A former US president and Scotland's best known entrepreneur have joined forces with Glasgow's hospitals to save lives in Malawi.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) and the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative aim to deliver desperately needed medical equipment.
Former US President Bill Clinton and Scots tycoon Tom Hunter created the new charitable foundation last year.
Heart monitors and operating theatre kit will be sent in coming weeks.
Sir Tom Hunter said: "This is a pragmatic and focused partnership that will undoubtedly make a significant and lasting difference to Malawi.
"We have much to do in the Clinton Hunter Development Initiative and welcome this type of partnership with open arms."
Among the hospitals that will benefit from Glasgow's aid package will be Bwaila Hospital, one of the country's main maternity facilities based in the capital city of Lilongwe, and Neno District Hospital, in the impoverished rural area of Neno.
Health Board Chairman, Professor Sir John Arbuthnott, said: "We are delighted to be able to support the people of Malawi, with whom NHSGGC already has strong links.
"Thanks to our own modernisation programme in Glasgow, we not only have the opportunity to improve services for the people of the West of Scotland but also to make a significant improvement to health services in one of Africa's most densely populated countries."
Showing posts with label Scotland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scotland. Show all posts
Wednesday, 30 May 2007
Monday, 28 May 2007
New executive is urged to back pledge of support for Malawi
More than 1000 people have signed a pledge of support for Scotland's Malawi initiative, amid fears that its funding could be adversely affected under the new SNP-led administration.
Alex Salmond, the First Minister, is to be invited to accept the pledge backing the Scotland-Malawi Partnership, which was established to help reduce and relieve poverty in the southern African state.
The umbrella group started three years ago and, through the work of more than 100 Scots organisations and individuals, helps the authorities in the region to develop resources in education, health, water and sanitation.
advertisement
While many of its projects are funded for the next "two or three years" Dr Peter West, chairman of the partnership, said it was "just beginning to get a bit concerned" about its long-term prospects.
Jack McConnell, during his term as First Minister, was a major force in strengthening links between Scotland and Malawi, leading to the opening up of the partnership aid programme, worth £4.5m a year.
The partnership's concern would appear to stem from the fact that, though in a pre-election promise the Scottish Nationalist Party committed itself to doubling this international development programme, it would incorporate other Southern African states.
The Scotland-Malawi partnership will now seek assurances over financial support when it invites Mr Salmond and Linda Fabiani, Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, to the David Livingstone Memorial in Blantyre to give them the 1000-strong pledge.
Dr West said: "We now have more than 1000 signatures pledging support for the partnership projects and plan to write in the next week to the First Minister and Linda Fabiani, asking that the partnership continue to be supported. It has done enormous good in Malawi with 58 projects funded through it."
In April, the work of the partnership enabled Malawian students to come to Scotland, and enroll on tourism degrees at Glasgow Caledonian University. The students were part of a vanguard of gifted entrepreneurs who it is hoped will provide expertise, enthusiasm and business acumen to transform the economy of Malawi.
Other projects benefiting from executive funding have included a tie-up between St Andrew's High School in Kirkcaldy and Domasi Mission School in Malawi. Teachers from the Scots school visited the African state earlier this year and, in a reciprocal arrangement, Malawian teachers are expected to come to Scotland in the autumn.
Earlier this year, surgeon Eric Taylor and his wife, Celia, were the first Scots to travel to Malawi for an executive-backed medical support mission.
The Nationalists have argued the move to double the international aid budget and expend it to other countries would make Scotland a force for good and set an example to other wealthy nations.
Earlier this year, the party's international development team, Pete Wishart, MP, and Alyn Smith, MEP, went on a fact-finding mission to Southern Africa, including Zambia, where they identified future projects and partners.
Dr West said: "We are delighted the SNP is considering doubling the budget. We are the last people who would object to money going into somewhere like Zambia. Our present fund is £4.5m and we can show anyone that, with that sort of money, we can deliver enormous essential benefits to Malawi."
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Executive said it remained "fully committed" to a continuing relationship between Scotland and Malawi.
She added: "Not only is this government fully committed to the relationship between Malawi and Scotland, we are also fully committed to substantially increasing Scotland's international aid budget."
The relationship between Scotland and Malawi goes back to the time of David Livingstone, who journeyed up the Zambezi and Shire rivers to Lake Malawi in 1859. The initiative of individuals has been the defining characteristic of activity between the two countries ever since.
Oxfam, which has worked in Malawi for two decades, claims 65% of Malawians live below the poverty line with 40% attempting to survive on an income of less than 15 pence per day.
Alex Salmond, the First Minister, is to be invited to accept the pledge backing the Scotland-Malawi Partnership, which was established to help reduce and relieve poverty in the southern African state.
The umbrella group started three years ago and, through the work of more than 100 Scots organisations and individuals, helps the authorities in the region to develop resources in education, health, water and sanitation.
advertisement
While many of its projects are funded for the next "two or three years" Dr Peter West, chairman of the partnership, said it was "just beginning to get a bit concerned" about its long-term prospects.
Jack McConnell, during his term as First Minister, was a major force in strengthening links between Scotland and Malawi, leading to the opening up of the partnership aid programme, worth £4.5m a year.
The partnership's concern would appear to stem from the fact that, though in a pre-election promise the Scottish Nationalist Party committed itself to doubling this international development programme, it would incorporate other Southern African states.
The Scotland-Malawi partnership will now seek assurances over financial support when it invites Mr Salmond and Linda Fabiani, Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, to the David Livingstone Memorial in Blantyre to give them the 1000-strong pledge.
Dr West said: "We now have more than 1000 signatures pledging support for the partnership projects and plan to write in the next week to the First Minister and Linda Fabiani, asking that the partnership continue to be supported. It has done enormous good in Malawi with 58 projects funded through it."
In April, the work of the partnership enabled Malawian students to come to Scotland, and enroll on tourism degrees at Glasgow Caledonian University. The students were part of a vanguard of gifted entrepreneurs who it is hoped will provide expertise, enthusiasm and business acumen to transform the economy of Malawi.
Other projects benefiting from executive funding have included a tie-up between St Andrew's High School in Kirkcaldy and Domasi Mission School in Malawi. Teachers from the Scots school visited the African state earlier this year and, in a reciprocal arrangement, Malawian teachers are expected to come to Scotland in the autumn.
Earlier this year, surgeon Eric Taylor and his wife, Celia, were the first Scots to travel to Malawi for an executive-backed medical support mission.
The Nationalists have argued the move to double the international aid budget and expend it to other countries would make Scotland a force for good and set an example to other wealthy nations.
Earlier this year, the party's international development team, Pete Wishart, MP, and Alyn Smith, MEP, went on a fact-finding mission to Southern Africa, including Zambia, where they identified future projects and partners.
Dr West said: "We are delighted the SNP is considering doubling the budget. We are the last people who would object to money going into somewhere like Zambia. Our present fund is £4.5m and we can show anyone that, with that sort of money, we can deliver enormous essential benefits to Malawi."
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Executive said it remained "fully committed" to a continuing relationship between Scotland and Malawi.
She added: "Not only is this government fully committed to the relationship between Malawi and Scotland, we are also fully committed to substantially increasing Scotland's international aid budget."
The relationship between Scotland and Malawi goes back to the time of David Livingstone, who journeyed up the Zambezi and Shire rivers to Lake Malawi in 1859. The initiative of individuals has been the defining characteristic of activity between the two countries ever since.
Oxfam, which has worked in Malawi for two decades, claims 65% of Malawians live below the poverty line with 40% attempting to survive on an income of less than 15 pence per day.
Monday, 7 May 2007
Mission to Malawi
TWO city teachers are spending their summer holidays in Malawi schools to help improve children's education.
Katherine Simpson and Jane McClounan will stay with families in a rural community for five weeks as part of an international charity's project to raise education standards in Africa.
As well as helping to develop learning methods, the teachers will lay foundations for what could be a lasting bond between schools in Malawi and Glasgow.
It is hoped the scheme will lead to future exchanges, with teachers and children travelling between countries.
advertisementJane, 40, who works at Shawlands Primary, is no stranger to taking classes in foreign countries as she has already taught in Egypt, China, Taiwan and the Philippines.
She said: "Although I have worked overseas before, this will be totally different - I'm looking forward to what will be the experience of a lifetime.
"Each of us will be living with a family in a village where there is no or electricity or running water.
"Massive class sizes and lack of material resources present huge problems but in co-operation with Malawian colleagues we will work very hard to make a positive contribution."
Jane and Katherine, who teaches autistic kids at Middlefield residential school in the West End, are due to be sent to communities in Dedza district, central Malawi.
They fly out in June and should find out which schools and families they will be placed with over the next few days.
Katherine, 27, said: "It will be a real culture change in every sense.
"It can be perceived as corny to say I want to make a difference,' but that's why I went into teaching in the first place."
The project is run by Link Community Development, a charity dedicated to advancing education in Africa which places teachers in Malawi, Ghana, Uganda and South Africa.
A total of 18 teachers from schools across Scotland are heading for Malawi - the highest-ever number from north of the Border.
Catherine McKenna, 30, programme manager with the charity, said: "There has been a bigger focus on Scotland since we opened our new office in Edinburgh last year.
"The teachers won't be asked to take classes but will help improve the management of the school by comparing different methods of teaching and learning.
"We work in partnership with the education department in Malawi and the other countries we're involved with."
The charity is also looking to recruit teachers in October for next year's project.
Anyone interested should email Link Community Development at scotland@lcd.org.uk or visit www.lcd.org.uk
Katherine Simpson and Jane McClounan will stay with families in a rural community for five weeks as part of an international charity's project to raise education standards in Africa.
As well as helping to develop learning methods, the teachers will lay foundations for what could be a lasting bond between schools in Malawi and Glasgow.
It is hoped the scheme will lead to future exchanges, with teachers and children travelling between countries.
advertisementJane, 40, who works at Shawlands Primary, is no stranger to taking classes in foreign countries as she has already taught in Egypt, China, Taiwan and the Philippines.
She said: "Although I have worked overseas before, this will be totally different - I'm looking forward to what will be the experience of a lifetime.
"Each of us will be living with a family in a village where there is no or electricity or running water.
"Massive class sizes and lack of material resources present huge problems but in co-operation with Malawian colleagues we will work very hard to make a positive contribution."
Jane and Katherine, who teaches autistic kids at Middlefield residential school in the West End, are due to be sent to communities in Dedza district, central Malawi.
They fly out in June and should find out which schools and families they will be placed with over the next few days.
Katherine, 27, said: "It will be a real culture change in every sense.
"It can be perceived as corny to say I want to make a difference,' but that's why I went into teaching in the first place."
The project is run by Link Community Development, a charity dedicated to advancing education in Africa which places teachers in Malawi, Ghana, Uganda and South Africa.
A total of 18 teachers from schools across Scotland are heading for Malawi - the highest-ever number from north of the Border.
Catherine McKenna, 30, programme manager with the charity, said: "There has been a bigger focus on Scotland since we opened our new office in Edinburgh last year.
"The teachers won't be asked to take classes but will help improve the management of the school by comparing different methods of teaching and learning.
"We work in partnership with the education department in Malawi and the other countries we're involved with."
The charity is also looking to recruit teachers in October for next year's project.
Anyone interested should email Link Community Development at scotland@lcd.org.uk or visit www.lcd.org.uk
Thursday, 3 May 2007
Ross teacher set to take up new post in Malawi
A SPECIALIST Ross-shire teacher is trading the comforts of a relaxed summer holiday for the challenges of an African country with strong links to Scotland.
Roger Bamfield, (49) a Dingwall-based advisory teacher with Highland Council's Autism Outreach Education Service, will be leaving Edinburgh on Friday June 29 to help improve education in the African country of Malawi.
He will live and work in a rural community without any running water or electricity and will work with staff handling classes with over 100 pupils and minimal resources. Roger, right, is going with teachers from around Scotland as part of the Global Teachers Programme (GTP), run by international agency Link Community Development (LCD). The programme provides Scottish teachers and headteachers with a challenging, rewarding and motivating professional and personal development experience.
The programme lasts 15 months and is centred around Roger's five-week placement in LCD's school improvement project in Malawi. LCD provides training and support before, during and after the placement in Malawi. The GTP and the Scotland-Malawi School Improvement Project is supported by the Scottish Executive Education Department.
Admitted Roger, "I usually spend the summer holiday taking things easy but I wanted to do something worthwhile this year. When I was offered the opportunity to take part in LCD's brilliant Global Teachers Programme living in and working with a Malawian community I had to take it up. It is a chance to give and also learn so much, both in Malawi and on my return to Scotland."
He is currently looking to raise £2,000 towards the cost of his placement in Malawi. Following the placement Roger plans to work in Highland to help raise awareness amongst children (including those with autism) of global development issues in Malawi. He hopes to help children form links so they can learn about each others' lives. Global citizenship is one of the key current developments in Scottish education. LCD is a charity which works to improve the quality of education in Africa and raise awareness of development issues in the Scotland. LCD believes education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and their education development projects in Africa are run in partnership with the local departments of education.
People can find out more and support online at http://www.justgiving.com/highlandglobalteacher
To support Link Community Development in Scotland please phone 0131 343 6407 or email: scotland@lcd.org.uk. For more information about Link Community Development visit http://www.lcd.org.uk
Roger Bamfield, (49) a Dingwall-based advisory teacher with Highland Council's Autism Outreach Education Service, will be leaving Edinburgh on Friday June 29 to help improve education in the African country of Malawi.
He will live and work in a rural community without any running water or electricity and will work with staff handling classes with over 100 pupils and minimal resources. Roger, right, is going with teachers from around Scotland as part of the Global Teachers Programme (GTP), run by international agency Link Community Development (LCD). The programme provides Scottish teachers and headteachers with a challenging, rewarding and motivating professional and personal development experience.
The programme lasts 15 months and is centred around Roger's five-week placement in LCD's school improvement project in Malawi. LCD provides training and support before, during and after the placement in Malawi. The GTP and the Scotland-Malawi School Improvement Project is supported by the Scottish Executive Education Department.
Admitted Roger, "I usually spend the summer holiday taking things easy but I wanted to do something worthwhile this year. When I was offered the opportunity to take part in LCD's brilliant Global Teachers Programme living in and working with a Malawian community I had to take it up. It is a chance to give and also learn so much, both in Malawi and on my return to Scotland."
He is currently looking to raise £2,000 towards the cost of his placement in Malawi. Following the placement Roger plans to work in Highland to help raise awareness amongst children (including those with autism) of global development issues in Malawi. He hopes to help children form links so they can learn about each others' lives. Global citizenship is one of the key current developments in Scottish education. LCD is a charity which works to improve the quality of education in Africa and raise awareness of development issues in the Scotland. LCD believes education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and their education development projects in Africa are run in partnership with the local departments of education.
People can find out more and support online at http://www.justgiving.com/highlandglobalteacher
To support Link Community Development in Scotland please phone 0131 343 6407 or email: scotland@lcd.org.uk. For more information about Link Community Development visit http://www.lcd.org.uk
Wednesday, 25 April 2007
Jack's Malawi project deserves to keep going
REGARDLESS of which combination of parties forms the next Scottish Executive, I'm hopeful that Jack McConnell's initiative on Malawi will survive any change.
So what if some policymakers in Whitehall were quick to remind the First Minister and uppity MSPs that Westminster ruled the roost in all things pertaining to foreign policy? Those concerned with - and supportive of - what MSPs judged to be an act of humanitarianism, rightly continued to do what they could to make life just a bit better for those at the bottom of the economic heap, and help Malawi find a steady path out of its poverty.
I can't think of a member of the last parliament who was implacably opposed to the Malawi link-up once the genuine nature of the initiative became clear. Malawi needed friends and some pump-priming support, and we could go part of the way to meeting those needs.
Therefore, would it have been right for Jack to explain that the Scottish Parliament didn't have foreign policy-making power? Thousands of Scots wished him well, and understood the difference between dealing directly with the international agencies and local organisations responsible for a well-building project or a baby vaccination programme, and shovelling international aid money into Swiss bank accounts via Government departments and their ministers. Schoolchildren also gained an insight into what the other side of the educational coin is like in countries whose social fabric is stretched to the limit.
Their understanding of what makes the world so ill-divided was enhanced because they had a personal connection to one of Africa's poorest countries.
In the midst of an election that sometimes feels like a Dutch Auction, with every party promising more services and benefits for less tax, it was something of a shock to be returned to the real world inhabited by most of humanity. My thoughts on Malawi and some of the short-sighted and mean-spirited responses to the Scottish Executive's work there were sparked on reading the newsletter from James Gillespie's High School South Africa Student Sponsorship scheme.
So what if some policymakers in Whitehall were quick to remind the First Minister and uppity MSPs that Westminster ruled the roost in all things pertaining to foreign policy? Those concerned with - and supportive of - what MSPs judged to be an act of humanitarianism, rightly continued to do what they could to make life just a bit better for those at the bottom of the economic heap, and help Malawi find a steady path out of its poverty.
I can't think of a member of the last parliament who was implacably opposed to the Malawi link-up once the genuine nature of the initiative became clear. Malawi needed friends and some pump-priming support, and we could go part of the way to meeting those needs.
Therefore, would it have been right for Jack to explain that the Scottish Parliament didn't have foreign policy-making power? Thousands of Scots wished him well, and understood the difference between dealing directly with the international agencies and local organisations responsible for a well-building project or a baby vaccination programme, and shovelling international aid money into Swiss bank accounts via Government departments and their ministers. Schoolchildren also gained an insight into what the other side of the educational coin is like in countries whose social fabric is stretched to the limit.
Their understanding of what makes the world so ill-divided was enhanced because they had a personal connection to one of Africa's poorest countries.
In the midst of an election that sometimes feels like a Dutch Auction, with every party promising more services and benefits for less tax, it was something of a shock to be returned to the real world inhabited by most of humanity. My thoughts on Malawi and some of the short-sighted and mean-spirited responses to the Scottish Executive's work there were sparked on reading the newsletter from James Gillespie's High School South Africa Student Sponsorship scheme.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
