Tanya Da Silva’s recent visit to Malawi
My Recent Visit to FOCHTA in Malawi
by Tanya Da Silva
I have wanted to go to Malawi since when our family friend Claude Ho told me several years ago about FOCHTA. My mother Robyn and I finally made it over there this June-July and I’ve found that despite having been back for a while, I am still processing my experiences. I feel so grateful for having had the opportunity to visit FOCHTA in the Thyolo district and have been deeply moved by my time in Malawi. Staying with the Labana Family (Steven Labana was a co-founder of FOCHTA) and visiting beneficiaries and Gogos (Grandparents) in the surrounding villages offered a lot of insight into the day to day life of especially rural Malawians and the challenges they faced.
We also had the opportunity to participate in and conduct personal development workshops during which I felt very inspired by the FOCHTA staff and the beneficiaries for their enthusiasm and determination in all of their endeavours. I had the pleasure in sharing my craft with the beneficiaries and staff; seeing the smiles on the students faces during our macramé workshops was definitely a special moment for me and I remember feeling happy at their excitement to learn a new skill and being impressed by how quick everyone was to grasp the technique.
I would like to say thank you to all our new friends including FOCHTA staff, volunteers, beneficiaries, gogos and The Labana family for welcoming us so warmly and for taking the time to make our visit an unforgettable memory. Thank you to our dear friend Claude for making this trip possible, and, thank you to all FOCHTA supporters – knowing that you are making a huge difference in the lives of many people. Zikomo Gwanbiri! (Thank you very much!)