There are a lot of issues happening in Malawi that caught my attention over the last 2 weeks or so. But I thought that it would be wise to start this blog by introducing myself. I hope that by giving you a glimpse of myself, you can relate to me and understand why I have chosen the blogging.

I come from what I consider to be a middle class family. And I am the first born with 2 kids. I cherish a lot my siblings… We are always together, whether it is going out, going to church, concerts, shopping, baking, etc. We are a close knit family. Always there for each other and that is what I love most about my family. Love you all, lots…

Ever since I was young, I have been living my life like a nomad. My father is a pastor and has to be where the church wants him to be. We moved a lot from one district to another as well as from country to country. Though, most of the country traveling I did when I met my husband.

He is a humanitarian worker with one of the international humanitarian organisations. His work requires him to be constantly moving from one place to another. For example, we have lived in Zambia, Armenia, Greece and Spain. As a result, I have experienced different cultures, way of living and of looking at things.

I was born in Salima some years ago. When I was about 3 years old we moved to Zimbabwe where I did my preschool and started my primary school. I did part of my primary school in the Republic of South Africa. Finished my high school at Moma Girls. My first degree was obtained at University of Sunderland while my MBA at University of Wales. Actually, I have just finalised my MBA studies. Currently, I am residing in Serbia.

…why blogging…

When I was young, I wanted to become a doctor to help the patients and as I grew older I wanted to become a lawyer to defend those who could not defend themselves. Those who were oppressed. Most probably because my parents are religious. Being raised in a christian family with parents who gave and shared the little they had with those in need might have contributed greatly to my desire of becoming either a doctor or a lawyer. In my opinion, my father is one of the few honest men I have ever come across in my life. As a good friend of mine from Denmark said, my mother was a very caring person. And I have to admit that whenever I see something going wrong, I always open my mouth. This has just reminded of what my previous colleagues from Serbia used to ask me too many times at the office: “why you are not a lawyer or an activist?” The answer to that is simple. I missed out on the university entry examinations list. A scenario too familiar for most Malawians. There is only 1 University where you can study law and Medicine respectively in Malawi.

However, I realised that there are other options that I could follow in order to achieve my objectives. I have to admit that my husband played a big role in making this come true. He provides me with all the support that I need. Thank you dear. A different route but with the same results like I always dreamt about. Helping the people. My parents chose to help people through the church. My husband is helping people through his humanitarian work. And I am going to utilise this space to raise awareness on issues that are affecting Malawians with a focus on the social, economic and environmental areas.

At the same time, I would like to promote my country. It is such a beautiful country surrounded by the magnificent Lake Malawi. There are many touristic places that one can visit like the Mount Mulanje. The culture is so diverse within the country itself. Malawi is not called the Warm Heart of Africa for nothing. The people are glowing and you can feel the happy vibe when you are in Malawi. It's simply an amazing country…

…my contribution…

I might not be residing in Malawi at the moment but my heart and thoughts are alway there. For those who know me they will agree with me that Malawi is my passion. That is why together with my husband, we try our best to ensure that I visit my home country once every year. I remember once when I was at my hairdresser in Lilongwe – my only hairdresser to be precise because the only time I visit a hairdresser is when am in Malawi – one of her clients asked me why I keep on visiting Malawi each year instead of using the ticket money in building a house or buying a car for my parents.

I could do that of course, but that would be against being myself. I have been raised with strong family values and ties. My parents have always stressed on the importance of having good relationships whether it is within the family, with friends or neighbours. They always took us (the kids) to the village to visit the relatives and be in touch with our roots. A tradition that I enjoy and would like to pass on to my kids. The connection and love that we have amongst ourselves as a family is more important than any other material thing. It can never be bought… It brings more satisfaction than anything else. My presence in the family after a year's absence is the best treat to myself.

We can all agree that human beings are complex and at the same time unique. That there is no single way all best way of looking at a scenario or solving problems. That our priorities differs and most probably that is why we tend to look at things differently.

I therefore personally believe that though am not based in Malawi, my love for the country, my attempts in keeping in touch with my homeland through the annual visits that I take and my experience from the different countries that I have had an opportunity to reside in would allow me to take a look at the issues affecting Malawians from an angle that can be viewed as external but with good understanding or connection of the Malawian environment. Sometimes in order to come up with a solution, we need to take an objective analysis of the situation. Most of the times this means that we should not be too attached to the situation as it might cloud our judgments. Implying that we should be able to look at the situation from outside while not forgetting the important parts that might not be seen by a complete outsider. This is where this blog comes in.

…your input…

Nevertheless, it is your feedback that will ensure the success of this platform. Please, utilise the guestbook page or the comments area to input your feedback. I will try my best to answer all your comments/feedback. Feel free to let me know your opinions on the issues that I have posted or issues that you would like me to write about. Stories from everyone are welcome and I am ready to analyse and post them as long as they are in line with the objectives of this blog.

You can contact me as well via facebook. My user name is Loreen Banda. Please note that blog updates notifications will be posted on my facebook wall. The blog will be updated every Tuesday. If you would prefer having the notifications sent via email, let me know.

Thank you all and let this journey begin…