Eleven Walker College students started their 2012 with a study abroad program in Malawi, Africa, one of the poorest countries in the world. The group spent 15 days there, studying first-hand the economic obstacles there, and international aid efforts. Dr. Marty Meznar, Walker College Associate Dean for International Programs, narrates a slideshow from the trip, with details on what students did while there. A photo album is also online.

This was the first Walker College Study Abroad trip to Malawi.

Malawi is one of the ten poorest countries in the world and its economic struggles are written on the landscape. A drive from the airport to old City Center passes rolling hills, almost bare of trees, dotted with the growing stalks of corn that will feed the country this year. With the electrical grid only reaching 4% of the population, deforestation is mostly driven by the need for fuel to cook and heat homes. In the city, long lines of vehicles crowd the streets near gas stations because petrol supplies are scarce. This year’s profits from tobacco exports were not sufficient to cover the cost of enough imported oil. Reliance on tobacco as the main export and corn as the staple crop has left the population vulnerable to changing environmental and economic factors. The HIV/AIDS epidemic has hit hard here, combining with other health factors to reduce the life expectancy to about 38 years. Hundreds of thousands of children have been orphaned as parents succumb to the virus.

This international educational opportunity is one of many Walker College organizes each year. More are scheduled for 2012, including trips to Brazil, Chile, Vietnam, Thailand and Costa Rica.