Volunteer Report " Chitenjes on the grass "
2024.07.26
Name: Nagisa Shioma
Spetialty: Nurse
A lot of chitenje (African fabric) spread out on the grass. Malawian mothers are washing and drying them at the hospital. Even though there are clotheslines nearby with plenty of space... When I asked why they didn't use the clotheslines, they said, "It's because the chitenje can be fully exposed to the sun, and the grass absorbs the water, so they dry quickly."
As a nurse, I was dispatched to Ntcheu District Hospital to conduct 5S activities, part of the Quality Improvement program for the hospital. During the 5S assessments, I found many points that could be improved. However, when I talked to the local people, I often found myself thinking, "Oh, I see."
Many Japanese people might think that hanging laundry on the grass would dirty it again or attract insects. I used to think so too. I believed it was natural to hang laundry on a clothesline and that having many clotheslines would allow everyone to hang their laundry. From a hygiene perspective, using clotheslines seems more sanitary than placing laundry on the grass. As a healthcare provider, I would prefer them to use the clotheslines. The hospital is currently making more clotheslines (hopefully...).
For Malawians, chitenje is an essential part of daily life. Women wrap them around their waists as clothing, use them as sheets for hospital beds, as wrapping cloths, and as baby carriers. Therefore, the quicker they dry, the better. For Malawian mothers, being told not to dry their chitenje on the grass, something they've always done, might be troubling.
Which cultural or value system should we align with?
Do we have to choose one?
Must we affirm one and deny the other?
More than six months have passed since I was dispatched to Malawi. Recently, I often think, "What is development?" After experiencing a somewhat local Malawian lifestyle for half a year, what initially seemed inconvenient and lagging compared to Japan now feels "normal." During the rainy season, power outages are frequent, and planned outages are common. Water outages are daily occurrences, sometimes lasting three or four days. The kitchen (if you can call it that) has no sink, and there are no washing machines.
Indeed, Japan is a very convenient country. But it is simply that "Japan is more convenient compared to Malawi." It doesn’t mean that the lifestyle in Malawi is undeveloped. In a country with frequent power and water outages, Japanese convenient products can actually become "inconvenient."
Being able to have these reflections is truly the essence of being an international volunteer. Although I currently have no conclusion to my thoughts, I am simply grappling with doubts.
One thing I've realized is that international cooperation is not about completely changing the lifestyle. It is about respecting and correctly understanding the lifestyle, and finding solutions in a way that the local people can agree with. But this is an extremely difficult task. That is why, for 60 years, international volunteers have been dispatched to and have lived in Malawi. Living with the locals, working with them, and speaking the local language—this is what grassroots efforts are about.
Through my volunteer activities, I will continue to listen to the local voices and work together with them to seek better solutions. I believe that by working together, we can grow and build a better future. I hope that this experience will be a step towards a richer future for both me and the people of Malawi.
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