In Malawi, since manual labor is the main force with which things are done, there are very few power tools. Most of the tools are similar to American gardening tools, such as shovels, rakes, and forks. But there are a few that are different, as well as some methods that are different. The two tools I will describe are probably the most used tools in Malawi.
The first one is what they call a hoe. It is similar to the American hoe, but the flat part is the size of a shovel, and the handle is only about 3 feet long. This is probably the most used tool in all of Malawi. They use it to dig holes and trenches, hoe up ridges for their gardens, and weed the gardens. It is a very universal tool to them. It is not uncommon to see almost everybody in their gardens using one just before and in the rainy season. They work all day long, preparing their little plots of land, getting them ready for the growing season.
The next tool is one that I am pretty sure you will not ever find in America. It is called a “slasher.’ This is what many of them use instead of a lawnmower because it is lots cheaper and doesn’t require anything to keep it running except one arm and maybe a rock or steel file to keep it sharp. They swing it in a semicircle in the area in front of them at ground level to cut the grass. It is a long, flat metal blade with the last six inches bent at a 45˚ so that you can swing it while standing. The last six inches is the sharp part which is used to cut the grass. It is sharp on both edges so that you can cut on the forward swing and the backswing. I estimate that it takes a Malawian about half an hour to do an area of 20’ X 20’. It takes a Mazungu (a white foreigner) about twice that time. The time it takes partially depends on the type of grass that you are cutting. When you are slashing, you learn pretty quickly which grass is easy to cut and which is harder.
Some of the methods they use for fixing things are pretty interesting as well. The two most universal patching materials and anti-leak materials are plastic bags and rubber tire tubes. For the plumbing, in a country where pipe-dope is not plentiful and pretty expensive, they learned to use plastics bags. When they need to thread a joint and a pipe together, they wrap the threaded end in plastic before screwing the two together. This way, you stand only a 50% chance of it leaking at that joint. You end up with a couple more showering areas, most of them above in the ceiling, which is where they run a lot of pipe.
The other most universal material is rubber tire tubes. You see rubber being used in many different ways. Some wrap it around the handles of their tools to help soften the grip. But most use it as straps and for repair purposes. Lots of people ride bikes with little flat metal platforms on the back, used for carrying goods around. They use the bicycle tube to strap everything on tight. When something breaks, you will often see that it is held together with strips of bicycle tube. It is almost used like tape.
In a country that is as poor as Malawi is, you can see that where there is a will, there is a way. They can take what we would normally consider trash and use is for something useful. With no garbage service, a lot of things end up getting recycled. A lot of our help takes home the formula cans, the empty peanut butter containers, and anything that will hold something else. This works both out well for both parties because it saves us the trouble of disposing it. When we get back, don’t be surprised if we ask you why you are throwing away that foil that has only been used once, or that perfectly fine empty jam jar. We’ll have a new outlook on garbage.
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