Voluntary Service Overseas - January 1999 to March 2001

In 1994 having returned from a year traveling in India and Sri Lanka I applied to Voluntary Service Overseas hoping to get a work placement. 'What relevant professional skills do you currently have? ' came the reply. Apart from a Geography degree not much. This encouraged me to enrol onto a PGCE course in Physical Education in 1995 based in Luton. In September 1996 I started my first job as a PE teacher in inner city Birmingham. It was tough but for those two years he worked hard and learned his profession. It was time and in 1997 he re-applied to Voluntary Services Overseas. Eventually in late 1998 a letter came offering me a two year placement in Mzuzu, Northern Malawi. I didn't hesitate and by January 1999 I was the new Northern Education Division Sports Development Officer working in the Ministry of Education and Sports. My challenge was the 'rejuvenate school sports'. During those two years I was totally focused on my task of training sports teachers and organising inter school sports competitions. The Malawi government had recently set up the Malawi School Sports Association (MASSA) and I was in charge in the north. I had eight districts, over 150 secondary schools and over 1000 primary schools to 'rejuvenate'. This experience had a huge impact on me and has shaped my life ever since. 

Back in Northern Malawi - January 2016

I left Northern Malawi in March 2001 with amazing memories and a real sense of achievement. In the 15 years that would follow I was lucky enough to live and work in Ghana, Nepal, Ethiopia and Uganda. In January 2016 I visited Northern Malawi and headed straight for Chitipa. It had always been my favourite place because it was remote, set beautifully in a valley with hills on three sides, hard to get to but always great fun when I got there. It hadn't really changed much at all except for the new tarmac road that now joined Chitipa to the rest of Malawi. In 1999 the 99 kilometres from Karonga to Chitipa could take over seven hours but now in 2016 only an hour and a half. 

I stayed at the Nachitipa Lodge just as I used to back in 1999 and still for about £1 a night. I met my old friend Marshall Mwenachanya. In 1999 Marshall was a young footballer at Chitipa Secondary School and now owns his own business and is an active member of Chitipa Utd FC. Marshall told me nobody had been to Chitipa to develop school sports since myself back in 1999.  I was amazed by this but determined to help. Marshall introduced me to some new friends involved in sports. Rowland Harawa was the Chitipa District Sports Officer. Wachisa Munkhondijah was a Community Football Coach. Before I left, over a beer, I promised I would help Chitipa again. Over the next two weeks I travelled around Northern Malawi visiting my old house, office and many friends. In July 2016 I was living back in England and making plans. This trip inspired me to try and develop sports in Northern Malawi once again.