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Mwadzuka Bwanji! Greetings from Malawi
Longmire's Story & Second Voyage to Malawi
When I was in high school, I was subjected to senseless street violence in Chicago. I fell into a depressive state, wound up in the hospital with a few stitches, and felt like giving up. A fellow student suggested I participate in an organization called Building with Books, later to be named buildOn.
The first community service project I participated in, was painting a mural at Riis Park. I really liked the service and people I met. After going through that trauma, I felt empowered to transform the narrative by giving back to the community and change. I did not want tragedy to become my story. buildOn gave me my voice back!
Soon, I participated in more service projects — from removing the invasive Buckthorn species in parks to fundraising $30,000 at the Crain Communications building in Chicago, I found community and opportunity through buildOn. Ultimately, I reached over 300 hours of service, and went on my first Trek — a life-changing experience.
In 2009 (March 27 - April 11), I traveled to Chitunda, Malawi as part of buildOn's Trek for Knowledge. Our group's goal was to build a school in the developing country so more students can have access to quality education. When I was young, I took my education for granted because of mass media consumption. My journey taught me so much about culture, education and leadership.
Fast forward to June 2022, I ascertained two degrees (M.A. and B.A.) and I continued to serve buildOn in new capacities.
On June 15, 2022 at Salesforce Park in San Fransisco, buildOn presented it's first ever benefit concert where John Forte and Michael Franti performed live. I co-hosted the instagram live event with Emmy Award-winning TV host Pili Montilla!
On August 9, 2022 I was invited to participate on my second Trek to Livwezi, Malawi from August 20 - 27, 2022, this time as support staff. I was overcome with emotions - a little anxiousness, happiness, fear, and joy all bubbled up. I would be traveling with a group called United for Malawi, a mixture of international GE employees who fundraised since 2019. Due to the pandemic, their trip got postponed until 2022.
What's different now than when I went back in 2009 is my role. I will serve as support staff on Trek. As support staff, I was responsible for managing group morale, leading group discussions, water management, and crisis/emergency response.
What is Trek?
Trek is not a vacation! It is an opportunity to work along side community members to build a school. You experience the richness of a unique culture by living alongside the community. You build friendships that transcend language and cultural barriers (buildOn, 2022). You are completely immersed in a new and different culture and return with knowledge gained from Trek experience into your everyday life.
Trek targets communities in countries where youth are most at-risk of leaving school and economically the poorest. Through buildOn's robust global education research, they found eight countries to complete their work in; Burkina Faso, Haiti, Mali, Malawi, Nepal, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Senegal. To date, they have built more than 2,000 schools (buildOn, 2022).
Trek's methodology consists of building a school, living within the community village, eating local foods, supporting your team, and respecting the local culture and people. In my experience, the Trek timeline consists of::
- Fundraise, Preparation and/or Training (two weeks - one year)
- Travel to destination country
- Lounge/Hotel stay the first night
- Arrival to community with Welcoming Ceremony (be prepared to sing and dance for hours)
- Construction begins (Typically a day shift will be 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. for 3 - 5 days)
- Cultural workshops (1 p.m. - 4 p.m. [Hiking a mountain, Gender talks, Crafts, etc...])
- End of Trek Closing Ceremony
- Goodbye to Community - End of Trek Debriefing
- Lounge/Hotel stay last night
- Completion of school by community members and contract workers
Prior to commencement of Trek, there are requirements participants, community and staff must commit to on all levels to ensure everyones safety. Trek leaders go into the country months in advance to and work on logistics (food, accommodations, transportation, translator, safety, etc...). Participants must get proper immunizations, fundraise, attend meetings, etc... Each Trek leader and support staff are extremely equipped to handle unforeseen circumstance that may occur.
Why did I go?
After receiving my Master's in 2018, I've worked in a variety of sales positions which really left a bad impression on me. Coworkers and supervisors actions made me question their morality, ethics, and even their sanity. Without going too far into detail, it has left an impact on me. I always knew deep down inside, there was a bigger calling on my life - international philanthropy through creativity. Over the years, those negative interactions had dulled my outlook on life.
Reflecting back on my career, sales became a comfort zone for me. I had normalized the mistreatment of my talents and energy by employers, sometimes even friends. Before embarking on this Trek, I remember calling my five closets friends and they encouraged me. I drew on their words and inner strength, pushed past each of the negative thoughts, 'what if' scenarios, and it turned out to be one of the best experiences of my life. I met some of the most incredible, talented group of international professionals. This in turn has re-ignited that inner flame I once lost.
To be vulnerable and step outside my comfort zone is something I have not done in a long time. Participating on Trek as a student in 2009, I was far less worried about things like insurance, liabilities, and more focused on the social aspects. Now as an support staff, I was much more concerned with everyone’s well-being and wanted to support our group.
Bottom line — the importance of surrounding yourself with, like-minded, positive, forward-thinking individuals is what is most conducive to growth.
As an African American, it’s so interesting to go to Africa, discover another side of yourself, and spend time with our people. It’s an experience which brings emotions I cannot put into words. On both Treks, 2009 & 2022, the communities and participants formed a human chain, passing bricks hand by hand to deliver them to the work site. Nothing from my experience in the United States, has ever compared to that moment of mutual understanding across cultural barriers for a common goal — building a school for the next generation.
As I close, I want to challenge everyone who is reading this to answer one question:
United for Malawi 2022 Group photographed with Madalitso Kazombo, Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
Livwezi, Malawi Photos
An incredible student and now friend, Moses Ngozo, from buildOn's Mbongozi Secondary School.
Roommate Accommodations - A community member allowed us their home during our stay.
Young students watch construction site of 2nd new school block, completed school pictured in background.
My dear, new friend Christina from Spain, she was loved by everyone.
A 1st grade student answers a math problem in a completed buildOn school.
One of the amazing contract construction workers who will complete the school within next few months.
