Friday 26th May

We're on the road again. This time in a new car. Yes, our rather romantic love affair with a battered Landrover came to a grinding halt yesterday. I don't whether it was when the fuel pump came disconnected or when the steering wheel came off whilst driving (both true), but after a few stern words the relationship was over. So now we drive to Lilongwe in a slightly better, but rather bouncy, Toyota Landcruiser.

If you come to Malawi, never rent a car through Apex. Cowboys in England would have wet dreams about what they get away with. Their cars are dangerously bad and I'm sure one day they will be directly responsible for a serious accident. I hope they read this and try to sue me for libel. I will shut them down and probably save lives.

Anyway enough of cars - I have lost the last two days to mechanics that don't show up and when they do, siphon out petrol from your car to theirs so they can get home. Quite frankly I can't afford the energy.

Sarie is still not 100%. She caught a flu bug a few weeks ago and she now has a bit of a chest infection. Nothing too serious, but it's such exhausting work that it's tough for her. She's one tough cookie though. I'm sure I'd have given up a long time ago and hot-footed it to a beachside resort in South Africa.

But whenever you feel a bit sorry for yourself, Malawi hits you with a dose of reality. Here I am tapping away on my fancy little mobile device in the car heading for Lilongwe, and we pass by a queue of people by the side of the road. The queue is over 50m long. They are waiting for the maize to be delivered and handed out.

We have deliberately come to Malawi at a time when the harvest has been good and there is food. Of course the World Food Programme still hand out maize, but thankfully there is very little starvation at the moment. Hunger yes, but not starvation. James, our driver and now most important and valued member of the team, tells me that the area we are driving through had a bad harvest, which is why the aid trucks are out delivering food. The earth here is much more baron than in the south. The ground does not have the same rich red texture to it. It is a lighter, dustier colour. The maize crops appear withered and bleached by the harsh sunlight. But it is spectacularly beautiful. Everywhere you drive in Malawi, there seems to be a mountain range just ahead of you.

There are so many people in Malawi. The few tarmacked roads that exist are lined with people walking to and fro with bags, buckets and sticks balanced professionally on their heads.

Why do we use our hands in England to carry things? Biologically it makes little to no sense. All the weight is downwards forcing the pressure onto the finger muscles, which are relatively weak. When you put something on your head, all the weight is downwards through your body to the ground. The only real muscles used are those of your neck, which if you are a good balancer are barely used at all. When you have to walk long distances in the heat, you learn energy saving techniques like this. When you have a motor car, you stay primitive.

To our left is Mozambique. To our right is Malawi. The road is the perimeter border. Burnt out houses remind of troubled times in the mid '80s when civil war broke out in Mozambique. Thankfully for Malawi the fighting never crossed the border. Many praise the then leader Dr Hastings Banda who despite ruling with dictatorial brutality, kept Malawi in peace while its borders burned. I'm informed by James that President Samola Mashier's communist party was supported by the Russians, fighting against Renanmo's Ferimo party supported by America. Battle of the super parties, hosted by Mozambique. James's English is good, but not great, so I think this is what happened. Note to self - look up history of Mozambique when I return. That must have been Reagan vs Gorbachev? At the time of Peristoica and Glasnost? Using Mozambique as their battleground? How did I miss that one?!

We're off to Lilongwe to meet up with Tanya and Tamsin who have just flown in. Never before have I met a more bubbly and energetic pair of sisters. I can't wait to see them. They will accompany us as we head north into some of the poorest parts of Malawi. They are people's people. They love kids and have an effortless way of fitting in with anyone. They love sport and have gregarious personalities - perfect. And they jumped at the chance to come to Malawi and help out.

Tanya has spent the last few weeks celebrating that right of passage some of us have been lucky enough to enjoy - graduation. I doubt she's slept a wink since her final exam. She knows how to party.

Tamsin is an aspiring actress who has been touring Portugal with a small team of actors, visiting schools and performing for them. She has an electric personality and a smile that will launch a thousand fishing boats on Lake Malawi.

Both Tanya and Tamsin will provide a welcome boost of energy, akin to that of the electric chair.

For me it's time to forget everything we have learnt to date: how to approach the schools, the elders of the villages, what works, what doesn't work; and start again. Let's do it their way. I will throw them in at the deep end. Drive them to a school in a remote village, give them a box of balls and the names of the people in England that have donated them, and send them in alone. It's up to them what approach they take. All I know is that they will love it.

This project is all about a journey into the unknown. We're trying to involve as many people along the way as possible. We picked up Andy, a random hitchhiker, and took him with us for a day. He didn't know what hit him. When he left the following day to continue his travels, rucksack packed, we gave him 5 balls from 5 different people in England. We asked him to hand them out on his way north to Monkey Bay. He sent me an email the other day, which I'm sure he won't mind me publishing:

Hi Paul,

Thought I would let you know how I got on with the footballs. After lugging them up to Monkey Bay and onto the Ilala ferry (where they provoked much interest amongst locals) I landed in Nkata Bay. The footballs were given to the local childrens team that had been set up in the area. Needless to say that they provoked much excitment. The team themselves are struggling to get going. They are not aloud to compete in the local league due to a lack of kits and boots. Hopefully the footballs can help them on their way!! I was then invited to partake in the kids training session which was a great amount of fun. In the evening the Nkata Bay team were playing the local rivals Lilive (sorry I have no idea how to spell it) anyway the official match ball for the match was provided by your goodselves (although I made sure it was returned to the kids afterwards)

Thank you so much for the opportunities you have created for me by giving me these footballs to hand out, and for the incredible unique experiences down in Mulanje. Safe to say I will never forget them.

In Nkata Bay I met up with the local organisers from the World Food Programme, a guy called Dominic Nyirongo. He was very interested to hear about what you are doing. In the Nkata Bay area they have a huge problem with children dropping out of school. Part of the WFP's programme is to give away food at school to encourage attendence. Dominic was saying to me how the footballs would probably be an even bigger incentive to many kids than the free porridge!! He has given me his details to pass on to you guys just in case that you are in the area and would like someone to liase with: Dominic Nyirongo World Food Programme mtendechipeni@yahoo.co.uk Tel: +265 08395 333 I did explain to him very clearly that I had no idea if you had plans to be in the area, and he fully understood. I hope you don't mind me doing this. Sorry that I don't have time to type up my journal, or upload any photos. I am in Tanzania at the moment on the way to Dar Es Salaam and Zanzibar!! Its a tough life.

Thank you so much once again. Anything I can do to help you with any future schemes then please let me know. It absolutely fantastic what you are doing and I hope you continue to have success with the rest of your time in Malawi.

Take care,

Andy


I have already spoken to Dominic and arranged to meet him in Mzuzu on Monday. He will come out with us and will no doubt lead us to some extraordinary places. If footballs can help increase school attendance (which almost all the teachers here seem to suggest), then great.

So everyone seems to enjoy The Great Football Giveaway. Even the three rich Malawian children from Blantyre's poshest private school enjoyed themselves, when we took them on a slightly unusual school outing - to give away some footballs.

As we drove through the hills, I asked Cuthbert, Jack and Clarissa what they wanted to be when they grew up. An accountant. An interior designer. And a fashion designer. Most kids here just want to be older.

They couldn't believe the state of the school we visited. They might have expected a lack of swimming pool or tennis court, but no windows, electricity, paint, toilet facilities, text books (and on the list goes) was so much worse than they had unprepared themselves for.

When the balls came out and the school erupted like a volcano, I could see the penny drop in each of them. That something so small and insignificant could make such a big difference. Just imagine if...

They all spontaneously said that when they were older they would do something to try and help their fellow countrymen. They have a few more years yet to mature into full adults (the richer you are here, the longer you are allowed to be a child), but you never know, this visit to a part of their country they had never visited, nor thought about visiting, might just stick with them when they become the next leaders of industry in Malawi.

I hope Tanya and Tamsin will get something out of this trip. Most people that get involved seem to find it hugely rewarding and that's great.

As for me, something surprising, shocking, hilarious, frustrating, fun, fabulous happens every day. It makes me feel more alive than ever before.

Paul