Podcast

People to People Podcast: Exploring Scotland and Malawi's unique partnership through People to People conversations

Hosted and produced by Chimzy Dorey and Hazel Darwin-Clements.

Subscribe/ Trailer on
Apple - https://apple.co/3tL6UMq
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3awipQ6
Google - https://bit.ly/3dIa7GZ
Or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

We challenged two hugely inspiring women, Hazel and Chimzy, to work together (their own Scotland-Malawi partnership, in microcosm!) to explore the bilateral relationship through dozens of chats with other Malawians and Scots.

We encourage members, partners, and -really- EVERYONE to follow their amazing ‘People to People Podcast’, which shares voices from across both nations and digs down into what the people-to-people and nation-to-nation friendship means in 2021.

Their words are theirs: speaking independently of the SMP, exploring the themes how they want to and giving voice to whom they choose. It’s not to be missed: it’ll make you laugh, cry and learn!

Series 2 - Episode 6

On Episode 6 of the People to People Podcast, Hazel and Chimzy host a discussion between McArthur Matukuta, Exectutive Director of Solomonic Peacock Theatre in Malawi and Kate Stafford, theatre director in the UK, who has spent several years making work in Malawi. Hazel and Chimzy want to find out about their connection and what international theatre collaborations could look like between Malawi and Scotland.

"We are able to tell our own stories in our own way. Because this is what I saw when I travelled in different countries. Artists are able to tell their stories in their traditional way... it has also helped us telling a story in a Malawian way, but of international standard."

Here are some links to the work of Solomonic Peacock:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vByQGKkCSLM&ab_channel=SolomonicPeacocks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B8R7MMWwqI&ab_channel=SolomonicPeacocks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTlYSlSfbEE&ab_channel=SolomonicPeacocks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nPxe8Ygugc&ab_channel=SolomonicPeacocks

It's the only international theatre festival in Malawi and the only festival which is livestreamed on Facebook.

https://eastertheatrefestival.org/

Pamtondo is a play, telling a story in a particularly malawian way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QogXUCFhb7o&ab_channel=SolomonicPeacocks

Here's a crowdfunder for the Easter Festival:

https://gofund.me/70942104

And one to support some volunteers to go there

The Tempest toured the UK in 2017 with a company of 10, 4 from Malawi: Joshua Bhima and Robert Magasa played Ariel; Stanley Mambo played Caliban and Ben Michael Mankhamba was one of the two musician/composers. Caliban’s lines were all in Chichewa with surtitles, and Ariel spoke in English when speaking to Prospero (the Island’s coloniser) and Chichewa when speaking to each other or Caliban. Miranda spoke English with some Chichewa phrases (when speaking to Caliban).

https://vimeo.com/797798031

Series 2 - Episode 5

Hazel and Chimzy host a discussion between Scottish farmers Kath and Matthew Aitken and Charles Chavi about farming, bees, fairtrade and resilience.

Charles is from the Kasinthula Cane Growers Association in Malawi, he is in the Shire Valley region in the South of Malawi. An association (transitioning into a co-operative) of 762 farmers farming under 1435 hectares, on average 2.5 hectares each.

Kath and Matthew live in a small village in Scotland called Dunscore. Kath has recently retired from active farming on Auchengage farm, though as you’ll hear she’s still bee keeping, but she and Matthew now rent their farmland to their neighbours. And Matthew’s interest is in the Fairtrade angle.

This episode features music from Pulse of the Place and can be found on Youtube.

Red Hot Chilli Pipers and others at the Fairtrade concert.

A film featuring Kath and Matthew and the Kasinthula Cane Growers

About Kasinthula Cane Growers and their website.

Series 2 - Episode 4

Chimzy and Hazel have a conversation with Richard Bennett and Nohara Chinguwo from the Bhubesi Pride foundation. They discuss the ways that the organisation is changing and has become a Malawian NGO. This series looks at partnerships between Scotland and Malawi and we think this is an interesting example to learn from. They promote sports for development and gender equality.

Bhubesi Pride page.

The featured song is Gold by Twnda from the album African Love Story.

Series 2 - Episode 3 (part 2)

The second half of a conversation about decolonisation with Dr Yonah Matembe and Amy Blake from the Challenges group (formerly Chief Executive of Classrooms for Malawi.) They discuss Neocolonialism, Afro Colonialism and decolonising ones own self first. An introduction to a huge topic that we hope to explore further in the series.

This episode includes the song Tiye Kwathu by Mtameni Kachusa who works for the Malawi Scotland partnership.

Series 2 - Episode 2 (part 1)

The first half of a conversation about decolonisation with Dr Yonah Matembe and Amy Blake from the Challenges group (formerly Chief Executive of Classrooms for Malawi.) They discuss Neocolonialism, Afro Colonialism and decolonising ones own self first. An introduction to a huge topic that we hope to explore further in the series.

This episode includes the song Tamba Wenga by the Bhundu boys on the album Muchiyedza (Out of the Dark)

Series 2 - Episode 1

Mercy Sibande is visiting Scotland to talk about the work she does in Malawi for the Mamie Martin Foundation. Chimzy and Hazel grab her for a chat in the first episode of this new series exploring what People to People partnerships look like in 2023. She is joined by Moira Dunworth and they look back over the last 30 years, and forward to the next 30. We talk about some practical hurdles an organisation faces to create an equal partnership in an unjust system. E.g. RBS will not allow Malawian Board members as they have no address that is acceptable by their organisation's standards.

Series 2: Trailer

Hazel and Chimzy are sharing a feeling about embarking on this project. It's going to be amazing but it's going to be hard too. We're preparing to open up and get ready for some honest conversations about the relationship between Scotland and Malawi.

Bonus Episode: People and President

What would you ask the President of Malawi? How did the youth in Malawi interact with COP26?

This special episode was recorded in Malawi and in Edinburgh, focussing on conversations about the Climate.

It contains our interview with the President Dr Lazarus Chikwera recorded at the Scotland Malawi Partnership Homecoming Reception in Edinburgh during COP26. We also spoke with organisers of the COP Hub in Lilongwe, Mtameni Kachusa and Stella Masanganu, and many youth activists and school children in Malawi.

"I know what has happened in the past, there were commitments that weren’t held up to. I just have that little hope that this time will be different. Because now we are on the verge of total destruction, maybe this time we will learn to do something important", Denwa (youth Climate Activist in Malawi).

“The negative impacts of climate change are very noticeable in Malawi... it’s so sad because agriculture is very important in Malawi”, Chimzy.

"The Malawian Young People's voice is being incorporated in whatever solutions are being suggested", President Lazarus Chakwera​.