Sharing is Caring.

My last post referred to a not-so-nice experience within the community. This current entry may come as a bit of a contrast but it is something that I can't help noticing and am proud to write a post on.

Malawians open their hearts to those around them and are always willing to help. I work with people whose wages don't exceed 15,000MK per month (approximately €70 or £60) and I have learnt not to underestimate the amount of people this money sustains. The wife/husband, the children, the mother and father in law, the cousins... Plus, raising their salaries is not going to increase the amount of maize they place on the table; it just extends the list of people needed to support.

Every other week there is someone in the hospital who has a child, has a death in the family or is getting married. No chance, it's always happening. The reason I know this is because a staff member will come around the hospital with a sheet of paper and an envelope. People donate money (approximately 50cents or 40pence) and sign it off. I don't think I have ever given anything, my excuse is always the fact that I'm a volunteer and don't really have money to be giving off every week. Or maybe "Who's Chipirilo? The guy sitting in the corner of the laundry room who sews buttons on the uniforms? I've never even spoken to him in my life."

But those aren't real excuses, and nowadays I just tend to run away out of shame. I'm a volunteer yet I spend more money alone than most staff members who have to share out their wages amongst their extended family and perhaps neighbours who are in a state of poverty worst than themselves. And who cares if you don't know who Chipirilo is? He's in need of money so the logical and caring thing to do is help him.

I haven't posted a photograph in a while, here goes me with my colleague and patients:

Dear Samsung, you caused me trouble.

This week something happened which has made me very uncomfortable and to some extent incredibly sad.

A couple of days ago I was in Physio room 1 working on the computer with my phone on the table. I left to see a patient and 3 mins later realised I had forgotten the phone in the room- I quickly rushed to grab it but to my disappointment it had vanished. Peter (fake name), the physiotherapy assistant, was leaving the room just as I was going in, so I asked him if he had seen my phone. "No, what phone?" he replied, looking rather awkward. He rushed to Physio room 2, and when he came out I questioned him again. "Really, Peter? But you were the only one in there after me... you haven't seen it?" He denied it again, and for some reason could not keep still and was rushing about far too much for it to be considered normal behaviour.

He was uncomfortable. I was uncomfortable. I didn't want to accuse anyone (after all I hadn't seen anyone take my phone) yet my instincts are generally pretty trustworthy. I started asking people around the rooms if they had seen it anywhere, and a few minutes later Peter walks up to me with my phone and says "I found it. You left it in Physio Room 2." And walks away.

He knows I wasn't in Physio Room 2. He knows that I know I didn't step foot in that room. I wasn't quite sure how to react, and I still don't know how to be around him. He is a close work colleague and someone I get along with incredibly well. So let me make it clear- there is no point in feeling hurt about this, because it was nothing personal. It was just a desperate measure, an easy way to make the equivalent of his monthly wage. Although the politically correct thing to do would be to report him, I don't see how that will make things better. I think I will approach him and explain that I'm disappointed but ready to forgive him. Will it stop him from stealing in the future to be able to feed his 2 year old child? Will it make a difference to his morals? Probably not. It's just another example of the impotence that we have towards facing the challenges in Africa.