Playing with the kids - Putting training into action

Teaching children to play may seem like an odd concept to us in the western world, but often the most vulnerable children in Malawi have never had anything to play with and as a result can tragically lose that instinct.

Play is an essential part of a child’s development and on Friday the Caregivers at Tiamike Community Based Childcare Centre got to put what they had learned about "Play" into action by running a day of play with over 50 the children at the centre.

This two part training saw them supported by the Joshua team and Early Childhood Development specialists trying out the techniques of play they themselves had enjoyed earlier in the week.

It was another huge success as you can see from the videos and photos. As in the UK cardboard boxes, loo rolls and plastic bottles came into their own - as did hopscotch and catch - classic games all over the world.

A huge thank you to the Jessica Mathers Trust for making this training day possible.

Caregiver Play Day

On Wednesday we took Early Childhood Development Specialist Kim Ferguson and her team of students to Tiamike Community Based Childcare Centre for a fantastic training session on Play.  

The session focussed on taking caregivers back to when they were younger to relive their best play moments. We then set them free amongst materials such as plastic bottles, string, bottle caps and other things found locally or recycled. It was awesome to see this group of adults who are often a bit reserved let loose and get stuck in, remembering their favourite games from childhood...   

We had skipping and jumping games, football, Subbuteo and a fierce game of throw and catch/piggy in the middle, with a Malawian twist. A big favourite with the team in Malawi was the role play in which the women went all out making a fire (from rocks and twigs), mixing Nsima (sand and water), relish (grass and water) - they even served it up for us all to enjoy - it was a joy to behold.  

On Friday we are going back to do it again but this time it will be the caregivers working with the children.

Christmas comes early in Malawi

Christmas came early for 22 families at Chilomoni Health Centre in Malawi yesterday as clothing, blankets and teddies made by Stork Support Knitters in the UK were distributed to vulnerable children from the local area.

New born babies and children under the age of five are acutely vulnerable to preventable and curable diseases in Malawi. The children living in the Chilomoni area on the outskirts of Blantyre are no exception and at the beginning of the rainy season they are particularly vulnerable to coughs and fevers, acute respiratory infections and pneumonia. When pneumonia is combined with malaria it can be deadly.

So keeping these vulnerable youngsters warm and dry during the rainy season is a great step forward in helping to stop them from contracting coughs, colds and pneumonia.

We would like to say a huge thank you to Stork Support Knitters for all their efforts on our behalf, and we had this message from Malawi yesterday:

"The children's parents were very happy and they asked us to thank the donors on their behalf."

  

24th Oct - Early Walk

Before eating breakfast the team undertook a 5am trek to the lone tree visible at the peak of the mountain to catch a view of the sunrise. Not only did we time this perfectly, arriving minutes before the sun rose over the mountains we also managed to explore another Joshua feeding centre situated in thicker more lush vegetation. Despite our collective exhaustion following days of hard work, this not only energised us, but also set the tone for the entire day.

In comparison to other days the work load was less rigorous as the two manual jobs (brick laying and landscaping) wound to a close, as both progressed towards their completion.

With our work completed (foundation slab poured and 1000's of bricks moved and laid) on the teachers house we now pass on the baton to the local builders to complete the skilled elements of the build.

After 20 tonnes of earth moved by pure will power and strength the landscaping was completed ensuring guaranteeing the future of Masika junior primary school.

Within all of this work, many members of the team still managed to enjoy themselves playing with the local children. In particular Fay who spent an afternoon climbing classroom rules and Charlie who enjoyed an evening of collecting tennis balls from the river following a rowdy game of baseball.
As the team finishes its last day of work and looked towards our final day in Manyenje the feeling is overwhelming of gratitude for the villagers consummate kindness and willingness to join us, whether it be in work or play.

Blog entry by Mr. Dan wamphagu Rojas

'wamphagu' - strong man

23rd Oct - Muli Bwanje!

After a restless night featuring Alex Rae's snoring and a rooster we all awoke for another day of project work in Manyenje. We split into three groups, one going to Marys Meals the second going to continue the teachers house and the third in the dust bowl.

At the teachers house the main task was brick laying, with the outside walls growing with increasing speed. The most progress however was made by the landscaping team. The main terrace was completed and the lower terrace was levelled out.

The Marys Meals team enjoyed the time spent with the local children and have made strong bonds with the kids.

Away from our main projects Rob and co. completed the improvements to the tippy taps and some of the landscaping team helped plant up a new tree nursery with the local children. They seeded 153 blue gum trees.

Blog entry by Jack

All Three LP Groups in Action

The day started at various times today, 6.30am for most, 5.30am for cooks and 4.45am for anyone awoken by Faye.

The day quickly gathered momentum; group 3 working in the feeding centre, group 2 landscaping and group 1 on the building site. Being in group 3 I can honestly say I've never met a more likeable group of kids in my life (despite the great escape attempt I halted as I prised a dangling child off the wall).

The experience for group 2 was very different in that their day was spent sweating in a dust bowl, as they shovelled and transported soil behind the new primary school to create terraces. 

Similar was the experience for group 1 as they also spent the entire day in the sun, laying bricks on the new foundations of the teachers house.

In the evening we celebrated Malawian Jo's birthday with balloons and banoffee pie!

Blog entry by Rob

Jump to it!

Today we split into 3 groups. Group 1 worked in Mary's Meals feeding centre and Groups 2 and 3 helped with the building of the teachers house. The Group that worked in the feeding centre found it extremely enjoyable and are very grateful they were given the opportunity to experience such a new but incredibly important part of the community.

The other two groups began the first of the strenuous building  jobs. This involved mixing cement and laying the slab to create the foundation of the teachers house.

Later in the day the Inspector for public works visited the site to check it was up to strict malawian Government standards. The groups work passed with flying colours and received the official stamp of approval!

We taught the children 'jump on it' and it has since become the village dance in my opinion.

Blog entry by Alice

Urgent appeal from Sylvia - Help get Mac back on track

Mac joined Joshua at a time when our vehicles were little more useful than wheelbarrows.

Over the years she has suffered at the hands of Malawi’s “interesting” roads, not to mention encounters with minibuses, pot holes, ditches, flower beds and roundabouts.

However the marriage of Mac to John the driver has enabled Joshua to sustain its operations over the past few years. John has taken Mac by the hand and has given her a new revived and fresh outlook towards the challenges of working for Joshua.

But Mac is not as vibrant as her earlier days and requires a weekly oil top-up. Although there is no harm in giving Mac a weekly gin and tonic in the line of a top-up, a good engine overhaul would indeed be a very welcome Christmas gift.

Having Mac healthy is so important to our work because Mac:

• Deliver’s Likuni Phala to Joshua’s 10 Community Based Childcare Centres which serve over 2,500 meals a week to the poorest infants.
• Takes volunteer health workers out into rural communities to run weekly Health Clinics for under-fives at our Community Based Childcare Centres.
• Gets essential supplies to schools, including uniforms, books, stationery and much more.

Can we revive Mac?  Can we restore her glory?

Yes. Let us respect and restore all that is worthwhile and let us continue to make ends meet along the way. Splashing out on short term quick fix solutions may suffice – but for the long term, an old dog for the long road philosophy may have a lot more substantial long-term benefit for Joshua and the community as a whole. Come what may, tidzakhoza (we will survive).

What are our options?

1. Give Mac an engine overhaul with locally available non-genuine spare parts: £2,000
2. Give Mac an engine overhaul with Toyota spares (locally sourced): £5,000
3. An additional paint job will cost about £2,000
4. Buy a new second hand car to support Mac: £7,500

We want to raise £7,000 to help get Mac back on track
Please help us do this by supporting this urgent appeal with a donation today.

Thank you.