It’s summer in Malawi but on this Tuesday afternoon, the sweltering sun decides to retreat behind the dark grey clouds hovering over the sky.  A cool draught of air takes over making the temperatures to drop slightly.

On this very day, the UNFPA Malawi Country Office is hosting the Director of Human Resources (DHR), Ms. Josephine Mbithi and the Regional Director (RD) for East and Southern Africa, Ms. Lydia Zigomo.  At exactly, 3.45 pm, the plane carrying the dignitaries’ lands safely at Kamuzu International Airport, Lilongwe.

Within some minutes, the visitors emerged, bringing smiles over the eagerly waiting Country Office team. Back at the office, staff are busy preparing to receive the visitors. Many had not met Ms. Mbithi nor Ms. Zigomo in person.

A forty-minute drive took the visitors to the country office located in the heart of the capital city, Lilongwe. As the Director of Human Resources and the Regional Director entered the conference room, staff members burst into song and dance, loosely translated, spoke of how happy they were to host the visitors. A Malawian way of welcoming visitors.

The song and dance was soon replaced by serious business of the day.  For close to two hours, the conference room was abuzz with activity. Starting with a presentation on the CO’s work that highlighted the demographics, programme approaches and main priorities, operational issues and funding trends. 

This was followed by an interactive question and answer session with questions from the Director of Human Resources and the Regional Director. The staff also had an opportunity to pose questions to the dignitaries.  Following this session, there were several one to one interactions with staff, the Regional Director and Director of Human Resources.

This excited the Director of Human Resources. She was enthused that the opening presentation was very provocative, which allowed for robust and engaging discussions.

“Actually the presentation was one of the best I have had in many of my trips,” she explained. “I was very pleasantly invited into a very difficult conversation about the work the country office is doing.”

Alluding to the one- on- one meetings with staff, the Director of Human Resources said she was impressed especially how candidly the staff spoke about issues, which made her get a ‘sense that Malawians have a very firm belief and firm positions but are also open to a debate’. 

“During the meetings, when I challenged someone, they would say okay, I hear you but my point of view is X and we go back and forth,” she explained, adding, “I got a sense that people are very open and very candid.”

Although the mission schedule was tight, Ms. Mbithi appreciated the interactions, which she said exposed her to the work the country office is doing.

“I appreciated, given the challenges that Malawi is experiencing, the work that we do and the value that UNFPA brings to the 10-year-old girl, to the woman who is worried that she might lose her life to child birth,” she said.

On how she remembers her visit to Malawi, Ms. Mbithi said she was amazed by the reception at the country office.

“It was very warm and very welcoming, which I then came to realize is the motto of Malawi as a country, the ‘warm heart of Africa.’ I really did feel it,” she concluded.

By Joseph Scott, Communications Analyst