The Malawi Project, Inc.

Chomveka Chunga’s Story
He had lived for 40 years in and around Khombe Village. The area is within the jurisdiction of the Traditional Authority of Chief Chakhaza. For all of those years he had waited and wished and dreamed. Nothing happened. When he was young he struggled to go to school, but it was 15 kilometers one way. He had been born this way, so he had known no other life. But he could see the other children around him running and playing while he sat on the ground alone. Eventually Chomveka grew to manhood. All through the years the hope was still there, but nothing ever seemed to change. He waited and waited. Some of his friends walked, some ran, and still others cycled, but Chomveka could do none of these.

Finally, in his 40th year of life his dream has been answered. A wheelchair was sent to him from America. He is very happy and he will make a good use of it. This is what Chomveka Chunga asked that you be told:

"Thanks be to God. For the past 40 years I have been looking for a gift like this one, but could not find one. Today God has shown mercy on me when you people have given me this gift; I wish to assure you that this will enable me to do something in order to help my relatives and myself. I will not wait for someone to bring me food or something. I will just do it on my own, and I am confident that I will be able to do things that I could not do without the wheelchair. May God bless you and all those people that are putting their money together to get these wheelchairs."

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Leman Senti’s Story
Leman was born some 25 years ago, but is not sure of his birth date. He was crippled from birth, and has never been able to get around on his own. Both of his parents are still alive, but they are too old and poor to help him. Leman is a farmer, but he has had to crawl to his garden each morning. The village headman and other senior people in the area have advised him it is too unsafe for him to crawl the distance of 5 miles from his house to the garden. If he stops he will have no food to eat, and no money, because he sells some of his harvest, and there is no one to help him. No one in his neighborhood has the money to help him with transport. If he stops farming there will be no one to care for him or his brothers and sisters. Leman is from Masonga village in the area of Traditional Authority Chitukula in Lilongwe District about 35 kilometers northwest of Lilongwe the capital city of Malawi.

Moses Banda, Communication Director for Blessings Hospital, reports, “a few days ago we were able to deliver the wheelchair you sent for Leman. When we gave it to him we could see the tears running down his face. After a few minutes we saw a big smile spread across his face. While Leman crawled toward his wheelchair he said to us:

"Your gift has made it possible for me to care for myself and my brothers and sisters. We will be able to support ourselves, and not have to be given a hand out by others. Your example of helping me will now be the example I show in helping others. Let me be the example for all of them."

Later we went back and found Leman working in his garden. In the pictures you can see his garden.

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Samalani Phanga’s Story
Samalani Phanga was born some 32 years ago. He was crippled from birth, and has never been able to get around on his own. He has a part time job at a store near his home, but he has had to crawl to work each morning. During his free time he operates his own business garage. People rely on him to fix bicycles for them. But, since his garage is the other side of the road from his house, everyone is worried that it is unsafe for his to crawl crossing a big road. In addition to the problem of traffic the police have advised him it is unsafe for him to crawl. They say he must get another way to work or stop going out into the traffic. But, if he does this he will loose his job, and will also have to close his garage, and there is no one to help him. No one in his neighborhood has the money to help him with transportation. Samalani has a wife and five children, and if he doesn’t work no one will help him feeding his children and his wife.

A few days ago a wheelchair reached Samalani.

"When we gave it to him", says Moses Banda from Blessings Hospital, "we could see him trying to jump up and down because he was full of joy and happiness. Samalani asked us to convey this message to you, ‘your gift has made it possible for me to care for my family and myself. We will be able to support ourselves, and not have to be given a hand out by others. Your example of helping me has given me the opportunity to tell everyone they must work hard to succeed, as I am doing.’"

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Martha Mpandula’s Story

She has always wanted to have a husband and children. She wished the people in the village would pay more attention to her. But it has not happened, and there appeared to be no chance that it would ever happen. Then one day. Then one day in spite of the odds against it ever taking place it happened. They came. With them they brought hope for Martha.

But let’s go back to the beginning of the story of Martha.

Like many Africans Martha Mpandula doesn’t know her birthday. She is sure she was introduced in this world some 35 years ago. She has never walked before. She was born like this, and she grew up in a small village called Chimbayo Village. It is in the area of Traditional Authority Chief Chakhaza, and is about 25 kilometers east of the Madisi Trading Centre, 80 Kilometers north of Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi.

She is single and does not have any children or a husband. She would love to have a husband, but men did not like her because she could not do anything. Martha felt abandoned by the people in her village.

Then the wheelchair came. This is what Martha asked that you be told,

"I am very happy today for this wheelchair you have sent for me. I did not realize that in this world there are people who can care about me. In my village people abandoned me, and I was lonely. Today I have realized that people do care for me. I thought I had no relatives, but you are my relatives, my parents and my caretaker. I will be able to go to work and produce food and support for myself."

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