In Malawi, anyone who has a job uses their wages to support their extended family! There is no thought or discussion about it – it’s what they do. Each person in work is reckoned to be feeding about 12 people!

We have a very hopeful new project for the older orphans in Malawi which we hope will enable those trained to find work and help support their families. At the vocational school building built by the people of The Avondhu region, training courses will shortly start in motor mechanics, metal fabrication, pottery and tailoring.

14 students will live in at the school for six months and be trained to a Government certificate standard. To date, our colleagues have run courses principally in business, computer skills and some tailoring – but there are only so many jobs available in business offices. They have surveyed their area and spoken to the young people involved (mostly orphans for whom we paid school fees) and together they have chosen these subjects for the initial trial programme.

In the meantime, our colleagues at COOM continue their support work which keeps orphans in their home villages going to school. The Maize Mill and Pig Project continue successfully and earn money to support COOM’s work, and vegetable and fruit growing, supported by COOM, continues among the orphan carer families. This year we are paying secondary school fees for 69 students.

Table Quiz Night

At this end, our first fundraiser of 2013 will be the table quiz organised by Fermoy Rowing Club at The Grand Hotel, Fermoy. Our quiz is on Monday, 4 March, starting at 8.30pm sharp. Tables of 5 cost €30 – and if you want to come alone we will be delighted to include you in to a table. And it’s only as competitive as you want it to be! … mostly it’s just fun. So please come and support us (and the rowing club!) if you can possibly do so.