2 weeks triumph, mums arrival and departure

Me and mum sitting on top of Zomba Plateau at Queens View

 Mums dutch directness, comments and general thoughts on anything will always blow me away. I instantly took her to my friend’s slightly better more upmarket house for dinner as I knew she would be a bit shocked to see my room and outdoor facilities.

My room has mum in the doorway

The long list of questions shot and flew around the room considering she had been on a tiresome long haul flight from England. It was all very humorous, she threw comments like:

‘Wow, you have electricity in your home’ which confirmed her inner thoughts about Malawi.

I understood she was on holiday but similarly knew it would be a good change for her to see the communities, hard work, happiness and achievements. We went to the 2 building sites within the Landirani Trust and she observed the work while I made her shake hands with every single person on site. This was the general Malawian greeting and living in Malawi I soon learnt how important it was to say hello to each individual and ask them:

Mulli bwanji? How are you?

Ndilli bwino kuyinu? I am fine how are you?

Ndilli bwino. Zikomo. I am fine, thank you.    It seem’s very repetitive when you start but as time goes on you realise the significant importance. After greetings you then start the day’s work, checking the activities of people, making sure experienced people were teaching younger people and moving some people around to make certain priority jobs faster.

Our first stop was building a rammed earth office in Njewa.

Adobe bag guard house

 Nothing was ever going to be normal that day, many spontaneous things happen all the time in Malawi but these actions were definitely exceptional. The spiritual tribal characters of the gulu wankulus were running up the road. Fully clothed with different rags I thought it best to take a picture as a memory for my mum.

Gulu wankulu's

They saw us taking the photo and immediately surrounded our car and banged on the windows for money. I had never once been in this situation in my whole 2 years living in the chichewa central region where there were large numbers of gulu wankulus. Some say they are: spiritual ancestors that rise from the dead. Others have described them as a tribe that forms in the woods for boys to assemble and celebrate the turning from youth to teenage years.

The literal translation of gulu wankulu means a big dance. Any ceremony in the village will collect these gulu wankulus’ to perform at the wedding, funeral or child to adulthood celebration. People will dance with a mask to hide their identity.

The different jobs on site and mums interest to help pump water into the ladies buckets at the borehole ended in chaos as a typhoon swarmed across the village behind the site.

Everyone collects at the water borehole

Typhoon sweeping the village

 It built up in strength and the thatch from people’s rooves was seen in the air. The ladies at the borehole were shrieking in one tone raising their arms in an act to try and calm the storm. The wind had destroyed 5 houses in this 1 village where all of our workers lived.

After reiterating some main pointers about the adobe earth building we left for the next Landirani project 8km from the Lilongwe Kamuzu International airport. More greetings and new faces came into contact. Mum struggled with the greeting phrase after greeting more than 36 people that day. I faced facts Chichewa was not such an easy language for beginners!

Workshop filled with frames ready for current our current builds

 The holiday then began. We hired a car to allow us to go and investigate Malawi. I had never seen far south so this was my opportunity to take mum to places I had never been. Our first stop was Zomba. I was very impressed with the trails of light coming through the tree plantations on the mountains.

Zomba plateau forest

There was a beautiful landscape. I enjoyed being very active in the mornings and planning things me and mum could do while she was asleep then going out with her and doing them. This worked well as my energy levels would balance when mum rose. We were very lucky to step into the 50^th year anniversary of Haile Salaisie having visited Emporers view on the top of Zomba plateau.

Ethiopian visitors at Emporers view

 There was drumming and many rastafarians gathered from all over Malawi for the important day. This was also a great time to visit as we didn’t have to walk so far. We managed to find space in a car both up and down the plateau although we then realised we had missed the Queen of England’s arrival, Queen Elizabeth had arrived at Zomba Plateau in 1957 so they specifically named the spot Queen's view.

Mulunguzi Dam

Our next stop was Liwonde National Park. I had never been in such a peaceful place.

Liwonde National Park

We had to catch a boat to the middle of the island and we were instantly engrossed watching all the wildlife, hippos, crocodiles, impala, baboons, warthogs and hundreds of different exotic birds.  Everything sat in harmony: the wild animals grazing on the bottom level, some raised timber platforms above where we would sit lavishing on delicious food and tea.

Liwonde wildlife

Liwonde wildlife

The timber lodge huts glistened with the reflection of varnish and the elephants joined us one morning. It was unique and what seems now like pure serenity.

Elephant on our veranda, morning alarm clock

Every good time must end and from then on I explained to mum that was a treat and she musn’t compare anything to that up market place! After taking our time to see HELP school in Liwonde we crept into Cape Maclear after dark. I managed to drive into the wrong turning and the people in the village again enclosed around the car. Unlike the gulu wankulus’ it was due to lack of space on the sandy roads. We had to wait for a car to move which took about 10 minutes and I could sense mum was anxious. During these times I must reiterate there was never any problems or reasons for discomfort. It was just the chaos going on in a compacted unknown environment that seemed so dissimilar and diverse from the normal scene on a UK street. This energy among the people gives me a buzz that I want to try and hold on forever. I could tell my mum was somewhat confused with my choices in life.

Apart from the power cut on arrival everything turned smooth sailing. We rested on the famous Lake Malawi for 5 days. We were both hooked on our books and met some lovely people at Gecko lounge. After a trip to Thumbi Island, catching fish, feeding fish eagles, snorkeling and all other activities I could tell mum was more relaxed. 

Fish eagle sweeping the Cape waters

Me

Mum

Slowly we crept out of tourism and into the village behind where I often stayed with my boyfriend, Winston. He got to meet the first family member who had come out to Malawi. I could tell this was a very big event for him as he treated my mum like a queen!  It was great for reality to set and for 2 such important characters of my life to meet.  This was another type of paradise for me as happiness spread through all activities.

Winston

 Our last stop was Ntchitse Forest Lodge. It was slightly out of the way but this biodiversity girl Jess had explained this was one of the most incredible places because of the section of rainforest, the last one here in Malawi. She was right, the vague directions and unsure decisions we had to make while racing the time of sundown was worth it. As we arrived, this time just before dark, the layers of orange and misty mountains prepared me for the thick forests and views the next morning.

Ntchitse Forest

 Again I chased the orange rising of the sun at the crack of dawn and found joy climbing and dropping down the steep screes of the forests. There was a great sensation when I stepped over many unmoved tree trunks that had collapsed and stayed in their natural setting, still, where they had once fallen. Untouched.

The last rainforest in Malawi, Ntchitse

I had lived in the city full of dust but with communities of lively friendly people, but now I realised the potential and just how beautiful Malawi (what we would call) countryside really was.

Walking Ntchitse Forest

Natural Beauty

Forest colours

My highlights have got to be:

Mum’s views having spent 2 weeks in Malawi : saying Malawi people were relaxed, friendly, peaceful, laid back, resourceful and content.

Taking a photo of some guys selling African sausage on sticks, on the side of the main road coming into Lilongwe. I didn’t have any change so I knowingly gave them a larger note, their excitement and smiles made my day. And yes, they are mice.

Mum’s spontaneity going to Ntchitse Forest Lodge last minute as she did not want to stay in my boys quarters room!

Mum bringing over PG tips triangular English tea bags
And ofcourse mum managed to find a classroom with headteacher training. I could tell she was in her comfort zone once again.

M' Bangombe Headteacher training run by a Goverment official

 Thanks mum, it was a great 2 weeks and I hope you can encourage the next Rowsell rabble (as my dad would say) to come and visit.  This is Malawi, if the photos don't make you want to visit I don't know what will. (perhaps the strength of the english pound is a bonus for you all too!)

Sundown at Liwonde National Park

Beautiful baobab tree in view leaving Cape Maclear

Returning from my other world

My return from the UK to Malawi was warm and welcoming. Our village, named Sam’s Village (8km from the Kamuzu International Airport) greeted myself and George (work colleague) with a poster made out of connected maize bags and writing. 

This was now my home. It was an incredible journey of reflection and learning back in the UK. A well-deserved break, if I may say so myself! I collected inspiration from my slightly confused more cultured mind and direction / advice for my path ahead. My main worry was if my role as the architect for the NGO Landirani Trust would be taken seriously and seen as professional in the ‘Western world’. I called up my tutor from Oxford Brookes University who then said ‘What is professionalism? I sighed in relief knowing I had learnt so many different roles including budgeting and project management. I had written many notes that I would collaborate into work diaries from my past and present experiences.  

Yes I was happy in Malawi. I had taken the plunge and my job satisfaction levels are still rewarding despite the everyday challenges of culture and hierarchies. I have continued drawing buildings to be erected this year. Our environmental training village has expanded. I helped to finish:

Visitors Accommodation: I helped to site manage and finish this build taken over from a guy called Simon Zipata Gates, He designed the house to have the first curved rammed wall in the region.

Visitors Accommodation

 Library: George Phiri was working alongside building the first community library in the whole region. This is nearly filled with donated books from all over the world!

Community Library with bottle wall

 Compost toilet: After realising there were plastic bottles coming from the aeroplanes off the 7 flights a day I started cycling across to collect them to be used as a building material. The rainwater is collected and stored off the roof. 

Plastic bottle compost toilet

Workshop: This was our first 2 storey earth build with a welcoming inward slanted wall and viewing section above. 

Workshop

Training Accommodation: Another 2 storey build with narrow tall windows (better for structural stability) to follow the sun rising and setting paths.

Our aim is to create opportunities training people in vocational skills. Many people can visit and stay for a price that will reimburse back into the running of the project. The buildings work hand in hand with the landscaping and permaculture which is grown with many different types of plants to promote nutrition in the surrounding villages. It will also be a commercial farm in the future once we have secured the irrigation system to gain money for the running costs.

I have struggled to try and build a plastic bottle wind turbine (after gaining inspiration from reading the book, the boy who harnessed the wind). This highlights the need for improvement in my electrical knowledge. I researched this wind turbine would have to spin 1000 times a minute to charge the car battery it was connected to. This is a side project still in working progress!

Thatching Training Accommodation

George and I joined the conference Clayfest which was held in Errol, Scotland where we learnt the science and explanations into rammed earth. A good ratio of different soils mixed with a small amount of water binds as strong as concrete and acts with the same properties but is more breathable and climate responsive. It was really refreshing to meet like-minded architects, anthropologists, engineers, historians and sustainable characters who understood and were passionate for a change in mind set. 

Rammed Earth with Rowland Keable

Fibre and Clay Sculpture

 In Malawi like many places worldwide people believe concrete is stronger or more suitable for building than using the local natural resources. People in Malawi look at their grandparents skewed houses that are on the breach of collapse with the thin rammed walls (200mm) and decide fired bricks are more durable.  The rammed earth structures code of practice ICS91.080 highlights walls should be a minimum of 300mm thick. Small changes can ensure this technology is more robust.

We know earth is cheaper and more environmentally friendly but the costs for the large high capacity buildings at Sams Village are still incredibly high. This year and next I continue to research and look into affordable durable sustainable homes. This will be a big challenge but after an exciting break I am determined to come up with a solution to resolve one of the many issues of poverty.

Coming back to Malawi I can once again cycle down my 2 roads to work and greet people who respond with waves and smiles. People have a different energy that I collect for my inspiration.

A few fun volunteers from Landirani made a road trip to my favourite place Nkhata Bay for my first weekend back, this was for a biogas meeting in Mzuzu. I happily jumped in the back of the car heading north trying not to get too stuck into a routine on my return. 

 Patrick and I squashed into the boot of the car

Nkhata Bay Bay

 Sunset in Nkhata Bay

 

Butterfly Space Nursery

Chikale Beach rockscape

 That bank holiday was for the Malawi Independence 51 years ago. There is another bank holiday this weekend due to Ramadam. Any temptations to go to Lake Malawi have been put aside as I realise I need to find a house to live in before my mum arrives in 2 weeks time. Her only request was for a hot shower so I will also have to paint a bucket black and make some sort of pulley so she feels comfortable!!!! Fun times. 

Mum's shower!

 

 

Down came the rains its all happened again

This is a beautiful time of year when the hot dry dusty earth revives to life with plants and the smell of damp freshness.

Everywhere becomes green and fruitful although unfortunately the rains were not long enough, many plants have been stunted and dried without producing the maize plant. This will have severe repercussions for the 80% of Malawian rural dwellers that depend on this food for their livelihoods. Lessons of permaculture and all year round edible crops gives some crucial knowledge to overcome these issues.

http://www.neverendingfood.org

My NGO The Landirani Trust use permaculture joint with sustainable building to compliment eachother to ease the cycle of life in the rural villages. The projects are going well. I could blame my work for the 3 month gap.  I have been designing, budgeting and redesigning while collecting recycled materials for some personal projects, creating, making and now we it is the end of March!

Meanwhile I have moved into a new home.

It was only in January , new year when I decided it would be best to rent a house that I realised I’d never had a space of my own. I had always been the person you find staying at everyone’s house on the couch, especially in London and the habit automatically spread to Malawi. I stayed in Landirani accommodation most of the time but found myself dotting around. It was a big decision to move house and stop saving so much money but I have never looked back. Instead of my money going towards UK expenditures I realised I would benefit more here by making a proper home for myself in Malawi. It is not a plot of land but that I can only dream about that at the moment. One step at a time!

It was quite hard to decide where I wanted to live. I knew I wanted to keep the true Malawian vibe and live with people who could teach me more about the language and culture. When I first came to Malawi I had started the intense sessions in the rural village which I absolutely loved then when I came to town I was put into a house with a tall brick wall and guards for high security.

As I kept searching for a house I found a man at the roundabout who was interested to show me the house next door to his. I was happy, there were 2 rooms in the house and a toilet and washroom in the nice spacious courtyard.

 

I immediately planted some banana trees!

I was also excited to find out the man had 5 daughters that lived next door, I had missed girls. Coming from a family of 4 girls and ending up in a construction job has minimized girl talk.  The man then introduced himself and told me he is the group chief of area 3.  This solved the security issue as people would never burgle the row of houses next to the chiefs house. I remembered when we cycled Cairo to Cape we stopped just before dark to stay in the local villages. People would always start by introducing us to the chief and would then tell us to camp next to his house for security measures.

So I count myself lucky.

I was introduced to 2 guys that lived around the back, Auga and Luxon who are friendly people and then the kids started poking their faces around the wall as I played guitar. These kids live in the 4 houses on the one street. There is no brick wall just tall maize as a barrier from the main road then fruit trees and other vegetation shading the front spaces. All life takes place in the courtyard behind each house. As people became more open and used to me we all started making briquettes, clay ovens or a gutter out of juice cartons.




I have always been interested to see what can be made out of recycled materials. Another incredible factor is that the landlord has said I can do whatever I want to the house as he will be knocking it down in the next 6 months. This is every architects dream! I have one room for sleeping with a storage space and one room for the kitchen seating area. The house and size is perfect. The simplicity and minimalism with my few items means I know where everything is. It is very refreshing and my creative bubble has once again sprouted.I have personalised the spaces in each room.

I have built a rammed earth bench and made my dishes drying rack slanted so the water drops into a plant below.


 

We made a clay oven. I had the intention of giving some people jobs that have come to my house to ask but I haven’t got as far as setting up the bakery under a tree in the busy road at the front yet.

Now the dry season is just beginning I can start cutting into the corrugated iron sheets to fix plastic bottles with bleach and water to disperse the light through my 2 rooms. The hot season needs a shaded courtyard so I will be making a suspended shaded carpet out of sewing old cement bags then planting many climber plants around to create a green outlook. I am in heaven.

I spoke to my mum once who asked if I was lonely and like in the village, the social culture continues so I am never alone. In fact I enjoy the peace and quiet when everyone is out and I can find time to sit on the veranda and read my book or play guitar.

Let the fun times continue,  I couldn't be happier

Chasing Clouds

My Christmas holiday started with a 4 day bike ride from Lilongwe to Nkhata Bay. It had been a while, the last cycle from London to Devon with my sisters August 2014!

My sisters kindly taking control and trying to map read!

It was ofcourse as memorable as the last – John O Groats to Lands End 2013 for my birthday. I had a few friends join me, including my dad!

Alice Maggs and Ny cycling Liverpool to Bristol 2013, www.ukactionadventure.blogspot.com

 which took me back to when I had cycled through East Africa in 2011 on a heavy duty touring bike (www.nysbikeride.com).

Cycling along the Nile , Egypt 2010, www.nysbikeride.com

Being pushed by kids, Ethiopia, www.nysbikeride.com

This seemed like a life time ago now but was probably the one step of fate that had brought me to live in Malawi.

The end of a term or a year must be closed with many collected thoughts so I decided it would once again be best to fix my bum to a bike saddle. I felt this was the perfect opportunity to open my Christmas holiday and the much preferred form of transport compared to the hot sweaty compacted 12 hour bus that I recalled from last year. I cycled with a friend called Nick. I met him down the road, at Mabuya backpackers and got the vibe that he was also a keen cyclist. It was the way he talked about his bike for some amount of time and the bike expeditions he had been on, especially in the Alps in France. He had even managed to bring over 2 stunning road bikes from the UK. It was very rare to see 1 of these bikes let alone 2! We both worked in Lilongwe and lived in close proximities in Area 3. It was great to find a partner in crime and adventure to cycle with. In Lilongwe we spoke of a budget and accommodation. As the frugal person I thought it was very wise to discuss this before we started. I explained we could stay anywhere down the lake in rest houses.

We began our cycle on Saturday 20^th and our first stretch was Lilongwe to Salima, just before the town there is a junction. It reminded me of the border towns: everyone in your face trying to befriend you for your money. We found a guesthouse which was also a local pub. This was the lowest on our budget, we were both happy. Cheap and cheerful:  a hole for a toilet at the back of the courtyard, unfortunately there were also holes in the mosquito nets covering the bed. As I lay on the bed listening to the African beats competing against one another my thoughts took me back to my cycling travelling days in Africa. If we weren’t rough camping we would stay in these cheap fun hostels where the loud music would go on until dawn.

Ofcourse we were on holiday so we joined the people in the local bars on that one stretch of road. Now I lived here I could see straight through this stereotypical chat as the final sentences always asked for money. I was a stronger and wiser person and decided I did not want to drink much between all these annoying conversations. Finally I managed to direct Nick to a much quieter spot, the local restaurant! After the Lilongwe to Salima road of many undulating hills my cycling legs felt like they had been activated. We were both exhausted and in bed by 8.30, so much for a Saturday night dance that we had planned on the bikes on the way there!

As we cycled we were waiting to see the Lake Malawi to jump in it and swim but the further we cycled we realised the Lake was some way off from the main Lakeshore road. It was hot but if we kept moving the wind was great natural ventilation.

Lakeshore Road

For our second night we made it to Nkhotakhota. I was very impressed; the accommodation was all hidden down to the Lake from the main road which explains why the area was untouched by tourism. We found a massive colonial house, Sitima Inn. It was designed like a ship with light wells and openings on each side and a gorgeous balcony / bar and restaurant on the top floor. The food was also incredible. The dorm had raised our budget but we were happy to find hot showers and a toilet with a seat. We were right on the Lake waterfront so we stepped out to swim before bed and early in the morning before cycling on. The beach was sandy and quiet filled with locals getting on with their daily lives. The kids and ladies all lined up removing sand from the Lake and piling it up to sell. The people didn’t hassle us at all, it was a dream compared to the Salima junction.

After all of the great food we managed to cycle approximately 140km on the Monday 22^nd December. We reached Kande Beach by nightfall although this was really stretching ourselves as we hadn’t even made time to swim. It was always so hot we were constantly chasing clouds for some shade. The heat was quite overpowering, at some stages the lakeshore road was not what I thought it would be and certainly not what I remembered. Although I realised any recollected memories had phased out and blurred into the many different countries that I had once travelled. The Lake was only close on a few snippets, other than that we could have been cycling on a hot summers day in Europe stretching through green flat plains of vegetation.

Lakeshore Road

Kande Beach was a great final stop catered for tourists. The beautiful thatch dorms were very spacious for our wet smelly cycling kit to be spread out to dry. Waking up to the relaxing sounds of the Lake waves, this was also accompanied by the rains: heavy downpours, thunder and lightning, it was a real treat.

Kande Beach

Kande Beach

Our expected time of arrival to Nkhata Bay was met. We had sweat out any bad liquids ready for the Christmas season.

Nkhata Bay for me is a magical place, where my creative mind expanded and ran wild. I oscillated in different positions of the jamrock reggae / rock music band (while in practice). The band played on Christmas Day at Mayoka tourist lodge and I was delighted this came with a buffet Christmas meal that I couldn’t have dreamed of even though I was just dancing with a percussion instrument beat.  Music was fun and I also had a burst of poetry ideas and went back to a few weeks of trying to write songs. I stayed with my creative friend Zion who constantly had many building projects going on, luckily this second Christmas I was invited to stay in the Chikale music house where I found lots of creative inspiration.

In the quiet mornings I could follow the trail down to my own private rock and small bay where I washed, swam and collected my thoughts. Fresh (for 2 minutes) my day was filled walking up and down the bays inland roads. I met my friends and jumped from the local to tourist bubbles. The sweat began before I even reached the top of the hill so I often split the day with a few swims. I designed 2 houses on the bay by the hospital for my friends Zion and Christa. These local material low cost houses would be places I could stay in next year.

Unfortunately I had to take a friend to hospital 1 night. It was like I was in a horror movie. The rains and lightening deafened and blinded any senses on the windows. There were shrills, screams and crying on 3 accounts, when people had passed. Any ill body frames lay still and were often skeletons on drips with one person close (a family member) who looked after them all night. The people were constantly flapping towels for mosquitos and heat. There were no mosquito nets to be seen in a place where malaria was much more prone. I was bitten many times laying waiting during the night, but I still have not had malaria (probably jinxed myself now).

Dancing, music, playing with friends kids and swimming on Chikale beach were the highlights then New Year’s topped it all off. Jamrock opened with the live band and I bounced from one bar to another until midday January 1^st preparing myself for the sober month of January!

My second home in Malawi will always be Nkhata Bay as the place now encompasses true friends and family.

Home will make encounters, feelings and reflections

It is the place you find yourself in all of the connections

And lives of others intertwined around

Circular dreaming’s can apprehend and take you to places you have been in

But where your heart and home is there is always friends, family and meanings

And you become close to certain characters as you empower both believing’s

For you can never walk alone as society is for teachings

And problems arise and those are to deal with

And sometimes you must hold your mouth and go kneeling

And you learn about people and who you can lean on

Cleaning your sorrows, uprising and seeing

The changes, the culture is all part of being

But I have made my nest, a home to fly in

As an energy has drawn me and balanced my healings

Perhaps there is reason why I am over the other side

But I have always been one to fly

Not for my selfness but for questions, testing’s and social apprehensions

But my home has transformed and given me a place where I belong

So this is where I shall stop and focus on true minds alike

And enjoy peoples’ fights

As love is so close to hate, we amalgamate

Finding any excuse to celebrate

And make whole new lives

This is my home

What are your problems are my own

And your strengths, mine to learn, spread and show

And my knowledge for all to know

As we live and learn together and create a life forever

This is home

I have come back to Lilongwe with energy ready for the many tasks: work, a new house and I will be collecting many more build inspirations joining this earthship build in Mzimba for 4 days. I can guarantee the next few posts will be about sustainable architecture. I am still constantly debating and questioning the solution as their are many factors to make something sustainable.

Landirani Training Village Workshop

Permaculture: planting trees as the rainy season commences