FUNDRAISERS are being given the opportunity to walk to Malawi without leaving Ayrshire.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran has teamed up with Cumnock GP Dr Gareth Powell, and Ayr Presbytery to raise cash for a healthcare facility in the district of Bandawe.
Instead of making the real journey, supporters can cover part of the distance by walking, running, cycling or swimming in their local area.
advertisement
The sponsored walk takes place on Saturday, 19 May along the River Ayr.
Dr Powell said: "We hope to employ a nurse and three health surveillance officers, who will be able to deliver basic but often life-saving healthcare to local people."
If you would like to take part, call Dorothy Gibson on 01292 885808.
Monday, 16 April 2007
Madonna in Malawi with son for visit
LILONGWE, Malawi (AP) -- Madonna flew to Malawi on a silver jet Monday to continue her charity work in the impoverished southern African country, bringing along the Malawian boy she is in the process of adopting.
The pop star, wearing a baseball cap, carried a small boy down the steps of the jet, and a child's seat was fixed into a waiting sports utility vehicle. Her three-vehicle motorcade then drove off at top speed to a luxury ranch, followed by journalists.
Madonna visited Malawi last fall to pick up 1-year-old David Banda, who was in an orphanage after the death of his mother. That visit set off a controversy over concerns that regulations were being swept aside to benefit a pop star who has been generous to the country.
Madonna, 48, and her filmmaker husband Guy Ritchie were granted an interim court order on Oct. 12 allowing them to take initial custody of David. Under Malawi regulations, prospective parents must undergo an 18-to-24 month assessment period, but Madonna was allowed to take the boy to her London home soon after the court order.
Malawian child welfare officials are expected to file a report on the suitability of Madonna and Ritchie as adoptive parents after two trips to their London residence in May and December. The singer says has followed the law.
Ahead of her latest visit, the grass was cut and hedges trimmed at the airport, the orphanages and care centers she has been involved with were painted, and security was tightened around the exclusive lodge where the star stayed last year.
Madonna's New York-based publicist Liz Rosenberg said the star was visiting to continue her work with her Raising Malawi organization and denied speculation of another adoption.
"She is overseeing the building of a children's health care center. She is absolutely not adopting another baby," Rosenberg said in a statement.
Yacinta Chapomba, a director of local aid group Consol Homes, said a childcare center built with the help of Madonna's organization would have an opening ceremony Monday. She could not confirm whether Madonna would attend.
The center in the impoverished village of Mphandula, 30 miles outside the capital, Lilongwe, will initially house 400 children who lost their parents to AIDS.
There has also been much activity at the Home of Hope orphanage where David was cared for. The road to the village of Mchinji have been graded, new flowers planted and the children have received new uniforms. Three local police officers have been posted at the orphanage.
David's father, Yohane Banda, surrendered his son to the orphanage after his wife died of childbirth complications. The couple's two other sons died in infancy from malaria.
After initial confusion, Banda has said he wants David to stay with Madonna and Ritchie, saying he was too poor to raise him.
The road to Banda's village on the Zambian border has also been cleared, but it was unclear whether Madonna would visit him.
Madonna's organization aims to provide food, education and shelter for up to 4,000 children.
Malawi is among the poorest countries in the world, with rampant disease and hunger, aggravated by periodic droughts and crop failure. Just over 14 percent of its 12 million people have HIV.
The pop star, wearing a baseball cap, carried a small boy down the steps of the jet, and a child's seat was fixed into a waiting sports utility vehicle. Her three-vehicle motorcade then drove off at top speed to a luxury ranch, followed by journalists.
Madonna visited Malawi last fall to pick up 1-year-old David Banda, who was in an orphanage after the death of his mother. That visit set off a controversy over concerns that regulations were being swept aside to benefit a pop star who has been generous to the country.
Madonna, 48, and her filmmaker husband Guy Ritchie were granted an interim court order on Oct. 12 allowing them to take initial custody of David. Under Malawi regulations, prospective parents must undergo an 18-to-24 month assessment period, but Madonna was allowed to take the boy to her London home soon after the court order.
Malawian child welfare officials are expected to file a report on the suitability of Madonna and Ritchie as adoptive parents after two trips to their London residence in May and December. The singer says has followed the law.
Ahead of her latest visit, the grass was cut and hedges trimmed at the airport, the orphanages and care centers she has been involved with were painted, and security was tightened around the exclusive lodge where the star stayed last year.
Madonna's New York-based publicist Liz Rosenberg said the star was visiting to continue her work with her Raising Malawi organization and denied speculation of another adoption.
"She is overseeing the building of a children's health care center. She is absolutely not adopting another baby," Rosenberg said in a statement.
Yacinta Chapomba, a director of local aid group Consol Homes, said a childcare center built with the help of Madonna's organization would have an opening ceremony Monday. She could not confirm whether Madonna would attend.
The center in the impoverished village of Mphandula, 30 miles outside the capital, Lilongwe, will initially house 400 children who lost their parents to AIDS.
There has also been much activity at the Home of Hope orphanage where David was cared for. The road to the village of Mchinji have been graded, new flowers planted and the children have received new uniforms. Three local police officers have been posted at the orphanage.
David's father, Yohane Banda, surrendered his son to the orphanage after his wife died of childbirth complications. The couple's two other sons died in infancy from malaria.
After initial confusion, Banda has said he wants David to stay with Madonna and Ritchie, saying he was too poor to raise him.
The road to Banda's village on the Zambian border has also been cleared, but it was unclear whether Madonna would visit him.
Madonna's organization aims to provide food, education and shelter for up to 4,000 children.
Malawi is among the poorest countries in the world, with rampant disease and hunger, aggravated by periodic droughts and crop failure. Just over 14 percent of its 12 million people have HIV.
Madonna - the movie
Madonna is set to make a movie about the plight of orphans in Malawi, which aims to put the spotlight on the country's suffering.
The singer hopes that the film, which has the working title Raising Malawi after the eponymous charity she founded, will raise the public's awareness about the Aids-ridden country.
Footage of Madge's adoption of orphaned baby David Banda will feature in the movie, which started out as a documentary.
It will publicise her Kabbalah beliefs and also show footage of her interviewing her hero Nelson Mandela.
A family friend said that Madonna had poured her heart and soul into the movie and believed it could have a similar effect on the world as the Live Aid concerts did in the 1980s.
The friend said Madonna wanted to dedicate the rest of her life to helping children and wanted to become the female Bono, putting the final nail in the coffin of her Material Girl days.
Most of the scenes will be filmed on Madonna's current trip to the African country.
The singer hopes that the film, which has the working title Raising Malawi after the eponymous charity she founded, will raise the public's awareness about the Aids-ridden country.
Footage of Madge's adoption of orphaned baby David Banda will feature in the movie, which started out as a documentary.
It will publicise her Kabbalah beliefs and also show footage of her interviewing her hero Nelson Mandela.
A family friend said that Madonna had poured her heart and soul into the movie and believed it could have a similar effect on the world as the Live Aid concerts did in the 1980s.
The friend said Madonna wanted to dedicate the rest of her life to helping children and wanted to become the female Bono, putting the final nail in the coffin of her Material Girl days.
Most of the scenes will be filmed on Madonna's current trip to the African country.
CALL FOR FUNDING FOR IDA - the INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
April 15, 2007-Wealthy nations have been called on to boost funding for the World Bank's concessional arm, IDA - the International Development Association - which provides financing to the world's poorest countries.
The call came from African ministers attending the weekend Spring Meetings of the Bank/IMF.
Ghana's Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, said just as slavery was abolished so too could poverty.
He said donors needed to replenish IDA to make up for lost revenue as a result of debt relief and increase funding in general so African nations like Ghana could move their economies forward.
Baah-Wiredu said IDA funds have helped Ghana in its planning and investment in education, health, roads, water, and sanitation and also in food storage for export as well as the energy sector.
Liberia's Finance Minister, Antoinette Sayeh echoed the calls for donors to fund IDA in the next round, saying the funding would be critical to help her country consolidate its peace.
She said IDA was “exceptional in making available to Liberia pre-arrears clearance grants - significant amounts - that have helped us to start the arduous task of repairing our infrastructure that has been completely devastated by the 14-15 years of civil war.”
“So far it's helped us to re-build some roads and in process creating some jobs in the process. Of course, roads are critical from a perspective the economic impact of roads but also from the political impact - of reuniting a country that has been split apart and inaccessible.
“So having roads is important politically, socially and economically and IDA has made that a priority.”
Malawi's Deputy Minister of Finance, Ted Kalebe, said funding from the World Bank through IDA has had a major impact in Malawi - particularly programs like the Social Action Fund which has delivered services to people in rural communities.
“Malawi has gone through a lot of problems over the past 10 - but two years, because of mismanagement of resources,” he said. “We now think that the government which is in place is more serious now in terms of bringing development to the people and to do that it needs more resources from its partners, like the World Bank.”
The call came from African ministers attending the weekend Spring Meetings of the Bank/IMF.
Ghana's Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, said just as slavery was abolished so too could poverty.
He said donors needed to replenish IDA to make up for lost revenue as a result of debt relief and increase funding in general so African nations like Ghana could move their economies forward.
Baah-Wiredu said IDA funds have helped Ghana in its planning and investment in education, health, roads, water, and sanitation and also in food storage for export as well as the energy sector.
Liberia's Finance Minister, Antoinette Sayeh echoed the calls for donors to fund IDA in the next round, saying the funding would be critical to help her country consolidate its peace.
She said IDA was “exceptional in making available to Liberia pre-arrears clearance grants - significant amounts - that have helped us to start the arduous task of repairing our infrastructure that has been completely devastated by the 14-15 years of civil war.”
“So far it's helped us to re-build some roads and in process creating some jobs in the process. Of course, roads are critical from a perspective the economic impact of roads but also from the political impact - of reuniting a country that has been split apart and inaccessible.
“So having roads is important politically, socially and economically and IDA has made that a priority.”
Malawi's Deputy Minister of Finance, Ted Kalebe, said funding from the World Bank through IDA has had a major impact in Malawi - particularly programs like the Social Action Fund which has delivered services to people in rural communities.
“Malawi has gone through a lot of problems over the past 10 - but two years, because of mismanagement of resources,” he said. “We now think that the government which is in place is more serious now in terms of bringing development to the people and to do that it needs more resources from its partners, like the World Bank.”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
