November Malawi Update

Final touches on Kitchen Construction

Introduction
This report highlights the activities that have taken place in Malawi between middle of October and the middle of November, 2015. Apart from the on-going activities like preschool and feeding, Bible Study and Radio Broadcasts; the major project has been the construction of a small facility for preparing food for about 400 children at the child centre that FVM has been supporting since 2010 in Taulo area, Zomba – Malawi.
 
The following is a summary of the activities that took place within the recent period:

• Kitchen construction is in progress in Taulo Community and about 90% of the work is done. It is expected that within the next 7 days it will have been completed
• Preschool and feeding programme continues well: 688 children (350 in Taulo and 338 in Nandolo) are given education and fed with nutritious food five days in a week supported by FVM.
• Weekly Community based Bible Studies (with Pastor Justin Falinya) are going on very well with average number of participants of 40. New Bible study groups are not initiated in the areas where gospel outreach was conducted because the community members have been quite busy in crop field in preparation for the rains
• Radio broadcast of the word of the Gospel is going on well. Very encouraging feedback is being received from time to time
• The summary of the 2015 Secondary School exam results of the 16 students under FVM education support programme indicate that 63% (10) of 16 candidates were successful and are awarded certificates. Improvement from last year when 33% passed.
• Word Vision International has started working in some parts of Taulo area. Discussions are underway between FVM (Malawi office) and World Vision International office to work together in order to avoid duplication and gaps in other areas of development initiatives
• Farm inputs like soybeans and cowpeas (Nandolo) are not yet sourced for the community members to grow in contributing towards the feeding of their children. They are scarce and expensive
• The Child Care Centre (nursery school) FVM has provided to Taulo community has become a multipurpose facility. It helps the community to carry out several activities including meetings with other stakeholders

 
What lies ahead

1. Continued work of constructing a kitchen
2. Meetings with community leaders and World Vision International on development in  Taulo area
3. Eye screening in Taulo to be done first week of December, 2015

Prayer points

• Good rains in the 2015/16 growing season
• God should help in sourcing farm inputs like soybeans and cowpeas (Nandolo)