Category: Children’s Charity Malawi

BFSS Essay Competition S3 – March

Sarah’s blog 13/3/24

Please could you help us this month? If you’d like to, you could get in touch to say which essay you like best this month. We will decide the winner on Monday 18th March so please do get in touch before then with your favourite and why you like it. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com or you can contact us via social media.

As you can read from the students’ essays, there have been challenges this term. One of the challenges being the rainy season and rivers being too big and fast to cross so students cannot come to school if it isn’t safe to cross the rivers. Hopefully, we will be able to build bridges to make it safe for all children, young people and adults in the community. Another challenge remains the distance that some of the young people have to walk to school. They are tired and have hardly any time to study.

One thing that has also been an upheaval for the students is that three of their teachers left. The government created many new teaching jobs and three of our teachers were successful in getting new positions. We wish them well and thank them for their hard work.

Thankfully, there were many applicants for the advertisements that Levison placed and three new teachers have started and are settling in nicely. It sounds, from the students’ essays that they are happy with their new teachers and are enjoying their learning experience at Bright Futures Secondary School.

We are hoping that the new teachers will take on responsibility for essay competitions with the other year groups at Bright Futures Secondary School so we hear and see more from the S1 and S2 students. Enjoy reading the essays and let us know which is your favourite. Thanks, Sarah x

BFSS Essay Competition S3 – February

Lawrence has won February’s S3 essay prize…. well done Lawrence

Sarah’s blog 7/3/24

The S3 students are becoming more confident at writing essays and their writing is giving some very good and useful insights into how hard life is for each of them, how important education is and what they like to do.

Lawrence was the winner of February’s essay prize. Just like so many young people all over the world, he likes listening to music and dreams of being a famous singer.

It has been an amazing achievement that we, as such a small charity, and all our dedicated supporters, have been able to build Bright Futures Secondary School and that the most vulnerable young people are benefitting from a good education that they wouldn’t have otherwise been able to afford.

We have had to concentrate on the necessities like desks and chairs, textbooks and exercise books to start with. We still need to buy textbooks for the new s4 next year (Lawrence and his fellow students). We have provided some basic science equipment but much more is needed. We also need more books on a variety of topics for the library. However, we hope, in time, to be able to provide some art equipment and also some musical instruments to extend and enhance their learning, opportunities and overall school experience.

S4 text books are approximately £10 each. There are 12 subjects and we need at least 15 sets…so that is £1,800. For science we need some electric circuit kits, a molecular model kit for chemistry, some magnet sets, more safetly goggles, various chemicals etc. We’d like to provide pastels, drawing paper and other basic art materials as well as a CD player with a variety of CDs to listen to difference genres of music and eventually some musical instruments and recording equipment. If anyone would like to contribute then please do contact me contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com It might be that, if you live local to us, your own children might have finished with their circuit sets or CD player etc. Providing things are in very good condition, we would love to repurpose them. Each box we send does cost £17.50 on the container so we do ask for a financial contribution to help towards costs.

I hope you enjoy reading Lawrence’s essay. Thank you for your continued support, Sarah x

Our Firewalkers are in the news again!

Our charity and our brave firewalkers have made the local and national news!!

Sarah’s blog 4/3/24

Well, last week the story of our four amazing firewalkers appeared in our local paper, The Stirling Observer. This week it is in the national paper – The Daily Record. Thank you to both of these newspapers for running this story and raising awareness of our charity and the firewalking event organised by Allander Rotary. The firewalk is taking place in Milngavie on 24th March.

Scots friends take on daring fire walk to raise vital funds towards African charity – Daily Record

We are raising funds for a staffroom at Bright Futures Secondary School and to buy more textbooks. All of the money that my sister Joanne and her best friend Alison raise will go to our charity. Their link to donate is https://gofund.me/c127c5e9

Also, we have Mr Braid and Mr Blair, teachers from our local school – Balfron High School. Their fundraising is half for our charity and half for next year’s school trip volunteering in Zanzibar. Their fundraising link is https://gofund.me/9430b2af

Please show your support for these four brave volunteers as they raise much needed funds. Thank you for your support, Sarah x

David Braid and Alistair Blair

Alison Rennie and Joanne Byrne

Allander Rotary Club are organising this firewalk on 24th March in Milngavie

Introducing Our x 4 Charity Firewalkers – please show your support!

Introducing our four amazing firewalkers; Alistair Blair and David Braid – teachers at Balfron High School and Joanne Byrne and Alison Rennie. Good luck and thank you!

Sarah’s blog 27/02/24

Have you ever fancied walking across hot coals? Not me….I’m not brave enough for that! Luckily we have four (willing) volunteers who are going to do just that!

Allander Rotary Club are organising a Firewalk on Sunday 24th March in Milngavie and Changing Lives Malawi is one of their three chosen charities. We are very fortunate to have their support and it’s much appreciated.

Let me introduce our fearless firewalkers!

Team 1 – Joanne Byrne & Alison Rennie

Joanne Byrne (right) is my sister and has raised funds for us before for the shower block and a latrine block. Alison Rennie is Joanne’s best friend and didn’t even hesitate when she was asked if she wanted to take part in this challenge!

All of the money raised by Joanne & Alison will be going towards building a staffroom at Bright Futures Secondary School and buying more textbooks for the next intake of students. https://gofund.me/c127c5e9

Team 2 – Alistair Blair & David Braid

DHT Mr Braid (left) and Mr Blair (English Dept)

Mr Blair is a teacher in the English Department at Balfron High School and Mr Braid is one of the Deputy Head Teachers at BHS. We are delighted that they have agreed to do this challenge and we are very grateful for their support.

You can read more about Mr Blair and Mr Braid’s fundraising by clicking on their Go Fund Me link, but half the money they raise will come to Changing Lives Malawi towards the new staffroom and purchasing more textbooks for Bright Futures Secondary School. https://gofund.me/9430b2af

The other half of the money that the teachers will raise is going to the Zanzibar School Trip in 2025. Twenty current S4 students at Balfron High School will be going to work with three local communities supported by Mr Blair and Miss Vickers.

There will be more posts and more information but, as this event is only just over a month away, please donate, please share, please tell your friends and with teamwork we can make a difference to young people who are living in extreme poverty. Education is the way out of poverty and by donating a few £££ these children and young people will have choices, chances and opportunities that they wouldn’t previously have had. There are more photos and information on each team’s Go Fund Me link.

Thank you Joanne, Alison, Alistair and David for agreeing to this challenge and thank you to you all in advance for donating and sharing. You can keep up to date with progress by signing up for my blogs on our website or following us on social media. Thanks, Sarah x

https://changinglivesmalawi.com/blog/

Scotland Malawi Partnership Meeting

Food Insecurity in Malawi – Scotland Malawi Partnership meeting

Sarah’s blog 26/02/24

As Changing Lives Malawi is a member of the Scotland Malawi Partnership, we get notification about various meetings and invitations to attend. Last week there were three sessions I had wanted to listen to but we had lots of germs in our house last week and a child who was off school for a couple of days.

I was really glad to have been able to attend this meeting via zoom. Topics for this meeting included;

  1. Malawi’s Current Food Insecurity Crisis which is impacting 4.2 million people.
  2. The Malawian Parliamentary Women’s Caucus.
  3. Human Rights in Malawi.

There were Malawian MPs, a Human Rights Commissioner and an NGO Board Member as speakers as well as members of Scottish Parliament and lots of charities and third sector representatives.

After listening to the speakers, who were extremely interesting, there was an opportunity to ask questions or make comments. I typed my comment into the text box, as did some others, and I was fortunate to be able to tell the panel about Changing Lives Malawi and the struggles that we face because we are helping such a remote community. There are no big charities feeding children in primary schools in that area. All the children we are helping to support are suffering from malnutrition.

If you’d like to hear me speak, you can skip forward to 49.30. You will hear I’m full of the cold but still speaking out for the thousands of vulnerable children in the rural far north whose voices aren’t heard. I was very thankful to have this opportunity. One day there will be enough food for everyone but until then, I will keep using opportunities like that on behalf of orphans and other vulnerable children who cannot speak up for themselves to say how hungry they are.

If you’d like to help towards feeding hungry children then please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you, Sarah x

Introducing Our x 4 Charity Firewalkers – please show your support!

Introducing our four amazing firewalkers; Alistair Blair and David Braid – teachers at Balfron High School and Joanne Byrne and Alison Rennie. Good luck and thank you!

Sarah’s blog 19/02/24

Have you ever fancied walking across hot coals? Not me….I’m not brave enough for that! Luckily we have four (willing) volunteers who are going to do just that!

Allander Rotary Club are organising a Firewalk on Sunday 24th March in Milngavie and Changing Lives Malawi is one of their three chosen charities. We are very fortunate to have their support and it’s much appreciated.

Let me introduce our fearless firewalkers!

Team 1 – Joanne Byrne & Alison Rennie

Joanne Byrne (right) is my sister and has raised funds for us before for the shower block and a latrine block. Alison Rennie is Joanne’s best friend and didn’t even hesitate when she was asked if she wanted to take part in this challenge!

All of the money raised by Joanne & Alison will be going towards building a staffroom at Bright Futures Secondary School and buying more textbooks for the next intake of students. https://gofund.me/c127c5e9

Team 2 – Alistair Blair & David Braid

DHT Mr Braid (left) and Mr Blair (English Dept)

Mr Blair is a teacher in the English Department at Balfron High School and Mr Braid is one of the Deputy Head Teachers at BHS. We are delighted that they have agreed to do this challenge and we are very grateful for their support.

You can read more about Mr Blair and Mr Braid’s fundraising by clicking on their Go Fund Me link, but half the money they raise will come to Changing Lives Malawi towards the new staffroom and purchasing more textbooks for Bright Futures Secondary School. https://gofund.me/9430b2af

The other half of the money that the teachers will raise is going to the Zanzibar School Trip in 2025. Twenty current S4 students at Balfron High School will be going to work with three local communities supported by Mr Blair and Miss Vickers.

There will be more posts and more information but, as this event is only just over a month away, please donate, please share, please tell your friends and with teamwork we can make a difference to young people who are living in extreme poverty. Education is the way out of poverty and by donating a few £££ these children and young people will have choices, chances and opportunities that they wouldn’t previously have had. There are more photos and information on each team’s Go Fund Me link.

Thank you Joanne, Alison, Alistair and David for agreeing to this challenge and thank you to you all in advance for donating and sharing. You can keep up to date with progress by signing up for my blogs on our website or following us on social media. Thanks, Sarah x

https://changinglivesmalawi.com/blog/

Stuck in the mud – the daily struggle

Sarah’s blog 17/02/24

I wanted to share this photo with you. I wish I had a magic wand I could wave to make things better. This is the reality in rural northern Malawi for the team supporting over 500 orphans and other vulnerable children.

There are no ‘proper’ roads. In the rainy season, they turn to mud. There is no maize to buy….. the situation is serious…no big charities are feeding children in schools in the rural far north so most children are malnourished. We can only afford to feed 500 children once a week – of course it’s not enough – but we are trying to help set up sustainable projects for a better brighter future.

Levison heard about some maize for sale 40km away….. in the towns that would be quite straightforward….not in the rural far north ….. Levison sent this photo….stuck in the mud. It’s a labour of love looking after these children. It would be easy to say that they aren’t able to fetch maize with the road conditions….but the team care about these children so much. They are living in extreme poverty and they are going to bed hungry each night.

If you can spare £5 or £10 per month to commit to helping us with the feeding programme, it would be so appreciated. Rice is available but it is more expensive than maize. The situation is dire. The charity bank details are; Bank of Scotland, Changing Lives Malawi, Account no 21081462, Sort Code 80-22-60. Or could you make a one off donation to help towards sustainable projects like buying fruit tree saplings or sweet potato vines or other vegetable seeds? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed today and feeling like a huge responsibility for feeding these children is on my shoulders. Life is such a struggle in that part of the world. Please help us build up a bigger team to feed and support hundreds of very hungry children living in extreme poverty. Thanks, Sarah x

Trying to fetch maize to feed the children. Maize is scarce and expensive and the team have had to travel 40km today…. ‘roads’ turn to mud in the rainy season…life is a constant struggle

Int. Day of Women & Girls in Science

Sarah’s blog 11/2/24

On 11th February, it is a day to celebrate the contribution women have made to science and also to celebrate the fact that girls have far more opportunities now to study and have science related careers than previously. I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about girls’ education in Malawi and what we are trying to do to support them to succeed. Education is the way out of poverty and brings choices and chances that they wouldn’t otherwise have had. So before we even address what they are learning in school, here are some of the challenges they face;

  1. Reusable Sanitary Towels – did you know that girls weren’t welcome at school whilst they were menstruating? They used to have to stay at home for one week every month. How is that fair? Just because they are female they miss out on a quarter of their education. We sent hand turn sewing machines and a group of girls have been learning how to use these. They have been making reusable sanitary towels for all who need them. No longer do teenage girls have to miss school because of their periods.
  2. Extreme Poverty – there is so much food insecurity in the rural far north, most children and young people are suffering from malnutrition. Many do not eat a proper meal every day. There are no big charities feeding children in schools that far north. We can only afford to feed 500 a proper meal once a week and some are walking 15km – 20km each day to receive this. It’s not enough but all we can do whilst we try to work with the community towards self-sufficiency and sustainability. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com if you’d like to help.
  3. Child Marriage – did you know that many families think they have no choice but to give away their daughter/niece/grandaughter to be married at a young age if it will be one less mouth to feed? Many of the young people we help to support are orphans living with extended family or they are in an extremely poor one parent family. By sponsoring a girl, you will have ensured that this does not happen to her. She will be safe from being married as a teenager or even younger. Many of these child brides die in childbirth. Could you sponsor a girl please? It might be the most important thing anyone ever does for her. It’s less than £1 per day.
  4. Risk of Attack – Girls try to stay in groups when they are walking long distances to and from school for their safety. It is a real risk that they might be attacked and raped. Many of the students are older than they should be as they have missed a great deal of school to be working for a pittance. Groups of girls can be seen walking to the maize mill a few kilometres away – not with their own maize, but they are earning a few coins by carrying someone else’s maize to be milled. It’s a long, hard journey with hazards, which is why they walk in groups for protection. No water to drink and no food to eat and missing education.
  5. No Money for School Fees – secondary education must be paid for in Malawi. None of the young people we support could afford to attend secondary school. Our supporters helped fund the building of Bright Futures Secondary School which is for these vulnerable teenagers who wouldn’t otherwise have had a secondary education. However, Bright Futures Secondary School is only half full at the moment…we need more sponsors to match with more teenagers to give them the chance of a brighter future. Could you sponsor a teenager today please? It’s only £25 per month and you could always split that cost with a friend! Sponsor money covers the young people having a nutritious cooked lunch each day….their only proper meal each day.
  6. Long Walk to School – Whilst we have built Bright Futures Secondary School, there is no funding yet for dormitories. Girls (and boys) are having to walk a long way to school and home again. Some are walking for a couple of hours each way. As mentioned, safety is always a worry but also the four hours spent walking to and from school could be spent studying and either doing chores or relaxing. These young people are exhausted. Life is not easy. In the rainy season, the shallow rivers flood and it isn’t safe for some of the students to cross the rivers. Bridges are another thing on our list of jobs needing to be done when the money is available.
  7. Education – so once all these challenges have been faced, education at Bright Futures Secondary School provides equal opportunities for girls as well as boys. They all do all subjects including sport, agriculture and, of course, science. There are only three years of students currently as Bright Futures Secondary School was only built recently. In September 2024, there will be four years of students and more teachers will need to be employed. The school is now a registered exam centre. Students take national exams in p8, S2 and S4. Last year, the school made national news in Malawi as there was 100% pass rate in these national exams! A great achievement for these young people who have had every challenge and obstacle thrown at them.
  8. Photos – I hope you enjoy the photos of girls (and boys) enjoying science at Bright Futures Secondary School and also the other photos showing just how challenging life is for these young people. If you have it in your heart to help a young person, please do get in touch and you will be making a huge difference in their life. Together we can lift these children and young people out of extreme poverty and give them opportunities for a brighter future. Thank you, Sarah x contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
We were really worried about Maria but thankfully we managed to find a sponsor for her and life is much better for her now.
A lovely smile from Maria when she collected her monthly food parcel. All sponsored students who are still at primary school get a food parcel, clothes, stationery, welfare checks etc. Young people at Bright Futures Secondary get a cooked school lunch every day, uniform, stationery and of course their education for free. Can you make a difference to a vulnerable young person please?
Granda is happy and healthier and enjoying opportunities she wouldn’t previously have had.
Monica is one of the lucky ones as we were able to match her with a sponsor to support her education.
Monica is working hard and enjoying her first year at Bright Futures Secondary School thanks to her sponsor. There are many other girls in their last year of primary school who will need a sponsor in order to continue their education to secondary school. Can you help?
Maria (right) in a science lesson at Bright Futures Secondary School
Girls (nearest) have the same opportunities as boys at Bright Futures Secondary School

Thank you Kitz4Kids!

Sarah’s blog 10/2/24

Almost a year ago Julian Chenery from Wear A Sports Shirt Day (left) met with Mark Meekings of Kits4Kids. Julian has been collecting and donating football kit to us (and many other organisations) for several years. This was the first time Mark, whose charity Kitz4Kids also supports lots of organisations, has donated to us via Wear A Sports Shirt Day charity. We are delighted to have a new partnership supporting the vulnerable young people in rural northern Malawi.

Unfortunately, this kit just missed going on a container by a couple of days….so it had to wait until the next one….however it’s been well worth the wait! Many thanks to Mark, Julian and all the other people who work tirelessly ensuring that preloved sports kit can be reused and reaches those who need it most. Some of the donations of sports kit are kept at the Foundation we support as they help hundreds of children and young people. However, other kits are distributed to school teams and grassroots sports clubs.

When we hosted the two week Rugby Festival in October, every school team taking part was gifted a new kit to play in and then take back to their school. Gifts, like sports kits, mean so much to children and young people who have nothing. They are able to identify as part of a team that is proud of their uniform. Their self-esteem improves because they look the part. They also know that people who have never met them care enough about them to gift these sports kits. On behalf of all those who will benefit from these generous donations -THANK YOU. To Ambleside Junior Football Club, Collingham Football Club, and Market Rasen Town Football Club – Thank you for making a difference. Enjoy the photos, Sarah x

Julian Chenery (left) from Wear A Sports Shirt Day charity with Mark Meekings from Kitz4kids.
Collingham Football Club kit
Market Rasen Town Football kit
Collingham Football Club Kit
Ambleside Juniors Football Club kit

Strathendrick Rugby Club Donation

Sarah’s blog 09/02/24

A lovely surprise was delivered to my front door this week…. a big bag of junior rugby kit courtesy of our brilliant local team – Strathendrick Rugby Club. Thank you very much as this kit will be gratefully received and well used by some of the vulnerable young people we help to support in rural northern Malawi.

Strathendrick have supported us before having raised money through a bake sale and raffling Scotland rugby shirts for us. It’s great to have local support. Thank you so much, Sarah x

Here is the link to the Scotland Rugby Team kit that was donated and modelled by some of the young people last week. Some of these kit donations are kept for use at the foundation, others are shared with local primary schools and grassroots teams. https://changinglivesmalawi.com/2024/02/05/scotland-rugby-kit/

BFSS – S1 & S2 Students

Sarah’s blog 08/02/24

Photos have been taken of the S1 and S2 students at Bright Futures Secondary School. However, there are some students who are struggling to attend just now.

It’s currently the rainy season and when it rains it really rains. Streams or small rivers that the students cross to get to school are swollen and too dangerous to cross. Some of the young people (as in the recent S3 essays) walk for a couple of hours to get to school and some up to 20km. They are that desperate for an education. They are desperate to climb out of the extreme poverty they live in. If you don’t see your sponsored young person then they must be one of the ones who lives a bit further away and we will try to get a photo of them soon. Getting funding to build bridges is on our list of things to do…but, unfortunately, we can’t do it all at once.

There are some students in these photos (names in black writing) who do not yet have sponsors. All of the students have missed out on education to work for a pittance to try to get some food for themselves and their families. The older they are the worse their home situation is. Bright Futures Secondary School is their last hope for a better and brighter future. They really need someone to sponsor their education. Please could you help? It’s only £25 per month to sponsor a young person…that’s less than £1 per day. Will you help? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you for the continued support we receive to help these vulnerable teenagers. Sarah x

Scotland Rugby Kit

Sarah’s blog 05/02/24

Good morning! A timely post during the Six Nations Rugby Tournament. Did everyone enjoy the first weekend of games?

There were some willing young people, happy to model these new kits….. a very generous donation from Scottish Rugby Union. Thank you so much for this fantastic opportunity for the children and young people we help to support to have new, matching, colourful kit from the SRU.

As you may remember, we facilitated a two week Rugby Festival in October. Touch rugby has only recently been introduced in the north of Malawi and this is the second time that Jack Mphande, MRU Development Officer, has travelled north to spend time with young people and their teachers/coaches to introduce rugby within schools as a new sport.

Thanks to our supporters, we were able to pay for Jack’s travel, accommodation, expenses as well as food & drink for all the participants in the training sessions and tournaments. Sports kit & rugby balls that had been donated to us were gifted to each of the teams involved in the Rugby Festival.

Grassroots rugby is well and truly established now, thanks to Jack Mphande’s time, skills and dedication. Thanks also goes to all the people who donated to help make that experience happen for the hundreds of vulnerable children who took part. https://gofund.me/22e38b07

We would like to be able to host another Rugby Festival this year. We have two signed Scotland Rugby Shirts which SRU kindly donated. The link is here to donate…it’s £5 per turn. https://gofund.me/22e38b07 All money we receive will go towards next year’s Rugby Festival. For children who are living in extreme poverty, this will be something to really look forward to again. They aren’t used to people coming to spend time with them.

Once the weather improves (it’s the rainy season) I am sure there will be lots of action shots of the young people enjoying playing rugby. Thank you again, Sarah x (I’ve attached two of my blogs from the rugby festival…there are lots of photos in each. But there are more blogs from Jack’s visits on my blog page on our website).

https://changinglivesmalawi.com/2023/10/02/rugby-coaching-2023/

https://changinglivesmalawi.com/2023/10/07/rugby-tourament/