UPDATE 5/22: In less than 24 hours, we have met our $5k goal!!! While building is under way now, we’re still getting pricing quotes on several essential building materials (see below). Like with any building project, as unexpected costs arise the exact “goal” amount could shift. If this story inspires you and you still feel moved to contribute, feel free - the more money we have, the more we can guarantee we can cover it all and build a sturdy, quality home that will last for many years. And know that every extra dollar we have beyond that will be given directly to Margaret & Lucia to aid in their day to day life & settling into their new home.

OUR STORY:

We’re Kelsey and Chris, and we are reaching out to ask for your help.

With just 5 weeks left in Malawi, in the midst of packing and shipping all our belongings around the world, we have decided to do something big….

We are building a house.

Let me back up…

As you know, we have been living and working in Malawi for the better part of a decade. Chris arrived in 2019 to teach at a secondary school, and I (Kelsey) came in 2020 to work with an NGO called Seed Global Health to train local nurses at a hospital in Blantyre. We met shortly after I arrived, bonded over a shared love of adventure, and have since built a life here together with our now 14-month-old son, Felix. Next month we are leaving Malawi to spend the summer in the US and UK before heading to Vietnam in August.

But someone you might not know is Margaret, an integral part of our lives. She is our housekeeper, who has worked for Chris since he moved to Malawi. Margaret has become part of our family, and we now consider her a dear friend. Her daughter, Lucia, is now our nanny, and together they go the extra mile every day to look after us, Felix, and our home (literally, they travel 2 hours each way by foot to get to our house). They’ve supported us through malaria, the pandemic, daily water and power outages, and now parenthood as well as all the daily details of life in Malawi. If you've ever visited us here, you know that Margaret’s stories and laughter fill our home with welcomed joy and hilarity.

Why We’re Raising Funds

In Malawi, structural engineering is a massive challenge. People here build a shelter based on what they can afford, what is available, and what they can find. Every year the rainy season comes, causing mass flooding due to limited drainage systems. Houses fall away and disappear, and the spread of disease becomes prolific as outdoor communal lavatories flood and spread waste through the townships.

In 2023, I wrote about Cyclone Freddy, a storm that devastated southern Malawi, causing widespread landslides and flooding that killed hundreds of people and displaced thousands. Margaret and Lucia’s home was damaged in the flooding, and although at the time it seemed salvageable, two years of continued weathering and rain damage have caused structural cracks to worsen beyond repair.

In time, the walls will eventually collapse, and they know this acutely – in 2022, Margaret lost her 3-year-old grandson on a day like any other when he went to his local daycare. An external wall had become saturated with water from torrential rains, causing it to cave in and crush two of her grandsons. One was sent to the hospital with light scratches, and the other unfortunately did not make it. I met them at the hospital with cookies and oranges for one son, and a wad of cash for funeral transportation for the other. To put it lightly, Margaret, Lucia, and their family have been through some shit. Most Malawians survive a tough life.

Photos of major damage to floors, walls & ceiling beam:

Current outdoor pit latrine:

Margaret has never asked us for help.

She's an incredibly hardworking matriarch who raised her family alone after her husband's passing nearly 20 years ago, supporting them by cleaning houses, selling chickens, and growing her own maize on a small plot of land. Margaret’s intention was to try and save the money needed to repair her home over time.

But the math is...not pretty: we estimate that rebuilding will cost $5,000 (~8.7 Malawian Kwacha). Minimum wage = $28/month, and Margaret earns ~$173/month. With a rapidly devaluing currency, a global inflation crisis, and rising food and fertilizer prices, life for the majority in Malawi is near impossible to survive. Saving enough money to do this on her own AND have enough to survive day to day life is impossible. She doesn't stand a chance.

Margaret and Lucia have always been so generous with their time and care, embracing us like their own. Over time, we have come to understand how difficult their life is, and how the state of their house is deeply weighing on them. The broken floors and unstable walls are dangerous. Unpredictable power cuts plunge the house into darkness, increasing the risk of hazards in their own home.

In an expression of her helpless desperation, Margaret has recently said, “in Malawi, people my age die fast because of stress and bad living environments. Without a home, I could be dead next year. I cannot let my family sleep on the road. Life in Malawi is like hell. You work hard, but you can't survive. You can't compete."

With our upcoming move to Vietnam, we know Margaret & Lucia are extremely anxious about what the uncertain future holds. They have no guarantee of continued employment and income. Along with the current state of their house, they are vulnerable. We decided that we cannot leave Malawi without helping them, and we must know that they are going to be okay. We have to ensure that their basic human need to have shelter is met. So, with only a few weeks left here...we have decided to help rebuild their home.

Tens of thousands of bricks Margaret made herself:

Plot of land where laying the foundation has begun:

What a typical Malawian house looks like:

What is Needed

Although building a home in Malawi costs far less than it would in the US or UK, the project has grown beyond what we initially imagined. We have already fronted a large proportion of the cost, but we humbly concede that as a single income household with a young child, we can’t finish this alone. But more importantly: we can’t leave Margaret and her family without a home. We need your help.

To get the project started, we have already paid for the following:

Construction is underway -- the original house has been demolished. Margaret, Lucia and three children are currently squeezed into a crowded temporary house as builders start laying the foundation of their new home.

Every donation, big or small, goes directly toward:

We are deeply committed to completing the project before we leave, so time is of the essence. We strongly believe in the power of community coming together to help those in need. We are also committed to transparency, and we are happy to share a detailed breakdown of costs and photo updates when possible as the project continues. Leftover funds (if any) will go directly to Margaret & Lucia for their day to day living costs.

How You Can Help

We hope that you consider donating to help rebuild Margaret’s home through this fundraiser.

Please note that GoFundMe takes a small percentage of your donation that we never see. If you’d like to avoid platform fees, you can send support directly through Venmo to @Kelsey-Renning and write “home rebuild” in the reference details.

All donations will be withdrawn from GoFundMe into Kelsey’s American bank account, exchanged at the daily rate into Malawian Kwacha, and distributed directly to the builders and vendors in cash.

Even just $10 goes a long way here, but if you are not able to give right now, sharing this fundraiser with friends, coworkers, or family makes a big impact too.

Thank you for helping us honor the people who have made Malawi feel like home during our time here.

With deepest gratitude,

Kelsey, Chris & Felix

on behalf of Margaret, Lucia & Family