AUTHOR: Nancy TITLE: Mozambique DATE: 3/06/2009 10:25:00 PM ----- BODY:
Leslie is returning to Eugene today, and I’m off to Malawi. Mozambique has been a super end to our adventure, and I’m ready to explore the next two countries. We’ve not been to the famous beaches, but last night we ended our adventure here at a beachside restaurant where our seafood platter included lobster, prawns, calamari and local fish. That alone would be a reason to return.

While we have been here we’ve been hosted by CEDART, an organization promoting artisan development. Mozambiqueños are warm friendly people and has been a pleasure to walk along the beachfront and see locals jogging. In South Africa there is always a sense of unease, but here it feels even safer than at home. People smile with a “Buo Dia” as you walk along and are unfailingly helpful.

The village homes in the south are made of cement block and people cook with charcoal. In the north the homes were made of wattle and daub (mud and bamboo). You can see bicyclists riding along the streets, each with two heavy bags of coal, and people sell small stacks of coal at the local markets.

There are open cooking fires, but most people have some sort of metal stove with a small grate. The least expensive stove is about 12” high and 18” wide and sells for about $1.50, while the larger and more popular stove is twice as high and has two grates. It sells for between $10.00 and $20.00.

A bag of charcoal lasts a family from 3 weeks to two months and costs around $17.00. The main concern is that the stoves only last six months to a year and then must to be replaced as they rust out. Our stove would be a big improvement as the cement stove should last more than five years. My main concern would be transport as most roads are in extremely bad repair or have never been paved. As the area is tropical, the roads are deeply rutted and filled with trash and vegetation.

What has been completely amazing to me is that we have driven to a remote area, parked our car as we cannot proceed by road, and then walked through rutted pathways and then found amazing art. The craftsmen here are extremely talented carvers with inventive designs. With the assistance of CEDART they have developed products for export, have cell phones and bank accounts, and are prepared to make beautiful objects of ebony and sandalwood.

Last night while we sat by the beach and talked with all of the CEDART people we learned that there is a local metalworker who may be interested in starting a factory for Ecocina stoves. There isn’t time to met with him this morning before we catch the plane, but we should be in touch in the near future.

So, it’s off to the local market and then on to South Africa in Malawi!

Nancy

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:Monday, March 09, 2009 12:38:00 PM Another old friend of mine, Bill Rankin, heads up an organization called GAIA (Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance) that has extensive programs and alliances in Malawi. You need to check out one of the schools or programs while you're there... I'm sure you can do some partnering on this. I'm forwarding the info on you to him. More later, love, Wendy (Reid) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Akampurira Johnbosco DATE:Wednesday, April 01, 2009 11:02:00 PM Nancy, you are a friendly, adventurous woman and this is good because with adventure you learn new ideas which can be utilised for development. ----- --------