It has been an “interesting” time on my 4th trip here. My flights were fine (with a ghost on the long leg from Atlanta to JNB!) and arrived on schedule in Lilongwe. As always, Mike from CNFA was waiting for me and we went to Cluny Lodge. I can’t say enough great things about the facility that Marinus and Bev Taale operate. It is very small (<20 rooms) in two homes with excellent breakfasts and dinners. The other guests are always interesting: a MD from Germany; a consultant from Poland; an American with business offices in London and South Africa.
The client was Bowe Farming and Marketing Cooperative (BFMC). The drive to my hotel in Dowa was only 1 hour from Lilongwe – all on tarmac. The drive from Dowa to Bowe was another hour – all on very difficult dirt roads. Everything I have on this trip is dusty! The hotel in Dowa was a disappointment. Previous volunteers had said it was fine; my experience was very different. It is a conference facility and operates at capacity (76 people) Sunday through Friday. The restaurant was geared to buffet for participants. Hot water was in “dozers” which limited the amount; I set my alarm for 5am each morning to ensure a tepid shower. However, even that was not enough for the last 3 mornings when the hotel did not turn the “dozers” on. Electricity was a sometimes thing; the hotel had a generator but it “broke” or did not have fuel. I believe that the hotel was attempting to save money. I came back to Lilongwe during the middle weekend.
BFMC is a very small cooperative. The farmers are in transition from a cash crop of tobacco to maize, soy and groundnuts (peanuts). We met in a school room (children are on holiday) and I plastered the walls with flip charts. It was Finance 101 from Mission to Vision to Strategic Initiatives to Project Plans to Financial Statements/Projections. BFMC had 3 initiatives that they discussed in detail: how to get more members/capital; how to start a SACCO (Savings and Credit Cooperative Organization); how to construct a storage warehouse. The cost of production for each new crop and the output per acre showed that groundnuts were the most profitable and maize the least. Maize is also subject to increasing expense in the cost of fertilizer.
All well with me. Today I begin my trip back to San Diego. I am anxious to see Rob and Bari; wash my clothes; repack; leave on August 1st for Tanzania. Hope that all is well with each of you.
