It seems ages ago that I was eating rice and vegetables to represent how little to eat the children in Malawi have. I was also cycling on my exercise bike to represent how far the children have to walk to school each day. Because of your generosity, we have already sent £1,400 to Malawi for them to begin making the bricks for the new school. We obviously need more money than this but it is a very good start. My fundraiser is still open if anyone else would still like to donate then here is the link https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 Let’s build a school!
There are currently not enough spaces in the local secondary school. If you don’t get picked to go to secondary school then you don’t go. That’s not fair. Life is very hard for these children. Lots of the children are orphans, others are also very vulnerable. All have experienced loss and trauma. The Foundation is taking an holistic approach to try to give these children a better future. To try to change their lives. Let’s build a school!
We also hope to bring news of a team event soon that everyone can join in if they want and be sponsored! Let’s build a school!!
130 chairs are going on the container to Malawi this time, as well as boxes and a few tables. If anyone knows of any adult size school tables that are being updated and no longer needed then please let me know. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com . Let’s build a school!
We were very fortunate to receive a grant last week from The Souter Charitable Trust for 10 full sets of text books for each of the 4 years of secondary school. These will make a big difference to the young people to have a higher ratio of books per student during lessons and for homework and studying. The cheque was for £3,250 so we are very, very grateful. Let’s build this school and improve the lives of vulnerable young people. Education is their way out of poverty. Every child deserves an education. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 . Thanks for reading and helping us to help The Foundation support hundreds of very vulnerable children, Sarah x Let’s build a school!
7am. So glad I am nearly at the end of my challenge. It’s tough because I am thinking about the food that I will be able to have next week and it’s making it harder to keep going with all the vegetables and rice!
As I had done 20km on my bike that I mentioned in my last blog, I decided just to do 10km on my bike for the next couple of days as my legs were sore.
I’ve been eating rice with mixed vegetables, lots of roasted vegetables, soup and a waldorf salad. Trying to drink enough water and finding that quite hard to fit in an extra couple of glasses. As I was out a lot yesterday, I did have a shop bought pack of melon and mango which tasted amazingly sweet and delicious.
6.30pm Just cycled another 20km and really pleased with myself! Never thought I’d be able to do that at the start of this challenge… I was struggling to get past 5km. So I will definitely try for at least two more 20km before I finish.
I decided to do this challenge for the following reasons;
To raise money to build a much needed school as there are not enough places in the local secondary school. If you don’t get picked for a place in secondary school then you don’t go. Education should be available to all. It is the children’s way out of poverty to build themselves a better future.
To raise awareness of the Feeding Programme and what the children have to eat. I am eating rice (instead of maize flour) and vegetables. I am fortunate that I have a choice. I am fortunate that I am eating more than once a day. I am fortunate that I am only doing this challenge for 31 days in May. The Feeding Programme feeds 500 children and young people once a week with a substantial and nutritious meal. As there are no big agencies feeding children in schools in that area, some children are walking from 20km away for this one meal a week. There will be some children who do not eat every day. Teachers have said that children are able to concentrate better and their grades have improved since The Feeding Programme was implemented. It’s not enough but better than it was. We would love to be able to send money to feed the children more often.
I set out to cycle 10km a day on my exercise bike to represent how far the younger children are walking to and from school (approximately 5km each way). However, some days I have been able to cycle 15km and have even done one 20km. I will try to do another couple of 20km before my challenge ends.
If you think that all children deserve an education please donate to my fundraiser https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 Please help me help the children.
Today has been a better day…no nosebleeds or headaches 🙂
I went out for a drink with two good friends this morning. That’s the first time this month that I have been out to a cafe/restaurant. I had breakfast before I went so I was fine with just having a drink… that was good planning and good willpower and, of course, good company.
Also, I have just been on my exercise bike. I managed to do a 20km cycle today! Really pleased with that although I am wondering if I will be able to move tomorrow. 32 minutes, 20km and 460 calories! Glad I am nearing the end of the challenge but I will try to keep going with the cycling….as long as I am reading a good book on my tablet….otherwise it’s really boring!
So if you think I’m still doing a good job on my challenge to raise funds for a much needed school then please donate https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
Thanks for reading and supporting me and the children, Sarah x
12.15pm Pot of soup made! 15km on exercise bike done! I’m doing ok but finding it quite hard to concentrate on other things apart from this challenge today. I’ve almost completed two weeks and I’m really pleased that I’ve had the willpower to do this challenge….I just need to keep going and need your help. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
The thought that the hundreds of malnourished children supported by The Foundation don’t have the choices I have is keeping me going and focused on my challenge. They don’t have the luxury of choosing which vegetables they will be eating and how they will be cooking them. They might go a whole day without eating at all. Things are improving for them but there is still a long way to go.
Having a school in their village will make a huge difference. It will bring employment as well as education for all. It will mean that young people don’t need to board at school and can stay at home and help their families with chores. All children deserve an education. All children deserve enough to eat. All children deserve to have the opportunities to be the best they can be. Please support my challenge to build a school for them.
I thought I’d also show you a photo of some beautiful knitting for babies that we received recently. These little jackets will be so appreciated by new mothers for their babies. We are very grateful for all the donations and support we receive to help us continue Changing Lives Malawi. Thanks for reading, Sarah x https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
beautiful knitting for babies in Malawi that we received recentlytwo lots of tasty soup I made this week – glad of a different way to eat vegetables15km done today
11.30am There wasn’t much to report yesterday. I did 10km on the exercise bike and ate rice and veg. I have been finding the last few days harder, I think because it’s a bit colder and I’m wanting something a bit different from salad and rice. Last night I did open a tin of kidney beans in chilli sauce and had half of that tin with rice which was a nice change. I am currently making some soup which I am looking forward to.
6pm My soup was delicious….even if I say so myself lol. Sweet potato, broccoli and stilton. I only used a little bit of stilton to give it some flavour…it’s been nice to have vegetables in a different form today! I’ve just cycled 15km so if you think I’m doing ok then please donate and share my posts. I’m almost two weeks into my challenge and have cycled further than I first thought so I’d love your help to build a school for the children so everyone can go to school. Thanks for reading, Sarah x https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
Its been a busy old day today. I’m really happy that I have completed my first week of the challenge. However, I’ve been feeling like I’ve been wanting to snack on food today. I’ve opened the fridge a few times and closed it again. However, at least I usually have a choice about what I can eat. I’ve not cheated so I’m pleased I haven’t given into temptation as we still have some Easter eggs here and ice cream in the freezer.
I was at a friend’s house this afternoon. She brought me a present while she had been out shopping. Rice cakes have never tasted so good lol. Not a great photo of me but hey ho….I enjoyed a few of my rice cakes! Thanks Alison. I’ve still got my cycle to do soon and then some vegetables to look forward to. If you would like to donate to my fundraiser to help build a much needed school then please click on the link https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 Thanks for reading and supporting me, Sarah x
3pm Tired today as I had very restless legs last night. Also it’s been a tricky day (food wise) as we’ve been with family and there has been bacon frying and a buffet lunch…..with salad for me! That was hard as there were olives, cold meats and cheeses that I would have loved. But I didn’t give in and had my salad and carrot sticks!! I’ll post a couple of pictures of lunch so you can see how good I was avoiding the temptations!
6pm Just done my 10km cycle and it’s getting slightly easier….that’s 60km this week!! I need your encouragement please. Help me to keep going by sharing my posts and making a donation towards the new school building. Almost a week done but still a long way to go….please help? https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 Thanks so much for reading and supporting. I received a cash donation too today. Many thanks, Sarah x
8.30am Good morning! I was wide awake at bedtime and struggled to get to sleep but once I was asleep I slept well. So that’s a positive to start off with! I’m feeling hungry this morning but I’ve got a zoom meeting at 9.30am so will wait until after that before having anything to eat.
I can’t believe I’m at day 5 already. Hopefully, this will become more like a habit as time goes on and I won’t be having to think about what to eat and when or having to remember when to go on the exercise bike. I am so grateful for the generous donations towards building the school so far. The fundraiser is sitting at £750 already! I really hope that we can raise a much bigger amount as I’d love to be able to say that we’ve raised enough money for a classroom block or at least one classroom. We will need to get proper quotes from the builders but we estimate that a classroom will cost £4,000 to build. Once we have raised enough money to make it possible, plans will be drawn up, with the builders, to see what the possibilities are and how much it will cost. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
It would be wonderful to be able to start off with a block of 3 classrooms for next years S1 pupils, accommodation for their teachers if needed, 2 dormitories, a kitchen and a toilet block. Thankfully, clean water and a shower block and a library are already there. It’s certainly a challenge but we can do this! The children need us to help them.
Once the school was built for the S1 pupils, we would continue raising funds and applying for grants if possible, so that each year the school would be added to until all four years were completed. It’s a huge project but one that is key to the successful education of hundreds of the most vulnerable children in rural Northern Malawi. Building a school will provide jobs whilst the school is being built, employment for teachers and other staff and most of all, the gift of a good education for all. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
We will need people to fundraise for us, to take on challenges, to raise awareness, to pay for some bricks or a roof panel or your company could sponsor a classroom. I always say it’s teamwork because we are a team. Each of us has an important part to play in helping to make lives better for the children we support. We can’t change their lives without you.
20.30pm Wow, my day suddenly got really busy so I only managed to get round to my 10km an hour ago….but I did it! I had a bowl of rice and a few mixed beans at lunchtime, some celery mid afternoon and I’ve just finished a salad. It will be a bit harder tomorrow when there is takeaway pizza about. However, I couldn’t have any because I’m gluten intolerant so at least I won’t be tempted.
Please, please, please help me help the children have a good education and the chance of a better future. Thanks for reading, Sarah x https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
12.30pm Who needs sleep anyway? Sore tummy and sore legs last night and, for some reason, wide awake! I’m not saying this to moan, I’m just writing down facts as a record of how this challenge is progressing. I haven’t been hungry at all this morning. I’ve just had a lovely salad for my lunch which is the first thing I’ve eaten today. I’m saving my rice for dinner! https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
The first day of the challenge was really hard as I was hungry all the time but yesterday and today have been ok as my body is obviously getting used to the change in what I’m eating and eating less than usual. Not having meat is a big change but I’ve not really missed it. I’m finding that I am thinking a lot more about the children in Malawi and trying to imagine the different difficult situations they find themselves in. Not enough to eat, nowhere near enough resources in the local schools, no medical care if they can’t afford it. Lots of chores to do to help their families. The heavy rains this year have affected the crops and maize will be more expensive to buy and not as readily available. Life is very hard for them but, bit by bit, we are changing their lives for the better. Always, the end goal is self-sufficiency.
8pm It’s been a busy day today so I didn’t get round to doing my 10km until 7pm. When I got to 6km I started to struggle so I made my lovely hubby come and talk to me until I’d finished…. so I made it over the finishing line! A bowl of rice and a few beans just now. I’m feeling a bit tired but hopefully that means I might sleep tonight. My challenge is to eat rice (instead of maize flour) and vegetables as a representation of what the children eat and cycle 10km to represent the distance the little kids walk to school and back. If you’d like to support me raise funds to build a desperately needed school then please donate to my fundraiser https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 thanks for reading and supporting me, Sarah x
10.30am – I am so glad that day 1 is over! I did it but it was harder than I thought! So I needed a bit more rice than I intended but I think that is a sensible decision so I have enough calories to function. I didn’t eat anything after my dinner of rice and vegetables last night at 5.30pm…just a big glass of water. Junior wanted to do some painting so we got my paints out – it’s over a year since I last used them – and we both enjoyed making a bit of a mess lol. That was a good distraction but I went to bed hungry and my knees were sore from cycling 10km on my exercise bike. Up three times for the loo didn’t help so I was rather tired getting up this morning! However, I actually feel a bit better about food today and a bit calmer and not worrying about when I can next eat. So far I’ve had two big cups of tea and some cherry tomatoes. I’m going to have a big glass of water and hope to have some rice and veg after 11am. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
1.30pm – I had 2/3 of my portion of rice an hour ago mixed with 1/3 tin of mixed bean salad and another large glass of water. Not feeling hungry at all which is amazing compared to how I felt yesterday. I am feeling a bit tired though because I didn’t get a great sleep last night. Planning to do my 10km cycle before dinner. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
6.30pm Sore knees and feet from cycling 10km. I did it all in one go. I got to 7.5km and started struggling but managed to keep going….and I did it. Can’t believe it’s 6.30pm and I’ve not had my dinner yet. Still got a little bit of rice left from lunchtime and I’m about to make a big salad. So I’ve only needed one bag of rice today….I’m quite pleased with that. Just had a nice chat on the phone with one of the trustees of our charity giving me support.
As I said yesterday, I’m very conscious that I have a choice about what I am eating and how much I’m eating. I can eat every day and I am grateful for that. The 500 orphans and other vulnerable children whom The Foundation supports don’t have a choice. They don’t eat much every day. Some might not eat every day. They get a substantial, nutritious meal once a week at The Feeding Programme. Children come from up to 20km away for some food. Imagine walking 20km to have a meal and 20km home again. But what choice do they have? None. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
The younger children are walking 5km to school and 5km back again…which is why I’m cycling 10km a day…to represent their journey. They walk, tired and hungry and I am passionate about wanting to improve their lives. They deserve our help. Please help me? Please donate so we can build a school and give all children an education. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 Thanks for reading, Sarah x
Let’s build a desperately needed school so all children can have the gift of education. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
I am trying to raise awareness of how little the hundreds of children in Ibuluma, northern Malawi have to eat. All children supported by the Foundation are malnourished. They are fed a nutritious, substantial meal once a week at the Feeding Programme. This is their biggest meal of the week. Some days some of the children might not eat at all. I am eating rice (instead of maize flour) and vegetables each day in May to represent what the children eat. I’m very aware that I am privileged to have this every day instead of just once a week and, of course, this is my choice. The hundreds of children we are helping to support have no choice.
I am also cycling 10km a day on my exercise bike to represent how far the younger children walk each day to school and back (5km each way).
I need your help to keep encouraging me please. I also need you to help me raise enough money to build a school. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
This morning I woke up and the realisation hit me that today is the day I start this challenge. I know that a lot of it is about having the right mindset and I am looking at this as a challenge….not a diet or anything else weight loss related….just a challenge to raise awareness of how little the orphans and vulnerable children in Ibuluma have to eat.
I decided I would have a packet of microwave rice so that it was easy to know how much I was going to eat. I had about a third of it for breakfast with some cucumber, a tomato and 2 beetroot. That was ok, no problem. A couple of hours later I cycled 5km on my exercise bike but then started to feel quite light headed. I had a bowl of lettuce and a big glass of water which filled me up but it wasn’t long before I started feeling light headed again so I finished the rest of the packet of rice. At less than 400 calories per packet I think it was a bit silly thinking I could just have one packet per day. It’s strange how much I’m thinking about food….not food that I can’t have….but just thinking when I can have something else to eat.
I cannot imagine not having anything to eat all day until dinner time. Or even worse, going a whole day with nothing to eat at all. The children in Ibuluma look forward to The Feeding Programme each week, knowing they are going to get a substantial meal…..how must they feel when it’s really heavy rain and they can’t go? Huddled at home, under a leaking roof, with a sore tummy because it’s so empty. The disappointment of not getting to The Feeding Programme must be huge.
Another project we will eventually have to tackle is building bridges across the rivers. If it rains, it is too dangerous for children to cross the rivers as they are too deep and children might get swept away. So some children, if they live across the river, have to stay at home to be safe. We’ve so much to do to help this community back on their feet and to self-sufficiency….we can but do a bit at a time.
Thankfully, the teachers have noticed that children can concentrate better and their grades are improving just from one meal a week which supplements whatever small amounts they get at home. Things are better…but not ideal.
Another big glass of water and 5km on the exercise bike. That wasn’t too bad. Now how long until I can have some more food? For dinner I am going to have some rice (surprise, surprise) with onion, mushrooms and courgettes….and another big glass of water! If I get hungry later I will have a carrot and another big glass of water! I’ll let you know in tomorrow’s blog how this evening goes and if I am starting to get a bit grumpy…let’s hope not. I’m keeping focused on the children I want to help and the school I want to help build. I’d love it if you could support me please https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 Thanks for reading, Sarah x
Chambo Primary where they sit on the ground. We need to build a secondary school for these children as there are currently not enough places so if children do not get picked then they don’t go to secondary school. Education should be available to all children.
As I said this morning, tomorrow and for all of May, I am challenging myself to cycle 10km per day on my exercise bike – which is the distance the primary school children walk each day. I will also be eating just rice (instead of maize flour) and vegetables each day in May to represent what they children have at the Feeding Programme – although this meal is just once a week for them and their biggest meal of the week. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
Already, I’ve had three great donations to my fundraiser, thank you very much to those three supporters. However, I need many many more donations to help the dream of education a reality for hundreds of vulnerable children in rural northern Malawi.
This morning, Levison was tutoring all the p8 students who are supported by the Foundation. He is trying to help them get the best marks possible in their exams. We have provided text books for the library. However we could only afford one copy of each book. The tutoring sessions are having to be carried out as a group as there are no spare copies. We hope to add several more copies of each text book so they are available for all. Some of these young people who were being tutored this morning are repeating their last year of primary school. Even though they passed their leavers exams and have sponsors to pay their secondary school fees, they were not picked. They were not picked for a place at secondary school because there aren’t enough places.
We need a new school to provide the gift of education for these children. Education is the gift these children need to get themselves a better future. They know they need to work hard. They know education is everything. We need to help them help themselves. I will be sharing insights into the lives of the hundreds of vulnerable children we are supporting each day in May.
My challenge for today was to eat a few snacks that were in the house so I am not tempted during the next few days. Please be supportive as I’m sure the first few days will be tough as I go without any sugar….not that I have a lot of sugar but I do like the occasional ice lolly or ice cream! I hope I’m not too grumpy!!
My lovely sister invited us round for Sunday dinner tomorrow; roast chicken and apple pie! I thanked her but said I’d stay at home with my bowl of rice!! 🙂 At the moment, I’m feeling ok about the challenge. I think it will be a time of reflection and make me even more determined to do all I can for the hundreds of malnourished children in Ibuluma. See you tomorrow for the first day of the challenge! Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
Children at Chambo Primary school reading some of the donated books we sent
At Chambo Primary School, the children (apart from p8) all sit on the floor. Resources are scarce. Thanks to you, we sent 17 boxes of books to this school to help children practise reading and become more confident readers. We need to build a secondary school as there are not enough places at the nearest secondary school for all these children.
