Friday 9th November 2012
Is the date we send our fifth Container to Malawi.
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t is impossible to describe adequately the enormous benefit to our friends in Malawi, of receiving the sort of help our parishioners and other supporters are giving through our Container project. They are receiving items they could only have dreamt of, all of which are way beyond their means. There is an enormous financial gulf between our two worlds; even more so since a recent devaluation of the Malawian currency.
Because of the generosity of everyone involved, we again had insufficient space to send everything in the last container. The 53 cartons which we could not include in April will now be sent in November.
Having too much to send has been a regular feature over the past four years, so this year we have booked additional space in the container at a cost of £2,750. This may seem a lot of money, but the value of goods being sent is significantly more than this.
The container project has enabled us to help schools and communities which are outside our linked parishes. We have recently received requests for help from two additional schools: a minor seminary and a secondary school. We will now have over five thousand children benefiting from our help.
Our priority target in this container will be school materials, although we have included six other categories of items, which are most frequently requested. Your help is crucial in fulfilling this list.
- School Equipment
If you can donate anything which is used by a primary or secondary school pupil in their daily learning, such as notebooks, pens and pencils this will be most welcome. Last year we were able to purchase large amounts of educational items, because we were blessed with a generous donation which covered our entire shipping costs.
2. IT Equipment
Computers far exceed all other requested items from the schools. Students are anxious to master these skills so that they are better equipped to secure employment in the modern world. This is what we are all about – helping the future generation to escape the very real poverty in which they find themselves.
We have some computers ready to send, but if you are thinking of upgrading or discarding your system, or related hardware, please think of our Malawi Container project.
- Children’s clothing
We have several cartons ready to send, containing adult clothing, but none for children. Boys are usually seen in shorts and Tshirts; girls always wear dresses.
- Shoes for all
Shoes are just not available to many adults and children.
Flat shoes of any material, but definitely no heels, are very much needed. We now help three very poor secondary schools, so suitable shoes for their students – boys and girls – would be very welcome.
- Tools
Hand tools for gardening, building, carpentry and metal work are always needed. Both men and women work in their gardens, so non-electric gardening equipment is an absolute necessity for those who depend upon growing their own food to survive. They also have to build and repair their own homes. Mainly with wood, grasses and home made bricks.
- Fabrics & Sewing Machines.
We have sent many manual sewing machines (they are the second most requested item) and there are more to go this year. These have enabled:-
a) Men and women to earn money by making and selling clothes.
b) Schools and Parishes to set up sewing workshops to teach sewing crafts to their students/people.
c) Mothers to re-use any materials they come across, to make and repair clothes or other household linens for their families.
The sewing machines are proving to be worthwhile items to include in our container but the value of these machines is greatly enhanced by the availability of various types of fabrics.
Such items as curtains, sheets, towels and other linens can be used in so many different ways.
We also use these materials as padding, when packing the cartons, to protect the more fragile items. This avoids using paper and cardboard, which would be useless to the people in Malawi.
- Reading Glasses
We are still being been asked for these and so are including them again. Do you have any old and unwanted reading glasses? If so, please let us have them.
Education is a big issue with youngsters: this is their future. Their parents are often illiterate and appreciate the benefits now being made available to their offspring.
The parents make up for their lack of education with acquired skills such as farming, food cultivation, home building and sewing: in fact anything they need to learn to survive. They are adaptable because they have to be.
Apart from over 5,000 school age children, our parishioners and supporters are helping their families, neighbours and younger children. This greatly increases the numbers benefiting from your selfless support.
Zikomo -Thank you, on their behalf.