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.

Clean water - from Dorset to Malawi

It's often on a Friday, the end of the working week that a story comes my way and I feel inspired by the incredible generosity the people of the UK show time and time again for the people of Malawi.

And today is no different, young pupils at Sherborne Abbey Primary School focused their fundraising efforts for ten months last year and raised enough to install an urgently needed water tank at Mbinda Primary School - a school very different from their own, but one they wanted to help in order to improve life for some fellow Primary School students on the other side of the world.

They raised an incredible £1,000 by organising a Lentern breakfast, making bracelets, collecting money at the Harvest Festival, selling cakes and more.

And it’s not stopped there - this year they are focusing their efforts on raising money for urgently needed textbooks - what superstars they are!

It is estimated that more than 2.4 million people living in Malawi don’t have access to clean water. As a result roughly 3,500 children die every year from diarrhoea caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation.

This water tank will ensure that some of the most vulnerable children in Malawi are no longer at risk from drinking unsafe water at school.

We are delighted that the two schools have formed this link and when our trustees David and Marjorie Pearson were in Malawi earlier this year they delivered letters from pupils at Sherborne Abbey Primary School to pupils at Mbinda - and all 60 have been responded to. It looks like the start of a fantastic long distance friendship - and many more happy Fridays to come.

Joshua runs a range of water projects, from constructing water tanks and bore holes, too educational workshops on how to make water safe and how to use it properly to keep healthy. To find out more click here.

If you would like to partner with a school in Malawi, contact Heather on heather@joshuainmalawi.org.uk to find out more.