Glasgow aid team heads for Malawi

A 15-strong humanitarian team from Glasgow is setting out for Malawi in a bid to improve living conditions.

The 11 men and four women have been drawn from the city council and two of its partner organisations.

Four workers from Access IT will install computers in five schools, while eight City Building staff will construct a new prosthetics clinic.

A member of the council's environmental services will advise on measures to help improve refuse collection.

Derek Walker, 40, will focus on landfill techniques to help Malawai's capital, Lilongwe.

"The country has basic conditions. When they gather any rubbish up, they literally set a light to it," he said.

"I am looking to improve on that for environmental and health reasons. The current situation poses a real health risk as only 30% of domestic waste is collected."

Aids orphans

Two giant containers have already been taken to Malawi with all the building materials needed to construct the prosthetics clinic.

When the City Building staff complete the job, everything will be left behind to help the local community.

The Access IT team will install personal computers and other technology in the Stella Maris School, for Aids orphans, in Blantyre and at four primary schools in Lilongwe.

They will also carry out an audit of new technology they installed in four other educational institutions last year in Blantyre.

The two other members of the team are Brian Kelly, former director of Glasgow's environmental and protection services and the council's international officer, Gillian Walsh.