Just over 2 years ago St. Michael's Plas Newton, was encouraged by two parishioners, Lorraine and Dave Cawley, to join them in supporting Mwantalasha school in Zambia. They initially became aware of the school through a previous curate at St Micahel's called Patches Chabala.
After hearing about the plight of the school children, of how many were unable to afford to eat properly during their lunch breaks and that they didn't have the funds to complete their schooling, Loraine and Dave decided to do something about it. Their plan was to help fund the schooling of the children and to provide them with nourishing lunches. Their idea was simple but effective. They asked people to sponsor a child for just £10 a month, an amount of little consequence to most people in in the UK but a life-changing figure to a child in Zambia.
Two years down the line and together with the support of the local Plas Newton community, Lorraine and Dave have transformed their personal project into a registered charity called, Mwantalasha Village Education Project. But the real transformation has occurred in the lives of the children and their families in a school in Zambia.
The charity is now able to pay for state school fees and provide a midday meal as for all 73 children every day of the school week.
In addition, the children have each been given a warm blanket for the cold winter nights due to the altitude and during the recent COVID crisis the charity has provided funds for soap, facemasks (a government requirement in public) and emergency food aid.
As a direct result of the COVID outbreak, the local farming industry has collapsed. They used to grow roses and export them, but orders have shrunk to almost zero leaving parents without an income. Upon hearing about this situation, the charity is now helping those who have lost their jobs to be able to afford to buy food.
Phil Roberts, a trustee of the charity says; " You can see the tranfomation that an education brings to the children. They now have confidence. They now believe they can see their schooling through to the end and not be hungry during the school day. They are full of smiles and have a chance of a povitive future."
If you, or your church, would like to know more, please contact LorraineCawley50@yahoo.com