As you may, or may not know, I am a trustee of a very small charity called UK Friends of Kuunika that was founded in October 2008 and was officially registered as a charity (# SC040485) in Scotland in May 2009 (http://www.friends-of-kuunika-foundation.org/Home).

 

http://youtu.be/0Q4E5qEHZkQ

  

We support the activities of Kuunika Foundation Malawi (KF), which is a local Malawian non-governmental organization (NGO) founded in April 2007. KF's motto is "YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE" - believe me, you can!

  

KF is centered on a children’s care center in Suya village, Chirimba, Blantyre, called Kuunika OVC Care Center. We have a nursery providing food and education for 75 children.  These children have either lost 1 or both parents to HIV, or are considered vulnerable due to abject poverty, severe illness of 1 or both parents or homelessness.  Those who are orphaned are fostered to extended family, or kindly members of the community.  We also regularly provide community education for foster carers, family and local people.

Once the children reach primary age, we pay for them to attend the local primary school, paying for their uniforms, school fees and text books.  We currently have 152 primary children.  We also continue to sponsor those who wish to continue to secondary school education.  At present, we have 9 secondary pupils.

In total we are responsible for the education and nutrition of 236 orphans and vulnerable young children. 

KF’s goal is to develop the capacity of the Center, to enable it to be the hub of various projects within the local community. The organization aspires to become a model of best practice, hoping this model will demonstrate the possibilities for sustainable impact on child rights and welfare with full community involvement, with a view to it being shared and adopted by other organizations and projects throughout Malawi. KF aims to achieve this through an integrated approach to nutrition, public and formal education, family health, HIV/AIDS, gender equality and economic empowerment.

  

I got involved in KF and became a founding Trustee of UK Friends of Kuunika after spending a month in Malawi in 2008. At that time KF were renting a property but with amazing determination and hard work, KF now have their own land, own buildings, a well for fresh water and are a big part of the local community. We have managed (just), to keep things going, with the introduction of community projects that will hopefully provide an income for the school in the future.  For example; a pig husbandry project and a chicken house, to provide eggs.

As we all know there is an awful world recession on at the moment, with the poorest in the world being affected the worst.

  

 

If you would like to support me, you can either donate to may page or you could consider making a regular donation via Just Giving. If you are a UK Tax payer, this can generate even more money for the Charity. All money donated goes directly to the charity and we have an annual report and our accounts are audited. As little as £10 can make a difference.

 

For only £10 per month you could ensure that one nursery child is fed, educated and taken care of if sick.  For only £6.50 per month you could ensure that a primary school child receives education at local state school (incl. tuition fees and school uniform).  For only £155 per year (or £13 per month) you could ensure that a secondary school student receives education (incl. tuition fees, exam fees and school uniform). 

  

 

Please consider your options.  If you feel you are able contribute IN ANY WAY, please visit sponsor me or visit our Just Giving website and give as little or as much as you are able.

 

Please remember YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

 

Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.