As you might have seen, Jenny and I were very fortunate to be able to visit “the warm heart of Africa” – Malawi – last month. We were captivated by its many wonders (wildlife, Lake Malawi, ancient art) and, most importantly, its extraordinary people. I’ll be sharing batches of images/short videos over the coming weeks, which I hope you will enjoy and might offer some insight in this fantastic country.

However, Malawi is also one of the poorest nations on earth – in fact the 4th poorest n Africa. With a national average daily wage under $2 and most people living day by day in a subsistence economy, it’s a constant struggle. This is further compounded by a foreign exchange and fuel crisis.

During our time at Cape Maclear, on the shores of Lake Malawi, we stayed at the Lake House. Its owner established the remarkable Mango Tree Nursery right behind the house, an amazing initiative providing kids with breakfast and lessons. We’ve never seen children so enthusiastic and eager to learn. [A short clip will be posted below].

Here’s a proposal. My birthday is in three weeks (November 21st, I’ve set up a JustGiving page for donations to Changing Stars Malawi – the UK-based charity that helped build the nursery. I have spoken directly with the founders and very much approve of their ethos of working in partnership with local people,

May I ask that if you enjoy the upcoming content and are in a position to do so, you please consider making a small donation? Any amount, even £1 or £2, makes a profound difference.

To give you an idea of the impact:

• £10 provides formula milk for a baby for a full month

• £25 sponsors a child to attend nursery for a year

https://www.justgiving.com/page/ian-ground-formalawi?utm_medium=FA&utm_source=CL

Of course, please do remember to tick the Gift Aid box for that extra 25%.

Thanks again for reading, and, whether you contribute or not, I hope you enjoy the coming images.