Conservation

Malawi is once again running through trying to find the best solutions again.

http://www.africanews.com/site/MALAWI_Villagers_heal_sick_environment/list_messages/37518

For a country that is mostly Christian its interesting to see how the influence of witchcraft still exists though too. Makes me wonder how real either of them are believed.

RippleEffect.wsu.edu actually works pretty hard to implement the wood lot kits and bee keeping kits to improve the conservation and pollenation of the area while showing the people how to properly care for the land. Definitely worth checking out.

Its cool that the GDP is expected to be up more than previously thought

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-21/malawi-s-2010-11-domestic-revenue-revised-upwards-by-5-5-nation-reports.html

Which is always a good thing. This may account for the increased spending that was noticed a bit before.

I didt know they really had that much uranium either.

http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE71K0FQ20110221

Its cool to see them doing more with their natural resources that they do have and having the production lines already setup. Its lame that the diesel shortage has been a pain but oh well.

Personal Malawi story

This is a fantastic piece of journalism and getting a real person story. I know sometimes we can feel somewhat calloused to the idea of HIV and AIDS but when it creates its own genocide, I believe we have to take a stand and start breaking our hearts of stone.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-interviews/2011/02/17/work-being-done-to-tackle-hiv-in-malawi-is-making-changes-says-campaigner-annie-lennox-86908-22929563/

Malawi and finances

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-16/malawi-s-gdp-growth-to-slow-to-6-8-this-year-nyasa-times-says.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-15/malawi-government-spending-plans-rise-4-daily-times-says.html

http://allafrica.com/stories/201102151230.html

Soooo.... I in relation to all of this, I wish I had more information on what was happening on the ground. With a slowed GDP I'm not exactly sure how the government is planning on spending more but then increasing concerns of the fuel crisis are happening.

The allafrica.com story related that they are feeling a sense of a policed state. I'm not one to weigh in on such things, however being from a free nation I would have no way of imagining such a location. I dont feel it is as bad as it may come across, yet Egypt showed some amazing stuff just recently. You never know who might get the same ideas.

Malawi Fuel shortage

http://buswk.co/hj4oHO

Crazy stuff but I guess tobacco is what funds a lot of this. What do you think about the Government wanting to make a national oil company? I think its good for regulatory practices and have stuff setup so this situation doesnt happen again but I wonder how much this actually empowers the citizens to be entrepreneurs of their own. Then again I guess the black market folks are doing just that >.> .

Content in Malawi

Well lately there has not been that much news except some issues with Madonna's adoption and new laws against flatulence. It makes me wonder what our perspective is when we come to looking and observing third world nations. How would you express yourself in this regard? ethno-centric, charitable, wanting to empower them? etc?

First Posting - The Why

To introduce myself, I am Adam Jones. I have never been to Malawi, I've never even traveled outside of this country known as America - yet.

I however have met many Malawians, some of work directly relates to development in Malawi, I have been given shirts, mugs, clocks, wood carvings, and half a dozen other things relating to Malawi. I advocate for Malawi on a daily basis. All of these are pretty shallow though.

Why? Because I believe that people can change the world. I'm not here to save it, but I am here to create a positive impact and currently I have the opportunity to do that in Malawi. I hope to go to Malawi some day but until then I will do my best to do everything I can to help, build awareness for Malawi via proxy and hopefully educate people by providing news, what exactly these people face.

I'm not here for charity, I'm not here to make you feel guilty, I'm here to empower and dispel preconceived notions about a nation with a low GDP who are proud, friendly, and hard working.