Tag: Malawi

Scottish Govt making education accessible in partner countries

Marginalised groups in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia to benefit

Support to make quality education accessible to all in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia has been strengthened with funding of £356,000 from Scottish Government for the Inclusive Education Policy Academy.

The Academy forms part of the World Bank’s Foundational Learning Compact (FLC) programme and is a hands-on professional development programme designed to improve access to education for some of these countries’ most marginalised groups, such as learners with additional support needs and women.

The launch marks the Scottish Government’s first participation in a World Bank programme and underlines the Programme for Government commitment to fostering inclusive education practices globally and supporting its partner countries in achieving equitable access to quality education.

International Development Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “We’re committed to supporting inclusive education worldwide and the World Bank’s FLC programme will help us take a significant step towards providing quality education for all in Rwanda, Malawi and Zambia, including marginalised groups.

“By providing resources into this transformative initiative, we will empower educators in our Global South partner countries to create environments where every learner can thrive.

“We look forward to seeing the positive impact the Academy will have on the lives of millions of people across the world, and particularly in our partner countries through our new partnership and funding.

“The support fits with our broader commitment to education programming as we strive towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals, particularly with increasing access for marginalised groups, which include girls and learners with additional support needs.”

Luis Benveniste, World Bank Global Director for Education, said: “We are thrilled that the FLC is the first World Bank fund to receive support from the Scottish Government.

“Children everywhere will welcome this new ally in the fight to strengthen and improve inclusive access to quality education. We look forward to working with our Scottish partners on this critical initiative.” 

Edinburgh, step up this May for hungry children

Every step taken this National Walking Month can transform a life with Mary’s Meals

This May, Edinburgh residents are being encouraged to ‘step up’ and help Mary’s Meals feed more hungry children around the world.

During National Walking Month, the school feeding charity is calling on people to take part in its Move For Meals challenge, which encourages participants to raise sponsorship whilst keeping active.

Mary’s Meals serves a daily school meal to children living in some of the world’s poorest countries. The promise of a nutritious meal encourages children into the classroom, giving them energy to learn and hope for a brighter future.

The charity reaches 2,429,182 children every school day in 18 countries, including South Sudan, Syria and Ethiopia.

Morven Macgillivray, supporter engagement manager at Mary’s Meals, says: “With the weather getting warmer and the days growing longer, everyone is keen to get outdoors and get some exercise!

“This National Walking Month, you can help to transform the lives of some of the world’s poorest children by simply getting active, making the most of the sunshine and signing up to Move for Meals.”

Throughout May, Mary’s Meals is asking people to walk 10,000 steps a day as part of the Move for Meals challenge.

Morven continues: “It costs just 10 pence to feed a child with Mary’s Meals. So even raising as little as £1 for every 10,000 steps you complete will provide 10 children with a nutritious meal and an education that can be their ladder out of poverty.

“Walking 10,000 steps a day is just a small change you can make that can have a big impact on a child’s life.

“I hope that as many people as possible in Edinburgh will pull on their walking shoes and step up to the challenge this May to help us keep our promise to the 2.4 million children we feed every day with Mary’s Meals.”

It costs just £19.15 to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for an entire school year.

Signing up for Move For Meals couldn’t be easier.

Find out more and get your free Mary’s Meals T-shirt at:

marysmeals.org.uk/move-for-meals 

Cyclone Freddy: UK provides life-saving support to Malawi

The UK is providing an emergency package of assistance comprising: a team of emergency medical personnel, a team with international search and rescue expertise (ISAR), specialist boats, and urgently needed emergency relief items such as shelter materials and water filters.

This is in addition to the immediate support the UK provided to the Malawi Government at the Emergency Operations Centre in Blantyre when the cyclone hit. This included food assistance, staff and vehicles to help Government and the UN launch emergency operations.

The UK ISAR team will be supporting Malawian counterparts; the team is bringing lightweight, nimble boats and a drone team to help in the search for survivors of the floods. These boats will be gifted to the Malawian Government for future emergency use when the UK ISAR team departs.

The Emergency Medical Team (EMT) will support hospitals in southern Malawi to treat the victims of Cyclone Freddy. They will also join with an existing cholera-focussed UK EMT to help reduce the risk of the ongoing cholera outbreak getting worse, following the floods.

Shelter and water filters will provide emergency shelter to approximately 3,000 people and allow up to 12,750 of those affected by floods, to access clean water and protect themselves from disease.

The UK International Search and Rescue advance party arrived in Malawi on Friday, 17 March. An additional Emergency Medical Team arrived in Blantyre on 18 March. The main UK International Search and Rescue team arrived through Kamuzu International Airport.

Acting British High Commissioner to Malawi, Sophia Willitts-King, said: “The UK is saddened by the tragic loss of life caused by Cyclone Freddy due to the extreme rainfall and unprecedented flooding in Southern Malawi. We stand side by side with Malawi in responding to this crisis.

“The UK’s rapid support will help Malawi with its search and rescue efforts. The additional medical capacity will help Malawi’s hospitals save lives. We are providing temporary shelter to give families protection from the weather.

“We are also investing in equipment that will help people access clean water and sanitation facilities. This support is vital to prevent the spread of deadly diseases, including cholera.”

Cyclone Freddy made landfall in Mozambique on 11 March and Malawi on 12 March. The flooding has already displaced 19,000 people. Malawi was hit particularly hard with what would have previously been judged as a 1-in-20 a year weather event.

While the wider picture remains unclear due to lack of access, landslides on the hillsides around Blantyre and severe flooding throughout Southern Malawi has resulted in over 326 deaths, 832 injured, and 282 missing, with the displacement of over 40,702 homes (approximately 183,159 people), as of 17 March. The flood waters are predicted to peak at the beginning of next week.

The UK ISAR deployed through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, following a request for assistance from Malawi. The team is on permanent standby to mobilise and assist when requested by disaster-affected countries. It always deploys as an official UK government team once a request has been made for assistance.

The UK ISAR is self-sufficient and provides its own food, water, shelter, sanitation, communications and all necessary equipment to undertake search and rescue operations for up to 14 days. This is to ensure no additional burden is placed upon a country already suffering demands on its resources, following a sudden onset disaster.

The UK ISAR was established in 1993 and has 30 years of experience deploying internationally to such disasters historically. The team is made up of 14 fire and rescue services.

£400,000 storm aid for Malawi from Scotland

Emergency relief funding following record-breaking storm

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged £400,000 of financial support to Malawi to assist with emergency relief efforts in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

The funding was confirmed in a letter to Malawian President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, and the First Minister also expressed the sincere condolences of the people of Scotland, following the tragic loss of life.

As of Monday 20 March, 499 people in the country have been killed and more than 508,244 people displaced as a result of the storm, which is the longest lasting and highest energy tropical cyclone ever recorded. A state of disaster in the Southern Region of Malawi has also been declared.

The storm’s impact comes as Malawi faces what the UN has described as the deadliest cholera outbreak in its recorded history. In January, the Scottish Government provided more than £236,000 to aid the Malawian Government’s outbreak response. 

The letter reads:

Your Excellency,

It is with great sadness that I find myself writing on this occasion. Please accept the sincere condolences of the people of Scotland, and the Scottish Government, following the tragic loss of life and displacement of people as a result of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

It is heart wrenching to see the death, injury, and substantial damage to thousands of people’s homes and livelihoods, all at a time when Malawi is already facing a severe cholera outbreak.

I want to confirm today that we will pledge £400,000 to support emergency flood relief in Malawi. We are discussing with partners working on the ground already as to the most effective way that we can provide that support for those most in need and will engage Malawian Department of Disaster Management as we develop the projects.

Our thoughts are with all those affected by Tropical Storm Freddy, the people of Malawi at this difficult time and with your government in your response.

Nicola Sturgeon

Mary’s Meals: Mum’s the word for Christmas dinner in Scotland

  • School feeding charity Mary’s Meals asked 2,000 people across the UK who they would most like to cook Christmas dinner for them.
  • Almost half chose a family member over a celebrity chef, with the majority choosing their mum.
  • In the Scotland dads got the thumbs down in the festive kitchen!
  • Mary’s Meals is asking people to help feed hungry children by joining its virtual Christmas dinner.

A new survey by Mary’s Meals has revealed that people would rather have their Christmas dinner cooked by their mum than a celebrity chef.

The global school feeding charity asked 2,000 people who they would prefer to serve up their festive feast. It found that:

  • Almost half (46%) of respondents chose a family member rather than a famous chef – such as Jamie Oliver, Delia Smith, Gordon Ramsay and Nigella Lawson.
  • One in three people (36%) said they would prefer their mum to cook their Christmas dinner over other family members.
  • Just 1% of respondents in Scotland said they would like their dad to prepare the Christmas dinner!

Scotland’s National Chef Gary Maclean responds: “Despite being a professional chef myself, I’m not surprised most people chose their mum to make their Christmas dinner. Us chefs are all well and good but nothing beats a home-cooked festive feast.”

“I love the idea of Mary’s Meals Big Family Christmas – and I’m going to set a place for my late father-in-law Davie, who would love that their virtual seat at the table will feed a hungry child in school for an entire year.”

Mary’s Meals serves more than two million children with a nutritious meal every school day in 19 of the world’s poorest countries, including Malawi, South Sudan and Haiti. The promise of a good meal attracts children to the classroom, giving them the energy and opportunity to learn, and the chance of a brighter future.

Each December the charity holds a virtual Christmas dinner, Big Family Christmas, to raise funds to feed even more hungry children. Last year, nearly 9,000 people around the world took part in the fundraiser.

Emma Hutton, head of grassroots engagement at Mary’s Meals, says: “Tis the season to be jolly, and it seems nothing makes us jollier than a home-cooked Christmas meal. At Mary’s Meals, we want to spread that joy to as many of the world’s most impoverished children as possible.

“Setting a place at our virtual table is a great way to give a truly life-changing gift, especially as each place set this Christmas will feed two children for an entire year thanks to our Double The Love campaign. I look forward to seeing as many names at the table as possible as we celebrate our Big Family Christmas!”

In return for a donation of just £15.90, enough to feed a child with Mary’s Meals for a whole school year, people can take part in the Big Family Christmas. Donors will receive a certificate to print at home and their name, or the name of a loved one, will appear on the charity’s virtual dinner table alongside names from across the world.

Donations made to Mary’s Meals before 31 January 2022 will be matched by a group of generous supporters, up to £1.6 million, thanks to the Double The Love campaign, meaning that each place set at the online Christmas table will feed two hungry children.

To find out more, please visit marysmeals.org.uk/Christmas

Reaching children in Malawi

Mary’s Meals typically serves a mug of porridge to more than one million children in Malawi every school day.

This includes children like 14-year-old Yasimini, who is one of five girls. Her two older sisters were married young, but Yasimini was able to continue with her studies because of Mary’s Meals.

She says: “I work very hard in class so I can fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse. I don’t want to end up getting married early like my sisters.

“Mary’s Meals is very important because when I am attending classes I am strong and attentive and I can pay attention to what the teacher is teaching. This will help me to do well in my studies.”

Scotland sends supplies to help fight COVID-19 in Africa

Stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE) are to be donated to Africa to aid their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PPE equipment, worth £11.2 million, will be distributed by Kids Operating Room (KidsOR), a Scottish-based global health charity.

This distribution will be supported by £250,000 from the Scottish Government, which will fund the transport of 25 shipping containers of material to Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia.  

KidsOR raised a further £1 million to support the transport of the PPE from the Wood Foundation, Pula Limited, Postcode Trust and Delta Philanthropies.

The supplies include masks, goggles, and visors and the shipment, made available through the NHS Scotland Global Citizenship Programme, is due to arrive in partner countries in late September.

International Development Minister Jenny Gilruth said: “COVID-19 knows no borders. I am pleased that the Scottish Government has been able to support this assistance to Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia – particularly as they look to plan for an expected fourth wave of COVID-19 in the coming months.

“This contribution builds on our recent supply of oxygen concentrators and ventilators, and we hope it will go some way to easing the current stress on health services.

“As the global pandemic continues, we firmly believe this is precisely the moment that Governments across the world should be stepping up to help those most in need.

“This donation underlines that the Scottish Government remains fully committed to playing our part in tackling the shared global challenge that the pandemic represents. I would like to thank KidsOR for supporting us to make it possible to distribute this PPE equipment along with the recent supply of oxygen concentrators and ventilators.”

Chief Executive of NHS National Services Scotland (NSS) Mary Morgan said: “The battle to beat COVID is truly a global effort. We are pleased that PPE secured by NSS is being donated to help those who need it most in Africa.

“We will continue to work with partners to identify further opportunities to support countries and communities who need our help.”

Co-Founder of KidsOR Garreth Wood said: “I would like to thank our donors for stepping up to help support the distribution of so many millions of items of PPE that will prove vital for countries in Africa battling the ongoing COVID pandemic.”

From Scotland with love

Vital equipment on it’s way to fight Covid-19 crisis in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia

A grant of more than £270,000 from the Scottish Government’s International Development Fund will fund the supply of 300 items of vital equipment to treat Covid-19 patients in Africa.

The funding will allow Kids Operating Room, a Scottish-based global health charity, to distribute 100 oxygen concentrators each to Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia.

Covid-19 cases in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia are rising quickly, with the health system in Zambia especially under severe stress.

One of the biggest impacts of the rise in Covid-19 cases is a shortage of oxygen, and oxygen concentrators are easy to use, are suitable for patients of all ages, and can be used throughout the health service.

External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: “The Covid situation in Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia has become very serious, very quickly, and we know that the pressure on health services are putting great stress on their infrastructure, especially in relation to the delivery of oxygen to patients.

“This funding for oxygen concentrators will go some way to help ease the current stress on the health services in our three African partner countries, and we are delighted to work with Kids Operating Room to make sure this vital equipment is put to use as soon as possible.

“Scotland remains fully committed to playing our part in tackling shared global challenges, and we are committed to increase the International Development Fund (IDF) by 50% to £15 million.

“As the global pandemic continues, we firmly believe this is not the time to turn our back on the poorest and those in dire need – instead, this is precisely the moment when we should be living up to our core values.”

David Cunningham, the chief executive officer of Kids Operating Room, said: “Our model is to listen to doctors, then give them what they need – right now, the message is coming back loud and clear that what they need is access to more oxygen to fight Covid-19.

“Oxygen concentrators are key pieces of equipment that are needed to meet the region’s critical oxygen shortage. They are suitable for all ages and durable for years to come post-Covid, making them incredibly essential to support the health services in the long-term.”

Kids Operating Room is a Scottish global health charity with bases in Edinburgh, Dundee and Nairobi. It works directly with local surgeons and their teams across Africa and South America to transform hospital spaces into dedicated operating rooms for children’s surgery.

Oxygen concentrators provide a sustainable and cost-effective source of medical oxygen – they draw air from the environment and then concentrate that room oxygen to therapeutic levels for delivery to patients.

The charity will coordinate the distribution of the oxygen equipment.  They will arrange for delivery to doctors in Lusaka, Lilongwe and Kigali, and have the equipment distributed to the most in-demand hospitals.

Soldier killed by elephant during anti-poaching operation

A British soldier has died in Malawi during counter-poaching operations, the Ministry of Defence has said. Mathew Talbot, of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards, was on a patrol on 5 May when he was believed to have been killed by an elephant. Continue reading Soldier killed by elephant during anti-poaching operation