Trekking to Mtsiliza and New Town

We had another meeting with the second support group today.  It went wonderfully, and we were able to purchase about 15 scarves to sell in the states.  They will be able to use the money from the purchase to go into town and buy more yarn so that they can start to become less dependent on us.  We spent the past few weeks forming relationships with the yarn and knitting needle vendors, which should help in their purchases as well.  We were fortunate to have a few more men join us today as well.  With this support group in addition to the other, we have about 45 people who are participating in this effort and who will be selling knitted products in their local marketplaces soon!

It is noticeable that the men in the groups have more difficulty picking up knitting than their female peers.   I have no doubt that they will learn to produce beautiful garments, but it was interesting to see this fact as we have witnessed the men here to be very artistically creative.  Speaking of this gender disparity, we have noticed that there are very interesting gender roles in Malawi.  For instance, netball or basketball is seen as only a women’s game, so men do not play it at all.  However, sewing and knitting isn’t seen as a gendered activity at all.  In fact, all the tailors and dressmakers we see on the streets are men and half the people currently selling knitted products in Old Town are men. Furthermore, it is common for people to hire men to manage or work on the cooking, cleaning, and maintaining of a house.  Also interesting is that hand holding among same-sex individuals is very common and signifies nothing more than a platonic relationship.

We spent the remainder part of the day visiting the City Center or the “New Town” part of Lilongwe.  Sadly for us, it appears that it only serves as a place for the embassies, five star hotels, and parliament to reside.  This would have been more exciting, but I couldn’t convince Kelly to break into Parliament with me so we could get a better look.  I mean of course us two Americans looked a little shady and were turned away at the gate.  Also, the embassies are hidden away, and I have to conclude that if we were in any trouble at all and had to find refuge, we would not be able to find the U.S. Embassy.  For some reason all the embassies had issue with any signage that illustrated which country they represented.  I also have to say that it was a little difficult to bear sight of the grand five star hotel that we mistook for a sports stadium and Olympic training center, as there was no sign there as well.  After being to Mtsiliza in area 49 this morning, it just felt wrong that there be that much opulence just a bus ride away.  Anyway, for all our efforts, below is a picture of the Parliament building.