Below is the breathtaking, shimmering expanse of calm blue water that forms Lake Malawi, crowned by wisps of a majestic sunset. The countryside is equally picturesque, with lush undulating landscapes covered in maize fields.  It is hot and humid, with temperatures rising to 30*C. 

An ideal holiday destination this may sound like, but that is certainly not the reason why we are here. Although the Malawian people match the warmth of their climate (I have seldom encountered such degrees of cheerfulness and kindness), this is a nation fraught with problems. 

Poverty is everywhere to be seen. People get by as best they can, but with an ever-worsening economic crisis out here, times are tough. We moan about rising food and fuel prices in the UK, but it is minimal compared to what is happening in Malawi. The currency was recently devalued by 50% (a long overdue economic reform, recommended by the IMF and World Bank), which, added to poor harvests, has seen the living costs shoot up.

Many people (85%) live in rural areas and rely on subsistence agriculture. This often is insufficient to meet their needs. They also face issues with regard to clean water access and sanitation. HIV/AIDS is also prevalent, destroying families and leaving appalling numbers of orphans.

It is problems like this that we will be seeking to address over the next 3 months. I will detail more of what our projects are up to next time.