Levison and his helpers arrived back safely yesterday afternoon from Ekwendeni with all the boxes and parcels. Boxes will be opened over the next few weeks and a bit at a time. The first box to be opened contained workwear that had been kindly donated by West Group Technical Services. They replace clothes for their staff each year and asked us if we could make use of their preloved uniform.
Members of staff and apprentices were delighted to receive a polo shirt each today with the West Group logo. There are still sweatshirts and fleeces that will be given out when the weather is a bit cooler. We would like to thank West Group Technical Services for their generosity and for partnering with us in this way to make a difference to the young people we are helping to support.
Most of the young apprentices we help to support are helping care for the goats and crops. Jean is becoming competent at sewing and cooking and Loveness supports the preschool children in the nursery and also coaches team sports. Soon, some of these young people will be helping on the project to bring clean water from the health centre to Chambo Primary School. Anold is Levison’s right hand man and supervises the apprentices and other young people who are learning how to grow crops.
West Group Technical Services are a growing, well respected electrical contractor based in central Scotland and their website link is https://www.westgrouptechnical.co.uk Thank you again for supporting our young people, Jack Lyon and team.
Hope you enjoy looking at the photos and there will be more photos soon when other boxes have been opened. Thanks, Sarah x
before receiving their new t-shirts from West Group
It has been so busy in recent months, with so much happening and so much to write about. Here are a few ways that news is spreading about how we are helping the hundreds of vulnerable children and young people in rural northern Malawi. We are truly grateful to everyone who helps us.
I am asked to contribute a regular article for Strathblane Kirk who are always very supportive of what we do. So a big thank you goes to Reverend Murdo Campbell and the Congregation of Strathblane Parish Church for their help and prayers. Here is the link to their church magazine. Our charity features on page 4 and page 8. cornerstone-winter-2022.pdf (wordpress.com)
I was contacted by Jack Lyon of West Group Technical Services Ltd, a local company. Jack explained that he provides his employees with new workwear every year. They didn’t want to throw away clothes that were still ok to use so wondered if we would like to have them. Of course, I said ‘yes please’. These will be great for some of the older teenagers who are doing practical work and learning skills to help with future employment. I’m very grateful to Jack for making contact and being willing to partner with us to support the young people we help.
I am looking forward to seeing photos of the preloved workwear when it arrives in Malawi. I explained to Jack that it could be up to 6 months before items arrive, depending whether the warehouse in Dundee belonging to The Bananabox Trust, is nearly full enough to order a container or still waiting for people to donate to the various charities they are supporting in Malawi. Once the container leaves Scotland, it usually takes about 3 months to arrive.
As I have said previously, we are now fundraising for phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School to ensure that classrooms 3 and 4 are built in time for the new school year in September 2023. £20,000 is needed for these two classrooms so any help with fundraising will be much appreciated. Or if anyone wants to commit to a monthly amount to help provide free school meals then please do email me contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
We are holding a fundraiser on Friday 24th February in Balfron. So if you are local (or fairly local) please do get your tickets and come and support our quiz and band night. We are grateful for Douglas who is the quizmaster and is generously giving his time to help us and to a brilliant local band, Acoustic Station, who have kindly agreed to play for us free of charge and always provide a great night. So come and have fun with your friends and support the building of the next two classrooms at Bright Futures Secondary School. To buy tickets or to donate raffle prizes please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
The link to the school fundraiser is here https://gofund.me/44a92444 Thanks for reading and your continuous support. Please share our posts and tell your friends to ensure we can continue Changing Lives Malawi. Thanks, Sarah x
We would love you to join us at our fundraiser to raise funds towards two new classrooms at Bright Futures Secondary School
