development
program. I think we received amazing advice from Panji Chamdimba and
had a great conversation which has sparked more ideas and a possible
future with UNICEF.

Once we arrive at Ripple Africa in Nhkata Bay tomorrow afternoon, I
will begin talking to members of the Mwaya community as well as local
community leaders such as the chief, teachers and headmasters, local
doctors and church leaders as well as adults and children so that we
can design a program that will mold to the local community.

- Nina

2010-07-04T01:50:00.012-04:00

Friday, July 2, 2010
Anticipating Great Things

This is one of the hardest updates I've ever had to do not because progress isn't being made, but because I've got so much to cover. The last two weeks or so have been filled with many disappointments and encouragements. Last Saturday we went to watch the U.S. vs Ghana World Cup game at a local house that had a generator and a TV. After about an hour, my wallet got uncomfortable, so I took it out of my back pocket and set it between my legs. As you know the US lost. Frustrated with the outcome of the game, I left quickly to avoid the taunting that had already begun, leaving my wallet behind.

The next morning I realized I left it behind and went straight back to the house. After having to explain what a wallet was, the boys said they hadn't seen one, so we continued to make our way around the village, asking everyone who was in attendance the night before if they had seen it. As we made our way around, even stopping by the local "African Doctor"(aka witchdoctor) to ask their advice (not my idea), we began to hear rumors that the boys were headed off to Kande, a local town where you can exchange foreign currency. Immediately, I knew they had my wallet. We made our way to Kande and found the boys in the market. They admitted they had found the wallet, but had thrown it into the bushes because they were afraid that the villagers would beat them because they found it without any money in it. I told them this was ridiculous and asked them to show us where they had put the wallet. On our bike ride back, I noticed one of them had a bulge in their cargo pant pocket. Asking them to stop and empty their pockets, we found 2000 kwacha. They said they had earned it from selling cassava chips (a local treat) at the school. I didn't count the wad of cash at the time, as I hadn't gotten my wallet back yet. When we arrived back at their house, they pulled the wallet out of the bush, and indeed there was no cash in it. Frustrated, I began to ask them what they were doing in Kande, as it didn't make any sense, outside of exchanging cash, for them to go there. At this time, the boys parents came over. As it is cultural here, we sat down in their house to discuss the disagreement. As the boys pitched their case, and my team of interpreters repeated mine, I had the time to count the kwacha and do some math in my head. Then it clicked. There was no way the boys would've made 2000 kwacha (about 2 months wage here, or $12 USD), and if they had, they'd have it locked away in their house and not their pocket, as this is quite a savings here. I had my conclusion interpreted to their parents and they agreed. The boys were caught. The parents were extremely embarrassed. And I was frustrated that I was lied to. Luckily, the money lost wasn't a substantial amount and the wallet had been recovered. The parents apologized profusely and it was up to me to determine a punishment. Unsure what would be appropriate, I told them I'd get back to them, but wished to somehow turn this negative into a positive. As is customary with all disputes that arise in the village, the chief requested to schedule a meeting with me the next day. Frustrated with not only the situation, but also lots of other things I had seen in my short time here, I sat down to write out what I wanted to discuss with the chief. The following is a short story I wrote to help the villagers understand what I was feeling:

There was a farmer who was given an incredibly sweet cassava. One that would surely produce more and taste very good. Unfortunately, he was only given a few seeds, enough to plant only a very small amount. "That's OK," he thought. "I will simply plant these seeds, let them grow and when these plants bear seeds, I will collect them to produce more. Then I will have enough to plant an entire field of this yummy goodness." (not sure how yummy goodness translated)

Unfortunately, the farmer was an unskilled farmer, having previously been a fisherman. He was unaware he needed to clear the land before he planted the seeds. Not knowing this, he simply scattered the seeds amongst a field of thorns that was near his house. Eventually, the seeds began to grow into small plants. There was much hope for them and the new farmer was excited about his successes. The farmer continued to water and nurture his plants, but they stopped growing, and had yet to produce seeds. Eventually, they started to die. The farmer, frustrated and disappointed, decided to leave to go back to fishing, figuring he was never going to be a successful farmer. Little did he know the success he could have had if he had just cleared the field of the thorn bushes before he planted his precious seeds. Had he done that, the seeds would've produced thousands of seeds, because you see, the thorn bushes had suffocated the new plants, taking away any water and nutrients that would've made the plants continue to grow.

This is merely a story to help you understand what we, RIPPLE and Taking Back Lives, is trying to do here in this community. We have very limited resources and there is an incredible need, but the thorns that exist is what is holding all of us back. We want to be able to help you all out of poverty, but we don't have enough to help everyone, so we choose to help the few we can, hoping that the seeds they bear will enable us to help others. When we help the few we are able to, those of you who didn't get the help get jealous and take the things we've given them. It's not just the money that was lost in a wallet, it's the punches thrown at a soccer match because your team lost, the kid who was beat up because his family brought home a mattress, the chief who complains we're helping one community over another. Our goal is to help you all, but we simply don't have enough seeds. The jealousy that you have for one another is the thorns that are holding us back. When we help someone, do not be jealous. It means we're trying to obtain seeds to help you all, be joyous, be helpful, don't let jealousy continue to destroy the work we are trying to do for you all.

The next day, I sat down with the chief and shared with him this story. He was impressed and very much understood that jealousy is a big issue in the community. During the meeting, I also discussed Taking Back Lives plans for the community development program and how I'd have two colleagues coming out in a week or two to research this. Excited about the prospect of a program in his village, and agreeing that jealousy needed to be addressed, the chief setup a meeting with the community.

This meeting was yesterday and went better then ever expected. The community also agreed that jealousy was a problem, and saw how it was preventing development from flourishing. They, too, were also excited about the prospect of a community development program that they decided to start an adult literacy class at the local primary school so they could learn English and be ready for when we have the funding to start a community development program. This class is going to be taught voluntarily by one of the translators who helped initially with my wallet situation. I am continually amazed by this community. This has all primarily been driven by them and truly shows their eagerness to better their own lives through education. I plan to setup meetings with other area chiefs to share my story and discuss setting up additional adult literacy classes in their communities.

As for the classroom block, construction is coming along great. We finished the floor yesterday and started erecting walls this morning. We are currently four full days ahead of schedule and have all our supplies outside of steel roofing panels and beams, so we should be able to remain ahead, if not get even further ahead of schedule. I'm also very excited to pick up Cassie and Nina on Sunday at the airport. The next few blogs will be about our travels and discoveries, as we further research how to help this community develop.

Isaac, one of my interpretors, voluntarily teaching a class^

2010-06-21T16:05:00.002-04:00

Monday, June 21, 2010

A Foundation to Stand Upon

Today, the foundation was completed. Construction here takes time. I originally thought the foundation we dug last week would be entirely filled with cement, as we do in America. However, this is not America, this is Africa. Instead, a six inch layer of concrete and stones was poured into the trenches, upon which a thirty-six inch wall was erected on top of. Then the exterior walls were plastered. As you can imagine, this all took much longer then I had originally envisioned. But non-the-less a foundation is in the ground. Tomorrow we begin laying the steel and brick that will reinforce the floor of the classrooms. I've learned that construction here is like stepping into a time before all forms of machinery and everything is built with with your hands. It's been quite an experience learning how you do things when you don't have things like cement trucks and cranes.

I'm sure you are all more interested in learning more about the people and the students whom we are helping with these classrooms then the actual construction itself. I have had an incredible time getting to know the local people and am still learning how they live life on a day to day basis. I have learned that life here can be incredibly frustrating at times. However, it's been amazing to experience how the people here are able to focus on the things that truly matter. They don't get upset with their circumstances, but rather care more about spending time with their family and friends. I've developed some incredible friendships in a short amount of time. My next few blogs will be dedicated to introducing you all to these amazing people.

2010-06-10T05:08:00.004-04:00

Thursday, June 10, 2010
Something in the Ground

After two long years, Taking Back Lives can officially say we have something in the ground here in Malawi. The last two days have been spent digging the foundation of the school and today we are finally pouring the concrete. As one can imagine, construction here takes much longer then in America. Everything is done by hand. Shovel full after shovel full, we're finally ready to pour the concrete.

It's been incredibly exciting, as the students have returned to school this week (there was a national holiday last week, so there was no school the entire week), they are all very enthusiastic about their new school block and are continually saying "thank you" every time I stop into one of their classrooms during a break in the construction process. To see their faces and the joy they get from a simple "Hello" from the "Azungoo" (white person) makes this whole two year process worth it. I'm very excited to share with you all in this process and wish that you could all be here to experience the hope that you all have given. It's simply amazing and awe inspiring to be doing this.

Again, thank you for being a part of this. No words can express the thanks that these students and their parents have for what you have done for them.

The First Stake A Piece of the Excitement The footers that are being filled today!

(I've taken several hundred photos and about 3 hours of video so far, but unfortunately, due to slow connection speeds, I've only been able to upload a few photos. I'll be sure to share everything when I get home.)

2010-06-03T06:04:00.001-04:00

Wednesday, June 2, 2010 6/2/10
Anticipation

Someone at Tampa International has a sense of humor. As I walked to my gate early Monday morning to begin my trek to Malawi, the PA system was playing the song Anticipation by The Temptations... I don't think a better word could have described the moment for me. After 2 years of fund-raising, here I was about to embark upon a 3 month journey to construct a classroom block. The opportunity of a lifetime was before me. To say the least, it was a moment I anticipated.

In the 48 hours since, I have successfully made my way to Mwaya Beach, the home of RIPPLE Africa, where I will be spending my next 3 months. Having traveled half a world away, crossing the Atlantic Ocean, stopping in 3 nations on 2 continents along the way, it is nice to finally be settled in.

Tomorrow I will travel to the Mazembe Primary School to discuss where the block will be laid out, inspect the construction materials that have arrived and to check on the status of the remaining orders. I am unsure when we'll actually break ground, but it is surely a moment we are all anticipating.

2010-05-25T09:02:00.015-04:00

Tuesday, May 25, 2010
1 Week

ONE week from today I will be touching down in Lilongwe, Malawi. It seems too surreal. After two years of pouring our blood, sweat and tears into our fundraising efforts to help some of the poorest people in the world, I am about to embark on a 3 month journey to construct a school for their children to have a better tomorrow. I sit here amazed at the efforts of all those who have made this trip possible. First to Kay Yoder, our executive director at Taking Back Lives, no one will ever know how much she has sacrificed to see this dream become a reality. To Cassandra, our founder, who has spent endless hours researching how to best help these kids. To all the students who came out to our events. To the walkers who raised nearly $10,000. To the campers who raised nearly $5,000. To the ball persons who have helped raise $12,000. Thank you! You will never know how much hope you have given to these children and their parents. Through your efforts, Taking Back Lives is able to provide a fully equipped classroom block to enable the students who attend the Mazembe Primary School to better their own lives.

I'm excited to be able to partake in this journey and honored to oversee this process. I do not take my responsibility lightly. I owe it to all of you to keep you up to date on the results of your hard work. I intend to post weekly updates, however due to the unreliable nature of the internet and electricity in Malawi, I can only promise to post bi-weekly at best. Please subscribe to this blog if you'd like to receive these updates. I will also be bringing a video camera, laptop, and lots and lots of film to do my best to capture this pinnacle moment in our efforts.

Thanks to you, the bricks have been made, the timber's been cut, and the concrete has been ordered.
The only thing left is to construct the school.

the "classroom" we're replacing

Taking Back Lives - Blog

Thursday, August 26, 2010The Return: Day 1

Working with the Right People Makes All the Difference

First Impressions

Friday, July 2, 2010Anticipating Great Things