Transformative Praxis Malawi: Upcoming Trip
The project
On June 5th I will be embarking on a trip to Malawi, Africa with Bishop’s University to work with Transformative Praxis Malawi (TPM). I will stay and live on the TPM campus for one month with professors and students from Bishop’s, along with nursing students from Regina and Ireland.
TPM is an Action Based Research project that was started in 2009. Action Research is a process that includes observation, reflection, planning and action. TPM is a knowledge transfer between the global north and the global south but in a collaborative manner.
Hospitality Services and Management
The small group of women working in hospitality will be leading a project that is twofold. First, this team will be in charge of the accommodation of the students and professors on the campus by cooking meals, general cleaning, laundry, preparing bath water, and ensuring proper sanitation. Second, as this team builds leadership and managerial skills together, they will begin to take responsibility of the campus space through the planning of sustainable hospitality services to be offered on the campus throughout the year. Together this team will explore many ideas of how their skills to accommodate students and professors on campus for a month can be transferred into hosting other groups on campus in order to create opportunities for themselves, others, and the campus space. Some of the topics that may potentially be explored with this team are: cooking skills, nutrition, sanitation, inventory, space management, scheduling, planning, lodging, customer service, leadership, entrepreneurship, communication, management, roles and responsibilities, as well as other topics the team decides to explore. As the team explores these many topics, it is important to consider how these new projects both impact and are impacted by TPM’s mission and values. The Hostel and Community Centre are both integral parts of the TPM campus, and although they both currently contribute to TPM development, the buildings hold a lot of potential that this team can explore. As ideas come to realization the hospitality team must always consider the safety of people and TPM assets. It is our hope that this group of women will demonstrate a growing understanding of TPM, as they become leaders on campus exploring new ideas and providing opportunities to many.
About Malawi
Malawi is one of the top ten poorest countries in the world. Malawi is a land locked country and therefore relies on the neighbouring countries for imports. Despite being one of the poorest counties it is known as the Warm Heart of the Africa because they are known for their hospitable and friendly.
Transformative Praxis Malawi
“Our members strive towards the locally defined needs (defined as improving critical thinking, creativity and social entrepreneurship), and are encouraged to develop strategies of emancipation through their own skill-set and knowledge recognizing and utilizing other’s expertise as well. Putting theory into practice is meant to encourage both short and long term goals; mindful that future planning is as important as immediate needs.” (TPM Website) for more information visit: http://transformativepraxismalawi.com
Reading
Caplan, G. L. (2008). The betrayal of Africa. Toronto: Groundwood Books.
Easterly, W. (2006). The white man's burden: Why the West's efforts to aid the rest have done so much ill and so little good. New York: Penguin Press.
Fanon, F.. The wretched of the earth. USA: Grove Press
Freire, P. (c2005). Pedagogy of the oppressed. New York: Continuum.
