Power Health in Rural Malawi - Support > 30,000

Dear Donors,

The changes in Malawi over the past year politically and economically have made it difficult for a new organization like ours to proceed with our original plans. Other factors such as the MCC putting a hold on their energy compact funding, journalists being sought out for reporting on internal politics, and some major energy grants from the UK also being cut - we are putting the Light Up Malawi project on hold until further notice. Our assessment has revealed that for an established organization, working in Malawi would be a very different and much more successful proposition.

To that end we will be partnering with buildOn, our original partner in Malawi when we did the projects in Kusungu.  These funds will go to a Light Up Malawi/buildOn partnership course for adults as part of the Community Education Program that they have established. The program will cover health issues as well as energy education.

The buildOn Community Education Program in Malawi is targeted to illiterate adults, and provides fundamental numeracy and literacy skills, as well as new knowledge about nutrition, family planning, alternative energy sources, and income generating activities. The program also creates opportunities for empowerment and wealth building among its participants. Completion rates in the CEP ranges from 80-90 percent, and literacy levels among participants increase across the board. Women CEP participants are fully engaged and are represented equally in the CEP.  buildOn recruits, trains, and pays teachers for the two-year CEP.

The budget for fully funding CEP is $5000, and goes to pay for two facilitators, trainings, monitoring and evaluation, supplies, and program supervision, and guest speakers/experts. We didn't want to disappoint you, our valued donors and working with buildOn guarantees that entire communities benefit from this education!

More about buildOn

buildOn is a non-profit organization that empowers primarily urban U.S. high school students through in-class and intensive afterschool youth service programs. In addition to tremendous contributions of community service in their own cities and neighborhoods, buildOn youth actually build schools and bring literacy to children and adults in developing countries around the world. buildOn programs are designed to build confidence and real-world capabilities in American youth while also empowering communities world-wide in Africa, South America, and South East Asia to overcome the cycle of illiteracy, poverty and low expectations by opening the door to education.

http://buildon.org/

If you are dissatisfied with your donation to this project and would like to reallocate your donation to another GlobalGiving project, please contact Alexis Nadin at anadin@globalgiving.org by Friday, October 28th.

Dear Kind Supporters,

We are please to announce that Light Up Malawi is partnering with SolarAid for the installation of solar panels for lights and water pumping at the Mauwa Health Center. SolarAid is a UK based charity with operations in Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Kenya. In Malawi, their projects are focused on districts in the North, well away from the Mauwa Health Centre in the Southern District of Chiradzulu. Our partnership on this project helps SolarAid expand their operations area with visible and quality impact, and ensures that the installation is well fit for the needs of the people served at the Mauwa Health Centre.

Developing partnerships to maximize capacity and efficiencies is a key to Light Up Malawi's strategy, so we're excited to have SolarAid on board for this project. We look forward to assisting each other in future projects as well. 

Thanks to your support, the people served by the Mauwa Health Centre will have lights and power for water pumping, and other key technology resources. 

As the installation proceeds, we will update you with more information from the project.

Best Regards,

Ryan  

Links:

• SolarAid

Dear Supporter,

Work for the Mauwa Health Centre continues, specifically in fund raising and determining exact costs to ensure that we are using the money effectively for long-term solutions.

One key component for moving forward has been accomplished. Determining how much the necessary wall would cost, wand the components required as well. 

The initial estimate for the wall is $20,000. This would include gates, guard house, and other key elements. 

For a 65 meter by 75 meter wall, enclosing the 1.2 acre facility space supports immediate security needs for patients and staff. This area is just smaller than an American Football playing field, including 1 end zone. 

Specific costs include delivery of 217 tons of cement mixing material, 140,000 bricks, fuel for transportation of mateirals (@ a national price of over $7/gallon), security gates, and other physical materials needed for assembling the full wall.  This also includes the anticipated cost of labor.

The wall provides immediate security that encourages mothers having babies to come to the facility to give birth. Extra encouragement is needed when an overnight stay is necessary, and giving birth at home is actually more comfortable and traditional.  Without energy or a physical barrier, the staff of the clinic does not feel safe working at night. This general fear extends to the patients and ultimately discourages them from seeking care at the health centre if, for instance, the diagnosis indicates that they should in fact stay overnight at the clinic.  

As the facility expands to add 50 beds and general health wards for both men and women, this added security will support the increased investment in the facility as well. 

While we continue our fundraising here on GlobalGving and via other resources, we appreciate your support for our work, and we look forward to showing you our progress as the physical implementation of the project proceeds. 

Thank you for your support!

Ryan