73 boxes finally in Chitipa

Midnight on the 16th September Wachisa had to organise another small truck because Albert's was unavailable due to being used for a funeral. They drove through the night to Ekwendeni. The news was that the container would be unloaded on the 17th. I got a message from Wachisa saying that there was a delay because of some missing paperwork and hopefully it would be opened on the 18th. The container was opened and the boxes removed but the Malawi Revenue Authority refused to allow people to take their boxes saying duty needed to be paid. Each person who sends a box pays £17 which includes transport and administration/duty fees. Wachisa and the others including Levison were all confused. On the 19th I got a message saying Wachisa was back in Chitipa but everyone who had boxes in the container had to pay duty except the CCAP church. Even the William Stewart Foundation and the Bananabox Trust themselves, both Malawi registered NGO's were made to pay the duty. The MRA told everyone that they had to register with CONGOMA, the Malawian NGO registry to recieve future shipments for free. Wachisa paid 201,000 MK and was given a receipt. He told that people just helped each other out to find the money. Alan Laverock wasn't happy and said it should not have happened as this was not the agreement made with the MRA in Blantyre. He told me that his agents in Lilongwe are looking into it but at least after all the effort the 73 boxes are now safely in Chitipa. It had taken 269 days from my garage in Alnwick to Wachisa's house in the blue gum yard. I am not sure what it all means for future shipments but that is a long way off. Wachisa and friends would have to form their own NGO, write a constitution, find trustees, open a bank account and report regularly to the Malawian government. There is also an annual subscription when you register with CONGOMA. Wachisa was asked to send the receipt for the money he paid. I had a video call with Wachisa and he explained everything in detail. We agreed that the money I had left him to organise the female young coaches and the referees course should be used to reimburse him the money he spent to the duty demanded by the MRA. He stayed calm and did the right thing and deserves a lot of credit.