Sponsor a child Malawi Archives

Merchiston Castle School – Rugby Donation

Sarah’s blog 18/06/22

Last week, Stuart had been to Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh to collect donations of rugby balls and kit from Annan Rugby Club which Bruce Aitchison had collected for us. Bruce is House Master for Rogerson House at Merchiston Castle School and also founder of the social media site all about rugby

h t tps://www.happinessiseggshaped.org

https://facebook.com@happinessiseggshaped.org

Bruce and some of his rugby friends have been very supportive of our charity and how we are trying to support some of the most vulnerable children in rural northern Malawi. So Stuart visited the school again yesterday and met up with Bruce to collect the balls and kit from Merchiston Castle School.

Rugby has only very recently been introduced to the Chitipa District in the far north of Malawi when Jack Mphande, Malawi International Rugby Player and Rugby Development Officer, ran two rugby coaching camps. He is going to visit again to start coaching in schools in that area. Jack was very impressed with how the young people he was working with picked up the sport so quickly and his enthusiasm for the game was picked up by the children. The rugby donations we have been given are going to make a big difference to these young people. They will also know that people they have never met care about them.

All of these children are either orphans or living in dire poverty. All are very vulnerable. Until quite recently they had no hope. For them to have a visit from a top coach like Jack Mphande was so special for them. Someone important visiting them, working with them, teaching new skills, spending time with them, chatting with them, encouraging them and calling them by name. That experience is priceless. These children are more confident and their self-esteem has improved and they enjoy playing team sports with their friends whilst they forget about the problems and difficulties in their lives. An holistic approach is being taken, it’s so much more than just feeding hungry, malnourished children.

My blog from earlier this week International Day of the African Child – some of the projects which are helping the most vulnerable children – Changing Lives Malawi highlights some of the ways the children’s lives are changing for the better and shares some great photos and videos. Each of these projects requires funding to enable us to keep helping this community towards their goal of self-sufficiency. If you would like to donate to help the children please email me contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com .

Children also benefit from being matched with a sponsor to help provide more food, a blanket, clothes, welfare checks and pay for secondary education. If you would like to sponsor a vulnerable child it’s only £25 per month and you can sponsor as an individual or share the cost with a friend or family. A business or club could sponsor a child too. Ninety of the most vulnerable children have been matched with sponsors but there are many more waiting for a helping hand. Can you sponsor a child today? Or donate to one of the projects? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com .

Thank you so much to Bruce and all at Rogerson House, Merchiston Castle School for your generosity. Here are some photos and videos of some of the children you will be supporting. These were taken on their first day so they did brilliantly! If you want to keep up to date with our latest news you can follow us on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/changinglivesmalawi/ We are also on twitter and instagram and you can sign up to follow my blogs so you don’t miss anything! Thanks so much again, Sarah x

A family in need of help

Sarah’s blog 17/7/22

Levison contacted me late yesterday to tell me of a family in great need of help and asking if we can please help them. He doesn’t usually plead on behalf of families or individuals unless they really are in a bad situation. So here is what he’s told me;

Mercy is a 17 year old girl living with her mum and younger brother. Mum is a full time carer to the younger brother as he has significant additional needs. Mercy was at secondary school in S3. She has had to drop out of school as the elderly relative who was paying her fees is now ill.

So what I am looking for please is a sponsor for Mercy so she can return to school and her studies. I am also looking for a sponsor for the little boy so that it means there is regular food to top up the small amount they manage to get from others who help them. Blankets and clothes will be given and, once I’ve done a bit more investigation into the little boy’s needs, I will put together a care pack with appropriate toys and nappies (if needed).

So can you sponsor Mercy or her brother please. It’s only £25 per month per child to make a big difference to them. You can sponsor as an individual, as a family, two friends sharing the cost or a club, church or business. It’s only 85p per day to change a life. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com to make a difference today. This might be the most important thing anyone does for this family. Thanks for reading and caring about the vulnerable children in Malawi. If you can share this post I’d be very grateful. Thanks, Sarah x

Mercy needs a sponsor to pay for her school fees. She is in S3 but has had to drop out.

Mercy and her little brother need your help please — Mercy’s mum and younger brother. He needs a sponsor as his mum is his full-time carer and therefore cannot work. Please help this little family.

Madalitso Ng’ambi has made a bike!

Sarah’s blog 15/6/22

I love this photo and these videos that Levison has sent. Madalitso, a 10 year old boy has worked hard to build himself a bike out of bits of scrap and old wheels that he’s found. Can you guess what the wheels were from? An old suitcase! He’s having such fun and is able to forget about his problems for a while. Well done Madalitso…this looks great fun and your bike is brilliant! Hope you enjoy the videos, Sarah x

Look at that smile! His hard work and skills have paid off…well done Madalitso!

Madalitso is having great fun on his homemade bike!

Photos of children who have sponsors (primary & nursery)

Photos of primary and nursery children who are sponsored. Thank you so much to their sponsors for changing their lives.

Sarah’s blog 11/6/22

**There are just a few children missing from this…once Levison gets their photos this week I will add them here ** Also, a few children’s ages were out slightly…it’s much harder to keep proper records there and occasionally children have got their ages wrong…these details have all been taken from school records. For example little Brighton who was helped last weekend said he was 7. He’s not quite 7 yet…so hopefully that explains any discrepancies. Any information I post is in good faith but I apologise if I get anything incorrect. Anyway….enjoy these photos and I’ll add the others very soon.

The schools are on holiday for two weeks so we thought it was a good opportunity to take photos of those who haven’t had their photos taken for a while. Unfortunately, Levison’s motorbike broke down yesterday (only a small part that needs fixing) but that took him away from his plans to get the rest of the children’s photos.

I want to take this opportunity to thank each and every sponsor who is making a difference to these children’s lives. All of the photos are of sponsored children at primary or nursery….apart from Rodrick. He was there when his big sisters were getting their photos taken and he wanted his photo taken too! So if anyone does want to sponsor a child…Rodrick hasn’t got a sponsor and there are also children in a post from earlier this week whom I highlighted. Sponsorship is only 85p per day….£25 per month. Two friends could split the cost between them and sponsor a child together. It makes a HUGE difference to these children who know that someone really cares about what happens to them. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com . Hope you enjoy the photos, Sarah x

Please will someone sponsor Brighton Ng’ambi? Please give him a chance?

Sarah’s blog 6/6/22

Brighton needs someone to take a chance on him…to change his life. How many traumatic experiences has he had in his young life? I don’t know. This is what I do know;

Brighton is an orphan. Both his parents have died.
Relatives are supposed to be looking after him but he is fending for himself a lot of the time.
Brighton is malnourished and hungry. He told Levison that some days he eats once. Other days he has nothing and has to try and find some fruit to eat in bushes.
Brighton is in his first year at primary school. How can he even concentrate at all and learn anything when he will be so tired and hungry?
Brighton will be cold at night time. Does he sleep properly as he’s cold and hungry?
He was dirty and dressed in rags. He had head lice. Thankfully, he was able to have a shower and given nice, clean clothes and shoes before having a nutritious lunch.

We want this little boy to be matched with a sponsor to allow him to have ‘extras’ that aren’t really extra things at all….they are essentials. Brighton needs more clothes, he needs a blanket, he needs a monthly food parcel and to be encouraged to come to the feeding programme each week. He needs someone to keep an eye on him and nurture him. Levison and his team can do all this but having a sponsor will help Brighton to feel better quicker. Being matched with a sponsor will let him know that he is important, that people care about him. Levison is a trained councillor so he can spend time with Brighton helping him. Brighton needs a team of people around him to ensure that he begins to thrive. Can you be that person? Or can you and a friend split the monthly cost of £25 to support Brighton?

Brighton is a little boy who has found himself in awful circumstances, through absolutely no fault of his own. He needs our help. Can you join Brighton’s team? Can you help this little boy? Can you help him to have something to smile about? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com thanks for reading, Sarah x

Charity, a volunteer, helped Brighton to get rid of the lice in his hair

Brighton came to receive help. He had a shower and was given clean clothes and shoes. Then he had a nutritious lunch.

Brighton is a little boy in need of a sponsor. Can you join Brighton's team to help him feel loved and cared for? — Brighton received help at The Foundation. Now he desperately needs your help – will you sponsor him?

A little boy in need of your help – Brighton Ng’ambi

Sarah’s blog 5/6/22

Levison has visitors every day. People in need who are looking for work or food or clothes. He can’t always help but if he can help then he will. Everyone is welcome at The Foundation. Levison and his team always try their best.

Little Brighton Ng’ambi turned up this morning. He doesn’t usually come to The Foundation. He was clearly traumatised, malnourished, wearing rags, dirty and with lice in his hair. He has been orphaned and is living with relatives. Either they aren’t financially able to look after him or he is just being left to fend for himself. He has told Levison that some days he eats once a day…other times he just has to look in bushes to see if he can find any fruit to eat.

Levison will go to talk to the people he is living with to see whether it’s best for Brighton to stay there or if Levison should find a kindly person in the village to foster him.

Brighton was taken to have a shower by one of the volunteers, Charity Banda, to have the lice and dirt washed from his hair. (They will shave his hair for him another day). Brighton was then given new clothes that had been donated and Levison took him to the library, where it was quiet, so he could eat his lunch. He told Levison that he didn’t expect all this.

This little boy’s story has touched my heart. There are many, many more children like Brighton who need our help, who need your help. We work hard to improve the lives of the hundreds of orphaned and vulnerable children whom The Foundation helps. This is our passion. To change lives. To bring hope. To give these children the gift of education. A chance to reach their potential.

Will you help Brighton? Please? He needs a sponsor to be a helping hand. It’s only £25 per month to sponsor a child. That will mean he has a monthly food parcel wherever he is living, and a blanket and new clothes. Individuals can be a sponsor. Families can sponsor. Two friends can share the cost of sponsoring a child. Or even a club or business can sponsor a child…it’s only 85p per day to change a life. Can you help Brighton today? Can you change his life? Thank you for reading, Sarah x contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Brighton Ng’ambi is an orphan living with relatives and fending for himself

Brighton sometimes eats once a day…other days he has to look in bushes for a bit of fruit

Brighton was traumatised, hungry, dirty and with head lice in his hair

Brighton had a shower and was given new clothes and shoes

Brighton couldn’t believe he was given a lovely lunch…some days he goes without food….other days he just eats once.

One of the volunteers, Charity Banda, helps Brighton to get rid of the lice in his hair.

The Starfish Story

Sarah’s blog 9/4/22

I love the Starfish Story that I am going to share with you. Some of you will know it already.

Sometimes situations seem daunting and overwhelming. Sometimes I wonder how we can make a difference to the hundreds of orphans and vulnerable children in Northern Malawi. But we are, bit by bit. Each of us helps, doing our little bit, as part of a team.

Five hundred malnourished children are receiving a nutritious, substantial meal once a week at the feeding programme. We wish we could afford to send more money to feed them more often or to set up a porridge programme at the schools. Unfortunately, at the moment, we can’t. We don’t yet have the finances for this. But the teachers have noticed that even this one meal is helping their concentrate and their grades.

Teenage girls are no longer missing school each month as they have been given reusable sanitary towels. This has given them dignity, inclusion and equality of education.

A nursery has been set up for 50 very vulnerable preschool children three times a week. They’ve been given clothes, blankets, flipflops and raincoats. They receive porridge at each session. This is making a big difference to these young children.

Ninety children have been matched with sponsors. They receive food, clothes, blankets, soap and education thanks to their generous sponsors.

These are only a few ways you have been helping us help the hundreds of very vulnerable children that The Foundation supports.

It’s teamwork as we couldn’t do it without you. If you haven’t yet taken on a sponsorship role or donated to the feeding programme… think about The Starfish Story I am sharing today. One person can make a difference. You can make a difference. If you sponsor one child, I sponsor another and so on, we CAN make a difference to ALL the vulnerable children. Please can you sponsor one of these vulnerable children today? It’s only £25 per month.

These children may not be starfish like in the story… but each one of them is a star. They are doing their best to survive. But they each need one of us to help them have more food and education. They each need one of us to help them be the best they can be. We need you to help us continue Changing Lives Malawi. Each child deserves a chance. Let’s each of us support one child and Change their Life. We can do this if each of us makes up part of a big team around these children. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you for reading and supporting. Please choose one of these stars to change their life today. Sarah x

Please make a difference to a child today

Some of the most vulnerable children

These are the most vulnerable children and most in need of a sponsor. Can you be a helping hand to one of these children?

Sarah’s blog 5/4/22

I wanted to highlight some of the orphans and vulnerable children that Levison has taken photos of previously. He’s done this as they are some of the most vulnerable and most in need of a sponsor. It’s only £25 per month to sponsor a child and you can do that as an individual, a group or two friends. 85p per day will mean the world to these children.

I’ve highlighted each child with a coloured background because I think they deserve to be seen. They deserve to have the same chances our children have. They deserve to have food, clothes, education. They deserve to reach their potential. They deserve to have a helping hand. They deserve to know that someone cares.

Please…can you be a helping hand to one of these children? It might be one of the most important things you ever do. It might be one of the most rewarding things you ever do. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com thank you for reading and I hope to hear from some of you and match you with a child. Sarah x

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