There seems to be something that is the same almost wherever you are in the world….cheering on your team when they are playing football. Malawi have been playing Senegal today. Unfortunately it ended up 0-0 but these children and young people enjoyed watching their team on the tv at the Foundation (until a power cut near the end). Levison has a wind up radio thankfully. The tv was installed for educational programmes (and for a treat like watching your country play football).
Hopefully, with your help, we will be able to provide more food for these children to eat and match more children with sponsors to pay for their secondary school fees. These children are just like our children and deserve the same chances. £25 p/m provides food and education for a young person or a commitment of £5 or £10 p/m will help feed the children more often. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thanks for reading, Sarah x
Happy New Year!! I hope this year brings you all health & happiness.
Levison is busy getting young people ready for going to school this next week and I hope to bring some photos soon of them in their uniform before they set off on their big adventure, thanks to their generous sponsors who have paid for them to continue secondary education.
We still have a few young people waiting to be matched with sponsors so if you can help then please get in touch.
It’s my birthday on 4th January… when you have a birthday straight after Christmas you don’t really need any presents. I was very lucky with all the gifts I received for Christmas. So I wouldn’t usually tell people it’s my birthday but, i thought it might be a nice idea to buy something for the orphans in Malawi if you’d like to. There is an Amazon link at the top of the page or if you are at the supermarket and want to put some bars of soap or toothbrushes, toothpaste or pencils in your trolley, they would be very much appreciated. When there are approximately 800 vulnerable children and young people being supported there are never enough pencils or bars of soap!!
Many thanks and best wishes for 2022, thanks for reading, Sarah x
Work never stops at The Foundation. Whether it’s looking after the animals or preparing the fields, farmers the world over will know that there’s always something to do, something to plan ahead for. Over the last few days, the fields have been prepared and today maize and groundnuts have been planted. The rainy season is just starting so it’s the perfect time for planting seeds. As you can see, people are working hard and would love to be self-sufficient. Because there are so many mouths to feed and the situation has been so bad, they need our help for a while.
We have money for approximately 100 fruit tree saplings that have been bought as Christmas gifts for which we are very grateful. Levison will choose which fruit varieties are best to buy for future food and sustainability. Again, this is the perfect time to plant them. If anyone would like to contribute towards seed costs or fruit tree saplings then please do get in touch contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Even a small donation would help feed the hundreds of malnourished children.
We still have 5 young people looking for a sponsor to help them get to secondary school. Sponsorship is £25 per month and one of the best things you can every do for one of these children. Thank you for reading, Sarah x
The other day I asked for kind people to sponsor 9 young people to go to secondary school. They have passed their primary school leavers exams and have a place at secondary school…..but no sponsor to pay their fees.
Imagine this was your family, living in extreme poverty, the young people have missed lots of school to try to earn a pittance to buy soap or food. No one in the family eats properly every day. The children have one good substantial meal each week at the feeding programme but they are still hungry through the week. Unfortunately, there are no big agencies feeding children in schools that far north. How are the children in your family going to complete their education? How are they ever to get out of the extreme poverty that the village is living in? Some young people are orphans, living with grandparents or older siblings. Some orphans have even been matched with foster families. If this situation is to improve, then education is the key.
Thanks to three sponsors who have come forward, we only have 6 young people left who are desperately needing a helping hand this Christmas. Because the secondary school is so far away, the young people will need to board. So sponsorship will pay for their school fees, boarding, uniform, exercise books, soap, bedding etc and transport to and from school at the start and end of each term.
Please, can you sponsor one of these young people this Christmas? It will be the best present you could ever give them. Can you share the £25 monthly payment with family or a friend? It’s less than 50p per day if you share sponsorship. Please help. Only 6 young people left to be matched with sponsors. Or can you share on social media or tell your friends? This is my Christmas wish that all these young people’s dreams come true and that together we can change their lives for the better. Thanks for reading, Sarah x contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
I thought another few facts might be helpful as sometimes I forget that not everyone has seen all the posts from the past couple of years. If you ever want to know about anything in particular then please let me know and if I don’t know then I’ll try and find out for you.
Approximately 800 orphans and other vulnerable young people are supported by The William Stewart Foundation in rural Northern Malawi.
The age range is from age 4 to early 20s.
There are no other big agencies feeding children in that area.
Most children suffer from malnutrition and their one substantial, nutritious meal of the week is at the Foundation.
At the moment we can only afford to run the feeding programme once a week.
It costs approximately £100 to feed 500 children and young people.
We fundraise for The William Stewart Foundation and raise awareness of the wonderful work going on to improve the lives of the most vulnerable.
The cost of maize, cooking oil and so many other things have risen in Malawi recently.
Changing Lives Malawi is a small group of 7 volunteer trustees, with a few others who help us, trying hard to change these children’s lives for the better.
We have over 70 children and young people matched with sponsors now but there are many more waiting in desperate need. It only costs £25 per month to give a child the gift of secondary education and food.
Nursery schools and secondary schools charge fees in Malawi and the majority only attend primary school.
Dependant on exam results, there are 36 young people whom the Foundation supports and who now have sponsors, who will be going to secondary school in January. Before the Foundation, and sponsorship, young people didn’t go to secondary school. This is a huge achievement and is something to celebrate.
Changing Lives Malawi sends money from a donation to The Foundation each month to help run the nursery for 50 children age 4-6. This meets 3 times a week and the children are given some food at each session.
A clean water supply has been installed and a shower block thanks to fundraising and generous donations.
We are looking for your help. Can you buy some e-cards or e-gifts? Providing a football will make a big difference as will fruit tree saplings to provide future food and income. Can you share our posts? Do you have a jar of coins or a drawer full of coins that you could donate to us please? As there are so many orphans, vulnerable young people and the elderly needing help and support, it does cost a lot to feed and support them until the Foundation becomes more self-sufficient. But we do not take any money for admin costs here…all the money you donate is used and the small team of volunteers cover the cost of petrol for taking boxes to the container, buying boxes and buying certain things to send.
We are fully committed to the Foundation that the late William Stewart and Levison Mlambya founded. It is amazing what has been achieved in a few short years. So much has been done but there is so much more still to do to change the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in the world. Will you join us on this journey? Whether you have £5 to spare or £25 per month, we need you to help us please. It’s about being part of a team of helpers and we’d love you to help us Changing Lives Malawi. Thanks for reading, Sarah x contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
Four of our sponsored girls (Telinah, Jean, Milliam & Dinales) have all left school now and are busy helping at The Foundation until their exam results are announced in the new year. They can then decide if they want to stay and work at The Foundation, get a job elsewhere or if they want us to try to help them into further education.
36 sponsored young people will be heading to secondary school in January. This includes 22 who have just finished primary school. As long as they pass their exams, which should be out later this week, 22 will be starting first year, 12 young people will be going into second year and 2 into fourth year. This is a huge achievement for a village where it was just accepted that children and young people do not get the chance to go to secondary school. This is one of the many ways that sponsors are helping to change the lives of these young people. SPONSORING A CHILD gives the gift of education and gives these young people chances that they never thought were meant for them. Sponsoring a child is probably one of the most important things you will ever do. £25 per month can change the future for a young person. We still have lots of primary school leavers whom we haven’t found sponsors for yet, so if you can help as an individual, two friends, a family or a business then please do get in touch contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
As soon as Levison hears exam results and that all our children have passed we have a big list of shopping to get. Uniforms, shoes, bedding, buckets for washing clothes, bags, plates, cups, towels, flip-flops, soap, exercise books and pens and the list goes on…… Usually, the school term starts in February but this time it’s January 3rd to catch up from schools being closed due to covid last year. So if you do have £25 to spare (or two friends with £12.50 each) could you give one of these children, who still don’t have sponsors, the gift of education? Thanks for reading, Sarah x
Whether you’ve got gifts to post, cards to send, something to buy for the person who has everything… then stop relax… we can help you and you can help us… hassle free.
That’s the link where you can find e-cards and e-gifts to purchase. Christmas cards and for other occasions. Also you can send one card to multiple people, saving time and effort. Meaningful gifts. Gifts that are going to change lives. A blanket for a vulnerable child, a football to help children take their mind off their problems whilst they play, soap, fruit tree saplings… we have lots of gifts to choose from. It would mean so much if you could support us to support the hundreds of orphans and other vulnerable children in Northern Malawi. Whether you want to spend £5 or £50 you will be helping us http://www.changinglivesmalawi.com thank you for reading and please ask if you would like any help selecting cards and gifts. Gifts can also be printed out and posted in a lovely card on your behalf. Sarah x
The second Sunday in advent is traditionally about peace and waiting. I have had no choice this week. I wasn’t going to write this but I think it’s important and I would be very grateful if you would be patient with me whilst I write this.
I have been in a very large hospital since Tuesday morning. On Tuesday afternoon I had some of my right kidney removed using robotic assistance. If this operation had taken place at my usual hospital, they would have removed my whole kidney. So I am thankful for the opportunities I have had. Everyone has been so lovely and kind and I have felt precious and cared for.
I am very conscious of the differences between my opportunities here and the lack of health care opportunities in Malawi, something we need to try to work on next year.
I feel I am being ‘asked’ to write this and believe me I am double and triple checking things as I am on a lot of medication for pain relief and my concentration isn’t good. At least I’ve kept my eyes open! My care,post op, has not gone to plan. My oxygen levels have been extremely low and, I spent two days in high dependency. Yesterday was my first day since Tuesday with no additional oxygen…again the comparison isn’t lost on me that Malawi doesn’t have enough oxygen in hospitals.
So without you having to know all my aches and pains, I am here to wait and recover. To recover from the big operation I have had but also the stress of 2021 which has been huge.
Every day has been a worry about where money will come from to feed children, to sponsor them, to provide for them. I have been volunteering 7 days a week. I can’t continue at that rate. It’s not going to do me any good, therefore the charity any good, if I don’t start putting myself first. I don’t know what the new working hours will look like but, for now, I will wait with peace and listen. Of course, I couldn’t have worked so hard without my husband who is my biggest supporter.
All of this would have been hard enough but there have been people on social media trying to destroy our charity. People who have never met me. People who are happy to side with others without knowing facts or thinking about the consequences of their actions. I cannot apply for grants for our charity at the moment because the awful things that have been written. People might not like me or like what I say (and that’s ok) but every decision I make is to benefit those hundreds of orphans and vulnerable children to make lives better for them.
Of course, I should have been at home this last week sharing posts; getting children sponsored, selling paintings for Christmas or lovely cards; sharing the links for e-cards and e-gifts and generally working as hard as I can for every £1 to help make a difference in Northern Malawi. Hopefully, people do find the items via our website and please share posts if you can. Hoping I will be home in a few days although this week away, courtesy of the NHS, has been amazing. I couldn’t have asked for better care.
So instead of being busy selling, I’ll wait patiently for what’s going to happen next. It might be that you decide you want to help, it might be a magazine wants to write about our work… who knows? But I do know that 2022 is going to be a better year and we hope that you will continue to journey with us http://www.changinglivesmalawi.com thanks for reading, Sarah x
Levison asked me to put an appeal out for sponsors for Eunice and Maria. They were both desperate to get to secondary school, both hard workers and Eunice has been described as being a bright girl. Thankfully, a generous supporter contacted me and offered to sponsor both these girls to make their dreams of secondary education come true. There are still lots of young people waiting for that chance and if you can help to give them the gift of education it’s less than £1 per day….you can share this cost with a friend or a business could sponsor a child. Can you make a young person’s dreams come true? Thank you for joining the team that supports these young people. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com . Thanks for reading, Sarah x
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
Thanks to two generous sponsors these two girls now have the chance of secondary education
January is only a few weeks away and I’ve been trying to find sponsors for the young people who have finished primary school. Without sponsors they have no hope of getting to secondary school. They don’t have enough money to eat a proper meal each day…so how are they going to afford the fees for secondary school? The children and young people’s concentration, self-esteem, confidence, school attendance and their exam results have improved now that they have been given new clothes and they attend the feeding programme each weekend at The Foundation. Approximately 500 children are fed a nutritious meal once a week. If we could afford it, we would be feeding them twice a week or providing money for the children to be fed at school. There are no big charities feeding children in the far north of Malawi, so children walk from as far as 20km away for their one proper meal of the week at The Foundation.
Soon, the young people who are lucky enough to be matched with sponsors and whose lives have now amazingly changed direction, will all need measuring for school uniform and shoes. All their bags, soap, exercise books, pencil cases etc will all need to be bought too. It’s going to be a busy time.
However, there are some young people still waiting for that chance of education. There are photos of some of them below. It’s £25 per month to support a young person to go to school. You could be a sponsor as an individual, a family, split the cost with a friend or sponsor from your club or business. Every little helps as the saying goes…it might not seem like much to us, but to one of these young people it will be the biggest gift they’ve ever received. To change a life please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com or send us a message. We are on facebook, instagram & twitter. Thanks for reading, Sarah x
What have you spent money on today? There are things we need and bills to pay but could you spare 85p per day? What do we waste money on that we don’t need to? Every penny counts when it comes to these children. They don’t have money to waste…they don’t even have enough food to eat every day. They need food and they need secondary education to help them have a chance at a better future. These children cannot afford secondary school fees. Unless they have a helping hand the cycle of poverty will never be broken. Can you help please? Get in touch via the website or by emailing contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Please help us changing lives. You can also help by sharing posts to reach potential sponsors. Thanks for reading, Sarah x
