For our University - with thanks . .

I left Mozambique two weeks ago today, leaving behind five students to finish the work we started about a year ago with some casual email conversations and tentative plans.

As the circle closes, and the students prepare to leave, after a month of hard work, these are the things that keep coming into my mind –

Really good things can happen – you just have to make them happen, and people will help you to do that, even if it feels like a long shot at the time.

All seven of us who took part in this have something we didn’t have before.

Two charity initiatives have a positive and far reaching identity and presence.

The communities of Mossuril and Ilha have something they didn’t have before – we have left our mark on that landscape in a very good way – the graphics on the walls and the sail will fade in the sun, but that will take a long time to happen, unlike the delete button on our computer.

Through their active participation and interest in our work – several local young people may be inspired to find out more about design , and how it can help bring about positive change – wouldn’t it be wonderful if one of them could join us on our course in Edinburgh . . .

Although graphic design in our world is a fast paced convergence of skill, media and technology – I’ve never seen it bring quite so much joy in its most basic form.

Getting to Sunset was like going to the restaurant at the end of the Universe, but when we got there - it felt like going back in time, in a very good way.

Life isn’t easy for the people there, but I continue to miss the early morning light  and the peace.

Our students will add their own comments on their time in Mozambique, it’s not over yet – this sums it up for me -

Momade, Mariamo, James, Paola, Waes, Germano, Paulinio, Sansao, the Shine ladies, the local teenagers who came to help, the workers at Sunset, the crowing cockerel, Lisa, Alex, Mees, Miriam, Tarkal the dancer, the local children, especially Thomas the Tank, the drummers, the dancers, the singers, the dhow crew, Shoppy, Frankie & Fenna, Jacob, Sarah, Ross, Mikaela, Elliot, Iain, me and Mora the dog . . . .