The Little Chaps Academy in Malawi ran a fundraising campaign to help a local family in need. They helped the Evance family, which includes 19 children (11 of which are adopted orphans). The Evance family lives in a one-bedroom home together, clearly reflecting their level of poverty. Through the Reach Out and Touch initiative of the school, the students raised money and items worth a total of K171,000 or $32.92. It seems like a tiny amount, but in areas like the Mbayani-Chemusa township, any help makes a huge change. Mrs. Evance, the mother of the impoverished family, takes care of children from ages 2 to 18, some of whom lack clothes and food, while some have been kicked out of school.
Overall, the Little Chaps Academy donation effectively “bailed out” the Evance family, and will keep them going for at least a few months to come. Some of the items the students donated include rice, shoes, sugar, and soap. The Little Chaps Academy has also helped other needy causes in the past. For instance, the school donated several items to the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in the children’s ward. The Principal of the academy, Virtuous Thokozani Moyo, hopes that they will act as an example to other schools across Malawi, a country that has a big population and the least development, so that the good will can spread to all its people. The Principal believes that if the children are taught at a young age how to be a good person and how to help those in need, it will spread across the country, including these students’ own children and families.
The Evance family represents the larger problems in Malawi, including poverty, lack of food, water, shelter, and perhaps most importantly, education. Their issues prevent them from receiving a proper education, which will continue to disadvantage them later in life. Some of the orphans in their family cannot go to school, and stay home in order to take care of the younger children or to try to make money on the side to provide for everyone. There are certainly other families in Malawi that have similar plights, and the Little Chaps Academy have brought that to light in a very personal way.
Although the Little Chaps Academy only made a small, local difference, their dedication to help the Evance family reflects a larger picture. If all schools across the globe had the same love for their fellow men, and desire to make a difference, then a difference would soon be made in poverty and education. If everyone helps those around them, that could spark a worldwide flame that would cause many families and neighbors to be helped by their communities, and potentially, would help increase global education.
– Corina Balsamo
Sources: Nyasa Times, CIA Factbook
Photo: Save Lives Give Hope