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
Wishing all our supporters a very Happy Christmas and Happy & Healthy New Year.
This week has been extremely busy for Levison and his team with organising two Christmas parties in addition to the usual daily chores.
Despite the rains having started, it has been dry for a few days so the tree planting has been delayed until the ground is wet and the saplings will have a better chance of survival. Hopefully, we can bring photos of this in the next couple of weeks. This was probably good that it will take place at a later date because of how busy it has been.
Firstly, there was a party for the students at Bright Futures Secondary School to celebrate their exams finishing and it being the end of term. After helping care for the animals, the students shared a meal and played some games. All the students at BFSS were given a sports top to wear at home. Then, yesterday, on Christmas Day, there was a party for all the children.
Because it had not been raining for a few days, the water levels in the rivers and streams were low so children came from miles around – even children who do not usually use the feeding programme. News had spread that there would be food and, because they are so hungry, children were prepared to walk a long way to take part – some walking from up to 20km away.
THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN FAR EXCEEDED 500. Food prices have almost doubled and most children are malnourished and families are really struggling to feed the children each day. We are going to have to try to do more to ensure children have more to eat as there are no porridge programmes in primary schools that far north. We need more help to make things better. So yesterday was a real treat for all the children who attended.
All children received a nourishing and filling meal. The youngest children are fed first and it takes several sittings to feed them all. After that, there were games to play. Many children, were very interested in looking at the pigs. Because of religious reasons, lots of the children hadn’t ever seen pigs before as they are scarce in that area. The pigs found themselves the centre of attention!
We want to take this opportunity of thanking the supporters who gave money to help provide food for the Christmas parties and also to thank Levison and his team for all their hard work and enthusiasm for making this happen. If it wasn’t for them giving up their free time, none of these children would have had a proper meal on Christmas Day.
We are trying to help this community towards self-sufficiency. So here are some ways that you could help us please if you are able to make a small donation;
I think, next year, we need to have someone dedicated to taking photos as Levison was far too busy helping with feeding the children and organising everything to take lots of photos this time. We hope you enjoy these photos and videos of the children and thank you for helping to make a difference. Sarah x
It’s going to be a busy week with two Christmas parties and lots of tree saplings to plant…please read today’s blog and have a look at the two short videos.
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Sarah’s blog 22/12/24
There will be an additional feeding programme this week. The volunteers decided that they would have it actually on Christmas Day as, otherwise, children wouldn’t have any proper meal to have at home. We are so grateful to these volunteers for all their hard work and to those who have donated to ensure the orphans can have a Christmas party.
Levison has looked out all the Santa Hats again and I had sent some disco and Christmas lights as well as a small karaoke machine. I suggested to Levison that he’d better make sure it was working and try it out ahead of the Christmas Party. He sent me these videos which I think are brilliant. We take so many things for granted. Of course the majority of children wouldn’t have seen a microphone, let alone speak or sing with one. The videos of Blessings Nyondo, age 10, using a microphone for the first time are lovely.
There will be two parties this week; one at Bright Futures Secondary School and one for all the children who use the feeding programme. In addition, students at Bright Futures Secondary School, even though the school term has finished, will be planting fruit tree saplings too. So it will be a very busy week! I look forward to sharing more photos and videos with you as I get them.
This is the link if you’d like to contribute to the children’s Christmas party https://donorsee.com/project/25004?share=1 and this link is for notebooks and pencils for the students in the senior classes at Chambo primary school https://donorsee.com/project/25617?share=1 We would be so grateful if you could make a small donation. Thank you, Sarah x
Blessings, age 10, tests out the microphone for the first time
It will be interesting to see what the other children think of the microphone and speaker
Extreme Poverty…what does it actually mean? What does it look like for the children we are helping to support and how we are changing lives with the help of our supporters.
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Sarah’s blog 13/12/24
I had been asked to talk to Eyemouth & District Rotary Club and Allander Rotary Club about our projects and about how Allander Rotary Club have been supporting us for the last 18 months. So last night, over Zoom, thankfully all the technical things worked and I shared about the difficulties and successes in helping to support the orphans and their families/care givers in rural northern Malawi.
I keep using the phrase ‘Extreme Poverty’ but what does this mean? And what does it look like? During my talk I explained some of the information below;
Extreme poverty is the most severe type of poverty, defined by the United Nations as “a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to services.”
Extreme poverty – what does that look like for the children and young people we are helping to support?
Extreme poverty means children not eating every day.
Extreme poverty means children not having proper clothes or shoes to wear.
Extreme poverty means not having toilet facilities at their homes and having to relieve themselves in the bushes with no dignity, at risk of attack and no sanitation. No water and soap to wash their hands.
Extreme poverty means no clean drinking water at their homes.
It means that children are sleeping fully clothed, cuddled together on the floor of their hut trying to keep warm at night as the temperatures drop because they don’t have blankets or mattresses.
Extreme poverty means living in a small mud hut with a leaking roof, no windows and an ill-fitting door. There will be bugs living in the grass roof.
Extreme poverty means they can’t sleep properly because they are hungry and malnourished, and they wake up exhausted.
Extreme poverty means that some girls, as young as 10 or 11 are at risk of being married off as it is one less mouth for the family to try to feed.
Extreme poverty means missing big chunks of school to try to earn a pittance to help your family. This happens to a lot of older siblings who miss school to work so their younger siblings can attend school.
Extreme poverty means that girls, if they have no sanitary protection, miss one week of schooling each month.
Extreme poverty means that children and their families cannot afford to buy malaria tablets if they get ill.
Extreme poverty means that even though a child passes their primary school leavers exams. If they cannot afford to pay the fees for secondary school, that is their education finished.
Extreme poverty means that families cannot afford to buy notebooks, pencils and uniform for their children’s education.
The older students are, the poorer their families are as they’ve missed so much schooling. There are students at Bright Futures Secondary School who are age 20 now as they are desperate for education.
Extreme poverty means that children regularly walk, with a bag of maize on their head, to the nearest maize mill approximately 15km away. They walk in groups to help stay safe from being attacked. They walk all day with no food or drink then walk back again. The maize isn’t even their own…it belongs to someone else who is giving them a few coins for their effort.
These are just some of the examples of what life is like for the hundreds of children and young people whom we help to support. HOWEVER, they now have HOPE. Things are getting better and they do have a brighter future.
I’m sharing last year’s Advent Calendar again as it has some great examples of how, with the help of our supporters, we are Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thank you so much for reading and for supporting the children we are helping. We couldn’t do what we do without your help. Teamwork always. Sarah x
Will you help us fund our small projects for #GivingTuesday please? The Team at DonorSee will top up the funds we raise.
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Sarah’s blog 2/12/24
Tomorrow, 3rd December, is Giving Tuesday. This day of giving to charity was established in 2012. As some of you know, we have some fundraisers for small projects on DonorSee which is a great way for people to give, whether the donation is big or small. Although the currency is shown in $$, it will automatically be converted whatever the currency is where you live.
We’ve had the following information from the team at DonorSee:
Based on funds raised on DonorSee, between now and midnight (ET) December 4th, 2024, they will gift us the following amounts;
A gift of $100, if you raise between $250 and $499.00
A gift of $250, if you raise between $500 and $999.00
A gift of $500, if you raise $1,000+
WE NEED YOUR HELP PLEASE. This opportunity of a top up donation is too good to miss. Together, we can make this happen and use #GivingTuesday to make a big difference to hundreds of children, living in extreme poverty, in rural northern Malawi. Click on the link DonorSee and have a look at our open projects and choose which one you’d like to donate to.
So please do help us make the most of this great offer.DonorSee Will you choose to help fund the Christmas Party for 500 orphans? Or to make a small donation towards purchasing science equipment for the vulnerable students at Bright Futures Secondary School? Or will you give to one of the sustainable, income generating projects that will help the community become self-sufficient? DonorSee
I have attached our Advent Calendar from last year. The son of one of our sponsors gave me some help putting it all together. It’s a good reminder of all the positive things that are happening with the help of our supporters. It’s good to pause and reflect that if we all make a small donation, together we can continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thank you everyone so much, Sarah x
Please read this news article. The children we help to support are some of the most vulnerable in Malawi and need your help.
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Sarah’s blog 30/11/24
I saw that a friend on Facebook had shared this newspaper article on hunger and malnutrition in Malawi. I asked Levison if he was ok with me sharing it. I am aware of trying to get a balance between positive and good news stories against those stories that are about how people are struggling and need our help. Levison said ‘This is the truth. It is pathetic to see how kids suffer from hunger in Malawi and we expect them to do well in class.’ So here it is. (I will retype some of it as it will be difficult to read if looking at it on a phone).
A 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) report has indicated that the hunger situation in Malawi is serious….According to the report, Malawi faces significant challenges regarding food security and nutrition, exacerbated by several factors which include high levels of poverty, reliance on subsistence farming and vulnerability to climate shocks. The report says that, despite progress being made, hunger has declined only marginally since 2016 and that the prospects for achieving zero hunger by 2030 are grim. Malawi has about 4.7 million food insecure people. The report says progress in reducing all four GHI indications – under-nutrition, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality – is lagging behind international targets.
This is why we need you help. Yes, progress is being made and we (thanks to our wonderful supporters) have several successful building projects under our belts now including; Bright Futures Secondary School, Emma’s Rainbow Library, a shower block, latrines, and Teachers’ accommodation. There is clean drinking water too as well as an orchard, hens and now three pigs.
However, whilst progress is being made for future sustainability and self-sufficiency… 500 of the most vulnerable children are only being fed at The Feeding Programme once a week. It’s not enough. Some are walking from up to 20kms for that one proper meal of the week. Some are carrying toddler siblings. One nutritious meal per week is not enough but it is all we can afford. Some girls are still at risk of being married off too young as families cannot feed them.
There are no big charities are feeding children in schools in the rural north. That immediately puts these children at a huge disadvantage. How can they sleep properly if they are hungry and cold? How can they concentrate if they are tired? How can we expect them to retain information if they are malnourished and not eating properly each day?
This is why these children need your help and why we keep appealing for donations. The end goal is sustainability and self-sufficiency but the children need more – now. We need to do more to relieve the hunger and malnutrition amongst the children we help to support. Will you help?
We are now in the run up to the end of 2024… another year that has gone so quickly! And we are hoping that you might include one of our projects in your charity giving. We have a page on DonorSee where there are a few projects – some of which are food for the future while others, like the Christmas Party appeal, are to give children an extra meal and a party. Will you help us please? As we are volunteers, all money we receive goes to the projects we support.
Thank you so much to everyone for your support. We always say it’s about teamwork and we need you on our team to continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thank you for reading and giving, Sarah x
Some of the children queuing up to be fedchildren are fed in age groups with the youngest ones being firstPlease help us ensure that there is funding for the children’s Christmas PartyYour support means that some of the most vulnerable children in Malawi will receive an extra meal and a fun time with their friends.
Thanks so much to All Saints CE Junior School, Maidenhead for this great donation of school uniform for vulnerable children in Malawi.
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Sarah’s blog 12/11/24
We love making new connections like this one and are delighted that we have another school supporting our charity.
On Friday we received a delivery of four large boxes of school uniform from All Saints C E Junior School in Maidenhead. In the boxes there were t-shirts, jumpers and cardigans, fleeces and school bags. We love donations like this as they will be perfect for gifting to the vulnerable children we help to support. As there are approx 500+ of them, that is a lot of children to clothe, so this donation will really help towards that project.
I had first been contacted by the school before the summer holidays, asking if we would like some uniform from them. Once school returned in September, they planned a non uniform day to raise funds to help cover the cost of sending the uniform to Malawi. We are so grateful as they raised £140. There will be some money left over from the money collected which we are going to put towards buying tree saplings like pine, eucalyptus and umbrella trees.
Planting trees is so important for several reasons; to prevent soil erosion during heavy rains, trees can be planted at field boundaries. During the hottest days, trees provide very welcoming shade. Obviously we know how vital planting trees are for combatting climate change and also to replace trees that were used for fuel. Students from Bright Futures Secondary School will be able to help manage this project as part of their Agricultural Classes.
We are delighted that the school will be helping us with this initiative and look forward to bringing photos of the saplings being planted and then when they grow.
In the meantime, here are the photos of the school uniform donations which will be going to the very vulnerable children we help to support. Again, there will be photos when the items are distributed.
Many thanks to all at All Saints Junior School in Maidenhead for supporting us. Here are twp small projects we are raising funds for; science equipment at Bright Futures Secondary School https://donorsee.com/project/25307?share=1 and https://donorsee.com/project/25004?share=1 to donate to fund a Christmas Party with food for 500 very vulnerable children. Or you can email for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com . Thank you for your support, Sarah x #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #QualityEducation #LifeOnLand #GoodHealth
It’s great to see the progress that is being made by the first Agribusiness group. Will you help us fund a second group please?
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Sarah’s blog 20/10/24
A quick update on the first agribusiness group…look how hard they have been working and how well their crops are growing. Everyone is full of enthusiasm and delighted to have been given this opportunity. They will sell what they harvest and reinvest some of it to buy more seeds etc to ensure their business is sustainable.
We are trying to raise funds to give a second group the same opportunity. These adults are all living in extreme poverty and are either volunteers at Bright Futures Campus or raising children on their own. Please help us? You can either donate here https://donorsee.com/project/24574?share=1 or email for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com . Your help would be very much appreciated.
Here are some photos and videos of the progress they are making. The agriculture supervisor is helping them initially to ensure they have the skills they need. Thanks to help from donors, they are growing maize and beans. Thank you again, Sarah x
Three amazing days of touch rugby. Thank you Arnold Clark cars, Jack Mphande, Malawi Rugby Development Officer, Levison Mlambya, and everyone who donated sports kit and the volunteers who make this a huge success.
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Sarah’s blog 19/10/24
What an amazing three days of rugby for the Chisenga Zone Schools this week. Jack Mphande, Malawi Rugby’s Development Officer, based in Lilongwe, made the long journey north again for training and tournaments.
Rugby had never been played in the far north until Jack introduced touch rugby a couple of years ago. The children, all of whom are living in extreme poverty, absolutely love touch rugby and have enjoyed being part of this year’s rugby initiative once again.
Arnold Clark cars, who are the new Scotland Rugby Team sponsor, gave us a donation to fund Jack’s visit, the training and the tournament for the Chisenga Zone Rugby initiative. So we are very grateful to Arnold Clark cars, Jack Mphande and also Levison Mlambya who has put in a huge amount of work behind the scenes.
On day 1, Jack was instructing teachers from local schools in the theory and practical skills of rugby. On day 2, Jack visited local schools to supervise the teachers leading a rugby training session. Day 3 was the tournament.
All the schools involved came together for a day of touch rugby matches and had a wonderful time. As no big charities feed children in primary schools in the far north, many are malnourished, all are hungry. We will not facilitate a sporting event like the rugby tournament without the children (and adults) having a proper meal and a drink. Their health is important and we cannot ask them to play sport without offering sustenance. Also, a nutritious meal is a treat for them, so they will have enjoyed their special day even more because they went home will full tummies.
Here are some more photos and videos. Congratulations to Kayilizi Primary School – both the boys team and the girls team were the overall winners. All schools were given new sports kit to take back to their schools. Each student who took part was given a pencil and notebook.
We are trying to raise funds for a football tournament (same format) then a netball tournament. Here is the link if you’d like to donate https://donorsee.com/project/24384?share=1 or you can email me for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Your support will be much appreciated. Thank you everyone, Sarah x
A nutritious lunch and a fizzy drink as a treat
Great video here from Facebook Live of all the teams after the rugby tournament. https://fb.watch/vjxnhI59zT
On World Food Day – do you have enough food? Do you have access to nutritious food? Will you help a child who is malnourished?
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Sarah’s blog 16/10/24
Today is World Food Day which highlights the fact that there are many people in the world without enough food. The UN rights of the child (article 24) addresses the fact that Children have a right to enough nutritious food and clean water. This year’s #WorldFoodDay theme is ‘Right to foods for a better life and a better future.’
This will mean different things to different people. It might mean that children living in poverty in UK, for example, have the right to have more nutritious foods and their families should have enough money to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. Or it could be that there should be far more education in schools about food and nutrition, cooking and budgeting.
In rural northern Malawi, it means the right to enough food. The right to food full stop. Despite being in contact with several big charities who run feeding programmes, none are working in the far north where we are helping to support some of the most vulnerable children in Malawi. So no children are being fed in primary schools in that area and most families do not have enough food to feed their children every day. This goes against these children’s human rights. We need your help please. There are over 4,000 hungry children in primary schools in the Chisenga Zone in the far north. We cannot help them all on our own.
Did you know that there are a high percentage of children affected by stunted growth through lack of nutrition? Approximately 37% of children in Malawi under 5 years old are affected. In urban areas this is 25% but rural areas it can be as high as 39%. Children do not recover from stunted growth. Far more needs to be done for these vulnerable children living in extreme poverty in rural areas. We need to work as part of a team to support these children.
We send money to run a feeding programme for approximately 500 children once a week. It is not enough but all we can afford whilst we help to set up sustainable projects for a brighter future. Children are walking long distances for this one proper, nutritious meal each week…some walking 15km-20km. Some carrying their toddler siblings all that way. This isn’t fair and it isn’t right.
Children at the feeding programme are fed in age groups – youngest first
Fruit tree saplings have been planted and more are about to be planted to provide future food and an income. Crops are being grown to help feed everyone…but nowhere near enough for 500+ hungry children whose needs we cannot ignore.
Children from the nursery looking after the fruit tree saplings. That first orchard was named after my late mother-in-law.
Chicks are being hatched in the solar powered incubator. The first three piglets have arrived and are settling in.
The first three little pigs
We need your help so that we have enough money to set up sustainable projects whilst also addressing the immediate needs of hungry children.
Chicks that had recently hatched in the incubator
We make sure that nursery children are fed at every session. Also that students at Bright Futures Secondary School have a nutritious school lunch each day. How can we expect them to concentrate and learn if they are malnourished and hungry?
Hungry students queuing up for lunchStudents at Bright Futures Secondary School having their lunch
Every time there is an event for the children, like the rugby tournament yesterday. All the children taking part are fed. This is a big extra expense but how can we expect them to take part in a sporting event if they haven’t eaten? Also it adds to the excitement and special occasion if the children receive a nice lunch and go home with full tummies. It also is one less mouth to try and feed at home.
Children queuing up for food in the rainy season
Girls are still at risk of being married off as children if their families cannot afford to feed them. It is illegal but still happens. Levison has had lots of girls coming and asking for help so they don’t need to be married off…some as young as 11 years old. These girls we try to match with a sponsor and then there will be a monthly food parcel going into their home which supplements the meagre food they already have. There are lots of vulnerable children who would benefit from having a sponsor to support them.
Here are some fundraisers on DonorSee site where we are raising money to help support feeding hundreds of children. We would be very grateful for donations. Or, you could email for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com to make a one off or monthly donation or to find out more about sponsoring a child.
Together we can ensure these children and young people have enough food and a brighter future. It will take time and it needs to be a team effort. Will you join the team supporting these very vulnerable children please? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Together we can continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thank you for all your support, Sarah x
Children at Bright Futures Nursery are fed at every session. They receive a care package every year with two t-shirts, three pairs of pants, a blanket, soap, toothbrush & toothpaste and two books.
An amazing third day of rugby! Tournaments all day. Lots and lots of happy children!
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Sarah’s blog 15/10/24
What an amazing day! It was a school holiday today in Malawi for Mothers’ Day. Many of these children are orphans living with extended family so have mother figures looking after them. All have all come together for a great day of rugby, fun and friendship. As many of these children are malnourished, certainly all are hungry, and no big charities are feeding children in primary schools that far north, we always ensure that children have a nutritious meal when they come together for a day of sport.
Today’s post is going to show photos of the teams that took part and, in a separate post, I will be able to show action photos and videos…there are just too many to share all at once and it has been a very long day for Jack and Levison who were organising the event.
Jack Mphande is the Malawi Rugby Development Officer whose enthusiasm shines through. Thank you Jack for sharing your time and talents with the orphans and other vulnerable children. You have shared your passion for the game with them and, once again, given them such a positive experience. Until recently, these children never had anyone come to spend time with them. You have given them confidence, skills, friendship and raised their self-esteem. These are priceless and they will remember days like today for the rest of their lives.
Jack writes on the Malawi Rugby Union Facebook page (MARU) “Rugby is in safe hands here in Chisenga, Chitipa. I have witnessed raw talent of rugby which, if nurtured well, Malawi Rugby will never be the same.” Jack always writes at the end of his posts “Rugby Rise Malawi”. Rugby is indeed on the rise in Malawi and we are grateful for his visit.
We are also grateful to Arnold Clark cars for their financial donation towards this event and Jack’s travel expenses. Arnold Clark is a new Scotland Rugby Team sponsor.
We have two tickets for the Scotland v Fiji game on 2nd November courtesy of Arnold Clark. For a donation of £5 you could be in with a chance of being at this game! details are in the attached post from day 1 of the rugby.
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated sports kit that we have been able to gift to each school that has taken part. They have matching sports kit that they are proud of and can dream big about being stars of the future, like children everywhere do. Thanks, Sarah x
Everyone who took part in today’s tournamentBright Futures Secondary School – girls (wearing Merchiston Castle School & Bromley & Beckenham Hockey)Bright Futures Secondary School – boys (wearing Seafar fc, Cumbernauld & Poole FC)Kalanga Primary School – boysKalanga Primary School – girlsChisenga Primary School – boys (wearing Chelsa fc)Chisenga Primary School – girls (wearing Liverpool fc)Chambo Primary School – boys (wearing Hardinxveld, Holland)Chambo Primary Schools – girls (wearing Seafar Villa, Cumbernauld)Kayilizi Primary School – boys (wearing South Africa)Kayalizi Primary School – girls (wearing Seafar Villa, Cumbernauld)
Day 2 of the Chisenga Zone Schools Rugby Initiative. Jack Mphande has been busy visiting local primary schools. Thanks to Arnold Clark cars for supporting the event.
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Sarah’s blog 14/10/24
Jack Mphande, Malawi Rugby Development Officer has had an extremely busy second day of the Chisenga Zone Schools Rugby Initiative. He has visited 4 different rural primary schools, delivering rugby training sessions and supporting the teachers from each of those primary schools with their new coaching skills from yesterday’s session. Thank you Jack for encouraging and inspiring everyone.
Tomorrow is a school holiday in Malawi – it’s Mothers’ Day. Teams from each school will come with their teachers to take part in a day of rugby matches and tournaments. Children will receive a nutritious meal and a drink which will be a great treat for each of them. No big charities are feeding children in schools in the far north of Malawi. So many are malnourished, all are hungry. We cannot expect them to take part in a day of sport without feeding them so we are very grateful to Arnold Clark cars for supporting us financially with this rugby event.
Here is the link to yesterday’s rugby session for teachers.
And here is the link to our fundraiser to try to raise money for a football tournament to happen (similar set up to the rugby) https://donorsee.com/project/24384?share=1 and we would be really grateful if you could help make this happen. The young people would be even more delighted! Thank you for reading and supporting, Sarah x
