All I can say is that it was a very humbling experience for both myself (Hanshi Irfan) and Dr & Sensei Issmaeel.
We stayed in Cape Maclear which is a beautiful place. However, the people are so poor and yet so lovely and so hospitable. The only food they depend on is the Fish they catch from Lake Malawi and the Maze they grow in the fields. But with the rains arriving 2 months late for the last 2 years, they have to rely on many handouts. There are no Grocery shops or any fresh produce, only small shops that bring in the snacks to sell to the locals. There is Electricity that switches off intermittently, but no Gas, so they rely on firewood which they go out to collect and if they can afford it they buy coal.
Issmaeel was the only Doctor in Monkey Bay Hospital. Yes you read it right, they don't have any doctors in the Hospital (only clinical staff + nurses), and only visiting doctors from abroad come to help out. He was constantly working each day while the hospital was open, with extremely limited resources, instruments and medicines. Poor man only got the SAT + SUN off while we were there for the 12 days.
He delivered many babies and took care of C-sections, and many other surgeries. He also attended 2 outreach clinics where people travel barefoot from upto 20km just to be seen for 10mins.
I even got involved by checking everyone's Blood Pressure the old way using an old stethoscope + arm collar (no Sphyg to be seen anywhere)!
See what I mean about it being a humbling experience. We just take all of this for granted here in our country!
On one occasion, on my request, because I had heard a Tourguide tell me about his 7yr daughter's plight, we went late at night to see her. He must have spent a good 45mins assessing her late development of Club Foot and writing reports for future treatment for his colleagues at Monkey Bay Hospital. He hopes she will be fully recovered and able to walk independently in about 2yrs.
My role entailed providing Karate Classes to all the Schools, the Tour Guides and the Police in the area. They had never experienced anything like this. They all took to it very well.
On my first day the Headteacher of the only High School in the area came to collect me in his car (which was a big thing for them as it is seen as a huge sign of respect) and take me to his school. On the way we discussed the Education system in Malawi where everyone has to pay for education, and you stay in the same class until you pass. Here is the class I coached first. The Kids were told beforehand that the best boy and best girl would receive a medal from me - as you can imagine the conformity and effort in each class was very high...
Straight after, I coached the Tour Guides, and boy they were so excited to learn from me. Honestly they were more excited than the kids and enjoyed it so much that from that day onwards I had 2 Tour Guides escorting me everywhere I wanted to go in Cape Maclear. They would be at our lodge waiting for me to come out of my room and wait for me to tell them what my plans were for the day. Then they would escort me to wherever I needed to go for my next session.
A couple of days later I did another session with them, and on the way to the Community Hub, I noticed a stick on the ground and asked them if it would be possible to have something similar for me to teach them stick drills. Well I only had to say it, and within 10mins there were 20 sticks available. Needless to say, they absolutely loved it. They were so competitive but also so encouraging of each other - laughter was also in the air - amazing!
There is so much for me to share with you but time doesn't allow it here. So. I'll conclude with the photos below and by finally saying that I saw 15/16yr old kids in Primary Schools, not because they were too thick to progress onto the next class, but because their parents didn't spare income to send them to school when they were younger. On Sunday we saw lots of kids play football in bare feet on a ground where if our kids stepped on it we would be so worried about their feet getting poked with shard bricks, roots and bushes. Those who did a pair of shoes, shared it with another team mate. So the right wing would wear the right shoe, and the left wing would wear the left.
On my journey I shared lots of insights of how the leaders of Cape Maclear can make their place a whole lot better which they took on board sincerely. I vouched to continue supporting them with coaching videos and to perhaps provide free qualification to some PE staff in School to start coaching martial arts in their classes. Watch this space!
Oh by the way, the money people gave for Zakat and for Sadaqa was given to the Masjid there which they used for a Loudspeaker system. Now the adhaan can be heard upto 70m away mashaallah.
My message to my members is before you complain about our life here, just put yourself in the shoes (may in the bare feet) of the kids in Cape Maclear - and be grateful for the blessings we do have.
We would like to thank Zoe + Salemani for guiding us through our journey and transporting Issmaeel to/from Hospital and Clinics. Salemani, I really enjoyed your company. Keep up the Good work guys. Love and Respect to you both.
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