By Duncan Mlanjira
William Stewart Hope for the Hopeless Foundation has donated text books, exercise books, pens, pencils, soap, bags and clothes, worth around MK450,00 to more than 400 children, who go to the Kalanga and Chambo Primary Schools in Chisenga Zone in Chitipa in the area of Mwene Ibuluma and Mwene Yotamu.
The Foundation co-founder, Levison Mlambya, said decided to donate the educational materials to the schools after noting the challenges faced in the Chisenga Education Zone.
“Basically we are targeting needy orphans,” Mlambya said. ‘This, again, is one way of complementing government’s effort in its policy of improving the quality of education through access to teaching and learning materials.
Co-founder Levison Mlambya
He said that his organisation is motivated by the word of God from the scriptures that teaches about giving.
He also the Foundation will soon roll out several projects in Chitipa and other districts in Malawi, targeting needy orphans, the elderly, people with disabilities, those living with HIV as well as prisoners.
“We are appealing for financial and material support from well-wishers, both locally and internationally, for the Foundation to implement its projects,” he said.
Mlambya said he Foundation has been sourcing learning materials from well-wishers both locally and internationally with the support of co-founder William Stewart, who is the main donor and from whom the Foundation’s name is derived.
As well as donating educational materials, the Foundation also distributes religious materials such as Bibles in some parts of Malawi.
Mlambya said the function was also organised to commemorate the 92nd and 70th birthdays respectively of William Stewart and his daughter, Mary Young.
“The Foundation’s main objective is to bring hope to the hopeless people of Malawi through the sharing of God’s word by having a Bible in every home, and through practical acts of charity.
“The Foundation is distributing Bibles for free to many people in the country, including orphans and so far we have distributed over 500 Bibles, both in English and Tumbuka, in Nkhata Bay and Chitipa.
Group Village Headman Mwene Ibuluma thanked the organisation for commendable work it is doing in Chitipa and other areas.
“This is far from what we expected. As you are aware, government’s budget is overstretched with different things sectors such as health, education, agriculture.
“Even in education, there are various components to be dealt with which the government fails to do, that is why we are saying that we are happy with William Stewart Foundation,” Mwene Ibuluma said.
The William Stewart Hope for the Hopeless Foundation is a non-governmental organisation which was registered with the Ministry of Justice and Constitution Affairs in Malawi on 1st September, 2017.
Co-founder William Stewart is based in UK while Mlambya comes from Ibuluma of Traditional Authority Mwenewenya in Chitipa.
Currently, the Foundation is supporting over 500 children by giving them food twice a week at its base — the Margaret and Jean Stewart Resource Centre in Group Village Mwene Ibuluma in Wenya.
At the resource centre, children are taught skills such as farming, knitting and tailoring.