Those boots...

Do you remember those Thomas the Tank Engine gumboots? They travelled from South Australia to the village of Makuluni and onto the feet of a two year old named Prince. I saw those gumboots again with my own eyes in December 2012...Prince is now 4 and WAY too grown up (and has of course outgrown) for those boots...and there they are on the feet of another little guy in the village! A gift that keeps on giving!!

Excitement as Suzanne and Neisha's Visit gets closer

It was just yesterday, Saturday the 1st December 2012, when I visited Monjole Community Primary School to follow up developments leading to Suzanna and Neisha's pending visit. The morning sun appeared with a dry heat withering the young maize plants in the fields, the poor plants all looked like onions - global warming is here. In an ideal situation, the young fields would have been flapping their leaves in wet breeze, this is rainy season but yet dry. I head that the now unpredictable and unreliable rain poured heavily the past two weeks and one by one, people flocked out to their fields for planting. Since then, it has been dry and for most of them, the seed they entrusted the soil with was the only lot they could afford. So, looking around, there is a sombre mood around, everyone is silently praying for the rains.

The meeting at the school with teachers and the school Committee was good. Every one is expectant. In 2009, they received the gift of shoes and that was unbelievable.It was absolutely incredible when they heard that the same Suzanna is visiting them,  to meet the pupils and shake their hands. They are very appreciative.

The school has an enrollment of 2187 learners from class 1 up to 8. Ideally, one class is supposed to at least accommodate 60 pupils.  With this enrollment, they needed 25 classrooms but have only10. Most of the learners have classrooms outside, under trees. In this rainy season, there are no lessons going on for the outside classrooms. As we approach the 2015, one wonders whether Monjole primary School in Makuluni is included in the Millennium Development Goals. Again, one wonders whether Education for All Goals are indeed meaningful for them. The 10 classrooms have no desks, they write from their lap, a posture that leaves their neck aching.

The enrollment is huge and the magic that attracts pupils to school is the school meals programm, thanks to WFP. Learners have at least one hot ration of nutritious porridge taken at mid morning. With the prevailing lean season in Malawi and Monjole community in particular, each and every child is sent to school to access the meal and for most of them , that is the only meal they depend on. In fact, weekends are not welcome, school days are good, there is an assurance of food for the day besides education.Unfortunately, there are only few serving plates, when others are eating, the rest remain on the queue waiting for the plates from their friends' hands (its plastic plates costing less than 50 cents each, just imagine). I was shocked and have pledged to buy the serving plates for them.

When I inquired about their priority, they asked for desks for at least standard 8 learners. During annual national examinations,  candidates have problems, they write from their lap. So anything you good friends have contributed will go towards procurement of desks for at least standard 8 class.

In general, everyone feels so much special that some people in Australia have a heart for them. They are planning all sorts of performances, dances, songs, poems and what have you. Suzanna and Neisha will join the dance troupe, its gonna be fun packed day. I hear that besides mentioning the 'Australians' in their songs, they are also mentioning Suzanna, Josiah, Caitlyn and Karen. As for the rest of us, lets ride with the 'Australians' and the four shoe pals!

Once again, thank you very much for all the contributions you have made in cash and kind, they are going to make a difference and that is what we are trying to do; bring a change.

On behalf of Monjole Community Primary school learners and their teachers, communities members in Makuluni Village (including children who feared the shoes, crying and some getting psychological troubled of the things on their little feet); community members from the four surrounding villages which feed the school with learners; Nsikita, Malunda, Namaja and Mulelemba; and indeed on my own behalf, I want to thank you all friends in Australia for your kindness and sharing spirit. We cant wait for Suzanna and Neisha's visit.   

A little more kindness...

" A little more kindness grows in the world each time we give from our hearts"

(Holly Gerth)

Another door is just waiting to be opened...bring it on!

auction items...

It was supposed to be a SILENT auction - the noise was from the floor of bidders, little done silently! so much fun to see the competition and the items of greatest interest!! a huge thank you to our auction sponsors who donated items that made it such great fun and such a success !

Rolf Binder : Veritas Winery
http://www.veritaswinery.com/

Laptop Plus
http://www.laptopplus.com.au/

Bruce Hobby ( Photographer)
http://www.brucehobby.com.au/

Jasmine Potts
"Mum's Cooking"
http://www.mumscooking.net.au/

OzAsia Festival

Goldilocks Hair
George Sekoulidis
184 Tynte Street, North Adelaide

Fox Real Estate
http://www.foxrealestate.com.au/

Westernpacific Financial Group
http://www.westernpacific.com.au/

Pack and Send
www.packsend.com.au/marion
www.packsend.com.au/lonsdale

Outcome Accounting
08 8239 1143

JoGan Haulage
Brett and Ali Skipworth

Chiroactive
Dr Geoff McCann
geoff@chiroactive.com.au

City of Onkaparinga
Wakefield House Community Centre

John Cassidy
Lochness Fencing
0409322414

...and beautiful donations of produce and items by Audrey,Poni,Neisha,Chris,Karen and John and Margot Sexton - the GOAT!!

How about beginning with the food preparation...

Oh my goodness - it was stunning! With all hands on deck for the food preparation, Francois tackled the onions...dozens of them! Oceane tackled the kale...poni directed,instructed, created and held the floor throughout the day and night! stunning food that shocked people with its quality - from the hard boiled eggs to the spit roast goat to the curries, the samosas, the surprise donation of a baked salmon, desserts to choose from..just a wonderful spread, created with love!

What a wonderful night!

What can I write? the evening defied all expectations and it was a demonstration of just how very much loved are Virginia and the children of the village of Makuluni. Makuluni, Malawi is well and truly on the map, not only of atlases but of the hearts of so many who have been touched by the project. It is difficult to know where to begin...

Feast for Friends

And so we enter the final phase of the 'footprint project'. We are hoping with all our hearts that this is not the end but the beginning of a new phase and new adventures!

Friday the 30th July will see the Feast for Friends held at Wakefield House at Morphett Vale, SA. We have taken the approach of having nothing to lose and everything to gain in our celebration of the achievements of so many people over the past (almost) two years.

It is vital that as privileged individuals living in a beautiful and free country we do not become complacent about the situation of others. Very importantly, we need to remember that while there are certainly people suffering in our own country, our responsibility as part of the global community is not diminished by this fact. Our activity - or lack of activity- in supporting universal health, goodwill and peace will eventually, sooner or later, impact on us in Australia. The concept of 'global neighbours' is becoming more and more apparent and literal - the countries that surround Australia are becoming more and more a significant part of our economy and health status. Wars, faltering and failing economies,disease,climate change and pollution are impacting upon us all and it is critical that our 'world view' extends beyond the boundaries of our own four walls.

For this fundraising dinner we are inviting local businesses to contribute through donations of meal ingredients and items for the Silent Auction. In return, we will promote the local businesses, encouraging those who attend the dinner to remember local businesses when shopping. In this way the dinner will be not only supporting an international cause but also local causes and businesses.

Ingredients for the dinner will be purchased through independent grocers such as local IGA's as opposed to the large supermarkets and fair trade products will be sourced wherever possible.

The countdown is on...30th July @ 7pm is rapidly approaching...goat cooked on a spit, traditional foods of a variety of countries of the African continent and a wonderful celebration!