malawi

Africa…the name holds a mixture of emotions for me. A place I’ve dreamed of going but not with any real hope of it becoming a reality. And now it’s less than a month until I board a plane to Malawi on a Change Action Trip with my work, Groupe Aeroplan and the One Foundation.

It’s one of the poorest countries in the world, ranking 160 of the 182 surveyed countries in the 2009 Human Development Index. Life in Malawi is tougher than I can even begin to empathise with. Almost a million people are living with HIV and AIDS including more than 100,000 children. Malnutrition levels are high and limited access to healthcare results in steady incidence of malaria and other communicable diseases. This is abject poverty and despite progress in some areas the nation continues to struggle. Child mortality has seen a reduction and yet one in eight children still die of preventable causes – statistics that will soon have a face and name and are sure to haunt me on this trip.

I applied for this trip because the opportunity was presented to me and it struck a chord with my desire to contribute in some way to those that life wasn’t dealt so kindly to. I was pretty surprised to be chosen and don’t take it lightly.

Back in 1998 when I was fresh out of high school and I hanging out in Seattle for a couple of months, I watched by chance a documentary by Human Rights Watch on the plight of Russian orphans. I was so moved by this documentary and I think for the first time had a reality check that there are countless multitudes out there that need someone to be concerned with their welfare. So since then I’ve been a bit consumed with learning more about, in particular, the state of children around the world. I’ve also just started a Masters in Human Rights and I think this trip is something will help take me from a place of just knowledge and theory to absolute heartache and determination to always remember that a short plane ride away there are people living in desperation.

I’m know I will receive more satisfaction out of this trip than the people we are visiting and that is hard to grapple with, but ultimately our mission is to become ambassadors for them so that their story has it’s chance to be told and responded to. I expect to meet mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters that love life and are proud of their land and achievements. I expect to gain life perspective from the glimpse into life in Africa and I hope to take it home with me. I think that people who have an ability to love, smile and triumph in poverty and hardship are the ones that should lead us into the future.
I’m really excited to see first hand the One Foundation’s projects. We are visiting sanitation, water and chicken farming projects, along with a school meals program. All initiatives that are helping breathe life and health into communities that desperately need it. I’ll keep you all updated on this trip and what I’m sure will be evolving perspective and I will be posting some information on a fundraising adventure I’m going to embark on soon!