FUNDRAISERS are being urged to join a campaign to walk to Malawi without leaving Scotland.
As part of NHS Ayrshire and Arran's virtual walk to Malawi, NHS staff will join people in a sponsored walk along the banks of the River Ayr to raise money for healthcare charities in Malawi.
NHS Ayrshire & Arran has joined with Cumnock GP, Dr Gareth Powell and the Ayr Presbytery to raise cash for a healthcare facility in Bandawe district.
advertisementDr Powell and Reverend Arthur Christie were part of a group from Ayr Presbytery who visited Bandawe last year.
The virtual walk to Malawi will cover more than 6600 miles visiting more than 14 countries. The idea is that instead of walking to the destination, you cover the distance by walking, running, cycling or swimming in your local area.
The sponsored walk will take place this Saturday and will start at Ayr College.
If you would like to take part call 01292 885808 . Or visit www.healthinfoshop.
Showing posts with label Fundraising. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fundraising. Show all posts
Tuesday, 15 May 2007
Monday, 14 May 2007
Mom and son plan another ’bags of hope‘ trip
Watching a slide show about his trip to Malawi on his mom‘s laptop, Jaako Polkki dances in his seat.
Arms waving above his head, he sings along quietly to the African voices projected from the computer.
On-screen, photos show the boy with the mop of white-blonde hair surrounded by Malawian children, handing out his “bags of hope” to kids his own age and younger.
Nine-year-old Jaako and his mom Sue returned in February from a trip that saw them buy truckloads of food and farm animals to donate to villagers in rural Malawi.
An exhausting illness after she got home – a parasite picked up in Africa – meant Sue has only felt back to normal in the last week.
It was a visit to his family‘s church last May by a missionary from Guatemala that led Jaako to creating Hope for Malawi.
He and his mom appealed to the public and to their church, hosting yard sales and meals.
They raised $32,000, well shy of Jaako‘s $800,000 goal, and 2,000 cloth bags full of small toys, pencils, notepads and candy.
Mom and son intend to continue raising money, and have tentatively chosen June 2008 for their next trip.
“We went there to help them and they ended up teaching us so much,” said Sue.
Beyond the foot-long centipedes and crossing flooded rivers, she‘ll treasure memories of her son‘s compassion and watching him emerge into a self-confident person who took charge of roomfuls of people.
The day after landing and being met by their host missionaries in Lilongwe, the southeast African country‘s capital, mom and son went to market.
They bought 75 50-kilogram bags of maize along with sugar, oil, rice and other staples.
Over three weeks, they visited 10 rural villages to distribute the food through church or community leaders.
Canadian donors had pledged money for chickens, oxen and goats. Sue and Jaako bought them at each village.
That program, they discovered, was a bit stressful, as they struggled to find 63 chickens, 45 goats and two oxen – and keep track of exactly how many they‘d already given away.
Also, because it was the rainy season and crops weren‘t in yet, what people really needed was maize, noted Sue.
“There are things we will do again and things we won‘t do,” she said. “But all the money donated went to good use.”
At each village, they arrived in two trucks with their interpreter, usually at the community church or school – or the building that was both.
Church leaders had organized groups of children to meet Jaako, but everyone in the villages showed up.
Ritual greetings and exuberant singing and dancing – Jaako taught them English songs as well – were involved at every meeting.
At every village, Jaako handed out hundreds of his bags of hope.
“We always ran out,” said Sue. “It was so heartbreaking.”
The visitors brought blades and fashioned hockey sticks from branches.
“Well, it was good to have a translator,” said Jaako about teaching hockey to people who speak another language. “I‘ll just say that.”
Arms waving above his head, he sings along quietly to the African voices projected from the computer.
On-screen, photos show the boy with the mop of white-blonde hair surrounded by Malawian children, handing out his “bags of hope” to kids his own age and younger.
Nine-year-old Jaako and his mom Sue returned in February from a trip that saw them buy truckloads of food and farm animals to donate to villagers in rural Malawi.
An exhausting illness after she got home – a parasite picked up in Africa – meant Sue has only felt back to normal in the last week.
It was a visit to his family‘s church last May by a missionary from Guatemala that led Jaako to creating Hope for Malawi.
He and his mom appealed to the public and to their church, hosting yard sales and meals.
They raised $32,000, well shy of Jaako‘s $800,000 goal, and 2,000 cloth bags full of small toys, pencils, notepads and candy.
Mom and son intend to continue raising money, and have tentatively chosen June 2008 for their next trip.
“We went there to help them and they ended up teaching us so much,” said Sue.
Beyond the foot-long centipedes and crossing flooded rivers, she‘ll treasure memories of her son‘s compassion and watching him emerge into a self-confident person who took charge of roomfuls of people.
The day after landing and being met by their host missionaries in Lilongwe, the southeast African country‘s capital, mom and son went to market.
They bought 75 50-kilogram bags of maize along with sugar, oil, rice and other staples.
Over three weeks, they visited 10 rural villages to distribute the food through church or community leaders.
Canadian donors had pledged money for chickens, oxen and goats. Sue and Jaako bought them at each village.
That program, they discovered, was a bit stressful, as they struggled to find 63 chickens, 45 goats and two oxen – and keep track of exactly how many they‘d already given away.
Also, because it was the rainy season and crops weren‘t in yet, what people really needed was maize, noted Sue.
“There are things we will do again and things we won‘t do,” she said. “But all the money donated went to good use.”
At each village, they arrived in two trucks with their interpreter, usually at the community church or school – or the building that was both.
Church leaders had organized groups of children to meet Jaako, but everyone in the villages showed up.
Ritual greetings and exuberant singing and dancing – Jaako taught them English songs as well – were involved at every meeting.
At every village, Jaako handed out hundreds of his bags of hope.
“We always ran out,” said Sue. “It was so heartbreaking.”
The visitors brought blades and fashioned hockey sticks from branches.
“Well, it was good to have a translator,” said Jaako about teaching hockey to people who speak another language. “I‘ll just say that.”
Monday, 30 April 2007
BENEFIT CHICKEN BAR-B-QUE At the Union Masonic Lodge
The Masonic Lodge #31 in Union and the People's United Methodist Church (PUMC) of Union will hold a benefit supper on June 16 from 4 to 6 PM to raise funds for the “Little Field Home Orphanage” at Chigamba Village, Malawi, Africa.
Proceeds from this event will be used to purchase supplies (medical, school, food etc.) needed by the orphans during the Mission Trip to the orphanage in Malawi in July.
This benefit is being organized by Myrna Soule and the Mission Committee of PUMC, whose members expressed their hope for continued charity, "We feel it is important to remember these orphans on Fathers Day weekend. We appreciate the generous support we have received from the area residents to build a medical center for the orphanage. This is another opportunity for people to enjoy a good meal together while helping those who are so much in need."
Each chicken dinner will include: Chicken, Coleslaw, Chips, Roll, Pickle, Beverage, and Dessert Bar.
The barbecue will be held at the Union Masonic Lodge, located on Sennebec Road, north of Route 17 in Union. For more information on the benefit supper or about the Mission Trip to Malawi, call Myrna Soule at 785-4117.
Proceeds from this event will be used to purchase supplies (medical, school, food etc.) needed by the orphans during the Mission Trip to the orphanage in Malawi in July.
This benefit is being organized by Myrna Soule and the Mission Committee of PUMC, whose members expressed their hope for continued charity, "We feel it is important to remember these orphans on Fathers Day weekend. We appreciate the generous support we have received from the area residents to build a medical center for the orphanage. This is another opportunity for people to enjoy a good meal together while helping those who are so much in need."
Each chicken dinner will include: Chicken, Coleslaw, Chips, Roll, Pickle, Beverage, and Dessert Bar.
The barbecue will be held at the Union Masonic Lodge, located on Sennebec Road, north of Route 17 in Union. For more information on the benefit supper or about the Mission Trip to Malawi, call Myrna Soule at 785-4117.
Sunday, 22 April 2007
Cooking up a bright future for Malawi tourism
The bustling kitchens of Baby Grand are a long way from Malawi, but it is here, in one of Glasgow's busiest restaurant chains, that Dumisami Kapanga and Shadreck Helepa are hoping to learn the skills that will help kickstart their tourism industry back home.
The students have been brought to Scotland as part of a vanguard of gifted entrepreneurs who it is hoped will provide expertise, enthusiasm and business acumen to transform the economic fortunes of Malawi - one of the world's poorest countries.
As part of their stay, they are spending 18 hours a week learning customer care skills, cooking and working as waiters at Brel and Ad Lib, both part of the Baby Grand Group in Glasgow. They will also be enrolled on four-year tourism undergraduate degrees at Glasgow Caledonian University.
According to Mr Kapanga, 23, the options in Scotland could not be more different from his home country. "Life is hard there. You don't know how you are going to get by each day. There are huge problems with HIV. If you are not infected, you are affected," he said.
Mr Kapanga, who was born and grew up in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, was well-educated and worked as a graphic artist after his parents died when he was a teenager, but his job paid the equivalent of £15 a month and opportunities were limited.
Now halfway through his degree, he said he wants to instill the professionalism learned in Glasgow back home. "The thing I notice here is how much pride Scottish people have in their own culture. I would like to see that in Malawi." The students' stay in Scotland has been sponsored by the Moffat tourism centre at Caledonian University and Billy McAneney, owner of the Baby Grand Group.
Malawi is ranked as the 10th poorest country in the world by the United Nations and has been ravaged by Aids/HIV, unemployment and difficulties in its agriculture sector. Tourism is seen as the way forward, but training people to run bars, hotels and attractions to standards expected by wealthy tourists in the West is not easy.
The Scottish Executive, which has formed strong links with Malawi, provided £250,000 to upgrade the African country's Institute of Tourism and bolster skills of people working in tourism. The Moffat Centre, which is administering the fund, is refitting the institute, providing books and up-to-date technology to replace its one, clapped-out PC.
John Lennon, professor of tourism at the Moffat Centre, said he also hopes to bolster the academic rating of the institute and will be enrolling eight people on distance-learning masters degrees.
"This is one of the most rewarding projects I have been involved in," he said. "Malawi has great potential for tourism. It is beautiful, safe and the people are incredibly friendly. If you want to see an authentic piece of Africa, it is the place to go."
Mr McAneney, who founded the Malawi Tomorrow charity which spends around £50,000 a year on projects in Malawi, said: "We are not simply going to train these people up and leave them to it'. We want to make sure that when they leave us, they not only have jobs to go to but play a role in transforming the fortunes of tourism in Malawi."
Country profile
Malawi's economy is said to be half the size of Falkirk's - or 1% of Scotland's
The country's population is 12.6 million people
More than half the population lives below the poverty line
Most Malawians rely on subsistence farming but the food supply situation is precarious
Moves are under way to exploit uranium reserves to boost meagre export earnings
Since the mid-1990s the country has privatised many loss-making state-run corporations
Tens of thousands of Malawians die of Aids every year and a programme to tackle HIV-Aids was launched in 2004
The students have been brought to Scotland as part of a vanguard of gifted entrepreneurs who it is hoped will provide expertise, enthusiasm and business acumen to transform the economic fortunes of Malawi - one of the world's poorest countries.
As part of their stay, they are spending 18 hours a week learning customer care skills, cooking and working as waiters at Brel and Ad Lib, both part of the Baby Grand Group in Glasgow. They will also be enrolled on four-year tourism undergraduate degrees at Glasgow Caledonian University.
According to Mr Kapanga, 23, the options in Scotland could not be more different from his home country. "Life is hard there. You don't know how you are going to get by each day. There are huge problems with HIV. If you are not infected, you are affected," he said.
Mr Kapanga, who was born and grew up in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, was well-educated and worked as a graphic artist after his parents died when he was a teenager, but his job paid the equivalent of £15 a month and opportunities were limited.
Now halfway through his degree, he said he wants to instill the professionalism learned in Glasgow back home. "The thing I notice here is how much pride Scottish people have in their own culture. I would like to see that in Malawi." The students' stay in Scotland has been sponsored by the Moffat tourism centre at Caledonian University and Billy McAneney, owner of the Baby Grand Group.
Malawi is ranked as the 10th poorest country in the world by the United Nations and has been ravaged by Aids/HIV, unemployment and difficulties in its agriculture sector. Tourism is seen as the way forward, but training people to run bars, hotels and attractions to standards expected by wealthy tourists in the West is not easy.
The Scottish Executive, which has formed strong links with Malawi, provided £250,000 to upgrade the African country's Institute of Tourism and bolster skills of people working in tourism. The Moffat Centre, which is administering the fund, is refitting the institute, providing books and up-to-date technology to replace its one, clapped-out PC.
John Lennon, professor of tourism at the Moffat Centre, said he also hopes to bolster the academic rating of the institute and will be enrolling eight people on distance-learning masters degrees.
"This is one of the most rewarding projects I have been involved in," he said. "Malawi has great potential for tourism. It is beautiful, safe and the people are incredibly friendly. If you want to see an authentic piece of Africa, it is the place to go."
Mr McAneney, who founded the Malawi Tomorrow charity which spends around £50,000 a year on projects in Malawi, said: "We are not simply going to train these people up and leave them to it'. We want to make sure that when they leave us, they not only have jobs to go to but play a role in transforming the fortunes of tourism in Malawi."
Country profile
Malawi's economy is said to be half the size of Falkirk's - or 1% of Scotland's
The country's population is 12.6 million people
More than half the population lives below the poverty line
Most Malawians rely on subsistence farming but the food supply situation is precarious
Moves are under way to exploit uranium reserves to boost meagre export earnings
Since the mid-1990s the country has privatised many loss-making state-run corporations
Tens of thousands of Malawians die of Aids every year and a programme to tackle HIV-Aids was launched in 2004
Saturday, 21 April 2007
The H.E.L.P Malawi Foundation Launch Party
Last night Hollywood and the Fashion industry joined forces to raise awareness about a important cause at the Max Azria boutique in West Hollywood.
The event was hosted by actress Mena Suvari who launched H.E.L.P. Malawi, a new foundation designed to spread hope, education, love and protection to the children of Malawi. There are over one million children in Malawi who live without a parent, a home or an education and this foundation is meant to aid those in need.
One of the featured collections at the Max Azaria store was the Lori Leavitt's "Panthera Collection," which consists of bracelets, rings and cuff links. 100% of the jewelry proceeds will help the foundation. We spotted Macy Gray and Kelly Hu browsing through the collections at the store.
Starting today and throughout the weekend, 15% of sales from the MaxAzria collection will also go to the foundation. If you’re in the Los Angeles area make sure to stop by the Max Azria store this weekend and help this great cause.
Max Azria
8026 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA.
888) 201-0227
The event was hosted by actress Mena Suvari who launched H.E.L.P. Malawi, a new foundation designed to spread hope, education, love and protection to the children of Malawi. There are over one million children in Malawi who live without a parent, a home or an education and this foundation is meant to aid those in need.
One of the featured collections at the Max Azaria store was the Lori Leavitt's "Panthera Collection," which consists of bracelets, rings and cuff links. 100% of the jewelry proceeds will help the foundation. We spotted Macy Gray and Kelly Hu browsing through the collections at the store.
Starting today and throughout the weekend, 15% of sales from the MaxAzria collection will also go to the foundation. If you’re in the Los Angeles area make sure to stop by the Max Azria store this weekend and help this great cause.
Max Azria
8026 Melrose Avenue
Los Angeles, CA.
888) 201-0227
Thursday, 19 April 2007
Recipes cook up cash help for Malawi
A RECIPE book and a calendar put together by an Edinburgh midwife have helped raise £120,000 for hospital facilities in Malawi.
Linda McDonald, who works at the Royal Infirmary's Simpson Maternity Centre, started fundraising after a visit to a baby ward in the poverty-stricken African country.
The recipe book, endorsed by Sarah Brown - the wife of Chancellor Gordon - was published in October 2005.
Mrs McDonald said: "We printed 20,000 recipe books and have only 100 left.
"And the Royal Bank of Scotland, which sponsored the first book, has agreed to sponsor a second recipe book which we will publish this autumn."
The recipe book raised cash for Mums - the Malawi Underprivileged Mothers (MUMS) charity.
The organisation is helping to raise funds for a new high-risk maternity hospital being built in the Malawian capital Lilongwe, and a refurbishment of the city's Bottom Hospital.
Linda McDonald, who works at the Royal Infirmary's Simpson Maternity Centre, started fundraising after a visit to a baby ward in the poverty-stricken African country.
The recipe book, endorsed by Sarah Brown - the wife of Chancellor Gordon - was published in October 2005.
Mrs McDonald said: "We printed 20,000 recipe books and have only 100 left.
"And the Royal Bank of Scotland, which sponsored the first book, has agreed to sponsor a second recipe book which we will publish this autumn."
The recipe book raised cash for Mums - the Malawi Underprivileged Mothers (MUMS) charity.
The organisation is helping to raise funds for a new high-risk maternity hospital being built in the Malawian capital Lilongwe, and a refurbishment of the city's Bottom Hospital.
Tuesday, 17 April 2007
Concert set to aid Malawi baby hospital
A MAJOR fundraising concert in aid of a maternity hospital in Malawi is being held in Edinburgh this weekend.
The Usher Hall is playing host to the Music for MUMs (Malawi Underprivileged Mums) event on Friday night.
More than 420 children and adult performers from both Malawi and Scotland will take to the stage for the event in aid of Malawi's Bottom Hospital, which has one of the highest rates of maternal and infant death anywhere in the world.
Funds raised from this weekend's concert, to be hosted by STV presenter and Evening News columnist Stephen Jardine, will go towards the building of a new maternity hospital for high-risk patients.
The show will feature a wide-ranging programme of music, including numbers from musicals Cabaret and Les Miserables, hits by the Eagles, Japanese drumming and choral singing.
Producer Linda McDonald said: "Having everyone with the same aim to help the mothers and babies less fortunate than us all under one roof is very exciting. The concert will be an uplifting and exciting evening, showcasing some fabulous Scottish and African talent."
The Usher Hall is playing host to the Music for MUMs (Malawi Underprivileged Mums) event on Friday night.
More than 420 children and adult performers from both Malawi and Scotland will take to the stage for the event in aid of Malawi's Bottom Hospital, which has one of the highest rates of maternal and infant death anywhere in the world.
Funds raised from this weekend's concert, to be hosted by STV presenter and Evening News columnist Stephen Jardine, will go towards the building of a new maternity hospital for high-risk patients.
The show will feature a wide-ranging programme of music, including numbers from musicals Cabaret and Les Miserables, hits by the Eagles, Japanese drumming and choral singing.
Producer Linda McDonald said: "Having everyone with the same aim to help the mothers and babies less fortunate than us all under one roof is very exciting. The concert will be an uplifting and exciting evening, showcasing some fabulous Scottish and African talent."
Monday, 16 April 2007
Public get in step for virtual walk to Malawi
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.
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.
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