South Africa and Malawi

Copyright Karen Schaler All Rights Reserved

It’s hard to believe but a week from today I’ll be on a plane headed to Africa for about a month! It’s all part of the TRAVEL THERAPY book and television project and here’s what’s coming up. The plan is to start in South Africa making several stops in that country (stops that I’m still organizing) before heading to Malawi where I’ll spend most of June volunteering at the Mtendere Orphans Village.  

Current statistics show in Malawi a large percentage of the country’s population is orphaned children who have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. 3 of every 10 children will die before they reach five year old and 30% will die before they reach ten. Even if a child does survive the life expectancy in Malawi is only 37 years old. 

I’ll be working with the Ambassadors for Children organization that helped me set up this trip doing interviews and research for part of the TRAVEL THERAPY BOOK and I’ll also be scouting television locations for an upcoming TRAVEL THERAPY television project. 

It is mind boggling how much there is to do before I leave and there’s so much to prepare before getting into the country, including figuring out how to get all the donations I’ve collected for the children into the country.

It’s amazing how generous friends and family and some complete strangers have been when they heard about my volunteer trip and also wanted to do something to help the children in Malawi. I got my final series of shots that I needed last week, including a months worth of malaria pills, so I should be good to go in that area.

Thank goodness I got most of the long list of shots I need last year before I traveled to Afghanistan.  A lot of the places I’ll be working won’t have electricity so trying to keep batteries charged for my video and still cameras is going to be challenging but where there’s a will there’s a way. Obviously, it’s key to bring as many batteries as you can but packing for this trip is tricky since I’m trying to get so many supplies into the country it doesn’t leave me much packing space for personal items.

Still, the goal is to bring back some amazing photos and video of the country that I’ll share on this TRAVEL THERAPY blog. The day I leave, Memorial Day, I’ll also post more where I’m going and additional details.

 If a volunteer trip is something you’re interested in I urge you to check the Ambassadors for Children website at www.ambassadorsforchildren.org  because this not for profit group offers so many wonderful volunteer trips coming up that you can take part in where you will truly have a hand in changing a child’s life.

Be a part of something amazing!   

Is there any greater gift?

For more on how you can PAY IT FORWARD check out the link on this TRAVEL THERAPY BLOG and I would love to hear about your travel experience!