Telephone: 01557 330687
Email: catholicchurchgalloway@btinternet.com
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Malawi Project
Our "Brocante" raised over £1300 for charity purposes. £500 was sent to support work being done in Chimteka which is in Malawi. Some background:- The overall population of Chimtaka (2898 v 3702) is distributed across 17 villages. There are approximately 717 households in the area. The typical number of people in a household is 4 - 10 and the typical number of children in a house is 4 to 8. There are (1908 v 2389) children (persons under age 15 years) in Chimteka and 31% of these children are orphans. The policy of Chimteka, as in Malawi generally, is not to confine orphaned children to a separate building/instituation. Children who lose all adult relatives are taken in and provided for by local families. Popular games among these children are football, running, skipping, tug of war and traditional dances. English is taught at school and the Malawian language is Chichewa.
Chimteka, in the centre region of Malawi is a cluster of 20 villages, 120k from the capital Lilongwe with a population of 3700, Malawi is one of the 10 poorest countries in the world with nearly 70% of the people below the poverty line. In recent years the country has been ravaged by famine and malnutrition and decimated by the scourge of aids. Nearly one third of the children under the age of 5 are HIV positive.
Chimteka Children Support was founded by Dr. Phil Dineen in March 2004 to help the orphaned children of Chimteka and is now a registered charity.
The overall goal of the Chimteka Children Support is to develop and promote self help schemes among the Chimteka community by providing financial help, equipment and materials.
Our contact there, John Harrison writes reports regularly on what is happening and this is a short extract from his last report:
"Meeting with several borehole drilling contractors to discuss our 7 borehole program. Meet with the contracts manager of Water Boring to discuss the program. After discussions I am directed to go and mee Managing Director. After prolonged discussions we eventually agree on an inclusive price per borehole and payment terms. Have further investigations of proposed borehole sites most of the sites are fairly obvious due to a complete lack of a safe water source. Survey shows all the sites will provide a yield of water"
For more information visit www.chimtekachildrensupport.com.
Thank you for your continuing support, and anyone wishing to make a donation to the work of Chimeteka Children Support can do so through the Parish House.