Our Charity
They told us that we would have to go right up to their front doors ...... so we did!
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| It is nearly a year since Makwawa Malawi was born and we are still in the process of growing up. It is like being a child. We have had to learn a new language, meet new people and situations, and make new friends. |
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CHARITABLE STATUS Our Registered Charity Number is 1096827. |
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CHRISTMAS 2002
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We arrived in Malawi, being met by Charles and Rex from the Nutrition Project at Lilongwe airport ,BA lost our suitcase with 1000 test tubes in it . Four hours later we were at Makwawa, where we lived for a week without any electricity, telephones , vehicles , newspapers or TV . It was great! |
CHRISTMAS 2003
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With the help and organisation of the Scout Association at Makwawa and the Domasi Nutrition project , 120 families were fed with the 10kg bags of fortified maize in January, February and March 2003 . A Community Funding Scheme is a self-administered fund controlled by a group of five villagers .The Charity supplies funds (normally no more than £100 ) to each group in order for them to set up a business. This loan must be repaid over a short period of time , including interest. Once repaid these funds are lent to another person in the group to set up their business. |
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LEIGHS FIRST IMPRESSIONS
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DIGNITY
Any discomforts were disregarded as it quickly became apparent that many villagers were in an advanced state of malnutrition. Indeed some had taken to boiling unripe mangoes in an attempt to stave off starvation. What was striking was the look of absolute relief when we visited each family to tell them we were going to buy and distribute food. They had clearly been suffering with enormous dignity and little hope for some time. These were families who had somehow slipped through the net of any Government aid that had been distributed.
Many families had not eaten anything of any significant nutritional value for several months. Indeed we learnt that one of the contributing factors to an unbreakable spiral of famine is harvesting the crop before it is ready and not retaining enough seeds to replant for the coming season.
I thought it was a successful if sobering first visit to our friends in Malawi. We intend to return in the autumn in time for the first rains and the replanting. If the families do not have seeds the Charity will provide the funds. Any discomforts were disregarded as it quickly became apparent that many villagers were in an advanced state of malnutrition. Indeed some had taken to boiling unripe mangoes in an attempt to stave off starvation. What was striking was the look of absolute relief when we visited each family to tell them we were going to buy and distribute food. They had clearly been suffering with enormous dignity and little hope for some time. These were families who had somehow slipped through the net of any Government aid that had been distributed.
Leigh White (Trustee)
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OCTOBER 2003
At the beginning of October this year we went back again (with some assistants -Hilary and Steve- Robert’s sister and brother-in-law) with the intention of progressing the Charity’s objectives
We had all been given tasks:
Hilary is responsible for distributing the tomato, onion, lettuce, cabbage, carrot and any other seeds we can take with us
Steve is helping with the rebuilding of the roof of a Scout Meeting Hall and possibly a water retainer
Leigh is dealing with the Community Funding Scheme
Robert is doing everything else
In the previous year we had long discussions with the local teacher on "how to make compost interesting to his students". We will find out how he got on...
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YOUR DONATIONS
Please contact us for a standing order form, or you can send cheques to
Makwawa Malawi
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