Just left pensulu village in Malawi I have never been so emotional ! It was so hard to leave all the amazing community as they are full of joy, have good hearts and are beautiful hard working people. I felt a sense of guilt when saying goodbye as the older guys in the community were so upset to see us go. I was more upset at the thought of going back home living like a king whilst they struggle to even get warm at night.

I have met some life long friends from pensulu and other parts of the UK and Ireland, I will never in my life ever forget Malawi it is the heart of the world in my eyes and I think it`s safe to say, my 2nd home. Photos will be posted this weekend. Thank you all so much, I can`t wait to see you all Friday.

Lots of love and kisses Nikki

x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

August 18th 2010 | Read the rest of this article »

Hi everyone, it`s our last day at Pensulu village tomorrow. Today I have been at the feeding centre and we organised a big sports day with all the kids which they loved. I managed to get cuts and bruises from wriggling under a mosquito net ( not from building for the last 5 weeks lol )

We have our end ceremony tomorrow which I`m sure will be very emotional but amazing, my drama and dance class are performing, I would have recorded it myself but the camera has broken ! I will get the team to record it. I have heard British Airways are thinking of going on strike, please dear god pray for me I get home Friday !!!!

x x x x xx

August 17th 2010 | Read the rest of this article »

Blog for today …. rain, rain, rain and more bloody rain !! cold, cold,cold working outside. Only in Malawi would you have builders in bare feet, shirt and pants !! You builders in the UK have it easy, be thankful you have socks, let alone shoes

It`s the weekend so we are going into town tomorrow to stock up on food and drink a cheeky cider or two ha ha ha, back home soon guys, sorry ha ha ha x x x x x

August 16th 2010 | Read the rest of this article »

Last night was the worst, it was so cold brrrr !! I don`t know how but the other side of my sleeping bag has ripped … I`m not that big !! My feet were numb and I lost 4 hours sleep. We have been working in the rain and I am like a drowned rat !! It`s so wet, cold and difficult.

Thankfully I`m teaching drama this afternoon so I don`t have to carry or wheel anymore bricks, or fall over on my face in cement ( yeah sounds hilarious but it wasn`t at the time lol )

x x x x x

August 12th 2010 | Read the rest of this article »

Last night was so horrendous, pouring rain and gale force winds, everything falling to bits !! 4 of the poor girls have been violently sick and suffering with diaorrhea from 11pm – 5 this morning.

We have gotten up for work this morning and still can`t work as the rain and the rest of the team are that bad.

x x x x x

August 11th 2010 | Read the rest of this article »

Hi everyone, sorry I haven`t updated my blog its been manic here. We sailed out to one of the islands with a beautiful lake and cooked fresh fish ( chambo ) which was yummy !! We had to keep an eye out as there were loadsssss of lizards !! I have also eaten goat which was meant to be beef, rat that was meant to be chicken and I have drank water with a massive beetle in it !!

The drive back took 5 hours and we saw plenty of baboons, cows and goats ( I think we ran one over oops ) there were loads all over the roads. Unfortunately 3 of the guys have lost their bags as the boot flew open up the hill whoops !! We are hoping to find them !! Someone handed 1 in but the others are still missing.

I worked in Manowe today, renovating an old house into a feeding centre. I had a paint fight with James …. I lost but the kids were in giggles

The clinic waiting room is also nearly finished hurray !!

Catch you all later mwah ( tio nana ) x x x x xx x x

August 11th 2010 | Read the rest of this article »

Ahh my god the past 2 days have been amazing, yesterday was so emotional visiting milo primary school. The children were gettting exam pass results of 100% !! One of the highest achievers was a young boy sponsored by Joshua Orphan Care, we were so pleased, it just shows how sponsoring a child to go to school really makes a difference.

The children love learning but have limited resources and are lucky if they can find chalk for a blackboard. They have 140 pupils in classrooms without desks, this has got to change and after your help I will make sure it does !

Today we arrived at the beautiful Malawi lake for the weekend off from work … ahhh heaven, let`s moisturise them hands lol. I nearly got taken away by two locals but my team came to the rescue !! We all stick together for those reasons. I will update you all soon.

x x x x x Nikk x x x x x

August 9th 2010 | Read the rest of this article »

Hi hi hi !!! Wow it`s been so hot today I have burnt my scalp ouch !! I had a morning of work and an afternoon teaching drama. Me and 2 others are teaching the children a poem called “Remember me” The kids have been rehearsing and loving acting out the poem, the poem goes

Remember me when you drive your car ( aimed at us )  

Remember me when you look at the stars

Remember me when you smile and laugh

Remember me when you dance

Remember me when you play duck and goose ( impossible to play in flip-flops I may add, kids beat me everytime )

Because we will always remember you ( I will video it at the end ceremony and you can determine whether I should be a drama teacher or not )

A child gave me a dead bird as a gift today, so I had to take it and smile, it was one of the bravest things I have done yuck but I did get an A* in drama back in the day lol. I`m rambling now cos it`s late and hard to read on an iPhone. When you work in Africa you`re in bed by 6.30 word up.

Peace x x x x x x x x x x x

August 6th 2010 | Read the rest of this article »

Hello everyone, it`s sunny today woohoo !! Africa wakes up at 5am and so did I yawn !! I have just finished my porridge and am ready to continue working on the clinic. We had a lot of fun yesterday, there was 5 of us in the back of the broken truck driving to collect sand and bricks getting thrown about all over ha ha ha. The little kids were helping us to offload the bricks and sand and boy do those kids have some strength !! 3 year olds with bricks bigger than them !!

We got some bad news that Samson, one of the oprhans we help at the feeding centre is poorly, his parents died of the same disease Samson is suffering now. He is 2 years old and full of smiles and laughter with the odd cry .. he`s my pensulu warrior of 2010. Your donations are helping him have the best life whilst he`s living the worst.

Thank you all so much for all your support x x x x x x x x

August 5th 2010 | Read the rest of this article »

Hi guys, I knew this day would come but I have reached my all time low.

Things are kind of getting on top of me today, I`m missing all my family and friends and my own space and the work on the building site really takes it out of you. I`m regretting not bringing more work gloves as I am ending up with prune hands after 5 minutes of cement burn.

Rant over, the children make it all worthwhile. Love you and miss you all. I`ll keep senga ( Malawi for smiling )

x x x x

August 4th 2010 | Read the rest of this article »