A cross-party delegation of six MSPs led by Margaret Ewing visited South Africa's Eastern Cape and Malawi over thirteen days in February. The others were Ted Brocklebank, Denis Canavan, Karen Gillon, Michael Matheson, and Mike Pringle. Their full report can be found on the web site of the Scottish Parliament. (www.scottish.parliament.uk). Karen Gillon, Labour MSP for Clydesdale writes specially for 'Update':

A Warm Welcome

We arrived in Malawi and were greeted by a local church choir. That warmth of welcome epitomised my time in Malawi and the country certainly justifies its reputation as the "warm heart of Africa". Wherever we went people, young and old alike, made us feel welcome and at home.

Education

Much of our visit concentrated on projects which involved Scots working in Malawi. We looked particularly at education and health. To those of us who had been involved in education in Scotland, education in Malawi was an eye opener.

Classes of 125 are simply outwith our comprehension but are the reality in many parts of Malawi. I was struck, though, by the thirst for knowledge amongst the children and young people, and the tremendous commitment of the teaching staff. The lack of classrooms and equipment must place a real barrier on these fantastic children achieving their potential, but I remain convinced that universal primary education was the right call.

Healthcare

It was in healthcare that the real scale of the challenge facing Malawi was most apparent. The visit to Bottom Hospital in Lilongwe was harrowing. Basic medical equipment that we take for granted was simply non existent and little wonder that so many woman die in childbirth and so many babies die. My visit to Ekwendeni was a highlight of my visit. It was fantastic to actually be there. I was struck by the enthusiasm of the staff that I met and their commitment to their patients and students alike.

HIV/AIDS

I cannot comment on my visit without mentioning the issue of HIV/AIDS. In particular I was struck by the number of orphans we met in various projects. These are vulnerable children and it is vital that they are supported. The increasing number of orphans is a problem not only in the present but could potentially be storing up serious social problems for the future if they do not receive appropriate support.

Drought and impending Famine

An article by Margaret Ewing in The Herald on 8th March gave an excellent flavour of the experiences of the MSPs in Malawi as they met Malawians and others involved in health care and education; but it also drew attention to what Margaret Ewing called 'the silent tsunami.' The annual rains which should continue until May in order to bring the maize crop to fruition had ceased by the time of their visit in February. Thousands of acres of Malawi's food staple were withering and dying. A note from Rev. Dr. Silas Ncozana in Zomba confirms this, reporting that in Mulanje, Balaka, Chingali and Salima families will need to be assisted. Like a tidal wave, this is something over which the local people have absolutely no control, but they will live and die with the consequences.

Corruption

It's clear that corruption remains an issue and although the new President started well I certainly got the impression that the jury is still out on ability to carry things through. It is imperative that this problem is dealt with if we are ever to deal effectively with the problems that Malawi faces. To do that though, we in the developed world will also have to keep our side of the bargain and do what we say we will do.

Support for Malawi

It may be a strange thing to say when you've just returned from a country with so much poverty, but I loved my time in Malawi. It has been a life-changing experience and I now face the challenge of ensuring that here in the Scottish Parliament we do what we can to support Malawians in the months and years ahead.