Lawyer helps Malawi children thrive

Edmonton lawyer Andrew Buddle was disappointed when Canada announced it will this September haul down the Maple Leaf flag and close its high-commission office in Malawi.

The small, landlocked country in southeast Africa is the 11th poorest in the world. About half the population of 1.6 million struggles to live on less than $1 a day.

Of the four million people affected by the country's food crisis, more than one million are children under the age of five or pregnant women.

"In Canada, many of us suffer from an out-of-sight-out-of-mind condition," says Buddle.

"But if one travels through small African town and village, the plight of many is impossible to ignore. Sadly, the highest percentage of the world's young people live there.

"But that means there is energy and the potential for great things to happen. Building a promising future needs help. And we Canadians have a part to play."

Canada has slashed its aid to Malawi, which is no longer on its "priority" list of countries needing help.

But Buddle, who spent three months working on human rights issues in West Africa, decided if he did something to help Malawi and encouraged others to do the same, significant change might still be brought about.

He became a member of Edmonton's United Nation Children's Fund leadership council and is helping plan a Sept. 17 gala at The Fairmont Hotel Macdonald.

The goal is to raise $152,000 to help children in Malawi.

"We plan to help in such areas as health and nutrition, water and sanitation, and education and child protection," says Buddle.

On the leadership council are many familiar local names: chairwoman Carole Hunt, accountant Reg Appleyard, former MP Debby Carlson, Dr. Paul and Lorie Grundy, University of Alberta school of business dean Mike Percy, Cold-fX creator Dr. Jackie Shan and Pam Stimpson of the Alberta Cancer Board.

Former deputy PM Anne McLellan was drawn to the event's patrons' council. "Anne quickly attracted other patrons," says Calgary-based Holly Davidson, regional director of UNICEF's Alberta region.

Hunt and Percy joined the patrons' group and community leaders Carol Bentley and Liz Dobrovolsky became gala co-chairwomen.

Also on the council: Epcor senior vice-president Denise Carpenter, Dr. E. Anne Fanning, a U of A faculty of medicine and dentistry professor emeritus; plastic surgeon Dr. Martin Giuffre, Eric Newell, retired chairman and CEO of Syncrude Canada; Edmonton Journal publisher John J. McDonald III; community leader Elexis Schloss, Telus Community Foundation chairman Bob Westbury, and Ralph Young, Melcor Developments president and CEO.

Don't worry about taking your tux or gown to the cleaners. All 250 tickets, including the gold tables at $10,000 each, have been sold.

"Poverty exacerbates all other issues in Malawi," says Carrie Auer, UNICEF's representative in Africa who spoke to leadership council and gala organizers this week at a reception in the Grundys' home.

Food insecurity is not only a major cause of malnutrition, but it has also worsened the risk for diseases such as cholera and AIDS.

"The government, which once focused farming mainly on maize, is now encouraging a greater variety in crops," says Auer. "This will provide a more diverse diet. But people who do grow maize often sell it and buy other items rather than enhancing their diet with nutritional food.

"It's a complex issue, which includes traditional practices of what children should eat and not eat."

Malawi's infant and under-five mortality rates (110 and 175 per 1,000 live births, respectively) are among the world's highest.

Half of Malawi's one million orphans have lost one or both parents to AIDS. And some 61 per cent of the population has inadequate sanitation facilities.

Life expectancy is 47 years, compared with Canada's 80 years.

"It's hard to get a handle on missing children because at present not all births are registered," says Auer. "Less than 50 per cent of births are delivered in hospital."

In the mid-'90s, Malawi abolished all school fees and primary school enrolment is now 92 per cent for males and 97 per cent for females.

"The problem is keeping students in school," says Auer. "But there is still a shortage of 5,000 classrooms.

"With 400 being constructed each year at present, it will take 10 or more years to provide classrooms for the current population."

The democratic government, returned with a landslide in the last election, has made education and health care a priority.

"Headway is being made in some critical areas," says Buddle. "But Malawi could use a little help from its Edmonton friends."

A $13 gift provides 25 sachets of a nutty spread, which helps boost the survival of children facing severe malnutrition. A$30 gift provides an entire class with exercise books. To donate call: 1-800-819-0889.Mention Edmonton's Malawi initiative.

nlees@thejournal.canwest.com