November 2010

Welcome...

To Chimwemwe’s November focus, in which you will hear how children’s lives are being transformed through your support. We tell a story of a boy who is showing care for his friends and family. We also show you how your support is giving children a voice to influence change in their lives. It is our hope that you will enjoy reading our news.

Chikondi Makes Caring Fashionable

In groups of young people at risk, it is usually not seen as ‘cool’ to be helpful and kind towards others. Caring is particularly difficult for children and youth who have received poor quality care from others in their own lives. At Chimwemwe, we model pro-social behaviour and encourage children to assist and give to others. One child who is showing care is a 15 year old boy Chikondi who is physically challenged. His right leg is crippled and he uses crutches for movement. However, unlike most people with this kind of challenge, Chikondi is not using his condition as an excuse from helping his family and friends.

Born in a family of three children and although he has parents alive, the family has been struggling to support itself. The father works as a security guard from which he earns less than £20 a month. This is not enough to sustain the family the entire month. Chikondi’s family owns a piece of land but for some time, it has not been utilised. Recently, with support from Chimwemwe, Chikondi has started cultivating the land and they have planted maize in order to have food for their family. The mother is also helping with the farming now. This is not Chikondi’s only influence, at Chimwemwe, he is helping other smaller children with their school work; both in literacy and numeracy. The helpful behaviour has now extended to his school, where Chikondi is helping young pupils both with their class work but also in various recreation activities. Chikondi is not feeling sorry for himself because of his physical challenge but rather has high self-esteem.

“I enjoy helping my family and my friends. When I help them, I have a sense of personal power and self worth. I thank people at Chimwemwe for believing in me. My dream is to help people in my community to come out of their deep poverty”. Chikondi Says

Chikondi is a Chichewa word, Malawian major language and it means ‘love’. Indeed, love is what Chikondi is giving to his community despite being physically challenged

Double Impact for Children

For the first time in their lives, children at Chimwemwe have a couple of platforms to stand on and make the world hear their voices. This follows the generous gesture accorded to them by Rotarians of the Howe of Fife in Scotland. The Rotarians have kindly donated space on their website specially for Chimwemwe news. Already, the website: www.rotaryhoweoffife.org/ has hosted three of Chimwemwe’s news publication and the children in Malawi are very excited with the development. Some girls and boys have started writing stories about their lives, what they like and how they would want people to treat them. Their wish is to tell the world about their dreams through the website.

This is not the first time the Rotarians have supported Chimwemwe. Since its establishment, they have faithfully helped in every project and this is not being taken for granted here in Malawi.

The donation will make a double impact in the children’s lives as Chimwemwe’s own website; www.chimwemwe.net is also running every day. 

Chimwemwe Children’s Centre

Emails:amanda@chimwemwe.net

mac@chimwemwe.net

Website: www.chimwemwe.net