"Soap making" project in Malawi

During preparation for Africa in Denmark I learned to make soap. I used very simple recipe. My plan is to organize soap making workshop in one of communities in the place where I am going to work in Malawi. I hope it will be very good income generating project and community will be able to improve the conditions in one of the preschools.

It was the first time I made soap. And it was successful. Together with my teammate I made simple white soap which looks to me like the most expensive soap in the world and I am quite proud of it. It smells like cleanliness and something white and pure. I know I am too proud and too romantic about this soap. This knowledge will help me in Africa and together with teachers to-be in the college or kids in the Youth club we will make soap. Hygiene issues are still "unknown land" for many children in developing countries. If I start to teach them simple things - to wash their hands before having a meal - I can help them to learn hygiene skills adn to be healhty.

The recipe is very simple and the ingredients are available and not expensive (very important in Malawi!)

INGREDIENTS

1 litre water
1 litre oil
175 grams lye / caustic soda

1. Pour water into the bowl.

2. Carefully pour the lye into the bowl containing the water. You must avoid splashing-this is the most dangerous step! Never add the water to the lye.

3. Stir solution gently with a wooden spoon until dissolved. Make sure you have sufficient ventilation.

4. Let the solution cool down.

5. Pour the lye solution into the melted fat/oil in a thin stream. Stir continuously to ensure the lye mixes into the fat.

6. Continue stirring in a carefully manner to avoid splashing. The mixture should start thickening. This could take 1-2 hours.

7. Add aromas, clays, mineral pigments if you want.

8. Pour this liquid soap into plastic container mould. (Put the lid on and wrap with the towel).

9. Put the wrapped mould in a warm place and allow to set for 48 hours.

10. After 48 hours, unwrap the mould. If the surface is still very soft leave lid
off for a day.

11 Remove soap from mould.

12. Cut the block into bars of soap.

13. Stack "green soap" to harden for one month or more.

IMPORTANT:
When you make soap always use safety gloves and goggles or eyeglasses.

My project in Malawi

In less than two weeks I am going to Africa, Malawi. I am going to work as volunteer - Development Instructor at the Humana People to People organization in Teacher Training College. Being a volunteer is the most interesting and challenging experience in my life. I was working with children with special needs in a school in Denmark. I was studying for six months to gain knowledge which will be useful in Africa. I am prepared to go to Malawi. I have a big hope to change something and I will work a lot. I have goals to reach and tasks to complete there. I am happy to go to Africa.

Why Malawi?
Today Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world with over 60% of the population living in abject poverty. The primary school became free of charge in 1994, the enrollment of children increased and the need of teachers increased as well. In 2002 Humana People to People established the first Humana Teacher Training College in Malawi. Today still thousands of teachers are needed. Due to the HIV/AIDS epidemic many teachers are losing their life in an early age. It is not unusual to find 70-100 pupils and one teacher in the primary school.

What am I going to do there?
I will be working in Malawi Teacher Training College (TTC) in Chilangoma for 6 months. It doesn’t matter that it is going to be half a year - I have many tasks to do and many goals to reach. I will work in preschools, Youth center; I will organize clubs with students at the college. I will plan and lead different activities with students and children in Youth club: films, art club, sports, courses about HIV/AIDS and other questions for young people. I will organize open days with community. The teacher training colleges have developed themselves to be lively centers for a range of activities for children, youth and for the local and oftentimes broader community as such, running for instance evening schools and skills training courses; outreach activities and improvement actions; establishing and/or supporting local preschools; establishing farmers' clubs or similar programs with the point of departure in the primary school; and more.

One month left

I can't believe that only one moth left here in Denmark. In the beginning of August I will go to Africa, Malawi. My project is Teacher Training College in Chilangoma. I am looking forward to go there.

But first I am going to tell how everything started.

My story of getting into the volunteer program - Development Instructor program began ten years ago. I saw an article in the newspaper. It was about one Lithuanian girl who went to Denmark to DI program and after that she went to Africa where she did really good job. She worked in the TTC (Teacher training college) and with the local community in Africa. I remember what I thought about her "very brave, determined and strong person" and I was jealous of her experience and her bravery and determination. Now that I am here I can say that it is not easy to start a new path in your life but if you want to change something everything is possible. A long time passed after that moment when I read this article but finally I am here. This winter I went to info meeting about DI program in Vilnius, Lithuania and after that I enrolled myself in this program. Now I am part of February team in Gansager and I haven't regretted my decision to join DI program. Of course I liked my life in Lithuania I had a job that I loved and a lot of friends that I miss so much. But I made decision to come here because I felt that if don't make this decision now then I will never go to Africa as volunteer and I will regret that. One of my dreams was to be a volunteer. I think that sometimes people have dreams but they are afraid to take actions and to change their life. I didn't want this dream to be one of those that never come true. That's why I made up my mind, enrolled in the program and booked my ticket to Denmark. That's why I am preparing for my project in Africa and I know that I will do a good job there.

I am not this person who wants to save the world and everybody in this world. Usually I am sarcastic, crazy and making bad jokes about many things. But this time I feel that I really want to do something in Africa and I want to help somebody and I want to save somebody :}