The Malawi Project, Inc.

    It was an important day for both of them when Yasin Wame met George Banda  (Director of Kuthandiza Osayenda Disability Outreach (KODO)) in 1998. George was working hard to serve the needs of people with physical handicaps, and Yasin had one. Yasin had been born disabled, and his disability affected both his back and his legs. In spite of his problems Yasin was able to attend school up to standard five when he had to drop out because his parents could no longer afford the school fees. He was then trained in tailoring by the "Malawi Council for the Handicapped", but again he was unable to move forward when the program was unable to accomplish its goals, as there were not enough funds for the program to support him and improve his skills.

    When Yasin met George he found a home. It was not a place where he could receive, but a place where he could give. Since he was from the Kapira Village in the Salima District, Yasin was able to begin assisting George to assist others with disabilities. He has been there ever since, teaching, assisting, encouraging.

    The old adage is true: "I complained that I had no shoes until I met a man who had no feet." It is pretty hard to complain after you have watched George and Yasin  helping the disabled. It appears they no longer realize that they both also suffer from disabilities that would make others grow discouraged and quit.

    Yasin is seen in the left of this picture showing a young woman how to repair a bicycle rim.

Aide Director Receives
“Humanitarian of the Year” Award

    Each year the Malawi Project recognizes a particular person or group who have made a difference in the lives of the people of Malawi. Many of these people appear in the Be The Change category of the Malawi Project website. Each new recipient joins people such as Mama Cecelia Kadzamira, the woman recognized by many as the first First Lady of Malawi, the now deceased former First Lady of Malawi Ethel Mutharika, and Samatha Ludwick of the Cool Runnings Lake Resort. This year this awarding of recognition goes to the Universal Aide Society of Canada and its director, Shirley Gremyachev. Repeatedly Shirley and the Society have come to the aid of the Malawi Project when needs were evident.

    Shirley Gremyachev, its director, was born and raised in the Maritimes of Canada. She is the mother of three daughters and grandmother of four grand children. She spent her early years active in social youth work and the last twenty years focused on shipping humanitarian relief aid to those in need over seas. Shirley is Co founder of Global Relief Fund and Founder of Universal Aide Society. She has received many tributes for her dedication to the poor two of which are the Paul Harris award and Honorary Doctorate degree for humanitarian services.

    Shirley has traveled extensively over the years witnessing first hand those that are suffering from poverty and the ravaging affects it has on human life and dignity. Her dedication to partnering and networking with other like minds has enabled her to see thousands of shipments find their way to the poor. Shirley’s husband, Yuri Gremyachev also shares her passion for the poor and together they work to bring hope and help to the destitute.

Now it Has All Changed
Now, thanks to supporters in the U.S. including the Free Wheelchair Mission, the Malawi Project, and the Kuthandiza Osayenda Disability Outreach in Salima, Malawi she is freed from the cruel laughter many of the other children taunted her with when she was moved about in a wheelbarrow. Richard Stephens, Executive Director of the Malawi Project commented, "It is so sad to see this kind of story repeated over and over in a land that is so poor that the poor have no place to turn. I cannot imagine what this little girl has gone through because of the lack of a wheelchair in which her family could help to get her from place to place. Now, with the ability to get around who knows how much she may excel?"

    After this last picture was taken little Agnes was moved from the old wheelbarrow into a nice new shinny wheelchair.

    It is probably impossible to explain what it is like to walk into a hospital, go to the pharmacy storeroom, and see a single box of gauze on the shelf. That is all. One box. Oh, wait a minute. There is a Band-Aid near the box. Now that is all. One box of gauze and one Band-Aid. And they do surgery in this hospital? It is a rural hospital in Malawi and it is the only hospital for thousands of people. And they have one Band-Aid and one box of gauze . Sorry for repeating myself so much but I can’t get over it. I have never seen anything like it anywhere in America. What would it be like to walk into a large metropolitan hospital and learn that they only have one Band-Aid and one box of gauze ? That day I was afraid to walk over and look more closely at the box. Perhaps the gauze was gone and the box was empty. Or perhaps it all was all outdated and not able to be used. I just can’t get over it. A hospital with only one box of gauze and a single Band-Aid!

KODO Distribution Goes Both North and South

    Because of the recent influx of supplies from the supporters of the Malawi Project the work of the Kuthandiza Osayenda Disability Outreach  (KODO) has been able to expand into parts of Malawi that were only dreamed of just a few months ago. The following gives a partial report of distribution from two recent shipments of supplies to KODO in Salima.

 Aid Programs Touch Zomba
     The Songani Orphan Care facility in Zomba District made repeated calls to KODO asking for help. Nothing could be done. Then after shipments of needed supplies started coming in from the Malawi Project in America it was possible to extend assistance. Mr. George Chimpiko, from KODO, made a trip to Zomba to look in on the assistance being given to the orphans. Seeing orphans being taught life skills he was impressed with the programs being given to the 500 orphans who live at the facility. In the pictures below are shown Chifundo Musa, an orphan who has lost both parents, yet is still involved in trying to help her two siblings to survive. Also shown are a number of the residents of the orphanage going through to find shirts and pants that will fit them.
 

 

   

 

 

Expand Out Over Salima District
    They came from all over the Salima District, even the blind, deaf, albinos and any other kind of disability known to man. Even the elderly and the orphans were present as KODO organized the ceremony that included the District Commissioner who came to oversee the distribution of the much-needed supplies to those in need. By the end of the day over 400 families had benefited from the assistance that had come from America.

    

 

Blantyre Resource Center Receives Supplies
    Continuing with the distribution program KODO workers arrive in Blantyre, in the southern district of Malawi. Here local news reporters, school officials, school children and parents of children with disabilities greeted them. In this school is a resource center for children from all walks of life who have disabilities, and the need for supplies was acute. By the end of the day the land around the school had taken on a new look at supplies were offloaded for the school.

    

 Working to Solve Their Own Problems
    Field visits to sites being helped with supplies from KODO are found to be working to solve their own problems. Training in life skills is critical and is proving to be a success in a large number of cases with the programs at KODO. Whether it is digging the KODO truck out of the mud or spending time in a classroom the students are learning how to cope with life and its challenges.
 

    

Kasungu and Nkhotakota Districts Receive Aid
    Reaching Kasungu two districts north of the capital, and then expanding east to the Nkhotakota District, families received sewing machines along with other supplies to assist them. With the sewing machines handicapped families are able to provide themselves with a living and not be a burden to other family members or to the village in which they live.