Tag: party

Christmas Lunch for 600

Thankfully, the Christmas lunch for 600 children took place before the devastating rains this week that have affected many parts of Malawi

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Sarah’s blog 31/12/25

As 2025 comes to a close, we thank all those who have helped us to support the most vulnerable in rural Northern Malawi. A few days before Christmas there was a lunch for elderly people and then, delayed because of a local funeral, Christmas lunch for 600 children.

So Christmas Day was even busier than usual for Levison and his team of volunteers, no day off for them. There were hundreds of children in need of food looking forward to their party. Christmas Day was a mammoth task of providing Christmas Lunch for 600 children.

The food crisis in Malawi is impacting the vulnerable children we are helping to support. Most of them are orphans, living with extended family, and all are living in extreme poverty. Some don’t even have enough to eat once a day. The situation is extremely serious.

That’s why even more children than usual turned up on Christmas Day, knowing they would be given a substantial and nutritious meal. Some children are walking miles for this free food. Some are carrying younger siblings.

Preparing food, cooking and serving 600 meals is exhausting and backbreaking work…and must seem endless. We are so grateful for the volunteers, without whom none of the children would be fed. We can only afford to run the feeding programme once a week and there are no big charities feeding children in schools this far north. Thank you so much to the donors who donated funds to pay for the food for this year’s Christmas lunch for 600 children.

Whilst we are helping support sustainable projects like planting fruit tree saplings, beehive making and rearing chickens, unfortunately, these children also need our help now. So it is a juggling act, we need to support their future but they won’t have a future without nutrition now.

We are hoping people will understand the great need from reading my blogs and looking at the photos and videos. Prices continue to rise and food is scarce. Donate money to Changing Lives Malawi

We would really appreciate if people could contribute £5 or £10 per month to ensure the feeding programme can continue to feeding increased numbers of hungry and malnourished children once a week. We would love to be able to send an extra £200 per month for the feeding programme to cover extra food costs. Can you spare £5 or £10 per month? Can your friends and family help us too? Contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com for our charity bank details.

Why not organise a 100 square competition or a weekly bonus ball competition with the proceeds going to our feeding programme? Or what about a football scratch card? There are many ways you could get involved even if you don’t think you have much time to spare.

We hope you enjoy looking at all these photos and videos from Christmas Day. These children know that they can come and will not be turned away. It is their safe place where they can play with their friends and fill their empty tummies. They don’t have many highlights in their lives…but this is one of them.

Especially over the Christmas and New Year holiday time, when most of us have far more than we need, will you join our team of supporters for the feeding programme please? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com for bank details or to donate via our website Donate money to Changing Lives Malawi

Thankfully, the rains hadn’t been too heavy when these two parties took place. However, since then there has been devastation across Malawi. Infrastructure has been washed away, houses damaged, crops washed away etc etc. I will share some photos in a separate post. The people who do the least damage to our planet are always the ones to suffer most.

Enjoy these videos and photos of a happy day for all of these children who are all living in extreme poverty. Thank you again to those who financially supported Christmas Lunch for 600 children. And, of course, to Levison and his team for all their hard work and support for the most vulnerable in their community.

Wishing everyone health and happiness in 2026 and another busy year of Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Come and join us…it’s always about teamwork! Happy New Year and thanks again, Sarah x

A Party for the Elderly

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Sarah’s blog 24/12/25

Today’s post is going to be a bit of a photo and video dump as yesterday was a very busy day, but also very rewarding, for Levison and team. They held a party for the elderly.

Lots of vulnerable elderly people in the community were invited for Christmas lunch. As you may know, there is a food crisis in Malawi and all of these elderly villagers are living in extreme poverty. They don’t have enough to eat every day.

Thank you so much to the generous people who donated money to ensure this event was able to happen. There was money for a lovely lunch and for bars of soap for each person who attended. We had hoped to be able to give each of them a small food parcel to take home but hadn’t managed to raise enough to do this. Thankfully, the donations received provided for a substantial and nutritious meal. We would love to be able to do more for the elderly on an ongoing basis, maybe a party for the elderly once a month, but obviously this has a financial cost. If you would like to help with this please do get in touch contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

These elderly people were so thankful to be invited to lunch and for being included. The lady with the walking pole in one of the photos with Levison, said to him

“I have been trying to get nice food for Christmas but to no avail. I didn’t know God, through your supporters, has prepared this for me. Only God knows.”

The lady in the red cardigan at the end of one of the tables told Levison

“This is the best meal I have ever had. So some people from far away value me as well? Is it for free or I must pay? I don’t have anything to pay for the food. God should bless them.”

Another lady said;

“Just a word for you my son. God should bless you and those who are supporting you.”

Senior Group Village Headman MweneIbuluma made a speech at the lunch. He said that he and all the villagers appreciate the efforts made by Levison, the Foundation and all the donors to support school attendance for the children. He said he is happy that the development is progressing well. He said;

“Who knew that this man will bring such a life changer to Ibuluma community reaching thousands of souls? Is this not a lesson to us all?”

Levison said some of the women had tears in their eyes as the headman was making his speech. Levison himself messaged me later to share the photos and videos and wanted to pass on his thanks to everyone for their support;

“I personally sincerely thank you so much for this wonderful event. These are the people who are vulnerable and most in need and they have felt joy today.”

As you can see, cooking isn’t straightforward and it is hard work. We are so grateful for those who give up their time to support feeding the vulnerable. This is why we need more cooking pots – they don’t last as long as our pots would last on an electric cooker – and the quantities of food needed are great. Your help would be appreciated. You can give via DonorSee https://donorsee.com/project/29519?share=1 or via our website Donate money and gifts to Changing Lives Malawi or contact me for our charity bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Whilst we can’t change the whole world, we can help this community to have a better and brighter future by giving them a helping hand towards self-sufficiency.

Thank you for supporting Changing Lives Malawi and the projects we help with. Thanks to those who supported a party for the elderly. You are a vital part of our team and we couldn’t do what we do without you. Together we can continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. With best wishes for a very Happy Christmas, Sarah and the team of volunteers at Changing Lives Malawi x

Celebrating Success at Bright Futures Secondary School

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Sarah’s blog 22/10/25

Celebrating success at Bright Futures Secondary school is becoming a tradition. All students in S3 had passed their national exams at the end of S2 – Junior Certificate of Education. They were given a party on Friday. Other students joined in at lunchtime but the S3 class were given the afternoon off and were free to continue celebrating and having fun.

Knowing that hard work and effort is celebrated at Bright Futures Secondary School helps to motivate the S1 and S2 students as they look forward to having a party to celebrate their success.

None of these young people have enough food at their homes. Most are orphans living with extended family. All are living in extreme poverty and have suffered trauma. None have money for school fees, new clothes or shoes, stationery or school lunches. That is all free at Bright Futures Secondary School, thanks to their sponsors.

So celebrating their achievements is important. Helping them feel valued is important. Raising their self-esteem is important. Nurturing them to be the best they can be is important. Counselling students and listening to them when they are struggling is important. Supporting these students holistically is important.

A student at Bright Futures Secondary School can expect more than just lessons and passing exams. They can expect support. They can expect understanding. They can expect encouragement. They can expect to be listened to. They can expect the best at Bright Futures Secondary School.

That’s why the staff at BFSS are far more than teachers. We are so grateful for the care and understanding they give to these vulnerable students who have been through so much already. These teachers can and do make a difference and their support and encouragement for the students in their care and the ethos of the school will give these vulnerable teenagers a much brighter future. They are positive role models for these students and we are pleased that they want to help students be the best that they can be.

There are still some new students in S1 who are waiting for a sponsor to help us support their education. Could you give the gift of education and help us continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Celebrating success at Bright Futures Secondary School is important… and look at these smiles which are wonderful to see. Thank you for reading and supporting our work. We need you as part of the team supporting these vulnerable teenagers. Enjoy the photos and videos, Sarah x

We have some projects on fundraising site DonorSee for Bright Futures Secondary School. You can donate via the link or email us for bank details. https://donorsee.com/project/29095?share=1

International Day of the Girl Child
Fantastic fun was had by everyone!

Christmas Party Preparations

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

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

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Sarah’s blog 24/12/21

From the small team of volunteers at Changing Lives Malawi and Levison and his team in Malawi, we all wish you a very happy and peaceful Christmas. Thank you to those of you who have supported us and helped us through the last year.

With your help, we’ve continued support The Foundation to feed over 500 children every week, provided clothes and shoes, books for the library and the local school, provided a monthly donation for the nursery to run, provided money for a shower block, matched more children with sponsors, have more young people attending secondary school, provided clothes and blankets for the babies at the local maternity ward at the health centre. And that’s just a few of the things that have been happening. None of it can happen without you being part of the team and we very much appreciate the role everyone plays.

We still need to get 5 young people matched with sponsors to pay their secondary school fees….if you can help with this then please get in touch contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com With very best wishes and thanks, Sarah x

Christmas Party Time!

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Sarah’s blog 23/12/21

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, over 500 orphans and other vulnerable children were able to have a Christmas party in Ibuluma today.

The children, who all suffer from varying degrees of malnutrition as they don’t eat properly every day, all enjoyed a substantial, nutritious meal cooked by volunteers. Food is always cooked and served in batches as there aren’t enough pots or plates to cope with those numbers.

Games were played and fun was had by all.

Please look at the faces of these children. In the next few days, when we will be eating delicious food and snacks, when we will be exchanging gifts, when people receive far more than they actually need, please remember these children. Look at the joy on some of their faces. This is the spirit of giving at Christmas.

The older children received a pencil and a bar of soap. Thanks to donors for this as even bars of soap for this many children costs a lot of money.

The younger children all received a brightly coloured rain coat as the rainy season has just started. A family, who support the charity, had bought over 100 rain coats in a sale and it’s lovely to see the children receiving these gifts and the joy that receiving a coat for the very first time brings.

600 lollies had been sent on the container so each child received one of these too.

As you can see in some of the photos, the children, cooks and Levison all enjoyed wearing the Christmas hats that were sent by Julian Chenery from Wear a Sports Shirt Day. Thanks Julian for your contribution to the party atmosphere.

If you’d like to contribute to funds to feed the children or provide for them please do get in touch. Links are on our website and Facebook page. There are e-cards and e-gifts available too for last minute gifts. Thanks for reading and enjoy the photos. Sarah x contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

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