Sarah’s blog 28/05/22
It’s World Hunger Day. Have you ever been hungry? Really hungry? I expect we’ve all been hungry at some point. We use the phrase ‘I’m starving’ a lot and ‘I’m dying of hunger’ but the reality is very different.
Yes, our stomachs might be complaining that it’s time for more food. Yes, there might be times some of us have had less to eat than we would like. And have you ever had to count up how much your supermarket shopping costs to see if you might have to put some shopping back? Most of us will have experienced these things. Thankfully, there won’t be many of us that have gone without food for a whole day or more.
Malawi has just had it’s currency devalued by 25% meaning that food will cost more to buy…people are struggling already with rising prices over the last few months. Those in poverty, like everywhere in the world, will suffer the most.
Our charity sends money to help feed 500 children once a week at The Foundation. There are no agencies feeding children in that area…so the burden has fallen on The Foundation with us supporting them. Children are walking from up to 20km away for their one substantial and nutritious meal of the week. Could you walk 20km for a meal and then 20km back again? I know I couldn’t. Thankfully, I don’t have to. Some of these orphans and vulnerable children won’t eat every day. Please think about those words. How does a child function without food? Or enough food? The Foundation teaches children how to grow food but the crops they grow aren’t nearly enough to feed everyone.
Sponsoring is one of the most important things you might do for a child. Sponsoring a child only costs £25 per month and provides a monthly food parcel in addition to The Feeding Programme and pays for their education. If you are interested in sponsoring a child then please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com .
The Foundation and our charity are taking an holistic approach to helping these children. We desperately want to feed them more often. If you would like to support the feeding programme please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com . We know, and the children know, that education is their best way of escaping the dire poverty they are living in. This is why we are fundraising for a school. There are not enough school places currently. If you don’t get picked for secondary school then you don’t go. Education should be for all. Every child deserves an education, whatever their background and wherever they are in the world. Every child deserves to be helped to reach their potential.
That is why I am doing a challenge for the 31 Days in May. I am cycling on my exercise bike. I started out doing 10km to represent the distance some of the younger children are walking to school (5km there and 5km back) but have managed to increase that to 15km then 20km some days. I am eating rice (instead of maize flour) and vegetables to represent what the children have at the Feeding Programme. I am lucky. I have a choice. I only have to do this for a month. I have food every day. The 500 children that the Feeding Programme supports have no choices. They are relying on us to help them. The end goal is self-sufficiency for this community, they want that too. But things have been so bad that they need a helping hand to improve their situation. Can you be a helping hand to a child in need of food and education. Can you make a difference today? Please donate to my fundraiser https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 to make a difference to a hungry child today on World Hunger Day. Thank you for reading and supporting, Sarah x
