Malawi visit 2022 – Kenyawi Kids

Welcome to this edition of Kenyawi Kids news. Myself, husband Mark along with Jack (5) and Adam (1) have just returned from a whirlwind project visit trip to Malawi. It was great to find all our project partners and children happy, healthy and thriving despite major currency devaluations and the usual political complications that Malawi experiences.

Maize is the staple in Malawi and prices have more than doubled lately meaning the projects who would normally self sustain to fund their own purchase of maize have really struggled. We are incredibly grateful to the Rozelle Trust who have continued to support our partners in their move towards self-sustainability, we are incredibly grateful for their partnership with our charity!

A huge personal thanks again to everyone who continues to support our work with monthly contributions, we honestly could not achieve all that we do without you- you are wonderful!

Caroline

Catch the Fish Foundation have gone from strength to strength and I was delighted to return with new gift cards and earrings made by Shakespeare who runs the project. The money he raises pays for uniform, food and crafting activities for 20 children from the fishing village of Chembe on the shores of Lake Malawi. Children don’t always want to go fishing when they grow up, especially when many have been orphaned through fisherman drownings so Shakespeare teaches them crafting skills that they can utilise once they finish school. Painting, bead making and general crafting are taught after school hours and the children are provided with a nutritious lunch and a safe place to play and learn. Kenyawi Kids donors funded the build of this centre in 2020 and it was great to finally see it in action!

Click here to purchase our Malawi gifts online

We had a lovely afternoon visiting Yamikani House where Kenyawi Kids was inspired and founded back in 2005! There are 23 children who have all been referred by Social Welfare to be cared for at the home. Administrator Dorine is fantastic and has the most lovely relationship with the children. She oversees the home ensuring the children are fed 3 nutritious meals daily, that the children are well equipped for school and that the home is clean and well maintained by the house mothers who stay there with the children. Project Trust, the gap year charity have begun to send volunteers again and it was so lovely to see how hard Charlotte and Rhiannon have worked to make the house a home for the children with lovely welcoming art work!
Yamikani House is the home where I was director 2011-14 and had the pelasure of welcoming Kondwani via the nutrition ward at the local hospital along with his siblings Nduzyani and Ovious. Konwani was struggling when he was first referred after he lost his mother very young but she made sure she got him to safety before she tragically passed away. He is now thriving in school, happy, healthy and has an awesome smile!

STEKA home in Blantyre now have over 80 children (when we funded the build back in 2012 it was designed for 40…!) who are all thriving, healthy and happy. Godknows and Hellen continue to do the most amazing job raising the children to work hard in school, help around the house and have plenty of fun in the garden. Jack loved catching up with his ‘big brother’ Andrew and Chisomo enjoyed the comedy act that is 1 year old Adam!
We celebrated Godknows birthday with him and put on a party for the children with cupcakes galore!
We have managed to secure 2 volunteers from Exeter University Mia and Iona who are psychology graduates. They will be spending July and part of August living in house at STEKA to support Godknows with some of our children who have mental health challenges. We are so lucky to have them!

We returned to visit 73 year old retiree Sonia Chumachiyenda at Chimembe CBO in the outskirts of Blantyre. I say retiree but we found her still running her nursery school, just on a smaller scale. She is so committed to the project she looks after 6 children in the small home she built back in 2011 using funds she raised from a chicken project we supported her to start and in another room of her 4 room house she runs a small nursery. At 73 she is the strongest Malawian I know, determined and caring and tirelessly stands up for women and children in her township!

Chembe Water Project received 8 new water filters and 2 UV bulbs that we carried over to deliver. Sadly Chimwemwe Bakali our water quality tester passed away in May. The project requires significant upgrades but with 41 taps and tap blocks. If you know of anyone corporate looking for some CSR I will happily organise a presentation or interview! email kenyawikidsinfo@gmail.com

Click here to purchase our Malawi gifts online

As a friend of our charity we would love you to host a supper, bake off party, cocktail party, family catch up and gather donations via www.justgiving.com/supperwithsteka during the second half of the year. Spread the Malawi love!

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Thank you as ever for your continued support for Kenyawi Kids and happy shopping at https://kkids.sumup.link/