100 ABSTRACTS - NUMBER 44

I have been procrastinating for sometime about whether or not to treat myself to a new iPhone.  The fact is that my Mother left me a small legacy and I didn’t just want it to go into a bank account and sit there or be frittered away, but wanted to buy something that would remind me of her.  

Because of the sort of person I am, I researched the various models, asked friends, even asked the opinion/advice of people on an iPhone group I’m part of on Facebook.  Most people were very helpful, some were scathing and a few were rude, but at the end of the day, it was my own decision, so I decided that the best thing to do was to take myself down to the nearest Apple Store in Bath and have a chat with someone, which I did, and I am now the proud owner of an iPhone 12 Pro Max and I am very pleased with it so far.  When Cliff, who served me, asked if I knew about the camera, I told him I did and of course, I did mention Blip and we had a chat about that!  

To get to Bath, I had to catch a bus and then a train and I must admit I did it with some trepidation, not having made a journey on either for over 15 months;  I definitely felt safer on the train, in fact, having booked a seat, there was only one other person in the carriage and he was down at the other end.

The weather was very kind to me, and on the way back, I took some photographs looking out of the window, again using the SlowShutter App.  It was only when I got home and looked at them, I realised that this particular shot had what looked like lots of workmen, although there were probably only two, at the side of the track, and I rather liked it especially after I had done a little titivating in my DeepArtEffects app.  Mr. HCB explained to me that if two men were working by the side of a track, when a train passes by, they have to stand back and stop working, for safety reasons.

So this is number 44 in my 100 Abstracts Challenge for the Mamie Martin Fund, which helps young women and girls to complete their secondary education in North Malawi.  Here is a story about another one of the girls helped by the Fund:

FERIG :  received help from the Mamie Martin Fund between 2011 and 2015. She lived with her mother after her father died, but her mother struggled to pay school fees for her, so Ferig was on the verge of dropping out of school.  However, thanks to the MMF she was able to finish her secondary education.

Ferig then studied at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources and pursued a degree course in Agribusiness. She believes that with her career she can help the nation in the agriculture sector in that she will civic educate local farmers in the modern ways of farming in order to earn high yields that will, in turn, help them achieve food security and also realise a surplus that would be sold and earn money.

Ferig has a passion for girl child empowerment.  As with many of the girls helped by the MMF, she vows that she will act as a role model and have talks with girls to press on despite the poverty that they face.  She will also encourage them to  remain in school so that they can become women who will almost certainly change the face of Malawi in the future.

“We are all role models 
     to someone in this world, 
          and we can all have an impact - 
               for good.”
Tony Dungy

P.S.  This will make you laugh - I am definitely losing it - fact!  On the way down to Bath, I decided to use the toilet facilities, so went out into the corridor and tried to open the door.  I pushed, pulled, heaved, shoved and almost kicked to no avail, so as Bath was fast approaching, I gave up.  On the return journey, the door to what I thought was the toilet was wide open and it appears it is a bike store, although there was nothing on the outside to tell me that.  I’m so glad no-one saw me earlier - they would have thought I had taken leave of my senses!

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/MaureenIles