donate Archives - Changing Lives Malawi

Update – Bright Futures Secondary School – phase 2

https://gofund.me/ece5753a We really need your help to have phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School ready for the next intake of students. Please help?

Sarah’s blog 15/07/23

Thousands of bricks are being made for classroom 3 of Bright Futures Secondary School. Classroom 3 needs to be completed and ready for the new term starting in September 2023. Land is starting to be prepared today. Foundations will be done for classrooms 3 and 4 but, currently, we only have enough funds for classroom 3. As long as classroom 3 is built then classroom 4 can be completed at a later date. Thank you so much to The Inverclyde Trust for their generous donation of £4,000 towards phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School.

We also need funds for latrines and more teachers’ accommodation, so need to raise approximately £10,000 for these to ensure there are enough toilet facilities for the extra intake of new students and also accommodation for the extra teachers that need to be employed.

Will you help us to ensure this happens please? Can your company help sponsor this? Your name can be painted on a building. Can you donate £500 or more and you can have your name (or someone else’s name) above the classroom door? or above the doors of the teachers’ accommodation? or how would you like to sponsor a toilet? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com £10 x 200 people will pay for a toilet block…. will you donate £10 or more towards new toilets? Privacy, safety, dignity and hygiene are priceless and something every teenager deserves….especially the girls need to have safe, adequate toilet facilities. Will you help us help them? https://gofund.me/ece5753a We cannot do this on our own. We always say it takes teamwork. Will you be part of our team? Can you spare a few £££? Please? If enough people will help then we will reach our target. The students need us.

During the first year of opening it was decided that there would only be very vulnerable students who wouldn’t have to pay school fees, or for uniform, school supplies or school lunches. The majority of places at Bright Futures Secondary School will still be for these vulnerable students. However, from September 2023 there will be ten places in each year group for fee paying day students which will help towards expenses at the school. These fees still won’t be as much as other schools charge but will provide an option for those who can afford to pay to send their children to Bright Futures Secondary School if it is nearer than the other secondary schools. Bright Futures Secondary School has smaller class sizes than other secondary schools and offers computer lessons and encourages practical agricultural classes in addition to the core curriculum subjects.

Please help us to provide a brighter future for up to 120 of the most vulnerable teenagers (3 classes x 40 students). These teenagers receive a substantial and nutritious school lunch each day which is their only proper meal of the day. School lunches are helping them concentrate in school and supporting their overall development. This is a big commitment we have made to these students but they need people to believe in them. They need people to give them choices and chances. They need opportunities to thrive and to shine. Will you help us continue Changing Lives Malawi? Please email me on contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com if you’d like more information or you would like to help with ensuring Bright Futures Secondary School is ready to welcome more students and teachers in September. The link to our fundraiser is https://gofund.me/ece5753a these vulnerable teenagers really do need your help. Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x

Bright Futures Secondary School – We are Changing Lives Malawi

some of the vulnerable students at Bright Futures Secondary School with their solar lamps enabling them to see to study at home as it is dark year round at 6pm in Malawi. (solar lamps were bought with money donated by The Souter Charitable Trust)

students at Bright Futures Secondary School planting sweet potato vines

This rugby kit was kindly donated by Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh – students are outside the first classroom block – classrooms 1 & 2

Joanne’s walk for a classroom for Bright Futures Secondary School

Joanne is taking on another challenge on behalf of the vulnerable young people we help to support http://www.changinglivesmalawi.com

Sarah’s blog 30/06/23

In November 2020 my sister, Joanne, was waiting for surgery for breast cancer. She used that time to do a walking challenge to raise money towards the shower block that was being built.

Now, as she’s waiting for reconstructive surgery and needs to lower her BMI slightly, she has said she’s going to challenge herself again. I have no doubt that she will reach her target of 200km in July. As well as being one of the bravest people I know, she is also one of the strongest.

So she has set up a fundraising page to raise money towards a new classroom for Bright Futures Secondary School. Please support her in her challenge as it will mean a great deal to her, to us and, of course, the children who need a new classroom for term starting in September. Joanne’s fundraiser is https://gofund.me/91721cad .

If anyone else wants to set themselves a challenge to fundraise for our charity we would be so grateful and would promote it on social media for you. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Good luck, Joanne and thank you…we know you can do it! Thank you all for reading and your support, Sarah x

Bright Futures Secondary School – phase 2

Joanne one one of her walks in November 2020

Thank you Strathendrick RFC & Scottish Rugby Union

Thanks to Strathendrick RFC and Scottish Rugby for supporting grassroots rugby in rural northern Malawi.

Sarah’s blog 29/6/23

As well as Scottish Rugby having given us pre-loved rugby kit to send to the vulnerable young people we help to support, Scottish Rugby have given us 6 new shirts for fundraising.

We have teamed up with our fantastic local rugby club, Strathendrick RFC, who have a big rugby family. They have kindly offered to help raise the profile of the projects we support and, in particular, the two week rugby event in September that hundreds of young people will be able to take part in and learn to play rugby. Our fundraiser for that event is here https://gofund.me/46e63377 Proceeds made from the shirts will be split between our rugby event and Strathendrick RFC. Thank you everyone who is supporting us to help change the lives of some of the most vulnerable children in Malawi, giving them choices and chances and a much brighter future. Here is what they have said on their facebook page:

“We are proud to be supporting Changing Lives Malawi as we provide an exciting opportunity to enhance their ongoing valuable work.
Www.changinglivesmalawi.com is a small charity, based in Balfron, run by volunteers who are passionate about changing the lives of the most vulnerable in rural Northern Malawi.
They support several projects including a feeding programme, a nursery & are currently fundraising to build classrooms 3 & 4 of Bright Futures Secondary School. The children are also provided rugby opportunities thanks to the donations of kit, equipment and coaching.
To help raise much needed funds, the SRU have provided 2022/23 playing jerseys for us to raffle off. To be in with the chance of winning a jersey (sizes M, L, XL, 2XL) complete the Google form. £5 a number. We will draw the winners on Wednesday 5 July
To support further work in the area, on behalf of hundreds of vulnerable children, we would be very grateful https://gofund.me/46e63377
Google Form Entry Form
https://forms.gle/5EChanging Lives Malawi (google.com) “

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Changing Lives Malawi (google.com)

How far should you walk for lunch?

These children are desperate for help. How can they thrive without food?

Sarah’s blog 14/6/23

How far do you think is an acceptable distance for a child to walk to get some food? How far would you let your child or grandchild walk to have a meal? What if you had absolutely nothing to feed your family?

We help to support a feeding programme that runs once a week. We wish we could afford for it to operate more often. 500 orphans and vulnerable children are fed a substantial and nutritious meal each weekend at the feeding programme. This is their biggest meal of the week. Some days these children do not eat at home and are left to fend for themselves, to forage for food or beg for scraps. All of these children are malnourished. THERE ARE NO CHARITIES FEEDING CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS IN THIS AREA OF RURAL NORTHERN MALAWI. We need your help. We cannot do this alone. It is too big a job for us to ensure that 500 children have enough food every day of the week.

Crops are being planted to supplement the feeding programme. Vegetables that the children have helped to grow are being served at the feeding programme. Fruit tree saplings have been planted for future food and for future income as the surplus fruit can be sold at market.

The sweet potato crop is doing well and will be ready in another 6 weeks. But how many sweet potatoes will a field produce? How long will this crop last divided by 500 children and young people? A few days maybe…..

We need people to partner with us. We need people to invest in the future of these very vulnerable children who don’t eat every day. To start a pig project at Bright Futures Secondary School, as part of their agricultural classes, to breed pigs to sell (and also pass on to the community) will only take £300 to set up. This will bring in money to help pay for school lunches for the students at Bright Futures Secondary School, helping them become more self-sufficient and giving the students skills for life.

They need to plant more fruit tree saplings in the orchard. Each sapling costs approximately £2.50. Banana tubers cost approximately £2 each. We could pay for these project start ups but we cannot continue paying to feed the children at the feeding programme each week AND invest in these projects….unfortunately it is either one or the other and we are not going to stop the feeding programme as it is the only one proper meal that these children receive each week. How can these vulnerable children and young people be expected to thrive on one decent meal a week? It is heart-breaking. They deserve far more and they deserve our help and support. Please help us? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

I have said several times that some children walk up to 20km for this one proper meal of the week at the feeding programme. I can’t comprehend what that must be like. Energy levels must be at a minimum already as the children haven’t eaten, then to have to walk up to 20km for a meal and 20km home again…they must be absolutely exhausted and any calories they have from their lunch will be used up on the long walk home. Can you help us help them please?

Levison sent me photos of 6 children who each walked approximately 18km to be fed on Sunday….so a total of 36km for their one proper meal of the week. Levison wanted me to show you these children. They, and others like them, are really struggling and we cannot expect them to thrive unless we give them a helping hand. Will you help us help them? Tasiyana, Praise, Atusaye, Kalebu, Esther and Nema all are hungry and malnourished.

All of them would benefit from having a sponsor. It costs £25 per month to sponsor a child and they will receive clothes, extra food and welfare visits. Two friends could share the cost of sponsoring a child. Or you could commit £5 or £10 per month to help support the feeding programme and help us to make it more sustainable by being able to plant more crops and fruit tree saplings. What will you do to help today? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Thank you for reading and for your support, Sarah x

https://changinglivesmalawi.com/2023/06/12/the-sweet-potato-crop/ https://changinglivesmalawi.com/2023/06/11/activities-for-the-kids/

Praise looks so tired and is suffering from malnutrition

Atusaya is wearing one of the navy cord pinafores donated by Sinclair House Prepatory School in London

you can see by Esther’s tummy that she is malnourished

A visit to Balfron High School

We were delighted to receive an email from one of the teachers at our local high school, Balfron High, asking us to go and meet with him and the headteacher.

Sarah’s blog 24/5/23

We were delighted to receive an email from one of the teachers at our local high school, Balfron High, asking us to go and meet with him and the headteacher. Jackie and I spent an hour with them and I was able to give a presentation about some of the projects we are supporting. It was really useful to meet face to face as we were able to talk about how many children and young people are needing a helping hand and how little food many of them have to eat and the daily struggles they face.

They are keen to form links between Balfron High School and Bright Futures Secondary School and communication between some of the students from both schools. We spoke about ways that we are trying to help Bright Futures Secondary School towards self-sufficiency by having projects that provide food and an income. I also suggested ways that the Balfron High students could help by donating maths sets, calculators and pencil cases to pass on to students in Malawi if they are no longer needed.

It was a really positive and informative discussion and we look forward to seeing what might happen after the school summer holidays.

In Malawi, the primary 8 students have done their national leavers exams and we have our fingers crossed that the ones supported by the Foundation will pass and therefore be able to start at Bright Futures Secondary School in September.

National high school exams are done at the end of S2 and also at the end of S4. The S2 students at Bright Futures Secondary School have been working hard. Their exams start on Tuesday for seven days. All we can ask is that they work hard and try their best. They have had such difficult lives that their school work has suffered. We have everything crossed for them!

So, looking forward to September 2023 and the new intake of S1 students. At the moment, we have nowhere to put them as we only have two classrooms. We need your help please to build another classroom. Will you help us please by donating to our fundraiser? https://gofund.me/ece5753a

All children have the right to a proper education.
All children have the right to food, clothes and warmth.
Bright Futures Secondary School is for the most vulnerable students who wouldn’t have been able to go to secondary school without support (secondary school has to be paid for in Malawi).
These students are each given a blanket as well as school uniform (and other clothes) and the supplies they need for school.
Each student is fed a nutritious and substantial meal each day (twice a day when we have extra funds). This is the only food many of them have each day so it is vital.
They have a clean water supply to drink and are able to have a shower at the shower block.
The Period Poverty Project means that all girls are given reusable sanitary towels made by a group of girls. We sent hand turn sewing machines and now no girl needs to miss a week of school each month.
All students have use of the well stocked library – Emma’s Rainbow Library and are learning how to use the computers there.
All students are learning skills for life through their Agricultural Lessons.
All students are regularly taking part in team sports.

Does this sound like a worthwhile project? As we have no admin costs or salaries because we are volunteers, all money donated goes to the projects we support. You can be sure that your donation towards a new classroom will go to that project. Foundations have been prepared and, as soon as we have more funds, work will start on building. However, we cannot do this alone. Please help us help these vulnerable children.

You can donate to phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School to build a new classroom https://gofund.me/ece5753a or you could you sponsor a student for £25 p/m? Or maybe you could commit £5 or £10 per month to the Feeding Programme? Our bank details are; Bank Of Scotland, Changing Lives Malawi, S/C 80-22-60, A/C 21081462 to make a donation. If you could put ‘school’ or ‘food’ or whatever project it is you are supporting as the reference please. We also have a rugby event in September that we are needing financial support with.

My email is contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com if you’d like more information about ways you can help us to support the children. I’ll put the links to some other relevant stories if you are new to reading my blogs. Many thanks for reading and supporting us, Sarah x

From here to Malawi – The challenge is complete!

The challenge is complete! Yay!

Sarah’s blog 21/04/23

Well it has taken longer than we originally planned….but the small, dedicated team has done it! What an amazing and fantastic group of dedicated supporters!

We planned, in order to raise money for Bright Futures Secondary School, to run, walk, swim, scoot, cycle and sail to add together kilometres to cover the distance that the boxes travel between here and Malawi. It was a bigger challenge than we anticipated, for a small team, and the container covered the distance way before we reached our target, but the challenge is now complete!! Well done team!! We never give up!

As of yesterday, the total kilometres travelled was 13,161.195km! That was 17.195km more than was actually needed.

As you know, Phase 1 of Bright Futures Secondary School was built and opened in November 2022. This comprised of staff accommodation and two classrooms to add to the other buildings that we had previously fundraised for which included the library, shower block and clean water supply.

Now fundraising is well underway for phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School. We need at least one more classroom to be in place for the new term starting in September 2023. We also need some more staff accommodation and a dormitory block for the most vulnerable girls to be able to stay on campus. This will enable them to be safe rather than risking being attacked on the long walk to and from school. These are big plans but education is the way out of poverty for these very vulnerable children and young people, many of whom are orphans.

The photos below are just some of the lovely people who helped us achieve our goal. Thank you to everyone who took part. You are all brilliant and we couldn’t do what we do without you. If you would like to contribute towards phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School then you can either email me for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com or donate at https://gofund.me/ece5753a Thanks so much for supporting, helping, donating, volunteering, sponsoring….whatever you do to help us….thank you from the bottom of our hearts, Sarah x

Previous stories…. More Kilometres! – Changing Lives Malawi Keep collecting Kilometres! – Changing Lives Malawi

Phase 2 0f Bright Futures Secondary School – classrooms 3 & 4 – Changing Lives Malawi

Team Mottram reached the top of Ben Nevis on a rainy day

Team Mackay, wearing their team t-shirts in Lanzarote

The kids in Malawi were keen to join in and added some kilometres by running

Team Mackay climbed Scafell Pike on a very hot day

Appeal for help to feed 500 vulnerable, malnourished children

We need your help. We need 100 people to commit £5 per month to provide more food for the 500 malnourished children we help to support.

Sarah’s blog 12/4/23

I’m very grateful to have had the help of a student to make a short video about the Feeding Programme. As prices have risen, and maize has become more scarce due to the rainy season and supplies being rerouted to the cyclone victims in the south of Malawi, we are appealing for help.

As a small charity, run by a group of volunteers, passionate about making a difference, every penny you donate goes to the projects we support. So if you want to help the 500 vulnerable, malnourished children and young people who attend the Feeding Programme each weekend, you can be sure that all your money will go towards feeding them.

Most of these 500 children and young people are orphans. All are malnourished. None are being fed in primary schools. All don’t eat at home every day. Some walk up to 20km to attend the weekly Feeding Programme. Can you help us to provide more food please? Can you help us to run the Feeding Programme two or three times a week instead of just once?

We need 100 people to donate £1 per week (£5 per month) or £10 per month to make this happen. Can you spare the price of a meal deal, a takeaway coffee or a bottle of wine? These children and young people are never going to reach their potential without our help. Please will you help us help them? Or could you donate £100 to sponsor a Feeding Programme day? We can give a shout out to your business if you could help us with this. Please help?

contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com to send me a message or you can text FEEDING to donate £5 or an amount of your choice. Or you can commit a monthly amount to our charity bank account. Sort code 80-22-60, Account Number 21605268.

Enjoy watching the video and I look forward to hearing from you if you would like to help some of the most vulnerable young people in rural Northern Malawi. Thanks, Sarah x

An Amazing Quiz & Band Night!

Thanks to everyone who supported our very successful fundraiser for the next phase of Bright Futures Secondary School.

Sarah’s blog 25/2/23

Thank you to everyone who came along last night….it looked like everyone was having a brilliant time! The quiz that Douglas did for us was great fun! He’d put in a lot of work to prepare it and present it – so thank you so much Douglas!

There were so many raffle prizes that had been donated – thanks so much to everyone. We are very grateful to the following businesses; West Group Technical Services Ltd who donated a firepit made by Foldaway Fires, a cycling jacket from Endura, a hamper from Endrick Trading Ltd, vouchers from Tir na nog Holistic Centre, Milk & Honey Artisan Ice Cream, The Woodhouse, The Kitchen Window, Briarlands Farm, Wellsfield Farm, Ticketyboo Hair Design Buchlyvie and Exceptionail Buchlyvie. We had some wonderful prizes!

There was also a bottle of single malt whisky donated by one of our trustees, David Bell, to use as a prize for throwing £1 coins at….the nearest coin wins the bottle. There were so many coins being thrown and someone’s coin touched the bottle whilst lots of people were still waiting for a turn. So David, very kindly offered to buy a second bottle of whisky so everyone else got a turn to throw their £1 coins… this and the amount of raffle tickets that were purchased made a lot of money for our charity.

Then there is a huge thank you to local band, Acoustic Station, who gave their time and talents free of charge. Stuart, the drummer, is one of our trustees (and my husband) so I am slightly biased but they were amazing and people were up dancing all night!

After a very late night, I counted all the money this morning and added what was already paid directly into the charity bank account. £1,503 is the grand total! An amazing start to our fundraising for phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School. Thank you for buying tickets, raffle tickets, donating raffle prizes and being so supportive of what we, as a small group of volunteers, are trying to do. 100% of the money will go towards building the next phase of Bright Futures Secondary School. Thank you so much to those who helped set up and tidy up and, as always, it’s been amazing teamwork.

I hope you enjoy the video clips of Acoustic Station from last night. The link to our fundraiser is https://www.gofund.me/ece5753a and, as always, if you want to get in touch then the email address is contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thanks again, Sarah x

Bright Futures Secondary School – desks, chairs, uniform & exams – Changing Lives Malawi

Merchiston Castle School – another rugby donation – Changing Lives Malawi

We had some amazing donations for our raffle!

Bright Futures Secondary School – Phase 2 Fundraiser

Acoustic Station – River Deep Mountain High

Acoustic Station – You Never Can Tell

Acoustic Station – I Think We’re Alone Now

Acoustic Station – Proud Mary

100 People x £1 per week

Sarah’s blog 19/2/23

It’s just a quick post today. I am concerned about the children we are helping to support in rural Northern Malawi. There are over 500 orphans and other vulnerable children who come to be fed once a week… that’s all we can afford.

There are no big charities feeding children in schools in that area. All children are hungry, malnourished and don’t eat properly every day…some don’t eat every day.

We need your help to continue feeding these children as food prices have gone up and so many young people need our help.

If you can spare £1 per week… please, please will you help us? 100 people, each giving just £1 per week will ensure that the feeding programme can run twice a week instead of just once. We can make a difference to these hungry children.

Please will you commit to helping us help these very vulnerable young people? If we all give just £1 per week it WILL make a difference. All the money goes to our projects – there are no salaries or admin costs with our charity… every penny will go to feeding these malnourished children.

Email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com if you would like to change a life with just £1 per week. As a team, we can change lives in Malawi. Thank you, Sarah x

17th Feb 2023- Acts of Kindness

Sarah’s blog 17/2/23

We should be kind to each other every day, not just on one date because someone has decided that 17th February should be Random Acts of Kindness Day. However, if I have got your attention for a couple of minutes and you have decided to read this, then please do consider our charity for an act of kindness. Here are some of the ways you could help:

can you spare just £1 per week to help feed vulnerable and malnourished orphans in rural northern Malawi? We have over 500 children of all ages who do not eat properly every day. Some walk 20km to get their one substantial and nutritious meal of the week at The Feeding Programme, which is only able to run once a week. There are no charities feeding children in any of the primary schools in that area. If 100 people each commit to £1 per week then we will be able to feed 500+ children twice a week instead of just once. £1 per week… it’s not much….could you help feed a hungry, vulnerable child?
£25 per month will sponsor a vulnerable child giving them more food and education and the chance of a brighter future.
phase 1 of Bright Futures Secondary School opened in November. We are now fundraising for phase 2. We need two more classrooms and more latrines. Can you please make a donation to our fundraiser https://gofund.me/ece5753a
or can you commit to £1 per week to help us provide a free breakfast and lunch at Bright Futures Secondary School? These teenagers do not eat at home and they cannot concentrate in they are hungry.

Your act of kindness WILL make a difference today. WILL you help us? £1 per week is all we are asking… Please commit to £1 per week as your act of kindness today. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com If every person who read this blog committed to £1 per week then we would be able to feed more children more often. WILL YOU COMMIT £1 PER WEEK TO FEED A HUNGRY CHILD? TOGETHER WE CAN. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com thanks for reading and helping us so support some of the most vulnerable children in Malawi, Sarah x

Look at the difference that having a sponsor has made for Maria

Please could you commit to sharing £1 per week with these vulnerable children?

Students at Bright Futures Secondary School are learning to grow their own vegetables

Merchiston Castle School – another rugby donation

Another generous rugby donation from Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh – thank you

Sarah’s blog 2/2/23

Bruce Aitchison, a housemaster at Merchiston Castle School, has been so supportive of our charity and of introducing rugby to the orphans and other vulnerable children we support in rural Northern Malawi. Bruce also runs the social media site for rugby fans ‘Happiness is Egg Shaped’.

Rugby was only played for the first time in the far north when Jack Mphande, Malawian Rugby Development Coach visited last year. We and Community Sports Leaders Africa sponsored Jack’s visit to coach the young people who absolutely loved it. The fact that someone came from the south to spend time with the orphans was a huge deal to them. They no longer feel forgotten and they know that people are investing in their futures.

Last year Stuart, my husband, travelled to Edinburgh to Merchiston Castle School, to meet with Bruce and some of the boys who are students there to receive a big donation of rugby kit, boots and rugby balls. These have all now arrived in Malawi and the young people have modelled them and are delighted with such smart rugby kit. Bruce contacted us to say that there were more boots for us to send so we were able to meet him this morning. These donations will make such a difference to the young people’s mental health as well as enjoying playing rugby for their physical health.

Jack Mphande has kindly set aside two weeks (in May/June dates to be confirmed) to head north once again to train teachers in the 14 primary schools and also coach the young people at Bright Futures Secondary School. We estimate that to facilitate this it will cost approximately £400 so any help would be much appreciated. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

All the rugby balls, kit and boots will be able to be shared amongst the different schools. A lot of students, even though they are still at primary school, are teenagers, as they have missed a lot of school to work for a pittance to try to earn money for food. These vulnerable students love playing team sports and are able to forget about the poverty they live in and the trauma they have experienced. Spending time learning new skills and playing competitively with their friends is so good for them.

Thanks so much to Bruce and Merchiston Castle School. I’ve included some links from Bright Futures Secondary School and Jack’s first rugby visit.

Hope you enjoy the photos and videos and reading my blogs and thank you everyone who has supported us to help the children in Malawi, Sarah x

Phase 2 0f Bright Futures Secondary School – classrooms 3 & 4 – Changing Lives Malawi The link to our fundraiser for phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School is https://gofund.me/ece5753a

Rugby, School & Sponsorship – Changing Lives Malawi

Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh – Rugby Kit Donation – Changing Lives Malawi (includes links to Jack Mphande’s first rugby visit)

Housemaster Bruce Aitchison who also runs the rugby social media site ‘Happiness is Egg Shaped’

Today’s donation was two big bags of rugby boots – thanks to Bruce and everyone who donated their boots!

Some of the students at Bright Futures Secondary School with the generous donation of kit, boots and rugby balls from Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh

A great photo of orphans enjoying playing rugby during Jack Mphande’s first coaching visit to introduce rugby in the far north of Malawi.

World Education Day

On World Education Day, we thank our supporters who are helping us provide education to some of the most vulnerable orphans in rural northern Malawi.

Sarah’s blog 24/1/23

What does education look like where you live? How many years do children go to school? Is it provided to all children, at no cost?

Where you live, what happens to children when they leave school? Do most go to college or university or an apprenticeship? Or they might go straight into employment? All of these opportunities happen after children have completed primary AND SECONDARY education. What would happen if they didn’t have these opportunities?

Not all children will pass all of their exams. As long as they’ve tried their best and worked hard, that’s all anyone can ask. They will still have been learning whilst at school.

Imagine that there are schools… but not for your children. In Malawi, primary school is free. However, if you cannot afford food then your children will have to miss school so they can earn a pittance to try to help buy food for the family.

Imagine your child walking all day to the nearest maize mill with a heavy bundle of maize balanced on their head. It’s not even your maize… they are walking 15km or 20km all day with their heavy burden to be paid a pittance for carrying someone else’s maize to the mill. No clean water or food to drink or eat all day, at risk of being attacked along the way. They have to miss school. How does that feel?

Laston, one of the boys we have matched with a sponsor, worked for a farmer, helping to look after his cows, for approximately £1.50 per month. There was no school for Laston – school was for other children – until we found a sponsor to support him.

In Chambo primary school, where the majority of orphans and other vulnerable children attend, whom the Foundation supports, they have minimal resources. No desks and chairs, apart from primary 8. All other children sit on the floor in their classrooms. They have hardly any books. They have no clean water supply and no latrines. We gifted 17 boxes of books to Chambo primary school to support literacy and help children become confident readers.

Children have to sit exams when leaving primary school. If you don’t pass then you don’t go to secondary school. There are not enough places in secondary school, so if you don’t get picked for a place then you don’t go. If you do pass your exams and are lucky enough to be picked for a place but you can’t afford to pay the fees… it’s heartbreaking. That is your formal education finished at the end of primary school.

That’s why Bright Futures Secondary School was desperately needed. To ensure all the orphans and vulnerable children, supported by The Foundation, had the chance of a secondary education without having to pay. Education is everything to these children. They know it is their escape from the dire poverty they live in.

Bright Futures Secondary School is being built in phases, as it’s obviously a big and costly project. Phase 1 has been successfully completed – staff accommodation, staff latrine and classrooms 1 and 2 and passed with flying colours when the inspectors came from the Education Department.

Now we need to continue our fundraising commitment to build classrooms 3 and 4 to ensure these vulnerable students have the opportunities the deserve. That they have choices and chances. That they have a brighter future.

All students at Bright Futures Secondary School are provided with a uniform, a school bag, other clothes. They receive a free school lunch. They have access to clean water and showers. Girls are given reusable sanitary towels (made at The Foundation) so they don’t have to miss one week of school each month. They are allowed to borrow books to take home from the library at The Foundation. Their dreams are coming true. They are working hard. With your help we are changing lives in Malawi.

On World Education Day we are saying ‘thank you’ to everyone who has helped us to support the students this far. Without your help, these students would not have been able to attend secondary school and have a free lunch each day. The school lunch is vital as it’s probably the only meal for many of them.

We need your help to build the next phase of the school. Two classrooms and more latrines will cost £25,000. Will you be part of the team supporting these vulnerable students to succeed and achieve? Will you be part of the team allowing them to have more choices and chances? Will you be part of the team helping them to help themselves out of poverty? https://gofund.me/ece5753a

If, on World Education Day, you would like to show your commitment to some of the most vulnerable children in rural Northern Malawi, please get in touch contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com or donate to our fundraiser here

We are passionate about helping these children to help themselves out of poverty and giving them a better start. The nursery has 75 preschool children (age 4-6). As well as clothes and blankets, each child has just been gifted a book to take home. We want children to learn that books are a wonderful resource that can be used each day for information and escapism. Who knows if any of these children will become authors in the future and write books for other children?

As you might imagine, running costs, as well as capital costs for these projects need to be found. The children need more people fighting their corner and supporting their education. Here are ways you can get involved;

1. Can you donate to our fundraiser to build classrooms 3 & 4? https://gofund.me/ece5753a

2. Can you commit to £5 or £10 monthly to help pay for food for the nursery or secondary school?

3. Will you organise a fundraiser for us? Can you involve your friends? Can your family help? What could your children & their friends do?

4. Would you like us to visit your club or school and show photos & talk about the projects we are supporting in Malawi?

5. Would you like to be matched with a vulnerable child to support their education and wellbeing? It’s only £25 p/m and you can split this cost with a friend.

6. If you are selling preloved clothes or toys… could you do it on behalf of our charity?

7. Can your business sponsor an event? Or donate towards a building? Or pay for the feeding programme for a week? We would, of course give you publicity. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

You can be sure that all money goes to the projects we support. Our charity is run by committed volunteers. So we have no salaries or admin costs. Thank you for reading and supporting us to help continue Changing Lives Malawi, Sarah x

Gifts for the nursery children – Changing Lives Malawi

Rugby, School & Sponsorship – Changing Lives Malawi