Project Suspended...REMEMBERING A GIANT - ANDREWS NCHESSIE

 It is with great sorrow that my dear friend, colleague, and the changemaker that made EMPATHY happen on and in the ground in Malawi - Andrews Nchessie - has died. 

A world-class teacher, mentor, trainer, and humanitarian, Andrews inspired all who met him, and made change happen throughout Malawi. His reach was not just national, he had countless friends and colleagues around the world, and he made a profound impact on so many of us with his willingness to try new things, share, and participate in global projects between classes, or things like his tree planting project or EMPATHY, which became a national model for how schools in Malawi can ensure children do not go hungry and can stay in school. 

It will be one of the great pleasures and honors of my career to have had the chance to know and work with Andrews, whether on this project, or the Global Teacher Prize Teacher Advisory Board. 

This project has helped feed thousands of children the past 7-8 years, but unless connections can be made to have raised funds go to schools and farms, the project is suspended indefinitely. If anyone who sees this is or knows any of Andrews's colleagues on the project, please let me know: vondracekm@eths202.org.

May you rest in peace, Andrews...my brother. 

Some thoughts on: EELS as class pets, and how Quantum Mechanics changed how I think about students (and humans generally)

 Go here to find deeper dives into EELS as class pets, where EELS stands for Everyday Essential Life Skills and a renaming and rebranding of SEL

Go here to find deeper dives into how Quantum Mechanics changed my view and mindset of who my students are (and humans generally), which I believe needs to happen with all educators across the country, regardless of grade levels taught.

Feel free to share on your social media platforms. Teachers, feel free to use any/all of this! 

#SEL #mindset #EduReforms #EducationMindset #education #teaching

Online donations are again possible! Check it out!

 The GoFundMe site for the EMPATHY Project is up and running. Please consider ANY amount, even something like $5 is around 8500 kwacha, and all of this adds up quickly to help multiple schools feed their children for the entire school year! Everything helps, and is appreciated by everyone involved! 

Also, the spring planting season is fast approaching in the southern hemisphere, so this is an ideal time to contribute funds to help purchase seed and fertilizer! 

THANK YOU for your consideration!

Malawi, Sub-Saharan Africa facing drought and increasing hunger issues

 This is an article about Malawi, and how the World Food Programme (WFP) needs more funds to help there and other southern Africa regions that are in severe drought, due to both El Nino and climate change. Irrigation is especially vital in order to get water to crops. 

It's estimated 9 million people, half of Malawi's population, is directly affected by lack of food and nutrition. We do not want them to face conditions of famine again, like what happened in 2014-15. Donate to WFP if possible. 

Trying to reduce kids' deaths from disease in Sub-Saharan Africa

 In some regions of Sub-Saharan Africa, as high as 10% of children die before the age of 5 years old, mostly due to diseases like malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhea, which in wealthier countries can be treated by antibiotics. The World Health Organization (WHO) conducted studies to determine the most effective ways of treating children as a function of age. Let's hope we have the means of providing the medication in amounts large enough to make this difference, and in the process saving the lives of millions of children with the antibiotics we take for granted in the West. 

                                                 BioMed Central

A summary of US aid and initiatives in Malawi

 Here is a report summarizing what aid and initiatives will be supported by the United States in Malawi. These initiatives were announced through the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and were part of a list for countries that are experiencing democratic openings. It outlines tens of millions of dollars coming from philanthropic groups and other private sector expenditures. As a new drought and widening regions of hunger are landing on the people of Malawi and Sub-Saharan Africa, it is interesting to see how the rest of the world acknowledges the problems being faced and how they are reacting and assisting. 

Southern Africa, including Malawi, face extended drought and increased hunger

 The combination of El Nino and climate change continues to hit some of the poorest countries in the world, with widespread drought and increased levels of hunger in southern Africa. This includes our friends in Malawi. For the fourth consecutive year, the Malawian President has had to call for a state of disaster due to climate issues; this includes Malawi and some of the schools we help being hit by Cyclone Freddy last year. The drought is the worst that has been experienced in the last 50 to 100 years, depending where one is.

This further encourages us to continue to help support our Malawi friends into the future. They need additional funding to maintain crops, drill wells, and create irrigation systems to continue to survive through the extreme weather they experience in Sub-Saharan Africa.