A large number of Malawi women die in childbirth due to the conditions under which they have to give birth. This high incidence of death is due in the main to inadequate facilities and not diagnosing potential problems early enough in the pregnancy. A great many of these deaths could be avoided if the problematical pregnancies were near or in the Maternity Centre at the time of birth. In rural areas poor women generally give birth in dirty conditions, often in leaky dark huts with earth floors.

Seed Sowers Trust have embarked on a programme of building purpose built clinics which are equipped with delivery beds, post-natal beds, lights and other necessary furniture and equipment. The clinics comprise of a delivery room, a post-natal ward, washroom, reception room, and outside an odourless latrine and a placenta pit. The Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA’s) of these clinics is given teaching on how to use the new facilities and how to improve their delivery skills.

This programme has been carried out under the guidance of the British Government’s sponsored Safemotherhood project in Malawi and the Malawi Ministry of Health, and has been commended by them. A programme of 5 such clinics has recently been completed at Mwanjati, Sani, Chibothera, Kasamba, and Chiwaya villages.

The funding for this particular programme was raised by students of Exeter College and St. Margaret’s School, Exeter as part of their Millennium Duke of Gold Award. The British Department for International Development have agreed to give funding for boreholes for three of these clinics. The charity wishes to continue this programme and add to it a nutrition feeding programme for the malnourished children.

The ‘Agape’ Orphanage at Blantyre, Malawi, is run by Fletcher Kaiya and his wife Clara. The orphans vary in ages from 5 to 13 years old. There are five girls and five boys. The project is funded at present mainly from Clara’s own finances, a donor in Canada and ourselves. However, much more funding is required for the orphanage to be fully viable. Although the orphanage is Christian and teaches Christian values, orphans from other faith backgrounds are welcomed. The orphanage is well run and managed, having a peaceful and loving atmosphere, and there is always a warm welcome for visitors.

For just £15 per month a child can be fed, clothed and housed safely in a loving environment together with helping with medical and school fees.

The ‘Kondanani’ Orphanage at Blantyre and Bvumbwe in Malawi is run by Annie Chikhwaza with her husband Lewis. There are two centres: one in Blantyre catering for 66 orphans whose ages range from birth to three years, and an orphan village at Bvumbwe, 20km north of Blantyre, which will cater for 100 orphans from 3 to 8 years. This is a Christian run enterprise taking children from all backgrounds and creeds.

These projects are supported by our Orphan Sponsorship Scheme. Contact us for further information.

INTRODUCTION
Tsoka is a village situated on the edge of Lilongwe, translated it means “woe”. Twenty years ago these villagers were living near the inner part of Lilongwe. As the city grew, the villagers were removed and put onto a new piece of land. This land is very dry, and the crop yield this year is very low, due to poor rains. Tsoka consists of 4 villages, Tsoka, Kalenga, Kumalambo and Kaingn. Population around 800 people.

Seed Sowers Trust commenced a nutritional programme at Tsoka, under the supervision of Patricia Pickering, a registered Nurse, Midwife and Nutritionalist. A group of 96 children were selected, for this programme. They were divided into 2 groups; a control group and randomly selected group. One group was given Glyco-bears with Lukini Phala and the second group Lukini Phala alone.

Nutritional Diet
The stable diet of the Malawians is maize meal and cassava. In Tsoka it was maize, which is dried, then the maize kernels are ground into a flour. The nutritional outer skin is often not eaten, and the inner flour is made into “nsima”, a thick bland mixture, full of carbohydrates, and no vitamins. The children are given a thinner version, made into a porridge called “Phala”. The porridge that we used is called “Likuni Phala”, it is made up of 3 parts maize, one part Soya, with added milk powder, sugar and fortified vitamins. For this village we used Likuni Phala made with sugar. A bowl of this porridge is worth 400 calories per bowl. Each child received 5kg of Likuni Phala per fortnight.

Glyco-Bears
As part of this Programme, Group 1 received Glyco-Bears, a children’s chewable vitamin and mineral dietary supplement donated from Manna Relief. These are comprised of 26 complete vitamins and Minerals. Even with a great diet that’s providing a broad spectrum of nutrients to provide all the basics for your body’s health, there is an important role for micronutrient supplements. Especially as in Tsoka, there diet is very simple.

Diseases in Tsoka
On examination children and adults of Tsoka were suffering from malaria, diarrhoea, respiratory infections, worms internal and external, eye infections, ear infection, maramus, kwashiorkor, AIDS, skin infections and anaemia. With the accompaniment of a poor diet too, the children’s immune system was under constant attack from infections. Mental alertness was affected as well, for growth and mental development, the body needs a good diet too. The project looked at nutritional, physical, mental, and medical needs of the children.

Enock Family

Chirwa Family

Kusala

Tom

In the red group, 40 children was chosen. The group consisted of children under the age of 7. We had two family groups, the Enock family and the Chirwa Family. The Enock family consisted of:

1. Alice, born on 8/8/04, on first medical examination, history of loss of weight, malaria and diarrhoea. First weight was 1st 1lb 15oz, in 3 months gained 3lb. On final examination physically better.
2. Chikondi, a boy aged 5 years, on first medical examination ringworm, sores over body, weight loss, malnutrition's sytoms and malaria. Started at 2st ended at 3st 4lb.
3. Gift, born on 11/3/02, unwell for a long time. Start weight 1st 13lb 15oz, and end weight 2st 7lb. All gained weight and medically all illnesses treated and great improvement.

The Chirwa family consisted of:

1. Watipaso Chirwa aged 2 years 10 months. On examination no appetite, diarrhoea, and weight loss. First weight 1st 12lb 14oz, and end weight 1st 14lb 13oz. Physically better at end of project.
2. Watanja, born on 14/1/01. Suffering from worms and anaemia. First weight, 1st 13lb 13oz, end weight 2st 6lb.
3. Taliwona Chirwa, born on 15/5/04. Suffering from sores, weight loss and malaria. First weight 1st 1lb, and end weight 1st 2lb. Suffered from burns, when boiling water scalded her.

All 3 children from this family gained weight, and did appear more mentally alert at the end.

Kusala Manjomjo Joni was 9 months old when I first met this girl baby. Mother had died at birth. Was being brought up by grandmother. At 9 months was 11lb, unable to sit, very marasmic in appearance, thin, looked like a little old woman. Her eyes just gazed at you, took hold of my finger. Grandmother had just fed Kusala on maize porridge. Unable to afford any milk. Started her on Likuni Phala and milk powder. Within a month, this child was changed, gained 3lb, and sitting up, as seen in photograph below.

Blessings Nbewo and his mother. Mother had full blown AIDS, was tested and confirmed by the “Light House” centre in Lilongwe. Blessings was HIV positive. Child unable to sit, and very marasmic in appearance, with a ear infection. Mother very anaemic had malaria and pneumonia. Both treated medically. Blessing was on glyco-Bears for 6 months. At start his weight 1st 5lb at end 1st 9lb. By 3 months sitting, and starting to stand. Only mother on ARV treatment for AIDS. Blessings controlled by nutrients and nutrition. Both were on the red programme, mother given a mixture called “Ready Food”, produced by Rab Processors, which is peanut butter, with vitamins and sunflower oil added. Both had gained weight, and given a chance of life too. She has no husband alive.

Boniface Evans, born on 26/10/03. Only surviving child of 4. On examination acutely marasmic, history of loss of weight for 3 months. Unable to sit, only whimpered. At the start weighed 11lb, at the end 1st 5lb, started the programme a month after the others. A changed child, as seen by the photograph.

Tom was an additional child started on the Glyco-bear programme in June. I was called out at night to see this young one. He had survived a house fire, he had crawled out of the hut, and his parents had died. He had been looked after by a neighbour, there was very little food. Eventually Tom had been handed over to the grandmother. This photograph was taken ten days after first visit. On initial medical examination legs very swollen, macerated
skin over groins. Sores over body and infections in these sores. A small whimper. Medically treated, commenced on Likuni Phala, Glyco-Bears, milk powder and peanut butter, to be added to the porridge. After ten days, leg swelling gone, skin in between groins healed. Sores getting better. Remains on programme till September. These are samples from the red programme. All the children gained weight. They also had an increase in appetite. After 3 months most no longer had discoloured hair, caused from malnourishment and lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet.

Madalitso

Isacc - May 2 2005

Isacc- July 16 2005

On the green programme, we had 56 children and adults. Of the 56, 6 where adults, 3 mums with full blown AIDS all on the ARV programme. Three elderly people, who had pellagra, a vitamin B deficiency, I gave likuni Phala with multivitamins. Over half the children were orphans, either living with an older sibling or relative as their guardian.

Madalitso Gilbert born on 3/11/04. A little girl weighing 1st 3lb 10oz at the start, with a history of diarrhoea, breast feeding. Weight at the end 1st 4lb 7oz. Fit and well. The discoloured hair remained, without the addition of glyco-bears. The hair took longer to return to normal. Junio Jackson, born on 8/12/03, initially 1st 6lb, gained 2lb 3oz. The other orphan Severians Robert, aged 7 years, gained 7lb. Both being looked after by the grandmother.

Isacc Thombozi born on 6/11/03. Medically was underweight and had malnutritional symptoms. Weight at the start was 1st 6lb 7oz at the end close to 1st 12lb. His whole appearance changed.

Tsoka was a village that was changed by providing a nutritional programme, and with the addition of Glyco-Bears. The photograph opposite shows the fortnightly weigh in and the medical assessment and
treatment provided.