Gogo School, Malawi 2019
Last year our team went to Malawi to help build our 5th school.
This school was built in honor of my dear friend, Jose. It celebrates his life on Earth and our beautiful friendship that I dearly miss.<3
After the school trek I traveled to the south of the country, to Blantyre where I volunteered in a school and an orphanage in Mulanje city. In many ways this was a transformational trip for me. I came back with an ardent desire to do more. I’ve been asking myself ever since, “How can I do the most good with the resources I have?”
One of my favorite things was getting up early in the morning and watching the sunrise’s display of radiant colors. At first the sun seemed shy peeping in little by little, until suddenly in all its glory, it elbowed its way out for good. In Blantyre, I trekked the Mulanje Massif; I felt my heart expand seeing all that beauty.
I thought “This is what it means to be happy.”
Below are pictures and videos from the trip. They start in Gogo, the village we helped build our school. Most of these pictures and videos were taken by my dear friend Kiana and buildOn. Thank you so much for allowing me to share them. To our team, Kelly, Kiana, and Elaine, I am grateful for your work and help. I know traveling such a long way and working so hard can be overwhelming but you all did amazing and I am thankful to you all.
Thank you everyone who has donated and made this school possible. I am humbled by your generosity and support. I hope you all enjoy the pictures, videos and realize the kind of impact you make. This is all possible because of YOU. ❤
This is a video from buildOn. I think it summarizes our trek beautifully.
Gogo Team with our families. We are all so grateful for their hospitality.
And we absolutely adored their children.
Team Gogo at work, digging the foundation of the school and building its walls.
Women in Malawi wear the traditional colorful sarong-like wraps, called Chitenjes. They use them as skirts, headdresses, aprons, or to carry infants on their backs while shopping, carrying water, working in the garden, or…to bring water and bricks to our school site. ❤
Having fun while carrying bricks.
Candice was our trek manager. We all loved her.
Kiana with her favorite little girl.
On the school site, lunch break and playing games with the kids.
My dear friend, Idah. The sweetest and kindest you can find. I loved our daily walks and chats about women’s rights and place in the world.
I got bunch of soccer balls and world map beach balls. The kids absolutely loved them! And we had lots of fun playing with them. Best gift ever.
The beginning.
The end. ❤
This school will help build a better future for generations to come.
Thank you again Gogo team, buildOn, all the donors and everyone in the community for coming out every day and working along us. We will never forget our time in Gogo.
I will be going back this year to visit the school. I can’t wait to see the kids again and my host family.
After the school, I traveled to Blantyre. I climbed Mulanje Massif and reached its highest peak, Sapitwa. It was a perfect way to end my time in Malawi.
