A letter from Rochelle and Tyler Holm in Malawi
October 2013
Hello from Malawi!
We are very happy to be back home and back at work in the warm heart of Africa. We are very thankful our recent, July/August, trip back to the United States for PC(USA) orientation (see photo at end of letter,) which was completed safely and had many good learning opportunities with folks from all across the country. We apologize for all the folks we were unable to see and we hope this letter finds you well.
Chrissy, our Smart Centre program Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, demonstrating the low-cost Rope pump, as produced in Mzuzu
If a light bulb goes out in your kitchen, you fix it. If a streetlight goes out, you complain about it or maybe call the city works department. In Malawi, as in many countries, many of the wells are supplied by foreign donors. These donor-supplied wells may be installed with little collaboration. A 2012 study found an astonishing 55 to 64 percent of improved water sources in Malawi are nonfunctional. Who fixes donor-supplied wells is a longstanding question. The Mzuzu University Smart Centre work on low-cost water and sanitation solutions Rochelle has been working on since arriving in November is beneficial to both business and water supply interests. One local entrepreneur under mentorship at the Smart Centre offering the service of low-cost water technologies, Elias, recently told her: "Selling Rope pump with hand drilling provides me and my wife money to take care of my family. I don’t have a farm to grow crops for my family; now I am able to buy food for my family through the money I realize in selling the Rope pump and hand drilling. I am also able to buy clothes for my children through the same money." One of the households that has purchased a Rope pump in full, with cash, has indicated the system has improved her living standard, saying: “The Rope pump is helping us so much more especially with the current intermittent [public] piped water supply. The pump is one year old now and I have not registered any serious problem with it. I am even informing other people on the advantages of having a Rope pump at home even if they have piped water. A number of families have installed this pump and they are living comfortably insofar as water issues are concerned.” For this household, if the pump breaks, just like if a light goes out in their kitchen, they will fix it. By using local low-cost technologies and reducing the cost of a well, local families can buy their own well and pump, which they will be proud of and maintain at a household level.
University of Livingstonia College of Theology classroom block
One of the challenges of teaching students in Malawi is the pedagogical model inherited from the British of rote memorization. In some ways this is understandable since often public primary and secondary schools do not have resources such as textbooks. When students get to the University of Livingstonia College of Theology we are blessed to have at least one main textbook for every student in each of our classes. However, students are not familiar with critically reading, interpreting, and coming to their own understanding of what a scholar reports. This came to Tyler’s attention at the end of last term as he was spending a great deal of time presenting four different scholarly theories. Exacerbated by the conflicting theories, a student cried, “Just tell me what to believe!” Although Tyler missed part of current term due to our trip to the States in July/August, the University has been able to accommodate his schedule and Tyler is teaching a reduced load at twice the intensity.
Tyler, Rochelle, and Roger, enjoying a weekend at Lake Malawi, Sept 2013
The highlight of September was been welcoming Rochelle’s brother, Roger, to Mzuzu. His two-week visit to Malawi is much too short, but we had a great time showing him around our new work and life. Roger also visited Rochelle in Mali, West Africa, 10 years ago when she was a Peace Corps volunteer. We look forward to you as our next visitor soon!
As we start our service with Presbyterian World Mission, we invite you to partner with us. There are many ways to partner with us:
1. Prayer support
2. Engaging with the mission ministry so that you learn what to pray for
3. Financial support
We need your help to be Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) long-term volunteers. Thank you for your faithfulness in partnering with us, and we are grateful for you.
Tyler and Rochelle during PCUSA orientation.
Blessings as we are entering summer here in the Southern Hemisphere—
Tyler and Rochelle Holm
The 2013 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, Malawi, p. 117-118
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Individuals: Give to E074868 for Rochelle and Tyler Holm's sending and support
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