The Lighthouse – Ten Days On
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Here we are, ten days on. So how are we doing? Well it’s been a tough ten days – a baptism by fire no less. Our computers and our printer have certainly given us our fair share of headaches – as has our Internet provider! The days are long and we are tired when we finally ‘clock off’, but it is a great feeling to be open, to finally be able to welcome people into The Lighthouse and to serve the people of Kasungu. Our customer numbers are fairly modest at the moment and the same is also true of our bank balance! But everyone who steps through our doors is struck by the warmth of the welcome they receive, by the quality of our services and by the level of our customer care. Every one of our customers has left feeling positive about The Lighthouse. We are slowly building a regular customer base here in Kasungu and what we now have do, is to increase the number of people who are actually giving us money!!! We know we are doing a really good job, but of course, there is an inescapable financial dimension to our situation as well. We know that spiritually, The Lighthouse is hitting its current target but that financially, we are well off the mark. Yet we have great faith that this will change and our spirits are high - when the technology works that is!!!
What has become crystal clear to us is that only a few people in Kasungu actually know how to use a computer and/or the Internet – it's approximately 3% - 4% of the population. It’s terrible; most people have simply never had the opportunity to access a PC; even the secondary schools don’t have computers - apart from the very expensive ones which cater for the very affluent. As a result, there is a desperate need for computer training here. I honestly don’t know why I am so surprised by this fact – this is a developing county after all! We are hoping to address this need though; each Wednesday we will open our doors to local people and sit down with them and give them some basic training on the ‘ins and outs’ of using a computer. We have decided not to charge a set fee for this service, but will simply ask people to pay what they can afford. On one hand we know that this is one day of the week when our ability to make money will be severely compromised, but on the other, we know absolutely that it is something that we need to do. We want The Lighthouse to be completely inclusive; it's not simply a place for people who have money. As Manager, I think that this represents is my biggest challenge – getting the balance right between the hard financial realities of running a business and the charitable, spiritual work that I want The Lighthouse to be undertaking. I am hoping that this will develop naturally over the coming weeks and months though. In terms of our offer to provide computer training, we are in no doubt that the demand will be high. We are currently trying to work out the practicalities of delivery, but by Wednesday we will be ready to go – if we don’t melt first! It is hot here – VERY hot; in between juggling general computer, Internet and financial concerns, I am also trying to get acclimatised to the scorching Malawi weather. The average daily temperature here is currently 37 degrees and believe me when I say that it makes the working day very difficult. I am struggling to keep hydrated throughout the day and have frequent headaches as a result; we desperately need fans at the business but simply cannot afford them at the moment. In fact fans are way down our list of priorities – after improved security and a desk where MacDonald (my Deputy Manager) and I can work. But we will get there.
As for Sam – he’s fine. Working full time means that I have to leave him at home during the day now; I miss him terribly. Unfortunately, dogs, computers and books don’t mix very well and so I don’t have any choice in the matter. I have a lovely Malawian girl who looks after him though, so he’s not on his own and he’s still getting his three good walks each day. As much as I love being at The Lighthouse, it’s a wonderful feeling to go home to him at the end of each day – he’s always the same – a scruffy mutt, tail wagging, bouncing up and down and ready to give me lots of wet kisses. He’s a great little dog – full of unconditional love. I would swap him for anything.
On the subject of animals, I have met two terrific people – and they’re BRITISH! Andrea and Keith have arrived in Malawi to work at Kasungu National Park; they are actually specialists in working with primates. I haven’t had the opportunity to visit the park yet because I have just been too busy, but I fully intend to visit as soon as The Lighthouse is solidly on its feet. It’s great to have some Brits to talk to though; that sense of the familiar is just so comforting.
A FINAL APOLOGY - Now that The Lighthouse is up and running, I had hoped that I would be able to upload photographs to the site. Unfortunately, my camera card broke last week and at the moment I can’t afford to buy another one. So at this moment in time the site will remain without photos and I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with my words only – I’m really sorry.
As always, we send you our love and our best wishes; you are in our thoughts and prayers. As always, we ask you to keep us all in yours. Thank you so much.
Here we are, ten days on. So how are we doing? Well it’s been a tough ten days – a baptism by fire no less. Our computers and our printer have certainly given us our fair share of headaches – as has our Internet provider! The days are long and we are tired when we finally ‘clock off’, but it is a great feeling to be open, to finally be able to welcome people into The Lighthouse and to serve the people of Kasungu. Our customer numbers are fairly modest at the moment and the same is also true of our bank balance! But everyone who steps through our doors is struck by the warmth of the welcome they receive, by the quality of our services and by the level of our customer care. Every one of our customers has left feeling positive about The Lighthouse. We are slowly building a regular customer base here in Kasungu and what we now have do, is to increase the number of people who are actually giving us money!!! We know we are doing a really good job, but of course, there is an inescapable financial dimension to our situation as well. We know that spiritually, The Lighthouse is hitting its current target but that financially, we are well off the mark. Yet we have great faith that this will change and our spirits are high - when the technology works that is!!!
What has become crystal clear to us is that only a few people in Kasungu actually know how to use a computer and/or the Internet – it's approximately 3% - 4% of the population. It’s terrible; most people have simply never had the opportunity to access a PC; even the secondary schools don’t have computers - apart from the very expensive ones which cater for the very affluent. As a result, there is a desperate need for computer training here. I honestly don’t know why I am so surprised by this fact – this is a developing county after all! We are hoping to address this need though; each Wednesday we will open our doors to local people and sit down with them and give them some basic training on the ‘ins and outs’ of using a computer. We have decided not to charge a set fee for this service, but will simply ask people to pay what they can afford. On one hand we know that this is one day of the week when our ability to make money will be severely compromised, but on the other, we know absolutely that it is something that we need to do. We want The Lighthouse to be completely inclusive; it's not simply a place for people who have money. As Manager, I think that this represents is my biggest challenge – getting the balance right between the hard financial realities of running a business and the charitable, spiritual work that I want The Lighthouse to be undertaking. I am hoping that this will develop naturally over the coming weeks and months though. In terms of our offer to provide computer training, we are in no doubt that the demand will be high. We are currently trying to work out the practicalities of delivery, but by Wednesday we will be ready to go – if we don’t melt first! It is hot here – VERY hot; in between juggling general computer, Internet and financial concerns, I am also trying to get acclimatised to the scorching Malawi weather. The average daily temperature here is currently 37 degrees and believe me when I say that it makes the working day very difficult. I am struggling to keep hydrated throughout the day and have frequent headaches as a result; we desperately need fans at the business but simply cannot afford them at the moment. In fact fans are way down our list of priorities – after improved security and a desk where MacDonald (my Deputy Manager) and I can work. But we will get there.
As for Sam – he’s fine. Working full time means that I have to leave him at home during the day now; I miss him terribly. Unfortunately, dogs, computers and books don’t mix very well and so I don’t have any choice in the matter. I have a lovely Malawian girl who looks after him though, so he’s not on his own and he’s still getting his three good walks each day. As much as I love being at The Lighthouse, it’s a wonderful feeling to go home to him at the end of each day – he’s always the same – a scruffy mutt, tail wagging, bouncing up and down and ready to give me lots of wet kisses. He’s a great little dog – full of unconditional love. I would swap him for anything.
On the subject of animals, I have met two terrific people – and they’re BRITISH! Andrea and Keith have arrived in Malawi to work at Kasungu National Park; they are actually specialists in working with primates. I haven’t had the opportunity to visit the park yet because I have just been too busy, but I fully intend to visit as soon as The Lighthouse is solidly on its feet. It’s great to have some Brits to talk to though; that sense of the familiar is just so comforting.
A FINAL APOLOGY - Now that The Lighthouse is up and running, I had hoped that I would be able to upload photographs to the site. Unfortunately, my camera card broke last week and at the moment I can’t afford to buy another one. So at this moment in time the site will remain without photos and I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with my words only – I’m really sorry.
As always, we send you our love and our best wishes; you are in our thoughts and prayers. As always, we ask you to keep us all in yours. Thank you so much.
posted by Jayne Powers at
1:00 PM
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