Introduction
This reports highlights some activities which took place in the month of July, 2016. The activities included: 30 years of Trans World Radio (TWR) ministry and 15 years of broadcasting in Malawi, preschool and feeding programme, Bible Study and Gospel Outreaches, Radio broadcasts, several meetings at a district level with other stakeholders in developmental, and follow up on eye screening exercise.

Trans Word Radio (TWR) Celebration

FVM was fully involved in the celebration of 30 years TWR ministry and 15 years of broadcasting in Malawi. Prior to broadcasting directly from Malawi, TWR was reaching out the world from Manzini, Swaziland. This is the radio FVM is using to spread the good news to millions of people through the two programmes.

It was such a momentous time to meet hundreds of TWR listeners, and a few producers, technicians and other co-workers in the ministry, many for the first time. The producer of our Tumbuka Programme is Dumisani Prince Tembo, a brother whom I discipled in SCOM some time ago, whereas Feston Kawawa is a producer of the Chichewa Programme, Kulingalira Mozama.

Preschool & Feeding Programme: End of Year
Currently, preschool and feeding programme is on annual break. The two day off-season feeding programme is yet to start as materials are yet to be acquired.

Spiritual Care Programmes
Weekly Bible Study is going on well. The local pastors and FVM staff facilitate the studies.There was a gospel outreach at GVH Chimbalanga 2, the adjacent community to Taulo. About 90% of the 200 participants indicated to have decided for God for the first time.

Weekly Radio Broadcasts of the Gospel on TWR in local languages of ChiTumbuka and Chichewa continue very well with encouraging testimonies. There are several testimonies including cross border regions “Ndimadalitsika kwambiri ndikamamva ulaliki wanu pa TWR (I am always blessed when I listen to your messages on TWR),” says a listener Matias Phiri from Zambia.

Education Assistance
 
FVM has been assisting about 64 students in Secondary School and Tertiary education with tuition fess annually. Justin Chimpeni, who studied Bachelor of Science – Environmental will be graduating on Wednesday, 10th August, 2016 after successfully completing the course. He has passed with credit. Justin has been receiving education support from FVM since his first year in college four years ago.
 
New School Session
Some Colleges (like College of Medicine, Bunda College of Agriculture and The Polytechnic are expected to commence their first semesters in August on the dates yet to be communicated.Secondary School year (2016/17) will commence on 5th September, 2016.
 
What lies a head

• Eye surgery
  
• District Child and Albinos Protection Awareness in Taulo
  

Introduction
This reports highlights some activities which have taken place in the month of June, 2016. These activities include: preschool and feeding programme, Bible Study and Gospel Outreaches, Radio broadcasts, training in tailoring, attendance of Day of African Child at a national level, eye screening exercise.
 
Women Empowerment: New Sewing Machines
A two day training workshop in tailoring was held with 25 participants of which 80% (20) were women. The three new sewing machines which were acquired few weeks ago were handed over to the community members making a total of 6 at the centre. “Ife poyamba timayesa kuti ndi masewera koma pano tikuthokoza kwambiri a FVM chifukwa tayamba kudziwa kusoka ndipo tithandizika kupanga malonda a zovala (initially, we thought it was just a joke but now we are thankful so much to FVM because we are acquiring the tailoring skill and this will help us do business with the fabric),” said Mrs. Chimera, one of the trainees.

Preschool & Feeding Programme: End of Year
After teaching and feeding the (about) 700 children for the whole year, it’s time to have an annual break from July to September. Only feeding programme will still be going on with playing activities at most twice in a week. The actual graduation and details of the children will be updated after the event in the next two weeks.

Trans World Radio (TWR) Celebration
TWR is a well-known Christian radio station that touches the lives of many people worldwide. It is celebrating 30 years of ministry and 15 years of broadcasting in Malawi. FVM is one of its partners as it is this radio station that FVM uses three times in a weak to spread the good news in local languages of Tumbuka and Chichewa. The regional function will take place in Zomba City on 30 July, 2016. FVM is part of the organising team of the event.
 
Chartless Malula graduates
Chartless was the first community health worker to work closely with FVM way back in 2010. In 2012 Chartless enrolled for further studies to do nursing and midwifery at St. Luke’s Nursing College. Being a committed and kind health worker, he easily got along with Peter and Susan McPhedran who funded his initial tuition fees. Now he has graduated with diploma in Nursing and Midwifery. He has committed to serve the people of Taulo for a while on voluntary basis as he waits for the government appointment and deployment.
 
Eye Scree Exercise
There was quite a successful eye screening exercise in Taulo community. Five eye specialists from Zomba Government Hospital conducted the activity with the community based help of the volunteers who were trained four years ago in eye care. The following is a simple statistics of how the activity was done:

• 94 people had their eyes screened
• 2 people need review after 3 months
• 12 need surgery & treatment
• 17 people received free eye glasses from Malawi Government Ministry of Health through Lions Norway
• 67 people were given medicine

Arrangements are underway with the Eye Department of Zomba Central Hospital for further treatment and surgery of the 12 patients identified on this day.

Introduction
 
In May, the major activities were the usual ones: preschool and feeding programme, Bible Study and Gospel Outreaches, Radio broadcasts and purchase of sewing machines. Sadly, we lost one of the students under FVM Education Assistance programme, Esther who was doing her final year at University of Malawi, Chancellor College, Bachelor of Social Science – Development. The report also highlights the plight of people with albinism in Malawi.
 
Preschool & Feeding Programme: Tremendous work of Volunteers
One of the unique and consistent intervention towards the development of the communities FVM is carrying out its activities in is child development through the provision of education and nutritious food. Total of 700 children are provided with nutritious Likuni Phala (soybeans fortified with maize) five days in a week throughout the year. The community members freely prepare the meals for their children thereby promoting community participation in and community ownership of programme. To supplement this provision of the meals by FVM, the people voluntarily work in the field to produce maize (corn), unfortunately the rain has not been good enough over the past two years.

Three new sewing machines have been acquired in order to enhance women skill development that is intended to lead to self-reliance of households through women empowerment. It is expected that after the people involved in the training get enough skills, they will be to replicate into business and eventually acquire their own machines through the proceedings from their products. The machines are provided as a starter up capital. The machines still remains to be the property of the community.

Innocent Mtegha – Involvement in Voluntary Work
Innocent is a young man in his second year at the University of Malawi - Chancellor College doing Bachelor of Social Science and is yet to specialise.  He requested to do volunteer work in the communities FVM is currently working in Malawi. He has been  involved in several activities in Taulo. He enjoys doing all kinds of community work including spending time with the children at the child care centre. He also does all kinds of work with the community based volunteers.

Update on Pastor Falinya
Pastor Justin Falinya is slowly but steadily recovering from the stroke. Newton had a considerable good time talking to Justin on telephone two days ago. He is regaining speech quite quickly.

Plight of People with Albinism in Malawi
As you might have read in papers or watched on televisions, Malawi has all of a sudden become a haven of evil killings of people with albinism as there is a superstition that their body parts when combined with some concoction bring about financial fortune.
 
This kind of belief has spread from Tanzania and Kenya. It is also believed that having sexual encounter with a person with healed one from HIV/AIDS. These beliefs have put our colleagues with albinism at risk. Currently, about 18 of them have so far been killed nationwide. Such being the case, Government of Malawi and all NGOs have mainstreamed the fight against such practices through advocacy. FVM has also joined the fight against such evil beliefs.
On the right hand side is Pastor Harold Mateyu, a charismatic pastor. He was initially pastoring in Ntaja Machinga district. One day, he went for prayers into the mountains, and unknowing the murders came to his house and found him not. The damaged his house and property. After getting the news on his way down mountain, he had to sneak out of the community and settled in his home, Taulo with nothing. I had a long discussion with him, he has a very touching story. Harold is married and has a girl child named Shalom. He has been quite instrumental in FVM’s gospel outreach programmes to the communities as a preacher and Conveinor of the actual preaching activities. On the left is Bertha and her girl children, Akuzike and Chigonjetso. Bertha is married to Justin for six years now and has been quite instrumental in reaching out to the youth in holistic development through Student Christian Organisation of Malawi (SCOM). She is a primary school teacher and a very responsible citizen. Newton had conversation with her through telephone of Sunday 12th June, 2016 where she lamented on the witch-hunting of her life in her locality. She even reported the matter to police to provide security to her. She narrated that for a week without actually sleeping.
 
FVM has now engaged itself with other organisations to intensify awareness and advocacy within their means in addressing the problem by reaching out to the communities to be involved in protecting their fellow community members with albinism.

The Passing on of Esther Kachikuni
On a sad note, Esther Kachikuni, a finale student at Chancellor College went to be with the LORD on the wee hours of Thursday, 19th May, 2016 in her dormitory at the college. She was one the FVM Education Assistance beneficiaries. She was a devout Christian and was doing Bachelor of Social Science Development. She was a twin sister to Esme, both were daughters of Bishop and Mrs. Kachikuni of Living Waters Church in Blantyre. Like her surviving twin sister, she was born with physical challenges.

FVM Involvement in Stakeholder’ Meetings
FVM does not work in isolation. It works with other stakeholders in various forums. At a district level, FVM has been participating in forums like: Civil Society Networks, Child Protection Network, District Executive Committee (DEC), and Civil Society Organisation Nutrition Alliance (CSONA). At community level, FVM has been participating in several meetings to enhance the ownership by the community. These meetings are purposed to monitor, evaluate and possibly modify our general activities so they remain relevant to both beneficiaries and benefactors.
 
What lies ahead

• Eye screening exercise (21 June, 2016)

National Child and Albinos Protection Awareness in Mwanza

The period between mid April and mid May was a mixed bag. There were good moments and challenges ones. The usual activities like preschool and feeding, community based Bible Study and radio broadcasts were carried out. Training in tailoring also took place aimed at empowering women to impart sewing skills. However, it has been a challenging time as well due sickness and loss of some friends.
The following is a summary of the happenings within the period:

• Community members have taking care of the facilities provided to them indicating full ownership on the projects taking place in their community
• The bridge at Nandolo Community is verypoor state and can crumble anytime. Discussions are underway with the community members on what to do with it
• Abijah Ngulinga, a nurse and former beneficiary of FVM education assistance programme, had a beautiful wedding on 30 April, 2016
• About 700 children continued benefiting from preschool and feeding programme in both Taulo and Nandolo communities. The community based volunteers have remained so committed in rendering services to their communities.
• Pastor Justin Falinya who leads the Weekly Community based Bible Studies is unwell. He was diagnosed with high blood pressure which resulted into stroke that paralysed him the right side of his body affecting speech and movement. For seven days he had lost memory and speech partially. We thank God he is now able to walk at least 10 metres and can afford to speak a few words. He is currently receiving treatment at Kamuzu Central Hospital and is on physiotherapy
• Newton Sindo and local pastors lead the Bible Study in the community as Pastor Falinya gets treatment at the hospital
• One Gospel Outreach took place on 6th May, 2016 at Taulo Village where more than 60 people attended and more than 70% indicated giving their lives to God for the first time
• Weekly radio broadcast of the Gospel in two major local languages (Tumbuka and Chichewa) continues on Trans World Radio (TWR). Very encouraging feedback from listeners is being received from time to time.
• Three more sewing machines have been purchased to enhance the ‘Women Empowerment Programme’.
• Training women in tailoring took place for two days and about 40% of the 24 participants are able to make basic clothes which can be sold. More training are lined up to refine their skill and make the remaining trainees also able to make clothing
  

With great sorrow, I inform you all that Esther Kachikuni (Left in the picture) who was in fourth year at University of Malawi Chancellor College passed on yesterday morning (Thursday, 19 May, 2016) at the college after few hours of headache. Postmortem is being done at College of medicine to know what has caused the death. Esther and her twin sister Esme have been getting education assistance from FVM since 2011. Eshter was finishing four year Bachellor of Social Science by September this year. Very bad indeed.

This short report highlights some activities that have taken place in Malawi from the last half of February to the first half March 2016. As most parts of Southern Africa regions, Malawi is also highly hit with dry spell that has never occurred in the country’s history. This is a great threat to the citizenry where FVM carried out its transformational development interventions. The people are prone to hunger and diseases that are caused due to lack or shortage of rain and food.
 
The following is a summary of the activities that took place within the recent period:

• Ministering to youth in Student Christian Organisation of Malawi (SCOM). FVM has been partnering with SCOM since 2007 in reaching out to the youth in Secondary Schools and Colleges with several messages apart from Bible lessons. Other issues tackled were sexual purity in the light of sin and HIV/AIDS, and academic excellence.
• Pastor Justin Falinya continues to lead Weekly Community based Bible Studies in the community
• Radio broadcast of the Gospel is going on well. Very encouraging feedback from listeners is being received from time to time. “Ndikulakala nditamatumikira nanu mu Future Vision Ministries. Ndine m’busa wa Dambo Assemblies of God. Ndikudalistika kwambiri pa wailesi ya TWR (I wish I could be ministering with you in Future Vision Ministries. I am a pastor of Dambo Assemblies of God Church. I am always blessed listening to TWR)”, Pastor T.J.P. Kufamkomwe.
• Maintainance was done on the pavement into Mulunguzi House that was damaged with the passage of time. “Mulunguzi House” is rented by Future Vision Ministries to host missionaries and some visitors.
• Preschool and feeding programme still continues. 600 children benefit from the programme.

What lies ahead

1. Continued preschool & feeding
2. SCOM Conferences from 24th  to 27th March, 2016

Prayer points

• Hunger
• SCOM Conference
  

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)

​Introduction
The month of October was another busy time mainly due to the construction work of a small kitchen building at the child care centre in Taulo area. The old kitchen was severely hit by last season heavy rains such that it was nearly demolished. The other activities were gospel outreach,  exciting Sports tournament, and Preschool and feeding programmes.
 
Kitchen Construction
It has been quite dangerous to use the old kitchen which was partly damaged by the heavy rains that hit Malawi and the area in January and February, 2015. It was going to be quite challenging for the local community members to continue preparing food for their children at the child care centre without a kitchen. Therefore, it was very pertinent to have such a facility at the nursery school that FVM has been supporting since late 2009. There are about 400 children benefiting from the programme.
 
On our kitchen pre-construction meeting with the community leaders in September, 2015, community members pledged their full involvement in the cause of constructing the facility but the obvious challenges would be for them to mould bricks because it was not too late before the rains started. Therefore, this meant FVM needed to assist in buying and transporting bricks from some considerable distance to the place.
 
Community members have been so supportive in providing sand and labour in the project. The wall is fully erected and timber traces have been fixed on top. It is hoped that the roof will be through within the next five working days. This is a success story especially looking at speed and workmanship involved so far.

​Feeding and Preschool
Preschool and feeding programme: 688 children (252 in Taulo and 338 in Nandolo) are benefiting from this very important programme as offered education and nutritious food five days in a week. The six volunteers are very committed to the work.
 
Spiritual Care
There have been several outreach programmes together with the weekly Bible Study in Taulo. The responses have been quite encouraging. Weekly Bible Study continues with Pastor Justin Falinya. Three public evangelistic rallies have been held in three villages – Lisimba, Kalumeya and Namboya.
 
Weekly Radio broadcasts of the gospel continue in local languages of Chichewa and Tumbuka on Trans World Radio (TWR). 

​Collaboration with other stakeholder (Save the Children, DC)
Save The Children has been a partner in development in the earlier FVM is carrying out its work. The children below enjoy playing banjo (locally made guitar)

Successes & Strengths

• The high level of participation of the community members assures ownership and sustainability of developments in the area
• The timely completion of the wall building of the kitchen as planned
• The continued feeding and preschool programmes without interruption
• Spiritual Care programmes are going on very well with very encouraging feedback from radio broadcast listeners
• Unswerving commitment by the volunteers has a focal point of the success story of FVM’s work in the two communities.

Challenges

• Scarcity of building some materials have been derailing the speed of the construction work
• Unstable prices of materials in the market have been posing problems in material procurement

Threats

• The looming hunger causes anxiety in the people because of uncertainty of their survival
• Poor performance of the local currency makes it difficult to control the budget
• The prediction by the Malawi Government Meteorological and Climate Change Department that there will be a repeat of the last season’s heavy rains causes more uncertainty

 
Opportunities

• The coming in of World Vision International (WVI) in Taulo area will help to elevate the welfare of the people. Collaboration has already been started with WVI on making sure the people are served even better as projects are assessed to avoid duplication and unnecessary gaps.

Conclusion
The construction of the kitchen has been a major activity in the last half of October, 2015. Some materials, like timber, were not readily available in the market and the prices of many construction materials have not been uniform and stable.
 
What lies ahead

1. Completion of the kitchen construction
2. Eye Screening activities

Prayer points
Good rains in the 2015/16 growing season