Malaria Training

Today I finished my two day malaria training in Blantyre. I attended with a counterpart, a teacher from my school. The best PC projects always have a counterpart because we are supposed to focus on sustainability and capacity-building. After all, PCVs will only be here two years. If we want real change to happen, it has to be through the work of the people that live here.

The training was really great. I learned a lot about malaria, I learned about a planned mosquito net distribution that will be happening in Malawi next year, and they gave me a ton of activities to bring back to my school and village to help educate my community about malaria.

We watched this short video about the history of malaria. I learned a lot in just three minutes:

http://vimeo.com/m/17865263

My counterpart and I decided to start a malaria education club at our school next term. We'll meet once a week afterschool  to do a number of activities, like singing songs, making a book that can be read to primary school students, taking a survey about bed net usage, doing some grassroots soccer malaria activities and teaching then about bed net care and repair. It should be fun and educational, and I am really excited to start!

By the way, I need stickers for one of the activities I want to do with the kids, but I can't find any locally. So if you feel like sending me any, it would be much appreciated! All kinds would be great-- butterflies, rainbows, cartoons, cars, words, letters, anything. Zikomo kwambiri!