Folk from Our Enterprise and HTA architects are running this years Hairy Haggis Challenge at the Edinburgh Marathon to raise money for Chimbota School in Malawi. At the same time pupils and teachers at Chimbota will be running their own marathon around Nkata Bay in friendship and solidarity. All funds raised will go to the running of the school. There are 6 teams running in Edinburgh and 48 pupils and teachers are running in Malawi.

In remote areas of Malawi, secondary education relies on the enterprise of folk other than the state. In a wonderful partnership, Our Enterprise and HTA architects are joining forces with the local communities in Nkata Bay to help Chimbota School on their remarkable journey to provide high quality education to local boys and girls.

In 2015 Alan Caldwell, a director at Our Enterprise, visited his daughter in Malawi and was introduced to Phillip Chibisa who took him to see Chimbota. When they said they were building a school, what they meant was that they were making the thousands of bricks to then make the school. The whole community is behind this project and the land was bought in 2013. The first class was held in 2014 and over a 100 pupils each year now get the highest quality education. Chimbota's enterprise and energy knows no bounds. They are just about to open a local maize mill, helping their community and securing an income for the school. They are an inspiration!

When Alan shared this story with his friend and colleague Sandy Morrison at HTA Architects, the two companies decided to join forces to help Chimbota. HTA held a competition to design accommodation for pupils so they can board at the school as many (especially girls) live several hours from the school. While that project takes shape over the next year, folk at HTA and Our Enterprise decided to run the Hairy Haggis Challenge to raise funds for the everyday running of the school. It has captured the imagination and support of so many in the two companies. We do hope you will give generously to support this project.

If you wish to extend your support to Chimbota to supporting an annual bursary (only £7 per month could change the life of a youngster) or other fundraising please get in touch with Alan Caldwell alan@ourenterprise.com who will connect you directly with the school.

Further info:

https://m.facebook.com/ChimbotaPrivateSecondarySchool/