What the Corona virus means for people in Kwanjana

A month ago, no one in Kwanjana heard about the corona virus. Nowadays, the word 'corona' is heard more frequently. Especially now, when the president wants a lock down, the corona virus has more impact for the people.

We are visiting Ivy Bester, member of the Action Committee. After washing our hands, we sit down at a safe distance of 1,5 metres, to ask her some questions.

What does the corona virus mean to you?

The virus makes me anxious. In the beginning, it seemed to be far away from us, it was with the people from China or Europe, especially when there were no cases of corona in Malawi. But today, there are also Malawian people with the virus, and it makes us anxious. Especially when we hear how ill you can get and how it spreads. It would be a disaster when the corona comes here. The hospital is a long way from here and we do not have a doctor in our village. Corona is an unvisible enemy. There is a story of somebody from South Africa who had the virus. The government send this person to Thyolo (Thyolo is a district in Malawi, the samen district Kwanjana is in). And what happens? A family that lives there was visited by an uncle from South Africa. Peole were afraid and got angry. They said that the uncle had to leave. The people from that family were shunned. When they came to get water from the well, all the others left. We feel vulnerable and therefore, the virus makes us anxious.

Which consequences does this time of corona virus have for you?

I have a small business and I make fish snacks. Two days a week there is market, which is visited by almost all people of the village. Those days, I do not make snacks, but the other days, I do, because there is not much for sale then. But now, the government said that there must be market every day, to make sure that not all the people go to the same market at the same time. Therefore, I sell hardly anything those days, because the people go to the market more often. So I do not have any income. It is good that we just harvested our crops, so we still have food.

What would a lock down mean to you?

It means that my business will go worse. And that it restricts us in our freedom to go anywere. At first, we thought that we had to stay inside our house, but luckily we are allowed to go outside. It is hard to stay inside, especially with the children.

How does the news about the virus reaches you?

We hear about it via the radio. And other people share their knowledge with us.

How do you protect yourself and your family members?

We have a bucket of water standing next to our door. When people visit us, they have to wash their hands first and we ourselves wash our hands more frequently. We have to remind the children often, otherwise they will forget it. When they come back from playing, they have to wash their hands. Ivy is laughing: it means some extra walks to the pump to get the water, but it is worth it. We hope that the Lord will protect us in this time of danger, because there is not much we can do ourselves. But when the Lord provides, it will be good!