Boys Brigade Project Malawi

PROJECT MALAWI

On Thursday, Colin Anderson, Project Leader from the 25^th Stirling (Dunblane) Boys’ Brigade gave an uplifting talk about the Company’s initiative in sending a group of 23 to undertake much needed renovation and updating of school classrooms in Malawi. The group was made up of 16 boys, six leaders and the daughter of one of the leaders.

Where did the idea of the initiative come from?  Well, as Colin explained, the Company had been greatly impressed by the work of Mary’s Meals, which provides meals in Malawi to encourage children to attend school.  But the condition of the schools was extremely poor: classrooms had floors covered in deep pot holes, poor lighting and bare, unpainted walls with most of the plaster having fallen off.  The boys described them as like prison cells or cattle trucks. The schools needed major renovation to bring them up to a fit state.

This was where the Boys’ Brigade decided to step in.  They wanted to give as much help as possible by transforming the classrooms in two schools in Nansato and Pasani, both in the south-east of Malawi, attended by some 1600 children.  The main objective was to bring the schools up to an acceptable standard, but, as Colin explained there was a further important aim:  “ We wanted the boys to get a real experience of third world conditions.  We wanted them to understand the lack of resources available in such an area, and we wanted them to develop their sense of responsibility in terms of global citizenship.”

To fulfil their objective, the group had to raise £60,000.  This was to be achieved by fundraising rather than looking to parents.  As a result, a whole range of initiatives including sponsored activities took place.  But there were two really innovative ideas: one was to “land” a flock of plastic pink flamingoes on lawns, with the requirement to pay £10 to have them moved on – or £20 if you wanted them moved on to a specific person’s lawn! This raised £3,500.  The other initiative was the creation of Lego models in the form of BB members.  The initial order of 30 quickly sold out, and, with a frenzy on social media, there came a request for 500 from Hong Kong, and a major order from China.  A home industry requiring a huge amount of effort, but raising some £6,000!  In total, the fund-raising exceeded the initial target significantly, topping £78,000, and meaning an increase in the improvements that could be made.

In Malawi, the group settled in quickly, making friends with the local young people, and were quickly at work with a variety of tasks, including major painting projects.  Working with local contractors, sixteen classrooms were transformed, giving both encouragement for children to attend school, but also meaning that education could take place in an acceptable environment.

The success of the venture can be gauged by the group being nominated for, and winning, the Youth Award from the Scottish-Malawi Partnership.

Colin summed up:  “The boys coped really well, both in what was achieved in the classrooms, and in developing a warm bond with the community.  We have been so pleased with the project that we have decided to repeat the initiative every third year.” Further details of the project are available on the Company’s blog: http://bbprojectmalawi2016.blogspot.co.uk/

Thanking Colin, Speaker’s Host Graham Russell expressed deep admiration for the scale and scope of what had been achieved. Member’s warmly endorsed these comments.