The Grassroot Soccer Party

GRS End of the Year Party Rages on in our living room

This past week we had the official GRS 2011 End of the Year Party.  We’d been semi-planning it for months, but of course 98% of the preparation work was done in the few days/hours before the party. We brought in the Lilongwe-famous Mrs. Encatewere (still not sure if I’m spelling that correctly) for catering of traditional Malawian meal of mpunga (rice), nyemba (beans), nsima (nsima), nkhuku (chicken), n’gombe (beef), ndi salad (and salad).  As hosts, we also provided some additional appetizers, mainly chips and dip for which Mel, Meagan, and Lizzy put together some awesome guacamole and salsa.  This was also an alcohol-free party (no I’m not just saying that because my mom and dad read this blog) so we had a bunch of cases of cola and flavored soft drinks (not naming brands for a reason).

The Catering Service

GRS Coaches from Left to Right: Steve C, Cathy, Linda M, William

We spent the day before the party coming up with fun activities to compliment the raging dance party that would also occur.  We came up with “Most Likely To…” where we had coaches vote on who they thought was most likely to do things like win a dance competition, make you laugh, or own blue movies (XXX).  We also had a soccer juggling competition, push-up competition, and my favorite a Kilo competition.  What is a Kilo you surely ask?  A Kilo is what we in Grassroot Soccer use to give praise to people.  The standard GRS Skillz Kilo starts with someone yelling can we give them a KIIII-LO! And then everyone claps 3 times in a row twice: CLAP!CLAP!CLAP!   CLAP!CLAP!CLAP! with finally everyone stretching out their arms and yelling WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!  The great thing about Kilos are you can be very creative, and inventing new kilos is something we do all the time.

Trying to Bring the Skills in the Juggling Competition

Push Up Competition Finals From L to R: Cossam, Godfrey, Me, Stanley

Winners of the Kilo Competition performing the new Freeze KIIII-LO!

The activities and parties were a great success.  We were able to get all the coaches transport to our house by around 1pm with the food ready to be served.  The power, thanks be to God, was on the entire time, and Godfrey set up his awesome speakers and blasted a variety of hot dance beats for everyone to get down to.  The final part of the party was dedicated to Meagan, for whom it was her last Malawi GRS function, since she’s moving back to the U.S.  We had a couple speeches and lots of hugs.

Meagan's Good Bye Hugs

GRS Malawi Model Henry "Bulawayu" Ching'ombe modeling his new GRS Shirt

Following the party, and the cleanup, we realized that we still had a TON of nsima left.  This seemed the ideal time for me to take “The Nsima Challenge.”  Lizzy, new roommate and manager, had bet me 2,000MK ($10USD), that I could not finish 5 patties of Nsima.  Now here I was and she raised it to 6.  After the first 2 patties I was already full, and the fact that I was dipping each piece in Salsa basically meant that I’d had the equivalent of 6 tomatoes by the time I got to my fourth patty and really started feeling it.  At one point, nearly delirious with stomach pain, I asked Lizzy what’d she’d give me if I committed Nsimacide and ate 7.  She said, “GRS does not pay me enough to give you more than 2,000 kwacha to eat 6 balls of nsima.”  To which I replied, “And GRS does not pay me enough to NOT eat 6 balls of nsima for 2,000 kwacha.”  I am an unpaid volunteer.  With an hour time limit to complete the feat, I finished with 3 minutes to spare and then spent a half hour trying not to vomit.

The day was not all good though.  One of our coaches, Shadreck, whom I play soccer with on Sundays with the team Kuche Kuche, had to leave the party early to go to the hospital to be with his brother who was suffering from TB.  That night I received word from Shadreck that his brother had passed away.

One thing I’ve learned in my time here is that circumstances change rapidly in Malawi and over the course of a day you’re constantly switching back and forth from celebrating victories to ruing hardships and setbacks.  The only certainty is that there are no certainties, and the unpredictable will almost always happen.

Victoria Falls III: Death Defied One Last Time

The Falls from the entrance to the park

The next morning we were all sore from the kayaking but there was no time to rest.  We checked out of Jollyboys and rushed to the falls and purchased our entrance fee to be led to “The Devil’s Pool.”  The excursion included hiking across the dry riverbed atop the falls as the water had not yet risen to its full potential and we had to avoid streams and currents shooting straight down into the falls.

Walking along the dried riverbed on the march to Devil's Pool

Crossing the Stream, 20 feet to the left is the canyon, you do not want to fall in the stream

People stepped less than a foot away from the edge taking pictures and I got sick just thinking about the slips and the consequences.  Then we had to swim across a 50 foot section of the river to get to the pool.  Now we were at the pool and were instructed to jump in from the rocks and swim immediately to the left to avoid getting caught in the strong currents rushing directly over the edge.  I went first taking a cannon ball into the water and was fine and then swam on to the edge looking up over and below at the enormous drops and the rainbows from the clouds of water rising up that give it its native name of Mosi oi tunya or “The smoke that thunders.”

From L to R: Helena, Meagan, Brian, Salim, Mel, Me (it's no accident I'm furthest from the edge)

Jumping into Devil's Pool, if you jump too far well...you see the edge

The Edge of Victoria Falls: What you can't see are two guys holding my legs so that I don't fall off

Finally, after we’d completed the Devil’s Pool it was time for the grand finale of bungee jumping.  Our guide led us there and Salim, Helena, Mel, and I strapped up and one-by-one faced down the sickening heights of the falls from the bridge connecting Zambia to Zimbabwe.  The bungee workers brought us first to the platform then strapped our legs together and wrapped them with thick towels.

Trying not to vomit.  Last words to the camera: "I love you mom and dad."

Jumping off the ledge.  I went all out.

I was instructed to hop to the edge with my toes hanging off.  Once there I lifted my arms up and sideways and on the count of “5,4,3,2,1, bungee!” leapt from the platform into an insane and incredible feeling of weightlessness and acceleration while screaming “oh my god!!!”  My body flying towards the ground was then yanked up and I yo-yo’ed a bunch of times loving the rush and the feelings and the views.  Then I was slowly pulled up and I made my way back to the bridge on the Zimbabwe side.  I was in a daze.  I’d never faced so many fears in a weekend.

Follow the rope down to the end to find me

Me, falling, screaming, probably crying

Victoria Falls II: “Absolute Caw-nage” (Carnage)

Climbing down the mountain to the river carrying our gear

By 8:30am we were all in the lobby meeting our guides for inflatable white-water kayaking.  Before we even reached the river we were instructed to carry our oars, life vests, helmets, and shin floats down a treacherous mountainside trail.  Once we reached the bottom the porters inflated the kayaks while Steve gave brief instructions on kayaking 101 and avoiding “serious caw-nage.”  Our excursion spanned class 3 and 4 rapids taking us from rapid 10-25 on the Zambezi, downstream of the falls.  We’d all been given/bought nyami nyami necklaces to bring us safety and luck on our voyage.  Nyami nyami which looks like a dragon literally translates to “meat meat” and is supposed to bring safety to those travelling the Zambezi.

Steve showing us how to kayak and avoid "caw-nage"

We hit the water and I felt my body growing sore from the beginning, using muscles I’d probably never used before.  I made it through the first rapid unscathed but this was only a warm-up.  Rapid 12, named The 3 Ugly Sisters and Their Mother, is a series of 4 violent rapids in quick succession.  I immediately got my first taste of a flip as the first of the sisters knocked me off the boat and I struggled in the current to hold onto my oar as the water sucked me down and flung me on towards the second sister, luckily I was able to grab onto the safety boat operated by Steve before I hit.  From there I watched the rest of my friends knocked from their boats along the sisters.  As we reached the mother I held on with all my force as a giant wall of water knocked right into us.  We were all shaken after this and we regrouped in a jetty before moving on.  At the next rapid I was again knocked from my boat and began getting frustrated.  In between the rapids I was encouraged by the breathtaking grandness of canyon views and stayed determined to ride through.  Amazingly I started to grow more and more competent, making it through rapid 14 even after one wave had knocked me into the center of the mess and another wave hit me from the side spinning me backwards into the big rush, but I managed to hold onto my boat and oar and back into it straight, riding right through the rush.

The first rapid, a small taste of what was to come

A moment of calm enjoying the gorgeous views

I was getting the hang of it, but then there we all were sitting at the jetty before rapid 18, our biggest test of the day.  The rapid is named “Oblivion” so it was no wonder we were all hesitant to follow Steve into what he promised would be “absolute caw-nage.”  Our instructions were to hit the first wave straight on and then “paddle like all hell left.”  I made it through the first wave and set myself up well for the second which I rode.  Then facing the real “oblivion,” a monstrous 15 foot swell coming down on me I tried to right myself directly into it like instructed, but got side-swiped and went into the ferocious rapid spun sideways.  As the water crashed into me I quickly tried to grab onto my boat to keep from getting sucked under but the force ripped my hands from the kayak and I was pulled down beneath the surface.  The first moments I was calm and just held my breath confident the various means of flotation adorning my body would soon pull me to the surface.  Then that didn’t happen, and I was still moving fast underwater and it was all dark and I couldn’t tell if I was being pulled further downward or just along the current and then I started stretching my arms out just trying to feel anything but water and I started worrying more as my breath ran out and I was still being pulled along forcefully beneath the surface.  Just as real panic set in my fingers felt air and with my arms I pulled my head to the surface for a brief gasp before another wave hit me and sent me back under, but I was quickly out again and searching for my boat.  Instead I found Helena’s and she gave me a lift until my raft returned.  “Oblivion” was over and that was the high climax.  There were more rapids and even another tumble from my boat, but after surviving Rapid 18, nothing phased me.  Everyone that went through it agreed.  We were stronger, braver, more resilient now.

Post "Oblivion" I lost my boat and got a ride with Helena

Victoria Falls I: Cruising on Roads & Rivers

Sunset Cruise, from L to R: Meagan, Mel, Me, Brian, Salim, Helena

It was early and I hadn’t slept much after a farewell night at The Shack, the expat hotspot of Wednesday nights.  I managed to put together enough early morning sense to gather my things for the trip to Victoria Falls in the neighboring country to the West, Zambia.  Mel, Meagan, and I packed our things into the rented car and went to pick up Helena, Salim, and Brian (all visiting medical students).  Helena and Salim, being from Sweden, of course had never driven before while Brian didn’t know how to drive manual and Meagan had gotten her license taken away by police weeks ago.  That left Mel and I as the only eligible drivers for what was an 18 hour drive each way that would include a layover in Lusaka.

Hour 9 of 12 hour drive to Lusaka

Mel started the driving and rushed us out of Malawi to the border where we paid the $50 Zambian visitor’s visa and the subsequent car entrance fee.  After being thoroughly (and awkwardly) searched by a surprisingly intimidating and unnerving Zambian border patrol guard the gate was openned and on we drove into the fuel-filled lands of Zambia.  The sun shined bright overhead and bicyclers began appearing on the shoulder instead of the one lane road.  We immediately stopped in the city of Chipata, only 30km from the border to fill up on diesel, take out Zambian Kwacha, and have a quick lunch.  After a long stretch looking for a good place to use the bathroom on the side of the road we switched drivers and I took the wheel.  We moved from long, straight stretches on into the mountains where I’d hold my breath and my foot to the pedal every time we passed a car.  Knowing the sun was now on the downward trajectory and we still had plenty of km before reaching our Lusaka stopping point I began pushing 140 km/hr until a particularly harrowing incident in which while trying to pass a truck I had to slam on the breaks to avoid going head on into a bicycler that for some reason or other was riding in the lane instead of on the shoulder.  After this, it was just squinting into the setting sun shining right into my eyes.

Driving with the sun in my eyes was a challenge to say the least

Finally, we reached Lusaka just after nightfall and fellow Grassroot Soccer interns came and showed us the way to a great Indian restaurant with all-you-can-eat options.  Then we went to Smugglers, a local bar where I had a drink and played pool against a couple of Zambian regulars.  After lots of trash talking, joking, and betting I decidedly lost and we all returned to the intern house for a night’s rest.

Breathtaking

The next morning began at 5am and by 6am we were back on the road, a mere 6 hours from Livingstone, the city of Victory Falls.  Outside of a couple roadblocks and police stops we arrived in the afternoon without incident.  We checked in and promptly signed up for the sunset cruise to give ourselves a low key entrance to the wonder of Vic Falls.  I expected the cruise to just be an open bar along the Zambezi (the river that Victoria Falls is a part of), but we got much more as we saw groups of Hippos, a small herd of elephants, and crocodiles all in addition to a beautiful sunset.  We got back from the cruise thoroughly exhausted and went straight to bed at Jollyboys, the hostel we were staying in (highly recommended).

Annual Sensitization Event

Star musician Maskal performing at the event

Grassroot Soccer is unique in Malawi because unlike other GRS sites in Africa we operate as an outreach program from the Baylor Clinic that’s located here in Lilongwe.  We have partnered with Baylor to provide HIV education, sensitization, and testing for the youth of Lilongwe and our office is actually located in the Baylor building, one of the nicest and best-maintained sites in Lilongwe.

Checking the time while setting up the field for the tournament

Recently Baylor organized a large HIV sensitization event at the Mlodza Secondary School which is also one of the schools that Grassroot Soccer works with.  The event brought together Baylor's two biggest HIV outreach programs, Grassroot Soccer and Tingathe.  The event was ambitious and massive, putting together all of the resources we could find.  The early part of the day saw us run one of our VCT (voluntary counseling and testing) tournaments while the rest of the day was centered around the stage where some of Malawi’s most famous musicians (Maskal, Sally, Dan Lu) performed for thousands of people that attended.

The Winning Team of the GRS VCT Tournament

To raise awareness for the event there were posters and fliers made, radio commercials aired, and cars with megaphones and giant speakers drove through the communities telling them to come.  After the work for our VCT tournament I spent time talking to many of the outreach workers there and hearing their stories.

HIV Pre-Test Counseling  (Post-Test is done one-on-one)

Later, one of the counselors was offering HIV counseling in chezungu (English) and so Meagan, Mel, and I took the chance to go through the services that our coaches offer and we encourage participants to use.  We sat as the counselor took us through a great HIV/AIDS overview on the disease, stigma, and possible reactions to an HIV positive test result.  After that it was testing time and she pricked each of our fingers.  I’ve tested for HIV a couple of times before but this was by far the most intense of those tests because of the counseling.  My experience of testing in the US has been walk into a clinic, go to a room, get pricked, and then later someone will just say “negative” and I’ll go.  In Malawi though there is a requirement for in depth counseling both pre and post-HIV test.  Twenty minutes later I returned for my results and before she would give them to me the counselor went through a variety of scenarios that served to completely scare the hell out of me, but in a way that made me take the test and results much more seriously.  We talked through who I would tell my results to, what I would do if I was positive, how I would need to change if I was positive, etc.  Finally she put me out of my misery and delivered my result: HIV negative.

The Thousands in Attendance along with some of the "Security" in red

Now feeling relieved and knowing my status my next role for the day was as “security guard.”  As good as the intentions were for the event there are always people that ignore the message, and standing between the back of the stage and a growing mob I felt like I met all of them as swarms of drunk teenagers kept trying to break through our human barrier onto the stage.  Some were diplomatic and said things like “do you hate black people?” while others went for material possessions and just said “where is my t-shirt” or my personal favorite “give me my money.”  Unfortunately, some people pushed too far and I saw at least 5 fights.  Once the police officer came to the back brandishing a club the crowd ran and he’d run after them generally catching a couple people before returning to the stage.  That process happened a couple times before the end was finally reached.  

A view of the event with the stage on the left

At the end of it over 700 people were tested, with thousands in attendance to hear the musicians deliver messages on HIV, prenatal care for HIV positive mothers, and the need for male support.  It was a thoroughly exhausted, exhilarating, and education day.

Finding Ways to Reach People

Perhaps one of the greatest qualities needed to succeed, or even just survive, in Malawi is the need to be flexible.  The Grassroot Soccer intervention curriculum that is the center of what we do is designed to be that way and our coaches who take participants through the curriculum must be that way too.

This probably comes as a surprise to most people, but almost none of the Grassroot Soccer curriculum involves playing actual soccer.  There are soccer based activities like breakaway in which we show that just like it’s difficult to outrun a defender while dribbling multiple soccer balls, it’s also difficult to avoid HIV while having sex with multiple partners.  There’s also cut and cover in which we show that just like it’s easier to save a penalty kick if there’s a smaller goal or there are 7 people guarding it, it’s easier to avoid HIV if men are circumcised and use condoms.  But much of the Grassroot Soccer curriculum is designed to need as little materials as possible.  It’s just as much about using soccer based terms to introduce important and potentially tough conversations to participants to get them comfortable talking about HIV/AIDS both within the program and just as importantly outside it.

The program doesn’t require green grass, or lined fields, classrooms or auditoriums, goal posts or computers.  It just requires an energetic, resourceful coach and teenagers trying to better themselves and their communities.  It can take place under the shade of a tree, outside a building under construction, in an unused classroom, or at a health center.

Discussing the GRS Contract outside an unused building by the school

Participants role playing different scenarios under the shade of a tree

Doing GRS activity "Find the Ball" in an unused classroom

GRS session at the local health center

This past week we’ve finished another round of GRS interventions (5 weeks, 10 practices) and are graduating another class of GRS participants.  The graduations are always encouraging and moving as participants will teach GRS activites, perform skits, and share stories, music, and poems.  These all do an incredible job of demonstrating the knowledge they’ve learned.  The participants have all gotten there because our coaches and staff have worked hard to get around obstacles ranging from school starting 3 weeks late because last year’s exam results weren’t out, to over half the students been chased out of school because they haven’t been able to afford the school fees.  These are just a couple of the hurdles I would’ve never thought of, but what I’ve learned is that to keep the program going we have to stay flexible and to continue to find ways to reach people.

Adjustments to New Surroundings

I never thought for a moment that my living situation in Malawi would resemble my apartment in New York, but some of the arrangements I’ve found myself in I honestly would’ve never thought about in my pre-Africa life.  The following is a brief list of some of the more “interesting” adjustments I’ve become accustomed to in my time here so far.

1.       Nets equal security.  I don’t think I’ve spent more than a night without sleeping under the oddly comforting umbrella of a mosquito net.  (note they also protect from rats, cockroaches, moths, giant winged ants, and spiders…but I’ll get to that).

The mosquito net is a necessity...furniture is not

2.       Furniture is so “Western.”  I spent a week living in a house without furniture brandishing my room with a mosquito net and sleeping bag.

3.       Electricity is a privilege.  Power outages have become increasingly frequent making a large stockpile of candles a necessity.  Luckily we’ve amassed enough wine bottles to create proper candle stick holders.  Eating dinner by candle light isn’t romantic it’s just Wednesday.

Frequent power outages require innovation - example: wine bottle candle stick holder

4.       Hot Water is even more of a privilege.  Cold showers aren’t so bad (yes they are).

5.       There is life without a refrigerator.  It just involves a lot less meat, cheese, and cold beverages.  Cheers to cereal with warm long-lasting milk.  Our new house only has a fridge as a prop since it doesn’t work and we don’t have the money to replace it.  It does look nice though.

6.       Insects are everywhere.  And in Malawi they’re big enough to see…and probably hurt you.  We’ve encountered a stunning array of bug life in our new home ranging from giant wall crawling spiders to cell phone sized cockroaches, to moths, and swarms of mosquitos.  What we’ve learned:  There is not enough Doom Spray in the world to save us all.

I don't even know what that is, but it lives in our kitchen.

Gross.

Momma spider, luckily most of the spiders are much smaller...for now

On the left: Regular size bug.  On the right: Giant Moth.

7.       Water doesn’t always come from a tap.  Sometimes you have to pump it from the ground and carry it home on a bucket on your head.

8.       Hand washing clothes is ridiculously hard.  No wonder the women here are so strong.  Not having a laundry machine is my new gym…it also accounts for like 12 hours a week of work.

9.       I can eat a chicken I saw killed.  That pretty much speaks for itself.

Our lunch about 2 hours before we ate

10.   Petrol shortages suck.  We’ve been running on empty for two days now and I can’t do half my job since no one has seen a gas station in Lilongwe with Petrol in the last week.  On the plus side traffic has gone down dramatically.  On the negative we’re about 10 km away from not have an operational vehicle.

Fuel line: Cars parked on the side of the road waiting for fuel