"are you sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin..."

Virginia and I met at the beginning of 2008 whilst undertaking masters studies in Public Health at Flinders University, SA.

Virginia came to Australia in February 2008 after being challenged by her country to compete for an AusAID scholarship. It has always been her dream to further her studies and return to Malawi to support her fellow citizens and having succeeded in the interviews came to Australia to study for a Master of Public Health: Nutrition. The course runs for a period of 18 months so Virginia returns to her beloved Malawi, husband and 3 beautiful children in July, 2009.

Virginia ia a teacher by profession attaining a Bachelor of Education degree majoring in Home Economics from the University of Malawi in 1999. Virginia went into teaching in a government high school for five years where she rose up to the postion of principal.

In 2004, Virginia joined the central government as a Principal Administrative Officer until the time when it was identified that her nutrition background was very important to 'beef up' capacity in the newly established Department of Nutrition and HIV/AIDS. This department, which is under the Office of the President and Cabinet, is mandated to facilitate nutrition requirements for people living with HIV/AIDS and other vulnerable groups like under-five children, orphans, the aged, the disabled and all those prone to nutrition related disorders such as chronic heart diseases.

Virginia will therefore return to take up this 'humble and challenging calling' (her words) where she will be in close touch with the Ministry of Health and working as a Principal Community Nutrition Officer, Virginia will be directly involved with the affected groups as well as contributing in the formulation of nutrition policy guidelines.

And so the friendship began and grew over the months as we shared experiences, dreams, hopes for a better world and the possibilities ( ...and whether there actually were any?...) that could be investigated for somehow contributing to a more socially just and equitable world. Now what? Hmmm. Not so sure, we decided! Better take a bit more notice at those lectures we decided!