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This year we bring you a very special message from James Wandawanda, Chair of Open Arms Infant Homes in Malawi. Read his note below for an update on our work in Malawi and to hear him share some of the projects the team have been working on this year thanks to your support.
As the Chair of Open Arms Infant Homes, please allow me this opportunity to thank you for your continued loyalty and support of our work in Malawi.
Over the last year you have made an extremely important contribution to the work we have been able to do. Your generosity has translated into better lives for orphaned and abandoned babies, young children, their families and remote communities across Southern Malawi.
As we take a moment to reflect on the achievements of the past year in this newsletter we thank you for the important part that you have played.
We have seen some significant challenges in Malawi this year, with a largescale Cholera outbreak which was exacerbated by the rainy season, followed quickly by cyclone Freddy, rated as the longest lasting cyclone on record. They both impacted hundreds of thousands of families in rural Malawi, many of whom are still rebuilding their lives months later.
Ongoing economic conditions continue to make things more difficult for our team. Inflation in Malawi reached 28.8% in April 2023 and a bag of maize is almost twice as much as it was just a few months ago, with prices expected to rise further, especially during the coming rainy season. We know that economic uncertainty is not just felt in Malawi though as supporters around the world have seen rising inflation and living costs which means that as our costs have risen here in Malawi, our income from fundraising activities remains lower than it has been.
The changing environment has certainly brought more urgency to our work and means that we have had to challenge ourselves on where we can make the biggest difference in Malawi. You may have noticed our renewed commitment to getting children back to their families as early as possible. There has been a huge amount of work in this area behind the scenes, contributing to the wider objectives of Malawi Department of Social Welfare, and we are proud of the progress that we have made here.
We have made it possible for older children to be reintegrated from the family homes, build stronger relations with their family members and successfully move to live with or near to them. Then, by working with their unique interests and skills on a one to one basis we have developed a personal road map to an independent future where each individual will be able to support themselves.
Through this, we have seen young adults growing in confidence, taking on responsibility, moving into colleges and universities as well as gaining new vocational skills and setting up their own small businesses. We will continue to support each individual on their own path and look forward to seeing their achievements.
Alongside, this we have continued to increase our focus on community based care for all children. This year we are excited to pilot a programme which will support infants in communities from birth. A local guardian will work in partnership with our Community Outreach team to make this possible. This is a natural next step for infant care in Malawi and we look forward to sharing more with you as this work unfolds.
In a drive to support more families into self-sufficiency, we have started a banana planting nursery in Blantyre where suckers will be given to families to help them to grow more food and create their own income, which in turn will help provide for babies and children at home.
Working directly with families and communities in this way drives better long-term outcomes for the children referred to us for help. It also supports sustainable, locally lead change for families with little resources which we hope will create opportunities for the next generation.
2023 has seen some internal changes at Open Arms too, sadly Charlie will be retiring this Summer after seven years of leading the operations here in Malawi. Charlie has established some solid foundations for the organisation and its leadership and we will be sad to say goodbye.
We also say goodbye to Dani who has been on the Malawi board for over ten years. Our sincere thanks go out to Charlie and Dani for their time, commitment and the strong leadership that they have given. It has been a privilege to work with them and I hope that they will take away some wonderful memories to treasure.
We will welcome Charlie’s successor to join our leadership soon. Four new board members (Fredrick Changaya, Linda Poya, Dr Jo Langton, Dr T Mwalukomo) will also join the Open Arm Infant Homes Board and they bring with them a wealth of experience in various disciplines like Infant Care, General Management, Finance and Marketing.
We are fortunate to be supported by Open Arms Malawi, our fundraising team and their board of trustees in the UK, who we have enjoyed a long and rewarding partnership with. It has been a pleasure seeing our relationships develop and grow over the last twelve months.
There are many visitors, volunteers and friends from around the world who we remain grateful to. They have made a huge contribution to our work, creating opportunities and improving lives in Malawi.
I’d like to end by taking this opportunity to thank you again personally for the support that you have given Open Arms. Open Arms has had an incredible story so far, from the small home it once was to the bustling busy Infant Homes, Nursery Schools and Outreach operations that it is and the future organisation that it will become.
None of this would have been remotely possible without supporters such as yourselves. I offer my sincere gratitude for all that you have done and I hope you will continue to accompany us into our next chapter.
With best wishes
James Wandawanda
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