In July 2013, 14 young people and leaders from 1st Portlethen Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade set off on a two week trip to Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries.

The trip followed two years of preparations and fundraising, including sponsorship from local firms, bag packs and a car wash.

As well as climbing Mount Mulanje, visiting Lake Malawi (one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world) and seeing the fascinating wildlife, we encountered the most remarkable aspect of Malawi – its people. Malawi is known as the “warm heart of Africa”, and rightly so. The people of Malawi, many trapped in situations of poverty, hunger and unemployment, are some of the friendliest and most joyous people you will ever meet.

We were met with great smiles everywhere we went. All of the many different people we encountered in Malawi welcomed us to be a part of their community; young children who had never seen a camera before, people who could not afford hospital treatment, and host families who volunteered to take each of us to their homes one night for a true experience of what it’s like to live in Malawi.

Sadly, the warm personality of Malawi has not been enough to improve the extreme poverty of most of its people. Many of Malawi’s hospitals do not have sufficient staff and equipment, resulting in a lack of healthcare opportunities, while most people quite simply cannot afford the healthcare costs. Modern technology is something of a different world to the majority in Malawi. Agriculture is the biggest employment area and relies on old-fashioned inefficient methods. There is increasing youth unemployment throughout the country, resulting in poverty and malnourishment. However, living conditions in Malawi are slowly improving through the help of international aid and through visits of organisations like The Boys’ and Girls’ Brigade.

While we had an amazing time visiting Malawi, the real purpose of the trip was to open our eyes to the living conditions of the world’s poor. What we take for granted here in the UK is something of a luxury to people elsewhere, and it needs to be changed. Next time you are in the supermarket, look out for Chombe Tea (Fairtrade), which comes direct from the tea fields we visited in Mulanje, or do whatever you can to support the people of Malawi and other poverty-stricken countries.

Thank you to everyone who supported our trip and made this fantastic opportunity possible. Special thanks go to Portlethen Community Council, Portlethen Parish Church, everyone who donated at our fundraising events and especially the people of Malawi who made our visit such a happy and memorable experience.

Calum Martin
1^st Portlethen Company