The Uje Umampha! (Be Well!) HIV support group

Uje Umampha!(Be Well!) HIV Group:

The Live Well! programme has been running for 6 years and has developed greatly over those years by giving support, education, counselling, a food programme, qualifications and business opportunities that generate income to members of the community living with HIV.

There are some essential and necessary requirements for any volunteer joining this community project.  Most importantly volunteers need to be culturally sensitive, discreet, confidential and empathetic with all members of the group.  HIV/AIDS still holds stigma in Malawi.  All members of the group will have had a positive diagnosis and will all be on medication.  Volunteers need to have a mature and serious outlook to these vulnerable people, they need to have already researched and have accredited knowledge on HIV, its treatment and the impact on the individual victims and an understanding of peer support and of the nutritional benefits that a healthy diet can bring.

This project needs a 3 month commitment to ensure development continuity and establishment of strong personal relationships with the group.

The volunteers will need to previously fund raise £120 on top of their volunteer package.  This money will buy nutritious food and seeds for the group.  This provision is a real incentive to the 10 people who attend each course.

There is already a comprehensive written programme for volunteers to deliver to the group over 3 months, and in the Butterfly community room there is a lot of additional information on nutrition and recipes as well as simple gardening and permaculture techniques.  The programme includes a weekly question and answer session where volunteers can research and present information from the chosen questions each week. This is really important as the group meet with people back in their own village and share the information with them which is extremely helpful. On a rotational basis each member of the group takes home a food parcel of nutritional foods, which are sourced locally and they also receive a shopping list and shop for it in town.

It is good to leave the group with a small income generating idea and previous groups have established a massage business, a usipa (small fish) business, eggs and baby basket weaving with the group they worked with.  It can be useful for volunteers to have some small business ideas that their current group could set up after they leave.

You can come prepared with new recipes using nutritious local products, some gardening expertise and simple budgeting advice.

If you are ready for the three month commitment then as a volunteer you can supplement the existing programme by; 

• Researching different ways to present information to the group, including role play, lectures or handouts.

• Researching a potential income generation business idea and assist them in learning the skills required and implementing it.

• Research and cook nutritional recipes using locally sourced or home grown ingredients that they are not used to cooking.  

• Work with them to improve their existing income generators and help them develop more.  

There is a full job description available for further instruction and guidance for this role. It is a more complex but life changing volunteering opportunity.

Butterfly Space Lodge is beautifully situated under a canopy of mango trees, surrounded by lush permaculture gardens with a restaurant and bar. Butterfly Space is a 15 minute walk from the bustling ferry port and market town, which has a vibrant market, great night life handcrafted souvenir shops, restaurants and a warm and friendly feel! 

Across the bay is Aqua Africa who offer scuba diving and kayaking, Monkey Business  (on site at Butterfly) is a small Malawian business that offers kayaking and canoe trips, mountain biking and treks. The lodge has a lively bar and pool table, and hammocks overlooking the beautiful crystal clear Lake Malawi. Snorkels are available free of charge at reception for snorkelling. There are lots of beautiful coves and beaches to explore along the lake, and pretty villages that welcome warmly passers by.