The Basics

Introduction

I’ll be spending this summer volunteering in Malawi through Engineers Without Borders (EWB). I’ve dedicated the better part of my time at UBC to this organization and here comes my next big step! I’ve been selected to participate in EWB’s short-term program the Junior Fellowship in International Development (this makes me a Junior Fellow or a JF).

When I think of Africa I don’t think of war, starvation or disease I only see smiles, hope and hard work. Hard work for the better livelihoods that they deserve. I stand with them but so far it has been from a distance. This is my opportunity to sit next to them, shake their hand, play soccer with their children, live under their roof, learn from them. Poverty is not about weakness nor is it inevitable; it is an absence of opportunity and I intend to help build opportunity.

The Placement

I’ll be working with the Mzuzu Coffee Planters Cooperative Union (Mzuzu). Specifically I’ll be living and working up north at the Misuku Cooperative in Misuku, Malawi. After lots of discussions and assessments I was placed here specially by Melissa Lefas, our Southern Africa Support Staff. This makes me part of the famous EWB Agriculture Value Chains team directed by one of my favourite EWBers ever Ka-Hay Law. Also working with Mzuzu is Robert Borzychowski, a long term volunteer (OVS) formerly of the McMaster Chapter, who is based in the city of Mzuzu. Annette Dunlop, JF from the University of Western Ontario Chapter, will be my partner at Mzuzu but based at the Phoka Co-op 150km south of me.

From http://www.mzuzucoffee.com/

The Misuku area is located close to Songwe River which forms natural boundary between Malawi and Tanzania. It is made up of 4 parallel ridges and plateau ranging between 1700 and 2000 metres above sea level. The area is almost 320km away from Mzuzu City, the Commercial and Administrative headquarters for Northern Malawi.

Mzuzu is a union of 5 cooperatives, consisting of nearly 2000 member farmers across Malawi proudly serving up “Malawi’s Specialty”. The organization has 4 structural levels with various responsibilities at each level. The lowest level being the business center which is the primary farmer grouping. The business zone is a grouping of business centers, and is the location of the coffee pulping. Each cooperative has between 7 and 16 business zones. Finally, the top level Union is based in Mzuzu. Each of the four levels has a board which is made up of cooperative members, as well as various volunteer positions like contact farmers, education, production, loans and supervisory committee, which are active at different levels depending on the specific areas.

With this complexity in the Union there is need for better defined organizational structures. I will be responsible for working with the cooperative staff and members at all levels to carry out assessments of the perceived and actual roles of the cooperative members to the end of improving the institutional capacity of the organization.

Leave your questions in the comments section!