Mtendere Village
In 2003 Napoleon Dzombe, a small businessman from the Dowa District sat across the table from Richard and Suzi Stephens of the Malawi Project discussing the growing problem of orphans in Malawi. At first the team discussed establishing a small 30 bed-ward in Blessings Hospital for the care of AIDS orphans. Later the plan was modified to become group houses that would not be confined solely for children who were ill. The idea grew, and by February 2004, construction had started on shells for 24 group homes.
Later in the year John Blanchard of the 100X Group, and members of a mission team from the Landmark Church in Montgomery, Alabama arrived and with them came a number of resources including the funding to expand the project. By the end of the year all 24 houses were under roof with the first house nearing completion.
In February 2005 with the completion of the first house, the Grand Opening attracted nearly 3,000 people that included nearly 2,000 orphans who lived in the Lumbadzi area. The children gave the house its name of Mphatso or “Gift House” by the children themselves. They saw their new home as a great gift. One boy described it this way, “I moved from a village and into a mansion.” For the first time many of the children had real beds, bedrooms and dressers for their clothes. In addition to a home they would now be able to receive heath care, as well as the opportunity to receive an education. On the opening day nearly 3,000 people attended the ceremony marking the beginning of Mtendere. Nearly 2,000 of the attendees were orphan children from the area around Lumbadzi.
Today the groups from Montgomery fully maintain and manage the village. After the incubation period this program is now functioning independent of support from the Malawi Project.
