The Power Of Song ...

In Malawi, song has a long history and a powerful memory.  

Women sing together.  They sing alone.

The program I work with, Project Peanut Butter, incorporates this legacy and cultural connection within each day's clinical work.

Early in the morning, around 7:15 AM, when Project nurses and doctors arrive at a site in rural communities within southern Malawi, there is a common shuffle to unload the simple measuring equipment and food from trucks and complete an informational exchange, an update meeting, with the local Health Surveillance Assessors (HSAs).  

Each of these government health care workers are responsible for basic health screening, vaccinations, and support in a small cluster of villages within a district or region.  

The nurses and doctors learn about the events of the last week to two weeks - the time period since the previous clinic.  They are briefed on emerging health issues and other developments within the community. 

Typically, several hundred mothers and children are already gathered under a nearby tree or a small building awaiting services and nutritional support.  They sit quietly in small groups anticipating the flow of the clinic.

Then, as an introduction to the day and culturally sensitive educational tool, a nurse gathers the attention of the entire group and begins a rhythmic presentation, a flow of information about nutrition, family planning, hygiene, a range of health issues, and use of "Chiponde" (the legendary paste made of peanuts, vegetable oil, milk powder, sugar, vitamins, and minerals).  

This portion of the day begins with a speech and quickly evolves to laughter, clapping, and shared singing.  Everyone joins in.

The sound of hundreds of mothers' voices, brought together from villages across a large region by a common hope, chanting, playfully laughing, and singing together is quite moving.

This video clip presents a moment these mothers share.  

If you close your eyes and listen closely, it almost sounds like they are singing:   

"I love ... I love Obama."   

Well, not quite.  Our new President  is, however, quite popular in Africa!