Our thanks to our overseers - Les & Kathie - who have just retired, our appreciation of your invaluable help over past years.
Thank you to our Malawian staff, manning the site so effectively, despite so many challenges……
And finally, thank you to all who support the work in Chiringa and district -
changing vulnerable communities,
one life at a time ….
Planning trip Feb-April 2018
Our UK directors, David & Lynda Mills will return to Malawi mid February, to assess the current situation, and plan future projects.
On the cards:
Find another trike to help with general transport, but also to carry the sick to hospital as the only reliable ambulance vehicle in the whole area.
We’ll check the water situation and repair more community boreholes.
We’ll consider digging wells after the rainy season has passed.
We’ll meet with tribal leaders to identify real needs and the best way to help. In the past we’ve built community centres and individual homes for the vulnerable, constructed bridges, promoted livestock projects, provided seeds for new crops, helped schools - and so much more
.
We’re always keen to hear about enthusiastic plans already birthed by locals. We want to come alongside people who are already motivated, but need help, rather than try to implement a good idea from our perspective, thus risking reinforcing negative dependency.
We’ll need to maintain our site and continue to train, encourage, and build capacity into our staff,
Our dairy goat herd is ultra important to local mothers and guardians because of the milk it provides, so we always need to improve our stock. The latest round of kids only produced 2 females, so their care is important to allow them to become future heavy milkers.
Our thousands of moringa trees will need pruning and annual care to boost local nutrition as we continue to process leaves into a powdered food supplement.
There’s always a surprise potential project waiting to be uncovered - the need is so huge. This time it may include solar supply, community irrigation, hospice facilities, further education, community buildings, or something not yet identified. It’s effective community work at its simplest and best ….
Full update on our return ….
Outlook on hunger ….
Maize is the staple crop, the major ingredient in the diet of the rural areas. About 95% of the folk in our area are subsistence farmers so rely heavily on the maize harvest. With only one rainy season, there’s only one crop each year, so it’s vital to the health and prosperity of the whole area.
This year‘s maize harvest has been patchy - quite good in some areas, but drought has withered it in others, and a virulent pest - “army worms” - has devastated many fields.
Routine during 2018 ….
We’re still providing milk for malnourished babies from our unique herd of dairy goats, along with fortified porridge for toddlers.
Elderlies’ Luncheons each fortnight continue to bring together over 30 frail older folk for a yummy lunch and sing-song, much enjoyed and appreciated by all.
Our education programme continues to provide schooling to vulnerable teens, and our staff still help the rural communities wherever they can.
