I'll provide an update on my project as it has changed a bit. I will be working with the Clinton Foundation's HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) for the next 2 months. Originally, I was to work on a loss to follow up program for pediatric AIDS patients. However, because AIDS is such a sensitive issue in Africa, the project needed to be approved by an ethics committee which would take 2 months. So instead, I will be working on a loss to follow up with children and malnutrition. Basically, I will be determining why children deafult from the national nutrition programs. Nearly 50% of children in Malawi are malnurished, many of them suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and some suffering from AIDS, TB, or malaria. Like many African countries, health workers are few. There is only 1 doctor for every 60,000 people and 1 nurse for every 100,000 people so accessing care is problematic and even though care for children under 5 is supposed to be free, this is often not reality.

I'm a little isolated, as the foundation is located in a residential area and gated, so theorectically I could do little venturing outside and become an insulated ex-pat, but that is no fun. I would think that I would be used to several things having been to Africa twice before but that is not the case. Kids standing outside "shopping centers" begging for money, saying "madame, can't you see how hungry I am?" When you don't encounter that in the states, you are ill prepared for it, regardless of whether you have experienced it before in Africa or not. Maybe that can be a good thing in some instances as we do not become immune to poverty but at the same time, we must build up some callousness in order to survive. I don't for that to sound harsh, but it is true.

The people that I will be working with are great. There are Malawians, Americans, Brits, and even a Scot all here and all are friendly and passionate about their work. They are so enthuisastice that work starts at 7:30am. Good thing I tend to be more of a morning person. I am eager to get started on this project and meeting those in the community.

Muli bwanji!

After 3 days of travel and more time in a plane than I care for, I made it to Malawi. The Clinton Foundation is located in a beautiful setting and the weather is amazing! (Sure beats the 50 degree weather in Ohio.

I'm keeping this short but just wanted to let everyone know that I got here safely.