On International Women’s Day, I want to thank all the sponsors and other people who help us, who are making a big difference to the very vulnerable girls whom we help to support.
Every single vulnerable girl is being given a chance to have a better and brighter future. They are being given chances and choices that they wouldn’t otherwise have been given. These girls now have more employment opportunities open to them; even if they don’t pass their final school exams…they will have better literacy and numeracy skills. Hopefully, more girls will pass exams and go on to further education or learn a trade. If you would like to help support a girl then please email me contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
By supporting teenage girls with simple projects like The Period Poverty Project, girls are no longer missing school each month. They now have the same opportunity for education as the boys in their school. We sent sewing machines for some of the girls to make reusable sanitary towels. A small, low cost project making a big difference!
We want to thank and celebrate all the women who are living in extreme poverty and doing their best as single parents, or bringing up grandchildren or even fostering children. These are strong women, quietly making a difference in a very difficult situation.
These girls are the future women who will make a difference. Thanks to all their role models and to everyone who is helping to shape their futures. Happy International Women’s Day, Sarah x
Maria is gifting some of the donated baby clothes to these women for their babies.Christina’s family are living in extreme poverty and she needs a sponsorChifundo’s mum died recently. She is now ‘mum’ to her younger brother. She needs a sponsor.Can you sponsor a girl like Maria? Look at the difference a sponsor can make.vulnerable girls at Bright Futures Secondary School….thanks to everyone who supports them and who was involved in helping fund the school.Vulnerable teenage girls now have the opportunity of secondary education at Bright Futures Secondary School. Female teachers are great role models for these girls.Alice, Loveness & Jean. Alice has come to work at The Foundation while she waits to become a teaching assistant at a government primary school. Loveness had support from The Foundation and went on a sports coaching course. She helps in the nursery and with sports but also has a part-time job with another bigger charity supporting adult literacy. Jean was sponsored to go to secondary school and have the opportunity to finish her education. Unfortunately, because of the extreme poverty she grew up in and the effects of that, Jean didn’t pass her final exams. However, she is being supported to learn tailoring and Levison reports that she is a very hard worker. Three young women with chances and choices for brighter futures, thanks to the people who help us.
Tuntufye Radio in Malawi interviewed Mr Msukwa the Education Advisor for the whole of Chisenga District in the north of Malawi where the Foundation is. I hope to be able to put his interview onto our facebook page but here is a summary of what he said about Levison, The Foundation and the sponsorship programme.
“Levison Mlambya does a lot of work here in Chisenga through lots of different projects. He has supporters in the UK (and elsewhere) we call it The William Stewart Foundation. There are 30 students in Chisenga school and 2 students in Wenya school. There are 19 girls sponsored and in school. I wholeheartedly appreciate the job this young man has done for us. It’s not easy to do what he does. Instead of girls getting married, they are being kept in school. Levison Mlambya already paid all the students fees at the beginning of term and all the learners are in school. I pray they work hard. I encourage them to work hard for university. He (Levison) has done a good job and hope he continues doing a good job. He has a good heart and he his a God fearing man.”
High praise indeed for Levison who works so hard for the hundreds of children supported by The Foundation. Praise that is extremely well deserved. We are extremely lucky to have him. As we keep saying, it’s all about team work. The Education Officer, Mr Msukwa, is so appreciative of how the sponsors are supporting these children, giving them opportunities and changing their lives and it is great to receive feedback like that from the authorities that they recognise that we are all making a difference to orphans and other vulnerable young people in rural northern Malawi.
We still have 11 young people who passed their primary school leavers exams who have sponsors but did not get selected for secondary school. We have been told to wait until the education authorities see what places become available due to students who cannot afford to take up their offered places at secondary school. Hopefully, our 11 will get places then. If not then we will look at hiring a teacher for them at The Foundation.
Levison’s phone hasn’t stopped ringing since that radio interview with people requesting funding for their children. Maybe one day he might be in a position to say ‘yes’ but at the moment there are still hundreds of children supported by The Foundation who need a sponsor. 80 children matched with sponsors is an amazing achievement but we do need to try to find sponsors for other orphans and vulnerable children and give them the chance of education too.
It’s only £25 per month to sponsor a young person. You can sponsor as an individual, a family, split the cost with a friend or your business could sponsor a child. Or you could commit to our Feeding Team and sign up for £5 or £10 per month to help feed the malnourished children more than once a week. On average 500 children are fed a substantial, nutritious meal every week. It’s a great start but not enough. It costs £100 to feed 500 children one meal. Some children don’t eat every day. We appreciate the help of every single person who has committed to these children…but we need to expand our team. Please can you help? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thanks for reading, Sarah x
Levison with some of the children at their Christmas party. They were given new raincoats that had been generously donated and a pencil and lollipop each.
Following on from yesterday’s post, Levison has specifically asked if these two girls could please be matched with sponsors. They are both desperate to go to secondary school. Both are hard working. Eunice has just finished p8 and is very bright. She has no way of finishing her education without a sponsor. Maria had finished primary school with nowhere to go so Levison added her to the apprenticeship scheme despite not having a sponsor. Levison has said what a good worker Maria is and is keen to learn and wants the chance to go to school.
Please, please find it in your heart to change the world for one of these girls. Eunice and Maria both need a helping hand. Will that be you? It’s only £25 a month to sponsor a child. You can sponsor as an individual, family, two friends, a group or a business. If you are unable to commit at this time, then please share. Potential sponsors are out there somewhere so by sharing you could be matching these girls with the support they require.
Also, by sharing, you will be supporting our small team of volunteers. We’ve had a difficult few months and we are eternally grateful for those of you who have continued to trust us and see, by our actions, that we are working hard for the orphans and other vulnerable children in Northern Malawi. I am having to do less hours for the next two weeks, but I will still be available each day, prioritising my family and myself, so I would be absolutely delighted if we could grow our team of supporters and find Eunice and Maria the help they need. Can you sponsor Eunice please? Can you sponsor Maria? Can you share our posts on social media? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com . Thanks for reading, Sarah x
