Traci has walked over 100km already since the start of July. That’s an amazing achievement Traci, especially your 7km walk up and down that hill! Thank you so much for sending in your photos and for taking part in our kilometre challenge. I’m looking forward to seeing more photos from your next 100km!
We decided to try to do the virtual journey that the boxes we send travel to get to Malawi…over 13,000km… so we need more people joining in and logging your kilometres. Whether you are walking round the supermarket, going to the park with the kids, walking the dog or going on a cycle or run… every kilometre helps towards our total. We also need you to sponsor us please. If you think Traci is doing a great job then please donate a few £££. Ideally, we need to raise £1 for every kilometre of the 13,000 journey. What will you do today? Click on the links to donate and get involved wherever you are in the world. Thanks again Traci. Enjoy your next 100km! Thanks everyone for reading and supporting, Sarah x contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.comhttps://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9
“Over the first 10 days of July I’ve walked 118.57km for Changing Lives Malawi. I’ve walked various paths around Torrance, climbed the Campsies, done some of the Rob Roy Way and added some km on my treadmill. Can you spare a couple of pounds to spur me on to my full 500km pledge, and help build a school in Malawi? Go to https://gofund.me/dd3a1be3 ” Traci.
As you know, we are raising funds to build a much needed school so that some of the most vulnerable children in rural Northern Malawi will be able to access education. This is their way out of the extreme poverty they are living in and a chance of a brighter future for themselves and their families. The school is being called ‘Bright Futures Secondary School’. Originally, one classroom was going to be named ‘Bright Futures’ by the Bright Family in memory of a very special lady who had recently passed away and who had knitted lots and lots of hats for the children. However, Levison and his trustees liked this name so much and thought it so appropriate that they have adopted it as the name for the new school.
This school is being built on a shoestring, one year group at a time. We need to raise money and the roof will be the most expensive thing, but there’s many more things apart from that to pay for including labour and cement.
We decided, as it is a community school, that we would ask our global community if you could help us and follow the route of the boxes that leave here and travel on the container to Malawi. That journey is over 13,000km and we want you to log the kilometres you complete by cycling, walking the dog, running or anything else. If you could ask people to sponsor you too then we will raise money for the school. The more people that take part, the quicker we will cover these miles. The more people that take part, the more money we will raise as each person can ask different people to sponsor them.
So today, because it’s a community school for the children, they have helped us out by covering some kilometres. I hope you enjoy the photos and videos and will consider sponsoring them. It’s a great effort they have put in to bring down the total kilometres in this challenge, they’ve worked hard and had fun. It would be fantastic for them if people could sponsor them and they found out how much money they’ve raised by their efforts today. Here is the link to sponsor them https://gofund.me/44a92444
80 children and young people chose to be part of this challenge today. They each ran 4km. Their total kilometres covered today was 320km!! An excellent result. It would be brilliant for them if they knew their efforts had raised £320….can you sponsor them please? Let them know that you are part of the community that supports them https://gofund.me/44a92444
To join in with the challenge and for all the info you need click on this link https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9 thanks for reading and supporting the children, Sarah x
Every child, no matter where they are in the world, deserves an education. Let’s build a school! We need you on our team.
Here is the link with the information you need to join in our challenge! https://forms.gle/twQYfx7LRRrtvdhx9 It is a huge challenge for our team to travel the 13,144 km that is one of the routes the container travels. It also includes the journey from here (Balfron, Scotland) to Dundee to the Bananabox Trust warehouse and in Malawi the distance from Ekwendeni which is the final destination of the container back to Chitipa that Levison will make. We have used Chitipa as the nearest destination on all maps to The Foundation.
So we are looking for families to join in as well as serious athletes and gentle walkers. Oh and bored teenagers who would like to keep their fitness up over the school holidays – we’d love to hear from you too! Maybe you could have an element of competition with your friends? Do you need to learn something new for your Duke of Edinburgh Award? Or do some volunteering? This challenge could be used for either of those.
The more people who help us, the quicker we can do this challenge. The more people that take part and are sponsored, the more money we raise. The more people who share our posts then the wider the audience so we aren’t always asking the same people. We would absolutely love people right across the world to take part in our challenge. This is a challenge to raise funds to build a secondary school for some of the most vulnerable children in Northern Malawi. It would be fantastic to have people from our global community taking part and raising funds to build a school and give the gift of education.
The challenge starts tomorrow, 1st July, and you can do as many or as few kms as you want. Please ask your friends to join in and please ask people to sponsor you. Together we can keep Changing Lives Malawi. Together we can build a school. Land clearing has already started and bricks are being made. Thanks so much for your continued support and let me know if you have any questions, thank you, Sarah x
Exciting times! Levison and his trustees have named the new school Bright Futures Secondary School! An excellent name as this new school will make hundreds, if not thousands, of children’s lives brighter and give them hope for the future.
Levison says that having a name for the school before even the first brick has been laid is important and the way things are done ahead of meetings with officials.
I’m very excited by this project but also slightly anxious as it’s my job, and our charity’s job, to raise the funds for this project as The Foundation has no funds of it’s own for such projects. Obviously, in time they will be self-sufficient and building a school is certainly providing employment opportunities for clearing ground and making bricks… and that’s just to start with.
Clearing the ground
Thank you to everyone who has given generously already but if you can donate a few ££££ please get in touch contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com for bank details or my fundraiser is still open https://GoFund.me/ca9c1629 thanks so much for helping us continue Changing Lives Malawi and providing Brighter Futures through Brighter Futures Secondary School, Sarah x
Clearing the groundBreaking up the ground to make bricksBricks being made and left to dry Bricks are being made at two sites..at the Foundation and at a site about 1km awayAdding lots of water to the soil
Challenge Completed! Today feels quite strange. My challenge is over. I’ve completed what I set out to do. I have far exceeded what I thought I could do on my exercise bike so I am quite proud of myself. I intended to cycle 10km a day to represent some of the younger children walking 5km to school and 5km home again. I never thought that by the end of the month I would be able to cycle 31km! That was a challenge in itself but I was determined….for the children.
I have eaten rice and vegetables every day – raising awareness for what the children have at the Feeding Programme. (I’ve had rice instead of maize flour). I’ve been eating every day. Even then I have had to occasionally have an egg or two or a piece of fruit to supplement my diet. At times, I was so tired, had a bad headache and occasional nose bleed. Unfortunately, the feeding programme can only run once a week for approximately 500 children as, at the moment, we cannot afford more money for it to feed the children more often. No big agencies are feeding children in this area, so the responsibility lies with The Foundation with us supporting them financially. I had a choice to do this challenge. The children whom The Foundation supports have no choices.
I’ve lost 14lb in weight which I’m delighted about. I am looking forward to adding in more food groups and not being so strict about what I’m eating. However, I do still intend to keep cycling…. not 31km though! Maybe after a short rest, I will think up another challenge….or for a large donation maybe someone could suggest a cycling challenge for me on my exercise bike!
This challenge is over but I still have the big challenge of raising money to build a desperately needed school as there are not enough places in the nearest secondary school. If you don’t get picked for a place at secondary school then you don’t get to go. All children deserve an education. All children should have access to education. All the children supported by The Foundation know that education matters and that it is their way out of poverty. They know it is their way to a better future for themselves and their families.
Please help me give the gift of education to hundreds of vulnerable children in rural Northern Malawi. Together we can continue Changing Lives Malawi. Let’s build a school! https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 Thanks for reading and your support, Sarah x
7.30am – Another nose bleed yesterday evening… think I need some protein. I struggled to get to sleep as my arms and my feet were sore. I must have tensed my arms whilst cycling (don’t know why as I was hardly going to fall off lol).
Well there were some times where I never thought I’d get to the end of this challenge. Depriving myself of major food groups was harder than I thought because of the effect it had on my body and the way it made me feel. There were times my body has ached so much from being on the exercise bike. But I’m here on the last day and I’ve got to the end of my challenge in one piece!
I’m reflecting on the hundreds of vulnerable children supported by The Foundation. We send money for The Feeding Programme to feed 500 children a nutritious and substantial meal once a week. We know it’s not enough. We are asking for more people to contribute monthly to help the feeding programme run twice a week until families are in a better position to feed their own children every day. Whilst I’ve been doing this challenge I have really been thinking about the vulnerable children and how few choices they have and how hard life is for them. Some of the things I’ve been thinking about are;
how little they have to eat.
how do they sleep if they are hungry?
how can they concentrate well at school if they are hungry and tired?
how do they have enough energy to do all their chores?
how some of the children are walking from up to 20km away for a meal at the Feeding Programme as there are no big agencies feeding children in that area. Hundreds of children are relying on us and The Foundation.
how the team at The Foundation are teaching the children different skills for life.
how education is the way out of poverty for these children.
how important it is to build a school for these children as there are not enough places at the nearest secondary school and if they don’t get picked then they don’t go.
1pm – My good friend Jackie had challenged me to finish off my challenge with a cycle of 25km. I didn’t do that. I did 31km! It was so hard and painful but I did it!! I’m proud of myself! At the start of the month I could manage 5km ok but then struggled after that. I was struggling by the time I got to 15km today but kept going. I was really determined that 31km was happening today! Luckily, I don’t have to be anywhere this afternoon as my knees are rather sore.
I’ll do an update tomorrow as, although I have finished the cycling part of my challenge, I am still on rice and vegetables for the rest of today. Hopefully, you will agree that I’ve done my best for this challenge, and you might spare a few £££ to give the gift of education. Let’s build a school!! Thanks for reading and for your support, Sarah x https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
I am still enjoying these vegetables and rice but I will be so thankful to be able to add other food groups back into my diet!
Yay I’ve completed my cycling challenge – finished off with 31km today – it was a struggle but I did it! Hopefully people will donate towards a new school for the vulnerable children whom The Foundation supports.
It’s been a busy day today. I started out by doing a blog about rugby and the great donations we’ve got from Annan Rugby and Merchiston Castle School. I also had a conversation with Jack Mphande, Malawian rugby coach, as he was impressed with these donations. He is planning another trip north to continue the rugby coaching that he’s already started.
Rice and mushrooms for breakfast….it was nice but I am getting rather fed up with my limited diet.
Stuart, my husband (the logistics manager aka box packer and mover) and myself spent a couple of hours at our storage container packing up boxes of donations. These will be taken to The Bananabox Trust warehouse in Dundee next week to await the next container to Malawi. We have only recently been lucky to have this storage facility, paid for by a generous monthly donation. Previously, all of these were kept in our house which was looking more like a warehouse every day! So we are very grateful to have this extra storage facility.
I had a glass of water when I got home then managed 20km on my exercise bike. It took over half an hour but it wasn’t too bad as I’m reading a good book on my tablet at the same time. My knees are sore now though.
More rice and vegetables and a tub of cherry tomatoes filled me up and I’m going to have roasted vegetables for dinner. I am so pleased to have made it to this stage of my challenge. Only one more day to go. I need your help to support me to get to the end of my challenge and to give the gift of education to the children whom The Foundation supports. All children deserve an education. All children deserve to go to school no matter where they are in the world or whatever their circumstances. Please help me to give these children the gift of education. Let’s build a school! https://gofundme/ca9c1629 Thanks for reading and supporting me, Sarah x
Lots of boxes packed today with clothes, shoes, school uniform and books. It costs £15 to send each box on Bananabox Container to Malawi so we are very grateful when people give donations to go towards the cost of sending the items they’ve given us. The first lot of boxes just need labelling then will be ready to head to Dundee next weekCLM storage container where donations now go and boxes get packed
I’ve only got 2 full days left of this challenge. For that I am very thankful. I’ve found the last couple of days really hard. I’ve been so tired. However, I’m feeling stronger this afternoon after a power nap lol.
I’ve been trying to plant up some tubs in the garden and get rid of some weeds. As I have issues with my mobility, this has been quite an achievement for me in itself…..then there is the cycling on top of that! Yesterday was a real struggle….my legs and feet were really sore but I managed 7.5km. I was in bed early last night and had a good sleep. I planted up some more tubs and a hanging basket today and cycled 15km at lunchtime.
I’m hoping that you think I’ve done well with my challenge. I have tried my best. Yes I have had to add a few extras like eggs here and there to supplement the endless rice and vegetables but I need to keep well and not make myself ill. I am proud of what I have achieved on my exercise bike. I struggled to get to 10km to start with but now regularly doing 15km and a few days I have managed 20km.
I need your support to get to the end please. I am raising awareness of how little the hundreds of vulnerable children in Malawi eat. Many of them do not eat every day. At the Feeding Programme once a week 500 children have a substantial and nutritious meal. Once a week is not enough though. I am also raising awareness of how far some of the younger children walk to school each day. I set out to cycle 10km on my exercise bike each day as many of the younger children are walking 5km to school and 5km home.
We are raising money to build a school in the village for all children to be able to have an education. This is their way out of poverty. There are not enough places available at nearest secondary school and if you don’t get picked for a place then you don’t go to secondary school. That is heart breaking. Every child deserves the gift of education. Education is the way out of poverty.
It is also our charity’s third birthday today. I want to say thank you to everyone who has helped us and supported us. We need more of you to join us so we can continue helping those who are most vulnerable. If you would like to donate a gift for our 3rd birthday then here is the link to my fundraiser https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 . Let’s build a school! Together we can continue Changing Lives Malawi. Thank you for reading and supporting me on my challenge. The photos of some of my recent meals won’t make you jealous but may help you to donate a few pounds. Thanks, Sarah x
cauliflower with a little bit of melted blue cheese on top to add some flavourThe mushrooms made the rice go grey! Tasted lovely though!Pink rice this time! Courtesy of chopped beetroot!
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
I had a nose bleed in bed last night…didn’t last long….and another one this morning….again not for long….but what’s all that about? I’m feeling tired and I am so glad that I only have 9 days left of this challenge. I thought it would just be difficult for me to go without certain foods and that I’d be constantly hungry. After the first couple of days, I’ve not been overly hungry thankfully. I’ve also rarely been picking at food….especially in an evening…which is great if I can break that habit. I’ve lost 13lb in weight so far….another good outcome.
I have thought about food that I can’t have a few times but not all day every day. I didn’t bargain for how hard physically this would be. The tiredness is overwhelming now. This was my choice. I can’t imagine not having that choice. How can a child perform to the best of their ability if they are tired, hungry and malnourished? The younger children are walking 5km to school and 5km back home….with no food in their tummies….tired, hungry and malnourished. That’s why I have been cycling on my exercise bike…to raise awareness of their plight. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
We can only afford to send money for 500 orphans and other very vulnerable to be fed at The Feeding Programme once a week. There are no big agencies in that part of Malawi feeding children in schools. These children are dependent on us sending money for The Feeding Programme. Because there are no other agencies feeding children, this is why some of the children are walking from up to 20km away to have their one nutritious and substantial meal from The Feeding Programme. It’s not enough. It’s not good enough. But it’s better than what they had. We need more people to help us continue helping these children. We need you.
Education is the way out of poverty for these children. There are not enough school places. If you do not get picked for secondary school, despite passing your primary school leavers exams, then you don’t go to secondary school. An awful situation for these children who are desperate for an education as they know it’s their one chance for a better future, for themselves and their families. We need to build a school in the village so there is education for all. Every child deserves an education. Every child matters.
Here are ways you can help us:
Sponsor a child – this provides a monthly food parcel and pays for their education.
Contribute a monthly amount (£5 or £10) to the feeding programme. If enough people do this then we can feed the children more often.
Fundraise for us. Can you organise a coffee morning? I could come and show photos and tell people about what we do and what happens at The Foundation. Or can you do a sponsored event for us? There are so many ways you could help raise funds for us. We would love to hear from you.
Are you experienced (and successful) at writing grant applications? That’s another area that would be a big help to us…. there’s so much to do and spreading the load a bit more would be a fantastic support.
Can you share our social media posts to help us reach a new audience?
We would love to be invited to your club, church or school to show photos and tell people about the lives of the children in Ibuluma.
Can you shake a collection tin and give out leaflets for us at an event?
Get in touch if you would like to help us in any of the above or if you can think of other ways you can help. It’s always about teamwork. We need you on our team. We need to grow our team in order to help more vulnerable children. You might even enjoy helping out and meeting new people. We are a friendly bunch! contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
https://gofund.me/ca9c1629 donate to help us build a school and give the gift of education. All children deserve a place at school. All children deserve someone to believe in them and give them a chance. Thanks for reading, Sarah x
This challenge is getting harder. My body is complaining about lack of vitamins/and or minerals. I’m not complaining, only documenting how I am feeling. It was my choice to do this challenge, to raise awareness of how little the most vulnerable children in rural Northern Malawi have to eat. I have far more to eat than they do. I have the choice to end this challenge at any time. I know that my challenge finishes in 10 days time. They have no choices. They are hungry and malnourished.
I am not sleeping well. I wake in the middle of the night for the toilet then I am awake for ages. My skin is drier than previously, especially my hands. I’m feeling quite anxious and generally tired out. This morning I was feeling panicky. Not a good way to feel. However this was my choice to raise awareness and money for a desperately needed school. Only 10 days to go. I’d really appreciate your support please. I’m sure these feelings are because of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. I am thankful I was able to have eggs for breakfast today and had a snooze at lunchtime. I am definitely feeling better after having those eggs for breakfast. Imagine if I didn’t have that luxury? Only 10 days to go!
I gave myself a day off my bike yesterday as I was so tired but I have just completed 15km today so I am really pleased with that…I wonder if I can get to 20km on my last day? If you think I’m doing well on my challenge then please donate to help me help the children have the gift of education. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
If you think that education is every child’s right please donate to help us fund a new school. Education is a way out of dire poverty for the hundreds of orphans and other vulnerable children we help support. https://gofund.me/ca9c1629
There is £1,000 in the online fundraiser now and £280 in the charity bank account. Thank you so much to all who have donated. However, we need to keep going to raise much more! Please give if you can. Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x
