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INSPIRE NEWS

Jan 2010 - New Partners
The chill of winter certainly seems to be hitting us hard in the UK this year....which only makes us dream about Africa all the more!

This year Inspire are delighted to have formed a new partnership with Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex. Hurst approached us last year to discuss if they could set up a longer-term project partnering with a specific community in Africa and we were only too glad to help.

16 students from Hurst will be heading out on their first school partnership trip in July 2010, to work alongside the students and teachers of Chilingani School in southern Malawi.

Over the next 3-5 years Hurst plan to help Chilingani develop and expand their current school facilities, including their football pitch and play areas and potentially start a school farm.

We hope this summer sees the start of a beautiful cross-cultural friendship...We'll keep you posted!

Sep 2009 - Inspire's Summer of Success
This summer's trips have all been a huge success. Each one of our groups working amazingly hard to achieve their project goals and we couldn't have asked for more determined, enthusiastic and motivated groups if we tried!

Special mention to the Georgiana Bruce Kirby School from California, who successfully completed yet another classroom at their project site in Tanzania.

This project/school partnership is now in it's second year and shows no sign of slowing down - plans are already being made for a third visit in 2010 and we can't wait!

The Pink Pandas Youth Group, from Cambridge also worked incredibly hard -fundraising an incredible amount which paid for the complete renovation of a library and resource centre for the orphan children of Shewula in Swaziland. Take a look at the before and after photos below if you don't believe us!

The group definitely deserved their safari break afterwards and even managed to successfully complete their Silver Duke of Edinburgh trek at the end of the trip - well done guys!

Library before the Pink Pandas arrived

Library after Pink Pandas completed the work

Last but not least a huge thank you to Keynsham Explorer Scout Unit who completed their building project in Malawi in record time - only 10 days to complete a 3-room guardian shelter, which will provide essential accommodation for family members who have to care for the sick and ill at the local community clinic.

The scouts didn't stop there though - they also renovated two classrooms at Milo school, built a kitchen for Mbinda primary school and had an amazing cultural exchange experience with the Pensulo Youth Group - african dumming, playing sports and fixing leaking roofs for some of the elderly ladies from the community.

Our partners in Malawi are already looking at setting up their own Scout Group, following the success of this summer's project -so we'll keep you posted!

Guardian Shelter before the Scouts arrive

  Guardian Shelter after the Scouts completed their work

August 2009

Mike successfully completes Kayak Expedition
Mike Lamb, one of Inspire's Directors has successuly completed his expedition up Lake Malawi. Mike set out in late July to follow in the footsteps of David Livingstone up the western shore of the lake from Chipoka to Nkhata Bay.

Despite bad weather, big swell and food poisoning, Mike (along with kayak partners Lisa Baum and Beth Chapman) successfully completed the 250km trip and was amazed by the warm welcome and hospitality he was met with.

At every stop, local villagers and children would come running to see the strange floating orange boats with their Muzungu passengers arrive on their beach. Without fail they offered food, advice and support to Mike and his kayak partners, proving once again that Malawi's claims of being the 'warm heart of Africa' are certainly true.

We hope that Mike's journey will inspire others to also start planning their own adventurous journeys and encourage anyone thinking of doing that to take a look at the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, who help to provide funding for that very purpose.

July 2009
Kayaking Livingstone’s Lake of Stars
Inspire Worldwide Technical Director Mike Lamb will be kayaking across Lake Malawi this summer and is seeking any intrepid teachers who may wish to join him. Read his updates below about this adventure which has kindly been sponsored by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust (WCMT).

Update 1
The seed of the idea was planted two years ago when I helped manage a project building a school in the rural Blantyre district of Malawi. The day that we handed over the school to the children was one of the most amazing days of my life. To see so many children so happy was a moment I knew I would never forget and it was then I vowed to return.

However on my return this time I wanted to explore the country more and make use of my newly acquired teaching qualification. With a passion for adventure and an interest in early African exploration the planning for my latest expedition began.

The plan, to kayak 250 kilometres along Lake Malawi retracing the route taken by David Livingstone during his initial exploratory expeditions, was born in early 2008. To make use of my teachings skills and experience the expedition will also visit four sites where I will undertake environmental education workshops along the way.

In February 2009 the expedition gained the kind support of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and the true preparation began. Before February was over I had studied a selection of Livingstone’s original maps in the Royal Geographical Society Map Room, started my kayaking training in my school swimming pool and gained the support of the PACE Project who will provide educational resources and the dream was slowly becoming a reality.

The beginning of March finds me gaining more kayaking experience in the school pool and starting this blog on the Inspire website. My expedition planning will be updated here regularly as will the trip when it commences in July of this year. If you would like to know more about this expedition or others like it please don’t hesitate to drop me an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Update 2
April 2009 and the expedition planning is progressing well. Logistics on the Malawian side are becoming a bit trickier as Kayak Africa, one of the only local kayak safari operators, is unable to hire me a kayak or guide due to the length of my trip, however they have been very helpful with local advice. In the UK progress has been good. The WCMT have been continuing their broad based support by providing a set of business cards and introductory letters. I have checked out local kayak clubs and equipment to start fitting out the expedition. I also managed a mini photoshoot for an article in the Argus newspaper which involved a foray into the English Channel on what was fortunately a sunny April morning.

Training has had to take a back seat for the last week whilst I travelled to France to take part in the 33rd Paris Marathon. A combination of training and good luck saw me finish under my target time of four hours (just), leaving me now free to concentrate on this project!

 Update 3
May already and only two months to the off! I have made forays into Ardingly Reservoir under the watchful eye of Mr Higgins (a fellow teacher at Hurstpierpoint College) who seems intent on making sure that I get cold and wet every week, but I guess that is part of the deal. I have several contacts sourcing kayaks in Malawi which is now looking hopeful. This term at school will see the school charity day supporting the Open Arms Orphanage in Blantyre and I plan to visit the centre when I am over in July.

Media wise I managed a mention in the TES and will be featuring on the One World Community Radio Show on Reverb, a local radio station, in the coming week.

 Update 4
Only three weeks to go until the paddle begins and one week until I leave for Africa. The large majority of the arrangements have now been made for the expedition. The expedition has been joined by Environmental Education specialist Lisa Baum who has worked in Africa for several years. She brings education and Africa experience as well as much water based knowledge as a very experienced scuba diver. Also key to the expedition has been the sourcing of kayaks. After much research I have decided to go for inflatable kayaks and carry them with us. (A huge thanks to Keynsham Scouts for carrying them on their flight!). Unfortunately a reliable source of kayaks in Malawi could not be identified. Therefore the flexibility offered by inflatables that pack down to a minimal size and weight has outweighed the performance of a hard shell. The decision was aided by the very helpful Nick Pipe at Vortex in Wales who has been helpful and informative along the way. He has even offered to sponsor the expedition by providing some extra kit free and at trade prices. I would suggest other paddlers who are considering high quality inflatable kayaks contact him. Some other kit and advice was kindly provided by Fred Simkins at Hurstpierpoint College where I work.

Training has been progressing well with the kayaks coping well in the sea. I even doubled up with my 'good deed for the day' last week by towing a sizeable naked man to the beach after he had swum out too far from the nudist beach. Luckily he hung on to the back of the kayak and so I didn't have to hide my eyes! I even competed in the 'Paddle Round the Pier' event yesterday, helping by towing an inflatable Orca at one point!

Press coverage has progressed well and in fact Teachers TV News will be joining me to film some pre-expedition packing and preparation this Wednesday.

Thanks to everyone who has helped me out so far and I'll keep you updated as often as possible. Wish me luck!