John joined AHA staff in 2002. He was trained as a chef in Blantyre in 1998, and cooking is what he really enjoys. His current work involves mostly the upkeep of the AHA office and guesthouse, but he really looks forward to cooking again for large groups. He used to cook daily for World Camp volunteer groups of 20-30, and he now cooks for the MediServ team when they come to Malawi. He hopes to see volunteer groups coming to the AHA guesthouse again soon.
John is 66 years old and has 10 children and 13 grandchildren. He is most proud of his youngest daughter, Elizabeth, is doing very well in school. She is currently finishing middle school and his goal is to send her to a really good high school which will lead her to success in the future. John is originally from Monkey Bay at the southern end of Lake Malawi. He is currently building a retirement home in Monkey Bay where he will eventually retire to farm, garden, raise livestock, and open a small roadside vending market to sell his products. Until then, he plans to continue working for AHA since he is blessed with good health and strength to continue working for some time.
Volunteers always look forward to John’s big smile and good food at the end of a long working day, plus the wisdom he offers to discussion about projects and life events. John truly has a heart for AHA’s work, and he is the backbone of support for volunteers and visitors.