Sarah’s blog 10/12/22
2022 Theme: Dignity, Freedom, and Justice for All
“It is absolutely clear that we need to regain the universality of human rights, the indivisibility of human rights, and we need to find a new energy that motivates young people around the world.” Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
What are human rights? Human rights are rights we have simply because we exist as human beings – they are not granted by any state. These universal rights are inherent to us all, regardless of nationality, sex, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, language, or any other status. They range from the most fundamental – the right to life – to those that make life worth living, such as the rights to food, education, work, health, and liberty.
These rights must be considered in any planning for the projects we support. As Malawi is one of the world’s least developed and poorest countries, we are helping ensure basic needs are met first and foremost. However, self-sufficiency and sustainability are always the end goals.
Feeding Programme – All of the 500+ children who are supported are suffering from malnutrition to varying degrees. All are hungry. All don’t have enough food. Unfortunately, there are no big agencies feeding children in this part of rural far north of Malawi. Children are walking up to 20kms to receive a substantial, nutritious meal once a week at The Foundation. This is the only decent meal of week for the majority of these children. We can only afford to send money to support the feeding programme once a week….can you make a monthly contribution of £5 or £10 to help us feed them more often? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
Nursery – Up to seventy-five nursery children are fed each time they meet – could you make a monthly contribution of £5 or £10 to ensure this continues? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
Bright Futures Secondary School – education is the way out of poverty and a way to a brighter future for these children. As well as providing free education for those most in need, we are providing a free school lunch for them in order that they are fed each day and that they can concentrate on their studies. They are all given blankets to help them sleep better at night and the equipment they need for school. Can you help us support free school meals at Bright Futures Secondary School by making a monthly contribution of £5 or £10 please? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com If you would like to contribute to the building of classroom 3 and 4 of Bright Futures Secondary School then you can either email me or donate here https://gofund.me/44a92444
Period Poverty Project – teenage girls were having to miss a week of school every month. However, now they have equality and dignity. All girls have been gifted a drawstring bag containing; 3 pairs of pants, 5 reusable sanitary pads, soap and a health information leaflet. The bags and the sanitary pads have been made by some of the teenage girls using the hand turn sewing machines we sent, learning sewing skills for their futures.
Child Sponsorship Project – Girls who were most at risk of child marriage have been matched with sponsors, ensuring they have welfare checks, education and more food coming into their homes each month. Other vulnerable children have been matched with sponsors and are benefitting from this scheme. However, there are many more children who would love to have a sponsor to give them a helping hand. If you would like to become a sponsor it is only £25 per month and you can split this cost with a friend. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
The Library – Giving children and young people access to a wide variety of books and information.
The School Literacy Project – how can children learn to read without books to practice with? We are sending boxes of books to the primary schools surrounding the Foundation in order to support literacy.
Clean Water – a clean water supply and shower block are now at The Foundation for all the children to use.
Play – these very vulnerable children, many of whom are orphans, have missed out on the childhood they should have had. Many have lost family members, they have all been hungry and suffer from malnutrition, some have missed a lot of school to work for a pittance to buy some food. All have had a difficult childhood. However, they know that The Foundation is their safe place. They have people who care about them. They have time to be with their friends. They can sit and chat, read books, play or take part in organised team sports, rugby, netball and football. They are given choices. There are opportunities to learn skills for life. These children are important. They need to be nurtured and their achievements celebrated.
I could go on – sorry – but I won’t. I’m sure you will find the thread of human rights and children’s rights in particular through the various blogs and photographs from Malawi. Can you continue to help us to keep supporting these children? Thank you for reading, Sarah x
