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Food for the mind !!
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The year 2024 so far ! ( JULY )
In survival mode now due to the Hunger situation in the country! However the Project is managing to stay afloat, thanks to our staff and volunteers who work away no matter what life throws their way. We are able with our crisis fund to help a little for 2 months...really just to keep the Beacon of Hope alive!
But as we have said...Likulezi functions and life goes on. Unfortunately we have lost some of our students due to dropping out with the bad situation of their families and some whole families have migrated to Mozambique in search of food .Our Orphan Education programme suffers as do the students . the loss is not only theirs but the hope of their families gone and indeed of Malawi .itself. Those who are managing to stay in education are using the library now in the holidays.....food for the mind and soul , if not the body
The resilience of people is amazing and we will not lose hope that the situation might improve in the following months if the Government and the International NGO's. intervene to save a worsening situation as the months go by. If this is climate Change then it is the Poor who suffer the consequences mostly.....so sad, so bad !
The year 2024 so far ! ( JULY )
In survival mode now due to the Hunger situation in the country! However the Project is managing to stay afloat, thanks to our staff and volunteers who work away no matter what life throws their way. We are able with our crisis fund to help a little for 2 months...really just to keep the Beacon of Hope alive!
But as we have said...Likulezi functions and life goes on. Unfortunately we have lost some of our students due to dropping out with the bad situation of their families and some whole families have migrated to Mozambique in search of food .Our Orphan Education programme suffers as do the students . the loss is not only theirs but the hope of their families gone and indeed of Malawi .itself. Those who are managing to stay in education are using the library now in the holidays.....food for the mind and soul , if not the body
The resilience of people is amazing and we will not lose hope that the situation might improve in the following months if the Government and the International NGO's. intervene to save a worsening situation as the months go by. If this is climate Change then it is the Poor who suffer the consequences mostly.....so sad, so bad !
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Interim report from Likulezi- Africa Aware
Waiting for Exam results is not easy…especially in Malawi where admission to secondary school is a
selection process dependant on exam results….if you don’t make it…that’s the end of your
education.! But we are now in Holiday time from school…but holiday from school is not really a”
holiday”, in fact most children really miss school until it opens again in September….. It is really”
Work” time! And especially this year after the devastation of Cyclone Freddie which raged across
Malawi at the end of March since homes have to be rebuilt after being torn down. As it happens July
is House building time anyway…when the grasses have grown high enough to make thatch for the
houses. Both adults and children, young and old can be seen carrying huge bundles of grass down
the mountain track and then the long walk home to their villages. In every village can be seen bricks
being moulded, then burnt to be ready for building. Our orphans are busy since children are an
integral part of the workforce. Also at this time of year those of an age are involved in initiation
ceremonies…..to get initiated into adulthood. There is some respite from all the hard work for those
who live near to the Library as they can play chess , read books or listen to storytelling by the
Librarian…and some travel great distances for this pleasure. At the end of August we have the
children’s Likulezi Olympics ( an activity organised by the library) where we have all sorts of sports in
the field below the Library….Races, sack races, high jump, Long jump etc and culminating with a
football match featuring the Likulezi Eagles. The much sought after Prizes are copies pens and
pencils in readiness for the beginning of the school year again !
Waiting for Exam results is not easy…especially in Malawi where admission to secondary school is a
selection process dependant on exam results….if you don’t make it…that’s the end of your
education.! But we are now in Holiday time from school…but holiday from school is not really a”
holiday”, in fact most children really miss school until it opens again in September….. It is really”
Work” time! And especially this year after the devastation of Cyclone Freddie which raged across
Malawi at the end of March since homes have to be rebuilt after being torn down. As it happens July
is House building time anyway…when the grasses have grown high enough to make thatch for the
houses. Both adults and children, young and old can be seen carrying huge bundles of grass down
the mountain track and then the long walk home to their villages. In every village can be seen bricks
being moulded, then burnt to be ready for building. Our orphans are busy since children are an
integral part of the workforce. Also at this time of year those of an age are involved in initiation
ceremonies…..to get initiated into adulthood. There is some respite from all the hard work for those
who live near to the Library as they can play chess , read books or listen to storytelling by the
Librarian…and some travel great distances for this pleasure. At the end of August we have the
children’s Likulezi Olympics ( an activity organised by the library) where we have all sorts of sports in
the field below the Library….Races, sack races, high jump, Long jump etc and culminating with a
football match featuring the Likulezi Eagles. The much sought after Prizes are copies pens and
pencils in readiness for the beginning of the school year again !
Learning chess Home after cyclone! some secondary school “Hopefuls”
September/October Update
Big challenges ahead !
Likulezi has a big challenge now as we come to the end of the year. After 30 years of supporting
Guardians and their Orphans we now find ourselves struggling to meet these needs. Due to the
escalating costs of school fees and of course the word wide increase in the cost of living families
cannot cope and we in turn are finding it difficult to manage our resources. At present we are
supporting 71 families with children at primary and secondary school and supporting 5 students at
3 rd level. We know that we must keep these children in education. If they are forced to Drop out then
this affects not only their hope for a future but also the hopes of their families and communities. If
you can help please see the paypal button or the bank details on this website.
Will Jemusi make it to secondary? |
Judith ready for secondary. |
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Gladus fulfilling her dream.
August Update
September has begun amidst the excitement of the new school year. It is not easy to get as far as
Secondary school here as there are many obstacles in the way…not to mind the fact that its not
automatic…you have to get selected !
Our Library will be very busy from now on as it is stocked up with the school curriculum books…so
both students and teachers will be happy
Some as we see are only just starting on this long journey of schooling and let us hope that they can
make it as far as secondary school and who knows……..maybe even further.!
All of this could not happen without the help of our Orphan sponsors and Donors alike…so a big
Thank you to all ………..Zikomo Kwamberi.
Registering for secondary school |
We made it ! |
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Making primary school uniforms Happy to receive his uniform !
Update for June/ July 2022
Resilience tested to the brink!
Living is proving to be very difficult now as prices of all food commodities escalating
beyond the capacity of the ordinary working person not to mind our village volunteers,
the sick and orphan families. We do know of course that this is not just a problem of our
community here in Malawi but also worldwide……however the poor suffer most in such
circumstances and if their Harvest was poor ( as it was in many places due to the cyclone)
then what are they to do ? Notwithstanding the Project continued as best it could though
the Home Care Evaluation exercise had to be interrupted due to the circumstances.
Highlights
1. An adult Literacy session for the volunteers
2. Permaculture Training for the Orphan guardians,
3. A special session in the Tree Nursery on the health benefits of certain trees.
Meanwhile all other monthly activities continued unabated, whatever the
circumstances…….this is RESILIENCE!
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Trying to make do
Coordinator of Likulezi chatting with students. |
Session on Health benefits of trees
Adult Literacy Session for volunteers |
April is harvest time …the time of hope !
The Harvest !
Unfortunately many of our beneficiaries harvests were affected by a cyclone, with fields destroyed by flooding .
Keeping Hope alive.
However life goes on and we saw 18 Orphan guardians having Small business training and qualifying for business loans. All good wishes to them in their endeavors to sustain their families !
They made it to secondary school!
This is not so easy here as you have to be selected to continue education, depending on results from Primary school exams….. So all good wishes to those who made it ! and so Our Orphans signed on for their fees for secondary school.
Outreach Education resumes
Our outreach education program was able to continue now unabated by covid.
Unfortunately many of our beneficiaries harvests were affected by a cyclone, with fields destroyed by flooding .
Keeping Hope alive.
However life goes on and we saw 18 Orphan guardians having Small business training and qualifying for business loans. All good wishes to them in their endeavors to sustain their families !
They made it to secondary school!
This is not so easy here as you have to be selected to continue education, depending on results from Primary school exams….. So all good wishes to those who made it ! and so Our Orphans signed on for their fees for secondary school.
Outreach Education resumes
Our outreach education program was able to continue now unabated by covid.
Orphan guardian signing for her business loan |
Roseby in her ruined garden |
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Outreach education drama |
Dorothy at her new school
February/March updates
Likulezi back to life in 2022
The yearly rhythm got under way for 2022 after the January break to facilitate planting crops.
The Lucky ones! Those who were able to avail of the projects silos were able to access their grain during this difficult time of the year when Hunger abounds…”the Hungry Season”.
Bi monthly get together! .The HIV/AIDS support group had their first meeting of the year. This is
always an inspiring meeting with discussion, singing, dancing and even a meal ( which is a welcome
bonus during this time of hunger).
Good work! The school uniforms made by the Orphan Saturday sewing school were distributed to
orphans.
Trees for all!
8500 tree seedlings were distributed to villages and schools from the project tree nursery.
The yearly rhythm got under way for 2022 after the January break to facilitate planting crops.
The Lucky ones! Those who were able to avail of the projects silos were able to access their grain during this difficult time of the year when Hunger abounds…”the Hungry Season”.
Bi monthly get together! .The HIV/AIDS support group had their first meeting of the year. This is
always an inspiring meeting with discussion, singing, dancing and even a meal ( which is a welcome
bonus during this time of hunger).
Good work! The school uniforms made by the Orphan Saturday sewing school were distributed to
orphans.
Trees for all!
8500 tree seedlings were distributed to villages and schools from the project tree nursery.
Tea time for ladies of the HIV support group
The Tree nursery
Happy days…the silos have proved their worth !
Getting his new uniform and now Ready for school!
January Update 2022
January, the Crucial month of the year!
Likulezi comes to life in February as January is rest time for the project but not for the life of the community as January is planting time. The most crucial time of the year which needs all hands on board in a poor rural area where the people are totally dependent on having a harvest in April. Most of the project activities cease to allow for this crucial work, except for Visiting the sick and the monthly meetings for the HIV + Support Group. So all hope rests with this work and all good wishes to our community!
Likulezi comes to life in February as January is rest time for the project but not for the life of the community as January is planting time. The most crucial time of the year which needs all hands on board in a poor rural area where the people are totally dependent on having a harvest in April. Most of the project activities cease to allow for this crucial work, except for Visiting the sick and the monthly meetings for the HIV + Support Group. So all hope rests with this work and all good wishes to our community!
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Volunteers busy planting. Members of the HIV+ support Group at their monthly meeting.
December Update 2021
Ending 2021……………………Phew!
Likulezi arrived into 2022 intact having negotiated the stops and starts of covid 2021 successfully! Most scheduled activities took place, and the Orphans managed to go to school with some interruptions. Sadly 3 of our volunteers died ( none from covid ), and let us hope that that keeps away in 2022. We now have 243 volunteers ….51 men and 192 women and 15 staff.
It was a busy year with workshops, trainings, Home Care evaluations, The Drama Group conducting awareness campaigns, The Library stocked up with the school curriculum books, Chess club expanded, the Likulezi Olympics held, the tree seedlings lanted and distributed to the surrounding villages, all Orphans sponsored for their education, the silos filled with the harvest, the sewing circles working away etc etc.
We are to be seen on our facebook page:”Africa Aware: likulezi project Malawi” and now our Education project is on www.globalgiving.org “ Add Education to resilience for HIV/Aids recovery”. If in a generous mood donations can be given via Global Giving or via the donate button on our website.
And so into 2022 with Hope in our hearts!
However since a picture paints a thousand words, see below photos of 4 of the activities of 2021!
Likulezi arrived into 2022 intact having negotiated the stops and starts of covid 2021 successfully! Most scheduled activities took place, and the Orphans managed to go to school with some interruptions. Sadly 3 of our volunteers died ( none from covid ), and let us hope that that keeps away in 2022. We now have 243 volunteers ….51 men and 192 women and 15 staff.
It was a busy year with workshops, trainings, Home Care evaluations, The Drama Group conducting awareness campaigns, The Library stocked up with the school curriculum books, Chess club expanded, the Likulezi Olympics held, the tree seedlings lanted and distributed to the surrounding villages, all Orphans sponsored for their education, the silos filled with the harvest, the sewing circles working away etc etc.
We are to be seen on our facebook page:”Africa Aware: likulezi project Malawi” and now our Education project is on www.globalgiving.org “ Add Education to resilience for HIV/Aids recovery”. If in a generous mood donations can be given via Global Giving or via the donate button on our website.
And so into 2022 with Hope in our hearts!
However since a picture paints a thousand words, see below photos of 4 of the activities of 2021!
Agriculture workshop
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Chess at the Library |
Orphan Patrick with his guardian |
