Our founder Maddi Kent recently spoke about our next project – building a therapeutic home for street girls in Malawi. This was not long after we had successfully raised $90,000 in funds for our boys’ housing project and in fact, what made it possible to purchase the required land in Kenya.
We were all surprised and excited, and to be honest, we were also hesitant that it might not be possible during this year’s end. However, thanks to our wonderful donors, we raised funds using the Global Giving platform and exceeded initial expectations by raising upwards of $10,000 for this project.
The Global Giving platform
Global Giving is a nonprofit organisation that supports other nonprofit organisations by connecting them to donors and companies. For many years, global giving has conducted nearly 29,000 projects in 170 countries worldwide to make our world a better place.
Our Therapeutic Centre for Street Girls in Malawi will effectively rescue and house up to 60 girls between the ages of 0-18. By implementing specific trauma-informed models of care, we will provide them with a secure, loving environment that empowers them to become self-reliant, productive, and healthy members of their communities, setting them on the path to becoming leaders for social change.
We used this platform to access tools, support, and training on fundraising to achieve our goal. As of 22nd December, with the help of many donors, we raised $9,848 out of our $10,000 goal for the kitchen in the building that we will build for the girls.
The street children in Malawi
Malawi has one of the highest numbers of street children per capita in East Africa and the world. There are several reasons, one of them being that children often end up on the streets due to HIV/AIDS. As a result, most children will end up contracting and transmitting sexually transmitted diseases by sexual abuse and rape by older children on the streets or sexual predators, traffickers.
With the spike in the number of children coming onto the streets every day, it has become even more concerning in recent times. Being one of the most vulnerable communities and the fact that they are left on the streets with absolutely no safety precautions is worrisome. Many of these children are prone to commit crimes and ruin their future.
We at the Evie Grace Foundation are trying very hard to change these innocent children’s circumstances, and without your help and support, we couldn’t do this on our own.
Please show your support by clicking the Donate link below and contributing to our cause.
To know more about the street children in Malawi, please click here.
It’s Christmas time
Unlike the previous years, Christmas this year will not be as festive and joyous as it has been in the past, at least not everywhere in the world. The COVID-19 pandemic has created one of the most troubling times ever, and this is very much the case in developing countries in East Africa like Malawi. However, this wasn’t always the case, and Christmas in Malawi was one of the year’s happiest times.
Malawi’s Christmas traditions are similar to the celebrations around the world. There is lots of singing, dancing, including door to door performances by young children with lots of energy, joy, and love. However, like the rest of the world, it will be a very quiet Christmas this year.
As many people earn from hand to mouth, it has been very tough for the tourism industry. Many other businesses are closing down, families couldn’t celebrate Christmas like before, nor do they have the luxury of working from home and attending online classes. Overall the people are still struggling.
With the Christmas spirit in our HEARTS, the only thing we can do is to support and be considerate by clicking on the link below to donate.
We aim to bring change in these children’s lives in the upcoming years by advocating for these rescued children’s rights, eliminating child trafficking, and ending period poverty. As long as we believe and follow, celebration is always the joy we bring to others’ hearts and the smile on their faces.
‘Moni Wa Chikondwelero Cha Kristmasi’ – This means ‘Happy Christmas’ in Chechewa language of Malawi.
Together we can make the world a better place.
References
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/malawi/
https://www.globalgiving.org/aboutus/how-it-works/
https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/home-for-street-children-in-malawi/
https://omniglot.com/language/phrases/chichewa.htm
Written by Chandini Balla
