Let the People Lead the Way

Becoming the Hammer

   Hello KATW friends, I hope the week for you has been short and sweet! Kelly and I have had a very busy couple of days, but they have been filled with a new wind to direct us back on course. Previously I mentioned a few hiccups in the plans of KATW that left us a bit frustrated, but certainly not defeated. As we suspected, the groups that we were scheduled to meet on Thursday gave us a new sense of purpose as well as reasons to keep pushing ahead.

   It was a very early morning yesterday, the earliest one yet and we were anxious to get it started. Mornings here are surprisingly chilly, about 55-60 degrees Fahrenheit, and smokey. You see, as a means of trash removal, workers make piles of whatever trash is lying on the ground which can include plastics as well as leaves, and set fire to it. It seems that they also burn dead plants as a means to prepare the ground for the rainy season, thus creating air that is constantly smelling of smoke. This, combined with the fumes from the diesel burning automobiles, has left me with an olfactory memory of Lilongwe that I'm sure will follow me everywhere, come winter time in America. 

   Out in the smokey, cool morning air Kelly and I rode the cramped little bus down to the Kamuzu Hospital, where Lighthouses' headquarters is located and where Danneck was eagerly awaiting our arrival. Once there Danneck's big smile greeted us as friends and escorted us to his office. We were reminded that we were first meeting with the area 50 support group then the Mphatso group. The area 50 support group has been knitting for two years, has 40+ members and had started their mission/group on their own. Kelly and I were so thrilled to meet this group, for they must certainly be doing the "right" things and perhaps could give us some guidance as to what we should be doing next. Delighted to be making another connection our spirits were lifted even higher when we were told that we were being driven there! While I think the bus is an important experience to understanding the Malawian culture, it sure was nice not to have to worry about if we were getting off at the right stop, not being squished up next to someone so close that they may as well have been you're very best friend for life or having to worry about the skirt getting caught on the exposed metal seat frames. Hopping into a big jeep we were off to our first meeting.

   The ride, as always, was beautiful. The sky had cleared with a warm sun beaming down on us. Though the windows were open as we traveled further from the city, the smell of smoke and diesel fuel dissipated. Roads here vary from paved to dirt. When we hit the dirt roads, often with deep dips and this being the dry season, thick patches of fine red dirt, I didn't understand why anyone would have anything but a four wheel drive jeep/suv/truck, but of course one can only buy what one can afford.
  We pull up to this little brick abode with a thatched roof, a copy of all the other abodes in the village, and anxious to meet this inspiring support group. The moment our doors close, women and a few men come pouring out all singing a beautiful welcoming song. I don't know what the song is called or what they are singing, I just know that they are singing it with elation! Such pure, honest, love and welcoming comes from their jubilant faces, it's all I can do to not join in with tears in my eyes. Neither of us want to feel as though we are thought of as "saviors", that title should be left for story book characters/myths/legends and those that actually risk life and limb to save a person, but in this moment I do feel as though our presence actually means something. Perhaps I am downplaying the significance of what KATW does, or that I'm confusing the feeling of being welcomed and thanked as the same as being told "you're a hero!". Maybe my unwillingness to think that by just offering a helping hand can mean the difference between hope and despair. Maybe I'm just over thinking it all.

   After the beautiful greeting we are ushered in to the small front room of the abode where we begin the meeting. After a short prayer, we are introduced to the board members who share with us their goals, schedule and plans for the next few months. We quickly learn that this group has it together! They are an organized, cohesive, grassroots support group who know what they are doing and where they want to go. We learn that the group started with 7 members after Lighthouse started visiting the village to give medical support to those who are HIV/AIDS positive. They first started knitting so that they could give something to the children who had parent with HIV/AIDS, had HIV/AIDS themselves or who lost family members due to HIV/AIDS. They grew as their message spread and soon enough they went to Lighthouse with the desire to help others through counseling and education. Lighthouse was more than happy to give them whatever support they desired, but at no time did Lighthouse dictate what support the group should have or what they should do with it. While Danneck was explaining this to us, I wanted to make sure I understood the nature of their relationship and asked if they were a tool for the group to use "like a hammer". Danneck laughed at this analogy and said yes they were indeed the hammer of the support group, only picked up when needed and used however the group saw fit to use them.

   An "Ah-ha!" moment came over us and suddenly we saw how KATW needed to help, however the groups wanted us to help and in the best way we could. Since KATW is not permanently in Malawi, it must rely on those who are here 24/7 doing the actual work to give us insight on how to proceed next. This group was doing just that for themselves. They didn't want nor need handouts, just a leg up every now and again. This group, too, mentioned that they were having problems selling, that they seemed to have reached a plateau and needed assistance to reach the next level. KATW was very excited to give them that help as best we could. We plan to meet with them again this coming week to see what we can buy, thus helping them with more capital, as well as looking into other avenues that may give them an edge in the market place. We left, glowing with excitement and new ideas, to head back to the World Camp house for some lunch for us and knitting supplies for our next group.

   The second group we met with that day was the Mphatso group. Danneck unfortunately was tied up with other work, but sent a lovely coworker by the name of Sam in his place. Again, we were driven by car (yes!) to another village and were greeted with that lovely song! With this group there was a lot more dancing and many encores, so many in fact that Sam had to interrupt a few times so that we could get some work done! With this group, we brought knitting needles, yarn and bags since this would be the first time that they knitted as a whole. Their excitement was intoxicating! Kelly and I found that we could not stop smiling from ear to ear so much so that our cheeks hurt by the end of the meeting. At this meeting Kelly and I were able to hear more about what kind of troubles the groups have been running into as far as selling their goods and how to expand so that they may earn money to support themselves and their families. What the other previous groups expressed seemed to be the major problems here too. They had customers, but the customers wanted mass quantities of items or items with tighter stitching. They all wanted to build their business and be able to stand on their own, which is what KATW wanted, but perhaps didn't know until this point.

  Leaving here we were given lots to think about. It seemed clear to us that most of these groups needed knitting to not mainly be a source of therapy, but a source of income. These groups liked knitting, some members even loved to knit, but most did it because they could sell their items to support themselves and their community, which in the end is what KATW wants. With these members, often the stress and even shame that comes with not being able to support themselves let alone their family members, is a much larger issue than their health. Talking with a few individually (using an interpreter), most have found, through the group support, that they are at peace with their health and HIV status. It is not being able to give back that really bothers them. Wow. It still amazes me how most are more concerned about how they aren't able to help others, than they are about getting help themselves. Are all like this? No. Were these two groups prime examples of people rising above the shitty hand that the universe dealt them. Abso-fucking-lutely. Never in my life have I met such strong, selfless, compassionate, gracious people*. It was that day that I came to truly understand the quote by Lila Watson. Here we were two privileged white girls trying to liberate a group of people from a bleak future. Yet there they were, already free and ready to help others. They were in fact helping KATW. All they needed, all they wanted was a helping hand from someone who wants to be a partner in their growth. KATW, got just as much help that day as it gave. These groups shared with us what it meant to be utterly selfless, to want only to share. That often those looked down upon as someone to be pitied are really the ones who should be admired. I believe that KATW still has some growing to do, some hard decisions to make, but it's got a full sail and an amazing crew that will see it through any storm that it will surely encounter.
   Tomorrow I plan on writing about what we learned today, I am one of those people who loves to have time to think and process. Plus it's getting late and once again my procrastination has left little time to spare. So, until next time... Bad things do happen; how I respond to them defines my character and the quality of my life. I can choose to sit in perpetual sadness, immobilized by the gravity of my loss, or I can choose to rise from the pain and treasure the most precious gift I have - life itself. ~ Walter Anderson

*I would like to note that I do have a Prof. at CCAD that is the epitome of resilience, hope and gratitude. Knowing that there are more like her out there gives me faith that good can and will triumph over evil. 

Clap Along if you feel like Happiness is the Truth

Today was such a wonderful day I had a difficult time not smiling all day long, and now my cheeks hurt. We had 2 great meetings with new knitting groups. Area 50 Zone PLHIV group and Mphatso PLHIV group. The Area 50 group is already established group that has been knitting together for 2 years. The group started by knitting dolls and teddy bears to give to children who were taking care of their sick parents or were sick themselves. The group started with just 7 individuals and has now grow significatenly to approximately 40+ members. They are very resourceful, using found materials to make items with such as plastic bags and tape from VHS or cassettes. The items they are making are incredible. The bags they make from plastic bags and tape are lined with fabric that are very practical. We got a lot of marketing ideas and insight about the fuction of the group which is very advanced andorganized  with a board and chairs. 

After a brief lunch and relaxation (read: picking up knitting materials and lunch) we went to meet our newest knitting group, the Mphatso PLHIV group. This is a group we meet through the Lighthouse Program that is interested in learning how to knit and sell their wares in the community. I brought tons of yarn and knitting needles for the group. They were thrilled with the supplies and the prospect of knitting. After we passed out the supplies everyone got immediately to knitting without much assistance. While the Area 50 group is a mix of men and women this group is predominately women. It is great to promote the empowerment of women in a male-dominant society. 

We are looking forward to working with both groups and buys some of the amazingly made items to help support them on their journeys. Speaking and working with each group has left me with a permanant smile on my face and I can't wait to see what the next week brings. 

 

Expanding Horizons

KATW's growing pains

"If you've come to help me, you're wasting your time. But if you've come because you believe your liberation is somehow bound up in mine, then stay and let us work together." ~ Lila Watson

  Hello again KATW friends! Its time for another post from KATW volunteer Ashley Sullivan. Last I left off I had just experienced Malawi for the first time and boy did I learn a lot. Since then I've been introduced to more of Malawian culture and the culture surrounding HIV/AIDS charities. On Monday as Kelly informed you, we met with the Lighthouse organization, one of Malawi's first HIV/AIDS clinics and Daneck, their head of home based care. He was very excited to have KATW be interested in starting a partnership, which will hopefully start this year, and invited us to visit with some already established knitting groups! While touring their facility, we saw how thorough Lighthouse was when it came to tracking the statistics of HIV/AIDS patients. It was quite obvious that they had their system down pat. Every patient had a file that kept track of who they were, how they were doing, how often they came in etc. While all of this was impressive, this still left me with questions on how they address the support groups. I have no doubt in my mind that when we meet with our first Lighthouse group tomorrow, Thursday the 14th, that they will answer them all without me having to ask. Kelly left that meeting incredibly delighted with her new connection and their eagerness to work with her. 

  Once we left she took me on a tour of the town market place by the river as well as the market by the mosque. I found that Lilongwe shared many traits with NYC, it was loud, crowded and everyone wanted to sell you something. Of course we stuck out like a sore thumb and we became the jewel of every sellers eye. All assumed we had money and would easily part with it, but unfortunately for them we had been practicing our "no" face and "I'm just looking" line. Malawi is still a place where bartering and bargaining is a common activity. They see foreigners and try to sell them anything and usually at a high price. One can't blame them for trying, but it can get very tiring and aggravating when you know everyone sees you as a walking bag of money. It got me wondering how KATW would transcend the very controversial topic of "white savior complex". 

  KATW's goal is to empower the people that often get left behind or ostracized from their community. KATW wants to encourage community awareness that HIV/AIDS is not a death sentence and through education, support groups and leading a positive life one cannot only survive the disease, but thrive. KATW believes that knitting is a conduit for giving power back to the survivors and I wanted to witness how this was done.

  Yesterday, Tuesday, we met with the head of home based care for NAPHAM another group working with HIV/AIDS survivors and it was a meeting that Kelly was quite worried about. She hadn't heard much from this group for a while and wanted to make sure that there was progress being made. Using the positive energy that she had gotten from the previous days' meeting, she went into this one with high hopes. We both came to learn that yes there were some communication problems, but none that were worrisome, rather they were growing pains every large group has to deal with at some point. With so many things to do, little money, and few staff members there will be balls dropped and at that point there need to be some readjustments. NAPHAM reassured us that they knew reports from the groups that KATW was working with were not stellar, items weren't being sold as often and no one could pinpoint the exact reason why. Perhaps, due to the harvest, too many were not able to work for the fields needed tending, or they thought KATW would buy all of the knitted items to sell in the USA, or maybe there was a marketing problem that had not been foreseen. All agreed that there needed to be some field work done, an assessment of where the problems were so that KATW and more importantly, the survivors/thrivers, could be successful. KATW would meet with the Mtsiliza group on Wednesday and the Chisomo on Friday, then we would meet with the NAPHAM again on the 21st to discuss how the next year would go. With another success under KATW's belt we headed off. 

  Today was the day when we would finally meet with the first support group. I was excited to see another town outside of Lilongwe. I believed that Lilongwe's metropolis act, belied how many Malawians truly lived. Lilongwe being the capital was home to many politicians, heads of organizations, innovation and money. With my experience as a DC area native, I knew that one cannot use the capital of a country as a representation for how the majority of its citizens live. The ride was pleasant and crowded as always. I saw strip malls, lodges, churches, seminary schools and another mosque on the way out to Mtsiliza. 

  The landscape quickly changed from suburbia to farm land and it felt like we were hours away from the buzzing city. The sky was enormous,with big puffy clouds and a bright blue sky to match. This sky was much like the sky out in the prairies of the American Midwest, which reminded me that though the two places in my head were different, the differences were merely skin deep. The road into town was busy with the comings and goings of workers, farmers and children out for a walk. The children always look at us with wide eyes, either filled with curious fear or excitement to see the very obvious foreigners and we did our best to warmly greet any who wanted a high five or handshake. 

  

 We made our way through the village to where the support group met, next to a church, as they often are, and a Sunday school. The group started out small, but with a rousing singing circle, very excited to see Kelly and share with her all that they had done. 

As the meeting started, it became apparent to me (but not a surprise) that most didn't speak english and the leader, though had a very good grasp on it, had trouble understanding our questions. They shared with us that they struggled to find a market where their goods could be sold, that they got many orders, but it took a long time to make the goods, that they wanted to expand their business by getting a knitting machine and perhaps start a relationship with the local school. It was very hard to tease out if they were going to the market everyday, if that was even something that could be expected, and how they went about selling their goods. In America it is taught that one must sacrifice a lot to get a head in life. To sell one must push and constantly market their goods. It was second nature for Kelly to always bring some of her knitted items wherever she went so that she could sell them. Where we live there are tons of opportunities to sell handmade goods and cheap(ish) ways of marketing, like social media, flyers etc. that make it easier for us to become successful business wo/men. How would a group from a rural town, who may not be as fluent in the sellers market, make out in a cutthroat world? For the first time this trip, frustration took hold and KATW was having a hard time figuring out what the next move would be. I suggested if they really wanted and needed a knitting machine perhaps they could split the cost? Maybe the other groups that were successful in the market place could partner or mentor the Mtsiliza group. It was even possible that we were missing some very important information due to the language barrier. Tasha, who is KATW's liaison for the group was out of town, which made this barrier very difficult to overcome. 

  We left with the promise that we would be back the next week same time with Tasha, more questions and marketing suggestions with the expectation that they would come up with questions for us, information on purchasing a knitting machine and more knitted items. There was a lot of mental work cut out for KATW and perhaps some work redefining the goals for the group. 

  Kelly never wanted the selling of knitted items to take precedence over the therapeutic qualities of the act of knitting. In her mind groups would get together knit and talk and knit and talk, then sell all of their goods all the while spreading the word of how living positively is possible, that the spread of HIV/AIDS in their community can slow down, it was imperative to get tested, the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS needed to stop and that one can not only survive HIV/AIDS, but thrive. It seems as though this group had some different ideas. To me, it sounded like they were using knitting as a means to work their way out of poverty, to provide income and who can blame them. It's hard to believe that a group would have a hard time selling when, in Lilongwe, I saw most everybody trying to sell somebody something. Had the market been overwhelmed with knitted items? Was this group just too far away from the market, too poor to go to other markets or was the fact that it was and HIV/AIDS group deterring their sales? When I toured the markets I saw very few knitted items, those that were were hats that Bob Marley would wear. What I did see beside food and goods for tourists were a lot of western shoes, clothes, electronics, parts for electronics, hardware tools/parts. Is it possible that in Malawi's push for a strong and stable economy that they pushed away or belittled anything that resembled handmade goods? I think back to how America developed when it was modernizing and that factory goods were touted as bigger, better, stronger than anything that was made by hand, is it possible that Malawi is/will suffer the same fate?

  Going back to the "white savior complex" idea, it is hard to not want to help or to say well this is how its done where I come from, when it's blatantly obvious that it's done differently here. At what point do we accept that what we want may not be what they want? How does one tell another, gently, that they could to better if…? How will KATW not fall into the trap of telling others to do it this way, but allow a group to grow on their own? I have a feeling that in order for these groups to be successful, KATW needs to submit to the wants/needs of each group according their individual standards, in essence allowing the individual support groups to take ownership of what they want to do with knitting, how they want to do it and how to judge a "good job", which is never easy. KATW, like knitting, is the connection between people, it is up to the people to make that connection work for them. Relying on KATW completely serves no one's best interest. Tomorrow will serve as another lesson to be learned, a lesson that hopefully will give KATW the push it needs to go in the right direction.

Meeting Malawi

My first time in Malawi  

   Hello friends of KATW, I'm so glad that you dropped by to see what your favorite altruistic knitting artist is up to! My name is Ashley Sullivan and I have the distinct pleasure of being Kelly's volunteer for her Malawi 2014 trip as well as her contributing blogger while I accompany her. We've been friends for 15 years now and getting to know this side of her has given me new insight into the woman she has become. I will never be able to thank her enough for a giving me this once in a lifetime opportunity. If you have the chance, I seriously recommend going on an exotic, spur of the moment trip, especially if a great friend is involved. 

   As many of you know KATW is a charity that works with organizations who provide services for people living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi (and hopefully in the future many other countries). Although I knew what KATW did, I didn't fully understand the whole concept until I arrived here on Sunday afternoon. 

   Our arrival was met with a parade, dancing group, and the military honor guard dressed to the nines. Honestly it really was. Now it wasn't meant for us necessarily, it was actually for their newly elected president who was just arriving back home from the African summit being held at the White House. This small detail however did not dampen our spirits and we took the celebration as a great way to be greeted to Malawi. This being my inaugural visit, I seized the opportunity to wave my most presidential wave as others looked on wondering who this strange and rather egotistic girl was. I'm sure many just chalked it up to jet lag.
   We then proceeded thru customs with little problem. The only odd part being we had our temperature taken before we got to the line to have our passports stamped, I'm sure as a precaution due to the current Ebola epidemic. Kelly and I picked up our bags with no problem and proceeded to exchange some of our money. Now I am far from poor, broke yes, poor no and exchanging money here made me feel quite blessed to have been born in a country, that while struggles, still is far ahead in its economic stability than a lot of countries, Malawi included. This point was driven home while we waited for our arranged ride to pick up his other passenger.

   We had our stuff brought to the car by men who were very eager, pushy even to help us, they of course wanted tips. I thought to myself sure, they work for him (our driver) then I realized that they were not his helpers, only aggressive helpers that look for those who may have cash that they would part with easily. It's hard to say "no, sorry" when I see they're very worn but clean clothes and know they experience hunger much more than I, but I was advised that giving would cause more problems than help. Tough love I guess. The men left and we waited enjoying the sun, well I was enjoying the sun, and just absorbing all that I could.
   I watched people arrive and depart, listened to the cheers and music in the distance and then noticed a group of young children around 6-7 yrs. old wander about and walk past us. Now, Kelly and I are on one side of the vehicle, chatting and seemingly oblivious to what is around us. To keep the vehicle cool its windows were rolled down. The kids spot us and kept walking around the other side of the car. I think they pass, but can hear some giggling, so I turn and see the kids with their hands in the window attempting to open one of the pockets of my pack back. They see me spot them and all jump back with a look that a young one has when they've been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. The smallest ones' face changes quickly to a very adorable, angelic smile and says "you give me money, you buy me food". His expression tied with his thick Malawian accent, extremely shabby clothes and absolute sharp wit made me laugh so hard! I just stood their laughing at the absurdity that this is really happening to me right now, and not in some movie laden with African orphan archetypes. Shaking my head no and laughing, they ran off.
   Shortly after, our driver arrives apologizing for the wait. It is of course no problem and we all climb in and set off to our final destination. For Kelly and I it was World Camp. The drive was beautiful. The scenery was exactly what I expected, but incredibly more stunning in real life. Seeing the mountains in the distance, watching the people fly by on the side of the road kept my usual talkative self, very quiet. I wondered about the people, where they were going, how long it would take them and if they made the trek often. Lost in my thoughts I didn't realize we had arrived. Our ride was over before I was ready. Yet as soon as we dropped our bags in our room, my body, having only gotten a few hours of light napping, was ready to crash and I let it. This was my introduction to Malawi. 

   

  

Working hard for the Partnership

This morning we had an early meeting with NAPHAM which was very successful. I'm excited that we will be working together another year and I think we are growing a lot in our partnership. We have worked out some of the kinks of our program so that everything will be more efficient and very beneficial to both our organization and theirs. I love talking with other leaders of organizations to share mutual goals and really feed off each other's energy and enthusiasim to make the world a better place and I'm pleased that Knit Around the World is doing that. Today I learned that NAPHAM has even worked with Heifer International before so that is an avenue that I'm hoping to explore. Possibly we can work to get Heifer to give some support groups animals with fur or fiber that can be made into yarn or help with turning cotton into yarn. This effort would really support the community development drive of our organization. 

Here is a picture from the bridge on our walk to NAPHAM headquarters. Tomorrow we are excited about meeting with the Mtsiliza group to check on their progress and see how we can assist with their marketing and expansions.

Our Day at the Lighthouse Program

Ashley and I had an amazingly productive day. We met with the Executive Director, Sam Phiri (pictured below) of the Lighthouse Program (as mentioned in previous posts) as well as the Head Coordinator of the Home Base Care section, it is located at the Kamuzu Central Hospital. We got a wonderful tour of the facility which provides counseling, ARV's and care for people living with HIV/AIDS. It was great to learn so much about the benefits they offer. Here is their group education room: 

They discuss many topics such as how HIV is contracted, the importance about taking the ARV's, how to prevent further transmission, how to take care of yourself when living positively, and other guidance from NAPHAM and other organizations.

It was fantastic to speak with Daneck, the Head Coordinator of Home Base Care, about possible support groups we can work with as well as what the future goals of each orgnization are and how we can support each other to accomplish them. It was encouraging to see that we have similar goals we wish to achieve and I'm looking forward to working with some of their support groups. Feel free to check out their website to learn more about their organization: www.mwlighthouse.org. We also learned that the Lighthouse program was one of the first clinics to open in Malawi dedicated to helping individuals living with HIV/AIDS. They work with many international organizations (hopefully add our name to the list) such as the US CDC. I feel so reaffirmed in my committment to Knit Around the World and our goals. 

Tomorrow I'm meeting the Executive Director of NAPHAM, Master Mphande, to work out our new partnership agreement and check in with the groups' progress. 

While walking through town we also saw a sign of another HIV/AIDS organization that we will want to look into working with in the future, the Coalition of Women Living with HIV/AIDS. Maybe they will also prove to be a great organization to partner with in the future. 

Thanks for following us on this incredible journey.

Take me back to the Warm Heart of Africa, Malawi!

Once again I am on my way back to Malawi, the warm hear of Africa to work with HIV/AIDS individuals teaching them knitting as Knit Around the World. I'm very lucky to have a good friend join me on this trip, Ashley. This will be her first time in Africa so I'm sure it will be a very exciting and information adventure. Our day of traveling has been very exhausting, we were on the receiving end of a downpour in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia when switching planes. We have received a lot of donations of yarn and knitting needles which will be really helpful. We look foward to working with the groups this week and the next. As it is Sunday most shops are closed so we are enjoying some of the food that we brought with us. 

Tomorrow is a big day where we are going to meet with the Executive DIrector of the Lighthouse Program at Kamuzu Hospital (as mentioned in a previous post). Hopefully this meeting will turn out really well and will allow us to form a partnership and give us another chance to expand and work with more individuals. 

Here is a beautiful picture of the Malawi flag flying in the wind: