Together with my husband Charlie, friend Stephen and his sister Susan (both on the left hand side of the image above) we are walking 50 kilometres (32 miles) in north Wales on Saturday 13th April to raise money for the Capacity Foundation. The distance relates to the narrowest width of Lake Malawi from Nkhotakota in Malawi to Aldeia Nkolongue in Mozambique – ‘walking the lake.’

Stephen set up Capacity Foundation in 2017, as a poverty-relief programme helping 20,000 people in 40 villages in northern Malawi achieve food security and financial independence. Here’s how Capacity does it:

Every year, the Foundation’s adult literacy and numeracy academy teaches about 100 adults to read and write. Over 600 people have graduated to date.

Rural life in Malawi means growing your own food. The Foundation’s farming improvement team shares knowledge of how to increase yield and variety of crops with organic fertiliser made with locally sourced ingredients. About 450 farmers are currently in the programme, but around 1000 families have benefitted since the programme’s inception - gaining a healthier diet and often an abundance of fresh vegetables to take to market.

A microloans programme is currently helping 52 families start or grow small businesses with microloans starting at £75 ($95). This also generates contributions to a Social Action Fund which, under community control, pays for projects such as repairing bridges and culverts.

The Capacity Foundation’s programmes are delivered by 19 local Malawian staff in co-production with the Trustees.

In the past year, the combined effects of Cyclone Freddy, localised floods and a 44% devaluation of the currency has increased need for Capacity’s services, creating a funding gap that needs to be filled quickly. As you can see even small donations go a long way.

I set a personal goal to move more this year, and on hearing the news of the escalating needs in Malawi that Stephen and the Capacity Foundation are aiming to support, I offered to join him in his sponsored walk (and volunteered Charlie also!). We will be supported along the way by Stephen's wife Anne, and friends Hana, Tina and Jaya who will keep us fed and hydrated for the walk, we estimate will take about 12 hours to complete.

See much more detail at www.capacityfoundation.org - and please help Capacity to continue its vital work by supporting 'Walking The Lake.'

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