Clement Chiwaya was born in the African country of Malawi on March 16, 1971. As a small child, he was struck with polio. The local Catholic bishop, Bishop Assolari, seeing the poverty of his family and knowing that a crippled person stood almost no chance in African society, took him into his own home. Thanks to this man, Clement was able to get a high school education, something he never would have been able to attain otherwise. So great was his desire to succeed that he dragged himself through the halls, and up and down the stairs, as he had no crutches.

However this young man had dreams far bigger than just finishing high school. His compassion aroused by seeing the poverty and suffering of people around him, he hoped to get a college degree that would enable him to help them in the future. One day he received a brochure from Calvin College from a faraway place called Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Bishop gave him a plane ticket to Grand Rapids and $500 to pursue his dream.

In 1998 Clement arrived—literally—on the doorstep of the Diocese of Grand Rapids. The Calvin people had received him kindly but it would not be possible for him to start classes until the following year. Could the Diocese help him? His $500 was dwindling rapidly. Bishop Robert J. Rose and the Vicar General, Msgr. Terence Stewart, called James Rademaker, Director of the Social Justice Office. “Do whatever you can for him,” they told Jim.

Jim and Sandy Rademaker invited Clement to live with them while the details could be worked out. Aquinas College president Harry Knopke waived the registration requirements (there was no official high school transcript, only a certificate of completion). With help from individual donors, the College, the Diocese and the Grand Rapids Dominicans, Clement was able to enroll at Aquinas in January 1999. In the meantime, friends helped him acquire a wheelchair through Alternatives in Motion. In December 2002, he graduated from Aquinas with majors in Political Science and Community Leadership.

Each summer, while he was at Aquinas, Clement returned to Malawi and worked on projects that improved the lives of people in his village and the neighboring villages. He helped people plant trees, organized permaculture training, and arranged for families to receive a cow to supply milk, not only for themselves but also for the local orphanage. Every year, upon his return, he provided the Diocese a full report of his summer activities. Immediately after graduation in 2002, he returned to Malawi. This time for good. It was not long before he emailed us the news that he was getting married. Faith and Clement now have a charming little girl, Sandra, named for Sandy Rademaker.

In 2004, at the request of the village chief and elders, Clement ran for Parliament. He was elected to represent his home district, the Mangochi District, near the southern tip of Lake Malawi. This position not only gives him an income to live on, but also puts him in a position of greater influence to help more people. Parliament generally meets twice a year for about three weeks, so the rest of the time he is free to work on projects to better the lives of the villagers. The family lives in Mpondasi village. Their donated house was unfinished when they moved into it and they are gradually furnishing it with limited resources.

Since December 2002, two elementary schools have been built in villages where there were no schools. Two maize mills have been installed so that people can grind their own corn (maize is the main staple of the people’s diet in the rural areas). Boreholes (water wells) have been sunk for several villages that did not have their own water supply. Despite setbacks and challenges the work has gone forward.

Clement has enjoyed a warm relationship with the people of the United States, particularly the residents of West Michigan. The number of people who support his work continues to grow. In May 2006 Clement returned to West Michigan to receive an honorary doctoral degree from Aquinas College. He had a much-needed opportunity for rest and relaxation with family and friends before returning to Malawi.