Funding Appeal Nears 50% of target - $4850 raised!

As of September donations have been received for the Epilepsy Clinic ($1250), motorcycle training ($500), playground ($1,000), bicycles ($300), cooking stoves and burner plates ($1,500), the Daily Feeding Program ($100) and the Nutrition Program ($200).

If you are interesting in funding a project please read on to learn more about the items still needing funding.

The photo features the Nutrition Program so critical to helping malnourished children gain weight.  

The Program provides maize soya porridge (provided free 
from Feed the Children International) and chiponde
(fortified peanut butter paste purchased locally).  Malnourished children are weighed and height and MUAC 
(middle upper arm circumference) measurements taken 
biweekly. Maize soya porridge is given to all children 
under weight for their age. Children with a MUAC of 12 cm
or under or who have lost weight will be given chiponde as
 well.  Chiphonde is purchased from Valid Nutrition in Lilongwe and based on current demand we need 5 boxes of chiponde each
 month at a cost of $565 or $6,782 a year. We received one donation for $200 but still need $2000 for this year.

The Daily Feeding Program provides a meal for 
each child attending our rehabilitation programs. Two weeks a month we
serve porridge that is provided by Feed the Children 
International however we 
provide the sugar and salt. One week a month we serve
nsima a local staple that is a protein source, and a 
vegetable. One week a month we serve porridge 
made from rice and groundnut flour. We also serve tea or
a drink and biscuits to the children attending some of the
 outreach clinics, the Epilepsy clinics and the Special Education sessions. Your donation would help us purchase sugar, salt, drinks, tea, powdered milk, biscuits, maize flour, soya pieces, kapenta (dried fish), cooking oil, beans, and spices ($100 a month). So far we have received funding for 1 month but still need 4 more months for this year. ($400)

Parent Workshops provide the parents and caregivers with education about their child’s disability and to teach them how to assist their child at home.   The workshops offered are: 1) Introduction to Disabilities, 2) Importance of Independence in Activities of Daily Living, 3) Importance of Play and Sensory Stimulation, 4) Importance of School, 5) Communication, 6) HIV/AIDS, 7) Puberty Issues, 8) Hearing Impairment (offered once a year prior to the assessments for the MUA School for the Deaf), and 9) Nutrition and Food Security.   

Funding for the workshops includes:  Food for the children and their parents and caregivers as well as the staff members assisting with the workshops. Educational materials for the parents in the form of a booklet (which includes handouts in Chichewa on each topic covered in the workshop), fees for facilitators of the HIV/AIDS Workshop, Puberty Workshop and Nutrition Workshop and materials needed for the workshops like wire, rubber strips, flour, soap, lotion etc.  We need $1000 to carry out the workshops for this year in September and December.

Equipment Loan Program provides the parents and their children with the equipment they need to carry out therapy at home. Funding is required to purchase the raw materials to make special chairs, pillows, arm wraps, walking frames and other pieces of equipment such as harnesses and seatbelts.  $5000.00 for the year or just over $400 a month. We still need $2500 for this year.

We appreciate your interest, your financial help and any assistance you can provide in sharing our story with others!

Together we are making a difference in the lives of 1,000 disabled and disadvantaged children in Lilongwe!