4th August

Today we went to Kachere 2 school to do more teaching. This was our first day at the school and we were greeted by all the children singing songs for us as we got off our bus. We joined the school for their assembly and we were asked to sing our national anthem and a few guiding songs for them. We then split off into groups to run sessions with the children, which they thoroughly enjoyed. We also served phala. This school does not have a food project so this was the first time phala had been served here, which was pretty cool, even though a bit unorganised! Julia and Justine got help from some very enthusiastic mothers in making the phala over an open fire, this community gathering resulted in a dancing competition, which Justine and Julia joined in enthusiastically. And in case you were wondering, someone did video it (hehe). Julia also, of course, ended up with a 2 month old baby in her arms by the end, called Fergus.
In the afternoon we went back to the school we have been visiting for the past 2 weeks that is currently under construction. One group went off to make a stove in a family home again, whilst others went to make bricks and paint windows. In the evening, everyone except Kay and Mia (who were sleeping) went to watch a film with some children at the local community centre in Tilitonse. They played some re-runs from  the London 2012 Olympics, followed by a documentary that was filmed here in Malawi. Some of the children were featured in the documentary and they loved seeing themselves and their friends in the film. At the times when the projector wasn't working, we sang songs and played games with the children around us. We then returned back for trash and treasure and planning for tomorrow.

Ellie- "I went off and made bricks which was a very good experience. I have a thing with things going in my toes like sand. Today I went out of my comfort zone in the brick making and jumped in some mud with 'bare feet' and took a lot of anger out on some mud by hacking it away to make a mud pile for our bricks. Later on I was asked who I was taking my anger out on or who hurt me as I used a lot of my strength to break away mud with the tools we were given! I also made some more little friends when I was on the mould washing job. It was an amazing experience and I thoroughly enjoyed it."

Kira - "One of the best parts of the day was serving porridge at the school. Whilst we were waiting for another group of students to arrive, Sai and I began handing out stickers to the babies and toddlers that were gathered around us, whose mothers had helped to make the porridge. This triggered a tidal wave of enthusiastic mothers who all wanted stickers placed on the backs of their phones, on their ears as earrings or on their perplexed infants. Unfortunately, quite a few of the children that were handed to me began screaming the moment they made it into my arms. For the sake of everyone's eardrums, I gave them a sticker and politely handed them back. The enthusiasm of the mothers and the kindness that they showed to us was overwhelming and is something I will never forget. "