We’ve been dusting off our trainers, stretching our muscles, and warming up for the last few months, so all of us at Open Arms Malawi are excited to announce that the launch of our Miles for Malawi campaign has finally arrived!
With 12,361km (or 18,024,134 steps) to go until we reach Blantyre by the end of June, we’re kicking off this April from our small fundraising office in Harrogate, UK.
Thank you for joining us on what promises to be the walk/run/cycle/swim of a lifetime!
It's not too late to join in
You can help raise £1 per km (£12,361 in total) over the next few months to fund essential food and medical costs for Mangochi Infant Home for at least the next 6 months.
These early medical and nutritional interventions are crucial to saving lives. After such a challenging year due to the global pandemic, you can join us in helping make this virtual sponsored challenge a success by raising as much funding as possible and help support Open Arms Infant Homes through the challenges.
If you haven’t yet registered for Miles for Malawi, you can find out more information on our website, including detailed instructions of how to join by clicking here.
The walk is free and accessible to all, but please don’t forget to register a fundraiser so that we know you’re participating to raise funds!
And we're off...
To get you started on your journey, we’re sharing the first milestone with you to get you inspired!
There are 10 milestones in total, and each shares a bit about the Open Arms story over the last 20 years, as well as a bit about Malawi too.
We hope you enjoy learning a bit about the Warm Heart of Africa, how we’ve strived to help vulnerable children and communities, and how we’ve grown as an organisation along the way.
Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. We’ll be posting an update on our event page of the total funds raised each Monday.
If you haven’t yet formally registered your interest, you can do so here so that you receive updates from Malawi and see how your funds are helping.
You can also join our private Friends of Open Arms Malawi group here and contribute your miles to our collective total. Please do share your progress, updates and stories with your supporters. We would be happy to help you however we can!
Happy walking! Let’s get to Malawi together!
2000: Our First Steps
At the start of the Millennium, over 80% of the population in Malawi work in agriculture under then-President Muluzi’s government, and the World Bank has just promised to cancel 50% of Malawi’s foreign debt.
Malawi signs the United Nations Declaration. This commits the country to achieving all eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals by 2015 through the implementation of Malawi’s Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS).
At the turn of the century, one third of all women in Malawi aged 15-19 have already had a child or are currently pregnant, the decline in child mortality under the age of 5 has only modestly declined, and nearly half (49%) of these children are chronically malnourished or stunted in their growth.
Open Arms Infant Homes first opened its doors in 1995, and in 2000, Neville and Rosemarie Bevis arrive in Malawi to become the Directors. Aubrey was one of the first babies referred to their care. There was an urgent need for regular funding and so Open Arms Malawi was registered as a charity in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.
Your donation will help children in Malawi grow up healthy with the love of a family
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