SUPPORT EDUCATION FOR ALL IN MALAWI
Donation protected
H E L L O & W E L C O M E !
My name is Maddy, originally from the States; I have been living in Malawi, East Africa for the last four years co-owning an eco-lodge (www.themushroomfarmmalawi.com) based in a remote village called Manchewe.
QUICK SUMMARY:
Manchewe is a pretty special place, full of determined and resilient people. Over the last few years, we have formed the Manchewe Adult Literacy Program and local Nursery Program (both supported by the Eco-Lodge and donations from the local community).
But the problem is that both community projects are in desperate need of a building to house them in! We need $9,000 to build a Community School to house these amazing development programs in before the rain starts (DECEMBER 2017!)
UPDATE: NEW OCT. 2017:
We have STARTED CONSTRUCTION! Using the $6,000 (funds raised so far), the Community School is off the ground, built by local craftsmen using locally sourced materials (clay bricks and sand).
We still need to raise $3000 to:
-Finish doors, windows, and locks
-Buy cables to connect to local renewable energy source (power from the Manchewe hydro-electric generator)
-Source quality teaching materials; such as chalkboards, books, etc.
(the build thus far!)
SO, we are now reaching out to YOU and YOUR networks for support!
Want more info? READ ON..!
Never heard of Malawi? That’s okay!
Malawi is a small, landlocked country in East Africa. It currently ranks as the third poorest country in the world, with many families surviving on less than a dollar a day. Along with a struggling economy, Malawi also has their fair share of health and social problems; HIV/AIDS rates are at a whopping 11.6%; and literacy rates (especially for girls and women) remain dangerously low-- only 65% of the population can read or write… It’s fair to say that Malawi has a lot of reasons to be down-and-out. However, after actually living day-to-day in a rural village, I started to let go of these statistics, and instead, started seeing the positive sense of community and daily resilience that is, Manchewe Village.
When you walk down the main dirt road through Manchewe, you do not see despair or sorrow. Instead you hear booming laughter and see glowing faces with smiles that reach ear-to-ear. This is the face of Africa that we don’t often see or hear about in the West.
So why am I telling you all of this, and then asking for money you ask?! Part of the reason we are in Malawi is to encourage existing community development; not forcing our objectives onto developing communities. We can empower Manchewe by providing necessary infrastructure for sustainable growth to blossom on the ground aka “Homegrown Development”.
While living in Manchewe, we (my brother Cameron, boyfriend Kyle, and some good friends) collaborated with the community to start a handful of pretty cool social programs, which are all operated and managed by local staff. Although our eco-lodge donates a percentage of our sales every month, the main support comes directly from the village to pay for the programs upkeep and supplies costs.
Together, we have implemented over 10 social programs including: ‘Manchewe Mountain Mamas’ income generating women’s textiles group, Manchewe Lions football club, Vungu-Vungu Coffee Cooperative, ‘Illuminate Manchewe’ Hydroelectricity Project (energy captured by Manchewe waterfalls and turned into renewable electricity for the village), “Well Wishes” Nursery School, and Manchewe’s Adult Literacy Programs.
All of the social programs have been a great success thanks to the determination and commitment from the community. However, we are still lacking the infrastructure for the “Well Wishes” Nursery School and Manchewe’s Adult Literacy Program-- the two most popular programs.
Lets look deeper into both of these social programs….
We have created the “Well Wishes” Nursery School to provide 25+ infants with nutritional meals and an early start to education; all while allowing their mothers to tend to the fields and work efficiently without an infant on their back to worry about. Currently the nursery school is held in a small mud hut with many cracks and leaks in the roof. As you can imagine, this set-up is not ideal… But the good news? With a small donation, YOU can help provide a classroom for these little ones!
Next is the Manchewe’s Adult Literacy Program. Many girls in Malawi are forced to leave school at a young age due to school fees, or commitments at home. Created in August 2016, Manchewe’s Adult Literacy Programs provides 100+ women (ages 16-82 years old) a second chance to learn. We currently hold classes three times a week; either outdoors or at the local primary school (available only on school holidays).
The Adult Literacy Program has blown up-- with more and more women joining every week! The problem is, we don’t have the space!
Still not convinced? Well, let us help you paint a picture that we see every week:
Meet Beatrice, a 65 year-old great grandmother from Manchewe village. Her husband died last year, leaving her to care for her three grandchildren alone (their mother, her daughter, died of AIDS seven years ago). Beatrice walks to her garden everyday, working tirelessly under the African sun caring for her maize (corn) to provide enough food for her family.
Beatrice was forced to leave school at eight years old because her family could not pay the school fees. She never learned how to read or write, and feels she has lost opportunity because of this… This was until Manchewe Adult Education program started. Beatrice now has a second chance to learn. Three times a week, she walks proudly with her head held high, notebooks clenched in arms, to meet her friends and schoolmates at the Adult Literacy School. Beatrice is excelling in school; she has now learned the alphabet, phonics, and is now starting to read basic sentences. With her newfound confidence, she is planning on joining the local Village Committee to share her voice, and finally at age 63, be heard. We believe this is what true development looks like.
Both of these programs have long-term, sustainable outcomes that are homegrown within the area—they can sustain themselves even if we (the eco-lodge folks) are not around.
The community has dedicated their commitment to the projects by donating two acres of prime land for the community center! All they are lacking is the initial funds to construct the center.
SO, we are reaching out to YOU and YOUR networks to help us raise $9,000 to build three classrooms and one outdoor kitchen. The funds will also provide the necessary start up materials, such as desks, chairs, and chalkboards (money goes far in Malawi…!).
NEW OCT. 2017:
We have STARTED CONSTRUCTION! Using the $6,000 (funds raised so far), the Community School:
-Is constructed out of locally sourced materials (mud/cob bricks)
-Supports the local economy (through employing only local craftsmen)
We still need to raise $3000 to:
-Finish doors, windows, and locks
-Buy cables to connect to local renewable energy source (power from the Manchewe hydro-electric generator)
-Source quality teaching materials; such as chalkboards, books, etc.
Just as it takes a village to raise a child in Malawi, it takes an international village to give back to a community that was dealt a pretty crumby hand in life, but are trying their best to make the most of it.
SO WHAT DO YOU SAY? Give up that fancy latte for a month, spread the word, and support something that is truly worthwhile.
YOU have the power to truly change lives in Malawi.
We promise to keep you all in the loop! Don’t forget to to share the story with your networks, and stay caught up with updates through the Mushroom Farm Malawi via social media:
F A C E B O O K :
https://www.facebook.com/themushroomfarmmalawi/
I N S T R A G R A M :
https://www.instagram.com/themushroomfarmmalawi/
W E B S I T E :
www.themushroomfarmmalawi.com
I CANNOT THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH!
-YEWO! (Thank you in local Chitumbuka language)
S P R E A D T H E W O R D !
S H A R E N O W (with one easy click below)!
My name is Maddy, originally from the States; I have been living in Malawi, East Africa for the last four years co-owning an eco-lodge (www.themushroomfarmmalawi.com) based in a remote village called Manchewe. QUICK SUMMARY:
Manchewe is a pretty special place, full of determined and resilient people. Over the last few years, we have formed the Manchewe Adult Literacy Program and local Nursery Program (both supported by the Eco-Lodge and donations from the local community).
But the problem is that both community projects are in desperate need of a building to house them in! We need $9,000 to build a Community School to house these amazing development programs in before the rain starts (DECEMBER 2017!)
UPDATE: NEW OCT. 2017:
We have STARTED CONSTRUCTION! Using the $6,000 (funds raised so far), the Community School is off the ground, built by local craftsmen using locally sourced materials (clay bricks and sand).
We still need to raise $3000 to:
-Finish doors, windows, and locks
-Buy cables to connect to local renewable energy source (power from the Manchewe hydro-electric generator)
-Source quality teaching materials; such as chalkboards, books, etc.
(the build thus far!)SO, we are now reaching out to YOU and YOUR networks for support!
Want more info? READ ON..!
Never heard of Malawi? That’s okay!
Malawi is a small, landlocked country in East Africa. It currently ranks as the third poorest country in the world, with many families surviving on less than a dollar a day. Along with a struggling economy, Malawi also has their fair share of health and social problems; HIV/AIDS rates are at a whopping 11.6%; and literacy rates (especially for girls and women) remain dangerously low-- only 65% of the population can read or write… It’s fair to say that Malawi has a lot of reasons to be down-and-out. However, after actually living day-to-day in a rural village, I started to let go of these statistics, and instead, started seeing the positive sense of community and daily resilience that is, Manchewe Village.
When you walk down the main dirt road through Manchewe, you do not see despair or sorrow. Instead you hear booming laughter and see glowing faces with smiles that reach ear-to-ear. This is the face of Africa that we don’t often see or hear about in the West.
So why am I telling you all of this, and then asking for money you ask?! Part of the reason we are in Malawi is to encourage existing community development; not forcing our objectives onto developing communities. We can empower Manchewe by providing necessary infrastructure for sustainable growth to blossom on the ground aka “Homegrown Development”.
While living in Manchewe, we (my brother Cameron, boyfriend Kyle, and some good friends) collaborated with the community to start a handful of pretty cool social programs, which are all operated and managed by local staff. Although our eco-lodge donates a percentage of our sales every month, the main support comes directly from the village to pay for the programs upkeep and supplies costs.
Together, we have implemented over 10 social programs including: ‘Manchewe Mountain Mamas’ income generating women’s textiles group, Manchewe Lions football club, Vungu-Vungu Coffee Cooperative, ‘Illuminate Manchewe’ Hydroelectricity Project (energy captured by Manchewe waterfalls and turned into renewable electricity for the village), “Well Wishes” Nursery School, and Manchewe’s Adult Literacy Programs.
All of the social programs have been a great success thanks to the determination and commitment from the community. However, we are still lacking the infrastructure for the “Well Wishes” Nursery School and Manchewe’s Adult Literacy Program-- the two most popular programs.
Lets look deeper into both of these social programs….
We have created the “Well Wishes” Nursery School to provide 25+ infants with nutritional meals and an early start to education; all while allowing their mothers to tend to the fields and work efficiently without an infant on their back to worry about. Currently the nursery school is held in a small mud hut with many cracks and leaks in the roof. As you can imagine, this set-up is not ideal… But the good news? With a small donation, YOU can help provide a classroom for these little ones!Next is the Manchewe’s Adult Literacy Program. Many girls in Malawi are forced to leave school at a young age due to school fees, or commitments at home. Created in August 2016, Manchewe’s Adult Literacy Programs provides 100+ women (ages 16-82 years old) a second chance to learn. We currently hold classes three times a week; either outdoors or at the local primary school (available only on school holidays). The Adult Literacy Program has blown up-- with more and more women joining every week! The problem is, we don’t have the space!
Still not convinced? Well, let us help you paint a picture that we see every week:
Meet Beatrice, a 65 year-old great grandmother from Manchewe village. Her husband died last year, leaving her to care for her three grandchildren alone (their mother, her daughter, died of AIDS seven years ago). Beatrice walks to her garden everyday, working tirelessly under the African sun caring for her maize (corn) to provide enough food for her family.
Beatrice was forced to leave school at eight years old because her family could not pay the school fees. She never learned how to read or write, and feels she has lost opportunity because of this… This was until Manchewe Adult Education program started. Beatrice now has a second chance to learn. Three times a week, she walks proudly with her head held high, notebooks clenched in arms, to meet her friends and schoolmates at the Adult Literacy School. Beatrice is excelling in school; she has now learned the alphabet, phonics, and is now starting to read basic sentences. With her newfound confidence, she is planning on joining the local Village Committee to share her voice, and finally at age 63, be heard. We believe this is what true development looks like.Both of these programs have long-term, sustainable outcomes that are homegrown within the area—they can sustain themselves even if we (the eco-lodge folks) are not around.
The community has dedicated their commitment to the projects by donating two acres of prime land for the community center! All they are lacking is the initial funds to construct the center.
SO, we are reaching out to YOU and YOUR networks to help us raise $9,000 to build three classrooms and one outdoor kitchen. The funds will also provide the necessary start up materials, such as desks, chairs, and chalkboards (money goes far in Malawi…!).
NEW OCT. 2017:
We have STARTED CONSTRUCTION! Using the $6,000 (funds raised so far), the Community School:
-Is constructed out of locally sourced materials (mud/cob bricks)
-Supports the local economy (through employing only local craftsmen)
We still need to raise $3000 to:
-Finish doors, windows, and locks
-Buy cables to connect to local renewable energy source (power from the Manchewe hydro-electric generator)
-Source quality teaching materials; such as chalkboards, books, etc.
Just as it takes a village to raise a child in Malawi, it takes an international village to give back to a community that was dealt a pretty crumby hand in life, but are trying their best to make the most of it.
SO WHAT DO YOU SAY? Give up that fancy latte for a month, spread the word, and support something that is truly worthwhile.
YOU have the power to truly change lives in Malawi.
We promise to keep you all in the loop! Don’t forget to to share the story with your networks, and stay caught up with updates through the Mushroom Farm Malawi via social media:
F A C E B O O K :
https://www.facebook.com/themushroomfarmmalawi/
I N S T R A G R A M :
https://www.instagram.com/themushroomfarmmalawi/
W E B S I T E :
www.themushroomfarmmalawi.com
I CANNOT THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH!
-YEWO! (Thank you in local Chitumbuka language)
S P R E A D T H E W O R D !
S H A R E N O W (with one easy click below)!
Organizer
Maddy McAllister
Organizer
Asheville, NC
