Andre and Arjun will be visiting Malawi January 2009. The objectives and details of the trip are listed below.
Things to follow up from Discussion today
- Find out and arrange meetings with organisations in Malawi that are working on converting seedcake into fertiliser Andre
- Look into technologies/equipment/organisations in India - for converting jatropha waste (seedcake) into fertiliser and biogas
- Email Albert to meet in Kusungu - this is the best place to learn about the microventures programme and understand all the business models Greg
- Email Wesley for Andre to meet in Blantyre during first week Andre
- David will email Philippe from Raising Malawi, Angela Mojo and the couple from the Clinton Foundation
- Reach out to BERL and arrange meeting Arjun
- Reach out to government organisations & Angela Mojo Andre
- Reach out to ICRISAT Greg
- Get a camera and video camera - need to have some media footage for Legatum center Arjun
- Buy gifts to give everyone there
Itinerary (draft)
- Cities to visit - Lilongwe, Kusungu, Blantyre
- Villages to visit - Nikhota kota + around Kusungu where MLF recommends + where BERL recommends
Mon 19 Jan (Lilongwe at night)
- Andre arrives at noon.
- Pick up rental car from airport (choose car type e.g. manual/automatic??)
- Pick up SIM card from airport (go to Zain counter)
- Go to Lilongwe hotel
Tues 20 Jan (Lilongwe)
- Stay in Lilongwe - meet Angela Mojo
21 Jan (Lilongwe)
- Visit one of the MLF's loan groups around Lilongwe
22 Jan (Blantyre)
- Go to Blantyre and meet Wesley
Fri 23 Jan (Blantyre)
- Meet with any other organisations in Blantyre
24 Jan (Lilongwe)
Sun 25 Jan (Lilongwe)
- Arjun arrives at noon in Lilongwe
- Check in to Hueglins hotel at 1 p.m.
- Meet with Angela Mojo at 3 p.m.
- Meet with Angela Mojo and Wesley in the evening
- (Follow up with any government contacts)
- Meet with Clinton Foundation couple - need to email
Mon 26 Jan (Kasungu)
- 8.00 a.m. meet with BERL & Wesley
- Meet USAID - organize
- Drive to Kasungu - leave at 1 p.m.
- Check into Kasungu Inn at 4 p.m.
27 Jan (Kasungu)
- Meet Albert/James at MLF HQ in Kusungu and understand Microventure model + discuss biofuel business models (get in touch with them)
- Meet local loan groups and loan officers
Wed 28 Jan (Kasungu)
- Drive to Mzuzu or Nkhota Khota with a loan officer to visit the loan groups
Thurs 29 Jan (Lilongwe)
- Meet with MLF group again in the morning
- Leave for Lilongwe at 1 p.m.
- Check into Hueglins hotel at 4 p.m.
Fri 30 Jan (Lilongwe)
- Visit loan group/village near Lilongwe
-
31 Jan
- Check out of Hueglins hotel
- Return rental car at the airport
- Leave Lilongwe (flight at 1 p.m.) back to Boston
Tips
- GETS VERY DARK AT NIGHT SO GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO GET BACK from the villages - leave early in the morning and get back by 7 p.m.
- WANT TO AVOID PUBLIC TRANSPORT - rent a car at the airport
- MLF will provide a translator to us
- get a sim card at airport
- Get cipro (antibiotic)
- Flashlight (in case of a power cut)
- Camera
- Get insecticide spray with DEET
- clothing - khaki pants, boots, cap - it will be rainy season so likely to be wet and muddy
- HIV rampant
- Buy gifts for people there
- Convert money
Logistics
- Andre will arrive in Lilongwe the night of the 17th while Arjun will be there the night of the 24th. Both will leave on the 31st of Jan.
- That means Andre will be there for 14 days and Arjun will be there for 7 days.
- Lodging info - once we give David an itinerary - MLF in Malawi will make the necessary bookings at hotels
- Which village(s) to visit? - MLF will organise - they will all be day trips
- Transportation
- Both have received the required shots (yellow fever?, hep A?) for the trip
- Both have received the medication for Malaria?
Finance
- The flights have been purchased with personal money so far
- Initial money from PSC ($1,000) has not been received?
- Additional $600 from PSC will be reimbursed after trip
- Money from Legatum ($2,000) can be retrieved through reimbursement basis
- Minus air fare, there will be $873 dollars left for other spending for both Andre and Arjun ($569 for Andre and $304 for Arjun)
- Additional money may be available from MLF?
- Both will keep track of their spending and get the appropriate receipts when available so it can be presented back to the two organizations
Objectives
- Build contacts with BERL
- Build contacts w/in the government
- Elucidate logistics of a jatropha --> final product supply chain (from village to marketable product)
- Get a better idea of where in the supply chain we would like to get involved
Activities and Results in Malawi
- Visit a loan group in a village (observe and document the capabilities of the group and the individual)
- Visit a MicroVenture group (observe and document how business is conducted in the group, strength and weaknesses)
- Visit BERL facilities (after David's update)
- Talk with government officials if possible
Other things to do
- Buy gifts for people there