Tag: gardening

Agribusiness Update from Levison

Levison has made a great video update on the progress of the first Agribusiness Group.

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Sarah’s blog 28/12/24

Levison made this video a few days ago to show the successful maize crop that the first Agribusiness Group have had. In his video, he says that the more groups that can be set up then there will be less hunger in their village. The people we are helping to support with these agribusiness groups are all living in extreme poverty and either volunteer their time helping to cook for the orphans at the weekly feeding programme or are looking after vulnerable children.

By giving them the basic tools and seeds each group will be able to grow their own crops, sell what they produce and reinvest the money towards buying more seeds. So far, only one group has been funded but we are hoping that, with your help, it won’t be long before groups two and three have been established. Will you help please?

Here is the link to donate to our current small projects DonorSee or you could donate through our website or contact me for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you so much for your continued support, Sarah x

https://videopress.com/v/DkPFkI4H?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true
A helping hand to self-sufficiency – Agribusiness Group 1

Bananas – a sustainable project

Projects like this are going to make a huge difference both in education and generating income. Have a look at these great photos and see what the next project will be.

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Sarah’s blog 28/11/24

Thanks to money we have received from generous donors, banana suckers have been bought and the students at Bright Futures Secondary School planted them yesterday.

Banana plants grow quickly and can be split to grow more plants so everyone is very excited for this sustainable project. As well as being able to grow their own food, the students are learning about being self-sufficient and learning skills for life in their practical agriculture classes. Hopefully, they will be able to sell some of the bananas and use that money to buy seeds or other things the school might need.

The aim is to set up lots of income generating projects that will help the community be self-sufficient and provide a good educational opportunity. We are trying to raise funds to make beehives and start a beekeeping project at Bright Futures Secondary School. Would you help us with this project please? https://donorsee.com/project/25476?share=1 The more practical learning opportunities the students get, the better equipped for life they will be. The more income generating, sustainable projects we help them set up, the quicker they will become self-sufficient.

Teachers and students worked hard yesterday with planting. The roots of the banana suckers have to be treated to prevent some diseases/pests, which is why they are being dipped prior to planting. I hope you enjoy the photos and videos. Thanks to everyone who helped with this project. When the heavier rains come, then more fruit tree saplings will be planted too. Together we are Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thanks, Sarah x

The Sweet Potato Crop

The sweet potato crop is growing well.

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Sarah’s blog 12/06/23

Food is scarce and more expensive. The maize crop hasn’t done well because at the Foundation they couldn’t afford to buy fertilizer. The Foundation is feeding 500+ vulnerable children once a week but obviously this isn’t enough. All are hungry. All are malnourished. No big charities are feeding children in primary schools in the far north of Malawi.

A donation bought sweet potato vines which students at Bright Futures Secondary School helped to plant at the start of April. Levison has sent me photos today and the crop is looking very healthy. The sweet potatoes will be ready at the end of July and will be used to feed the children. The fact that there are so many hungry children, even if this is a great harvest, it won’t last long.

We must find more people who are willing to make a monthly donation to support the feeding programme so that these vulnerable children can keep being fed. Ideally, we would like to feed them more often and we would also like to supply every family with sweet potato vines and other vegetables so that they can grow their own crops. Please email me if you would like to make a regular donation to the feeding programme or if you would like to contribute to buying sweet potato vines that can be shared with vulnerable families to help them become more self sufficient. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Sweet potato vines need deep ridges
The crop is looking healthy
Hopefully there will be a good harvest of sweet potatoes by the end of July
Some of the students at Bright Futures Secondary School planting the sweet potato vines in April.

Activities for the Kids

Have a look at what the children have been doing today!

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Sarah’s blog 11/06/23

It’s been another busy day at the Foundation. The Feeding Programme was on today so hundreds of hungry vulnerable children flock to the Foundation to receive their one nutritious, substantial meal of the week. Some children walk up to 20km to receive this food as no big charities are feeding children in primary schools in this area. All are hungry. All are malnourished. All need our help.

Children know that the Foundation is their safe place. A place to have fun and be with their friends. In addition to being fed, children have access to the library and can choose books to read. Some children have been learning about the computers too. Others have been weeding the flowerbeds and some have been playing with building blocks.

Team sports are always high on the agenda. Football and netball matches were played too. Children of all ages can forget about their problems for a while at The Foundation and enjoy themselves as they should. The netball posts were a gift from Community Sports Leaders Africa and we are very thankful for this generous donation. We have plenty of rugby balls on the way in the container but we the children always need footballs and netballs. So if you’d like to make a donation for us to buy a ball on your behalf or to help donate towards the cost of feeding 500 children please email me: contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

I hope you enjoy the photos and video from today. Thank you for your continued support, Sarah x

Rugby Event – Fundraiser

Volunteers work so hard to feed 500 vulnerable children once a week
Everyone queues up (youngest first) for their one proper meal of the week
Taking pride in their Foundation by weeding the flower beds
Looking after the flowers and getting rid of the weeds
Caring for the plants and weeding the gardens as part of the horticulture class
Looks like they have been busy
Having fun with building blocks
There is now a good choice of books in Emma’s Rainbow Library
Relaxing and reading stories in the library
Children of all ages are learning about computers
Learning about computers
This area has been fenced off for the plants to grow…however the children love sitting here and one boy told Levison that he likes reading his book higher up than his friends
Even the little ones love football
Feeding day is always a busy day at The Foundation
Girls enjoying playing netball
Thank you to Community Sports Leaders Africa for the generous donation of two netball hoops

The Polytunnel

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Sarah’s blog 1/12/22

We recycled a couple of old trampoline frames and sent them on the container to be used to help build a polytunnel.

Agriculture is one of the subjects on the curriculum in Malawi and, with their teacher, the young people have made the polytunnel and planted mustard, tomatoes and onion. I think it looks very impressive and, hopefully, the food will be able to be used for school lunches at Bright Futures Secondary School.

This is an opportunity that these teenagers have had to learn more skills for life and a better brighter future. How amazing to be able to grow your own food successfully and feed yourself and your friends. Hope you enjoy looking at the photos and thank you for your support, Sarah x

As we are now fundraising for phase 2 (classrooms 3 & 4) here is the link to the fundraiser https://gofund.me/ece5753a If anyone is in a position to donate £500 or more then you can have your name, the name of a loved one or your business name displayed on a building or over a classroom door. Thank you. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Happy Mother’s Day

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Spring has sprung and there’s the promise of warmer weather right around the corner. Mother’s Day is a week on Sunday, 27th March.

This is just a little reminder that we are still planting a sustainable future for the hundreds of orphans and other vulnerable children supported by The Foundation.

So how about buying a feel good gift for your mum? Fruit tree saplings will provide future food, an income and jobs at The Foundation and of course planting more trees is what the planet needs. Buying seeds will ensure that the children can grow more vegetables to eat at the weekly feeding programme. Or would you like to provide some blankets for children who are sleeping on the floor and covering themselves in rags at night. All these things are desperately needed and will be a huge help if you could buy a virtual gift.

5 blankets costs £25, seeds can be bought in any amount starting at £10, and fruit tree saplings can be bought in any amount starting at £10 for 4 saplings. If you think of anything else you’d like to contribute to then I can easily make up a picture and email it to you. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thanks for reading and considering these alternative gifts for Mother’s Day, Sarah x

“Somewhere along the way, we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others” – Martin Luther King Jnr

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Sarah’s blog 7/3/22

Today, a villager called Mzolewa, came to help at The Foundation. The significance of people volunteering to help is huge. Local people can see that Levison and his team are working hard and making a difference to their village and to their children. A villager coming to help shows they support The Foundation. A villager coming to help means they see that good is happening in that area and that everyone will benefit in the future.

Mzolewa helped to prepare an area for planting flowers and was staking tree saplings to protect them and help them grow. Thank you to Mzolewa and to everyone else who shows support to Levison and his team who are working long hours to change the lives of hundreds of the most vulnerable children. Your support means more than you realise. Your support brings a boost and a little bit more energy to continue supporting the most vulnerable who need a helping hand. Thank you for your support and thank you for reading, Sarah x

A villager volunteering at The Foundation
A volunteer from the village helps make a flower bed at The Foundation

The weeds are growing like….weeds!

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Sarah’s blog 03/03/22

The maize is growing well. Some was washed away and had to be replanted but hopefully there will be a decent crop. There is a very decent crop of weeds in the fields thanks to all the rain they’ve had….so today was another chance for people to lend a hand and pick out all the weeds from amongst the maize. Look at those beautiful hills….The Mafinga Hills. The other side of those hills is Zambia….but at a glance it could be Scotland!

weeding in the maize field with the Mafinga Hills in the background…beyond them is Lwangwa National Park in Zambia.

So much rain has encouraged the weeds to grow in between the maize plants
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