Malawi report: Why educate a girl to save a country

African Proverb: Educating a boy is equivalent to educating a man. Educating a girl is equivalent to educating an entire country.
(African proverb:when You educate a boy, you educate an individual. When you educate a girl, you educate a nation.)

Travel to Malawi, in the middle of a transit in Johannesburg, South Africa, rushed to see a souvenir shop wrote such a sentence: "Education of a girl, equivalent to educating an entire country." "The lofty sentiments of the women's Rights declaration, to Malawi only know not lying."

On the second day of Malawi, Fair Trade Coffee Co-op manager Christopher took us to the first coffee farmer's female president and her coffee garden.

Photography-Wan Yun

In fact, before the president, Martha had come to Taiwan with the completion of the Carlsberg Foundation, the Foundation CEO Zhou Wenjin was very impressed with Martha because Martha was extremely shy. There have been a lot of changes in the past few years, "and now you can hear Martha voices!" 」

Words just finish, all the way bumpy car finally stopped at Martha home, dressed in traditional women's clothing Martha and family outside waved welcome, hug us These strange visitors, like welcome family old friend, also in Martha introduction, we met new friend "Happy Mr.".

Listen to Mr. Happy and say the story of dignity

Mr. Happy is a coffee farmer, his native name is called "Annoyance" (Mabvuto, Malawi).

In Taiwan, almost no parents will be named for the children, cooperative manager Christopher explained, in fact, this is very common in Malawi, "These families have been enough children, very hard, did not expect another accident, it is really troublesome, is named as trouble." "He shrugged his shoulders. (Recommended reading: Malawi report: Here, the girls are all ready for the wife. )

Mr. Martha's proposal to grow coffee and join a fair Trade cooperative began in 2011. The seven-year income has stabilized and has quit drinking habits. No longer troubled, Mr. Masiska, found that "happy" (Malawi language) more expressive of him, so the identity card name also changed to "happy."

Growing coffee beans By now, the two-year-old Mr. Happy has a fixed 1 million Malawi per year revenue, which is enough for him to support a family, but also can renovate the house, the roof from the thatch to the tin, which is a symbol of wealth in Malawi.

Photography-Wan Yun

1 million Malawi, although only equivalent to NT $42,000, but the control of the primary school teacher annual salary of about 700,000 Malawi, happy husband's income in Malawi is respectable. Happy to be proud of his career, Sir, while chatting disappear home for a suit, said to dress formally, both the reception of the etiquette, but also want to show that he was proud of the work.

Looking at him, he picked up the fruit of coffee with dignity, peace and confidence. I can't help thinking about the true meaning of flipping poverty, not just meals and food, but the dignity of life.

Mr. Happy. Photography-Wan Yun

From shyness to generosity, leadership comes from giving care

In fact, the cultivation of coffee does not necessarily ensure a stable income, which has been supplied to Taiwanese businessmen rather than to fair trade cooperatives. In the next half of 2014 years, the coffee beans were ready for harvest, and the Taiwanese businessmen ran away, and 40 farmers harvested a total of 3000 tonnes of coffee beans, unable to get compensation. See the hard harvest to put water, the second half do not know how to live, farmers have been asked to the same from Taiwan, the completion of the Carlsberg Foundation, seeking assistance.

At the end of 2014, the bi-Carlsberg Foundation took over the coffee plan to find the right buyer for the farmers. and strive to promote the park to obtain fair trade certification, to ensure that the coffee trade fair and equitable, but also to meet the Fair Trade Cooperative Cooperative Martha.

Martha Join Fair Trade, the community other people see her economic stability, situation improvement, to her advice method, she also warm sharing, gradually led neighborhood to do, worry Mr. became happy Mister, Shy Martha, also because help people, become the leader of the group, gradually more self-confidence.

Martha Photography | Wan Yun

The origins and nature of leadership comes from warm care: I hope we can have a good stay together. So willing to open the thorns to go ahead, willing to share experience, to provide assistance. After a long walk, nature has become a leader.

We also understand in this process, the meaning of charity is not charity, is to let people learn to build a fishing rod, so that people can live with dignity, self-help to help others, give back to the community, give back to the community, to open the ripple effect of good. Malawi is a mirror that allows us to take care of our hometown and reflect and learn.

Why women are the key to breaking the cycle of poverty?

"Men have holes in their pockets." (Most men's pockets is torn.) "Coffee Co-op manager Christopher in the Martha room front porch, forthright his observations. What I mean, he explains, is that Malawi men make money and often drink and get drunk, "such a stream of gold will undermine economic development." Women are different, women usually take money to support the family, let their children receive education, Golden Stream has a positive cycle. 」

Fairtrade coffee is sometimes labeled "coffee beans grown by female farmers", allowing consumers to buy female farmers ' products based on support for women and a positive economic cycle. This is a positive real encouragement to encourage women to invest in economic activities and to get out of the restrictions of housewives. If you can feed yourself, you do not have to be subject to the husband, nor the unconditional forbearance of home violence. "Also to their family members to play a role model,"christopher said this is a win Ah, "men can also be more happy! 」

But also to clarify, not Malawi men are lack of responsibility, in fact, many Malawi men also found that to improve the family situation, the solution is to fully support women.

Malawi visited the day four, we pulled a three-hour hike along the mountain, and visited the 15-year-old girl salomy with her brother who was awarded by the completion of the Carlsberg Foundation. Salomy's elder brother is a visually impaired person, more than many discerning eye have a vision: he believes that the educated should be gender-specific, and intelligent sister can be the key to the reversal of family fate, and then hard to fully support.

Salomy's brother Photography | The bi-Carlsberg Foundation

But why didn't the father pay? Salomy had already entered the best boarding school (note 1), but the father remarried with a new family, unwilling to pay tuition for salomy, will send her into the cheapest evening reading.

Night school is not suitable for her study environment, the students are mostly drop-stress of the elderly students, Salomy as the youngest student in the evening classes, the class encountered problems raised hands, often directly when the air, sometimes caused a commotion, others will stare at her and ask, "You are so small, understand what?" "She can only put her arms down in wood, and shut her head."

The night school lasted for a year, Salomy dropped out of the mountain village to live with his brother. The eye-blind brother relies on selling firewood for his livelihood, his income is precarious, and his children are raised by a family of five. But looked at the younger sister to study has the desire, also has the ability, he cannot bear her to think, wants to go, decided relies on odd jobs to earn the 14,000 Yuan Malawi coin (equivalent NT $590), to the sister to take to cushion the tuition fee, but this certainly not enough.

Salomy Photography | The bi-Carlsberg Foundation

Eye-blind brother: "Her fate can be more than this."

On the hill where Salomy and his brother's family live, we sat under the eaves for lunch and watched the Valley view. Salomy brother slowly opened his mouth, "I was still a student, good grades." Once dreamed of being a judge, wanting to preside over justice. Later eyes because of disease blindness, unable to continue reading, only early out to hone their earning skills. The biggest regret in life is not able to continue reading, support salomy education, also want to let salomy realize my wish. 」

He said, the village girls are very early marriage, just want to worry, afraid Salomy no longer reading, will end up with the same fate as other girls, "more than salomy younger girls, most of them have been married, others see I have always said," Let your little sister marry out. "But I think her fate can be more than that." 」

Salomy and brother Photography | Wan Yun

So he acted. Two years ago, the foundation staff, Tina, received a phone call asking how the completion scholarship would apply. The impatient Tina replied quickly, "You can fill in the form online, do not know how to fill out the office, we help you." 」

After a few days, a pair of wonderful combinations appeared at the entrance of the office of the bishop: a little girl, holding a man, a man with a pair of shoes with his soles worn out, and the red clay from his shoes, Tina said she was all silly, "I know he has a problem with his eyesight!" He didn't mention it on the phone, and knew we'd drive over to visit! 」

Later, the foundation staff drove to their home to visit, just know that day sibling two walked 85 kilometers to the office. A 12-year-old girl, walking so far in order to continue her education, "on this point, I know this girl is different: She has perseverance and courage to not give up." (Recommended reading:Cara Delevingne in Uganda: girls, worth a better education )

They are the forward forces of hope.

Salomy's example seems special, but in fact in the Malawi environment, and salomy like the future has the ambition of Malawi girls and a lot. On the wall of the foundation's office, a row of Malawi girls with a foundation scholarship was posted to remind the foundation workers of their intentions.

Looking in the past, most girls and salomy also dream of becoming a nurse, the foundation staff Rinnis explain the reason, "(want to be a nurse) is usually the family is sick, often in and out of the hospital, from the childhood to see the professional figure of nurses, this career has a vision." "On the other hand, because doctors are mostly men, girls do not have a role model, they do not know, doctors are actually women can engage in the occupation."

Education, in fact, is to open the field of vision, see hope. To respond to the situation of Malawi gender inequality and to keep development sustainable, education investment must be made.

"Educating a girl equals educating a country." There is indeed evidence to support this remark. "Many social studies have found that women are more willing than men to bet their money on the family," says CEO Zhou Wenjin. "The next generation receives more resources and forms a cycle of good." On the other hand, women in the workplace will also increase the working population, the national economic structure will also change. 」

Photography | The bi-Carlsberg Foundation

Educating women has a long tail effect, and can also see change from a personal level. "In our award-winning female college tionge, she often says that studying is not just for her own sake, but for giving back to her family, and having the opportunity to earn more money by education and to supply family needs." 」

The girl, who later entered the university, studied finance, and continued to become a banker with a 1% admission rate, was elected to Miss Malawi (Miss Malawi) this year, advocating contraception in various rural areas, and the importance of women being educated.

Tionge's ambition is to become a banker like his father. But when she was young, her father was bedridden after a stroke. The mother carried up the housework, the nursing, and the financial pressure, raised three children to grow up, just by a breath. Tionge's mother, Yingqi in her bones: "I told the children that our fate would not stay here." "She looked into my eyes," I said no, no need to bow to the environment, there is definitely a way out. 」

The original education of a girl, can save a country, is the truth. When girls have the resources they deserve, they can scroll through unprecedented changes, starting with individuals, expanding into households, neighborhoods, communities, and finally scrolling through a country's gentle revolution. Society will also know that progress relies not on oppression of another gender or group, but that cooperation must begin with a cross-over, mutual support, and can move forward.

Salomy and his brother's family photography | The bi-Carlsberg Foundation

Note 1: The Malawi Secondary School, according to the degree and the tuition fee divide four kinds: the best is the national boarding school (Nation Boarding School), then comes the general secondary school (secondary School), the Community Day Secondary School platoon third (Community daily Secondary School, CDSS), Evening School finally (Night School).

The next trailer will show you the beauty and perseverance of Malawi women.