Extracts from notes taken on a day in the community with members of the Outreach part of the Children's Centre

CBCC in Sigregge. Brick hut, walls and one side open. Metal Roof. Care Giver said he has been concerned about the safety of the hut for children since some damage was done at the time of Cyclone Freddie. 67 children registered. 25 Boys. 42 Girls, Approx 40 present today. Porridge supplied by Beehive through Seibo. Cooked over charcoal outdoors. Takes one and a half hours minimum to cook. Children were indoors when we arrived. Permission given to take photos. James was speaking to volunteer teachers about their planning. Some homemade resources and blackboard and chalk but little else. One other two children arrived with pens and notebooks but not many. We all went outside and formed a circle for songs and games. Brief discussion of the weather. Video taken of games. Photos of homemade resources. Photos of the azungu stirring the porridge. After perhaps 30 mins we left. CBCC Mwai. Slightly more substantial brick hut. 40 children registered. 22 children present. 40 Registered. Some homemade resources on the wall. one small box of wooden bricks.Words chalked on the brick. We arrived at porridge time. Also through Beehive and Seibo. There were only 18 plates and 16 spoons so some children had to wait their turn. Videos of the azungu serving porridge. Children eating etc. Again James spoke to teachers. No time for games at this visit. Nzeru Private Nursery School. 38 children registered. 25 present. Very old (?1950s) fixed playground equipment. More substantial brick building. Nursery class at far end. Homecorner separated off with zitenge hanging on strings. A couple of Primary children had wandered in from the next room and were hiding behind it. Walls painted with alphabet, numbers, etc. Photos taken but v. few resources. James spoke to teachers while 2 CGs and I talked to the children very informally. A SEND child was very interested in the azungu, touching hands and arms and when I bent down, my face. Played Peepbo from behind my hands. Round and round the garden etc We had to leave to get the car back for 11.00am so no formal games or activities here. Afternoon. Home visits 1. A child in Dove’s Room has not attended for over a week. We have heard from another parent that the child is sick. This is a visit to check that everything is ok and that the child has seen a medical practitioner and find out whether she is receiving treatment. The mother is young. The child is 11months. She has had sickness. Last sick on Sunday. It is Tuesday afternoon. At first Mum said she had taken the child to the clinic and the doctor had not prescribed any medication but following further questions it became clear that she had not attended the hospital in this episode of sickness but 3 months ago and she had been giving the same medication (zinc sulphate) that was prescribed last time. The Caregiver used this as an learning opportunity explaining that it was not necessarily the same condition, requiring the same treatment this time; that courses of medication should be completed; about correct storage of medicines and keeping them clean, that medicines have expiry dates etc. Mum was encouraged to take the child to hospital again today and confirm with the doctor whether further treatment is necessary and when it is safe for the baby to return to nursery. This is a sponsored child living in a rented house at 4000K per month. Very basic, next door to a bar, very close to other houses, beaten earth floor. We sat outside in the sun. The child was present and crawling about and taking an interest in her surroundings. 2. We travelled across to the far side of Chilomomi and Ntukwa in search of a family comprising mother and 11 children who came to the notice of the CC a couple of years ago after the death of the father, when Mum was expecting no. 11. Several of the children were malnourished and the CC introduced them to a feeding programme where they were fed and monitored. Their condition improved so they were discharged but now there are signs of malnutrition again. We did not have a specific address but enquiries found a neighbour who knew the house and we were led there. The Mother’s firstborn, a young woman with 2 children of her own who lived nearby, came to the house and joined her 14 year-old sister who was in charge of the younger ones while her mum was out looking for piece work about 5Km away. Apparently the 14 year old had gone with her mum but there was no luck finding work. Someone had taken pity on them and given them 500K, about 25p, and Mum had sent the child to buy sweet potatoes to take home and cook for the children. She was building a fire to do this as we arrived. A Beehive worker told me that 500K worth of sweet potatoes would not realistically feed more than 3 people. The caregivers asked questions, is everyone well, do the children go to school, do the younger ones go to a CBCC, are they fed there etc. All children attend school or CBCC except the 14 year-old who used to stay with a relative in Zomba and attend school there. She was registered at school in Zomba but in order to reregister in another school she needs a transfer code from the old one. The family has no access to a phone, the relatives in Zomba have no phone so they have not been able to contact the school and get the code. Therefore the 14-year-old cannot attend school or be fed at school. The family was given a 5Kg sack of likuni phala. I also gave them 5000K (approx £2.50) which is enough to buy about 10 Kg of maize. The Outreach worker told me that they used to have more access to food and clothing to help such families than they do now. These children 10 girls and 2 boys have dresses or shirts and shorts but no underwear and no shoes. They literally do not know where their next meal is coming from and this makes them very vulnerable. We talk a lot about supporting the poorest of the poor and it requires investment to bring such families to a level where they can take over themselves and maintain a standard of living where they have enough to eat to maintain a healthy body and enough clothes, for warmth, protection from sun, rain and rough ground, dignity and safety. These are the people who Beehive exists to support. To raise the standard of living of the people who live in the shadow of the cross on the top of the mountain is the purpose of all the Beehive businesses and enterprises. The profits the organisation makes have from the beginning been designated not for personal gain but for the benefit of the community of Chilomoni. Let none of us who are employed or volunteer here forget that this is what Beehive is all about.