The under-six centre is bustling with expectation when Nelia (the field manager) and I arrive. The children give us an overwhelming welcome, singing and clapping. They have just finished eating their morning meal of likuni phala and will be given a second meal of ‘nsima’ made from maize meal, with dried fish and fresh tomatoes, before leaving for home.
In the southern region, Mary’s Meals ensures that around 7000 vulnerable children in 45 of these centres get two nutritious daily meals and a boost in their early education and development.
A blanket to keep out the cold
Today, we are joined by friends from the NGO ‘Gift of the Givers’ who are donating 4300 blankets to be distributed to the children. The timing is perfect as June and July are Malawi’s cold months and it can get chilly during the night.
The porridge served here is enriched with milk powder and extra nutrients that are crucial for proper development at this age. There are 140 children and 96 of these are orphans, some having lost one parent, others have lost both, with AIDS being a common cause. Some sleep in a local orphanage but most are cared for by their wider family, most of whom are already struggling to feed their own children adequately each day.
Some of these children’s lives have been literally saved by the volunteers here in the Centre, particularly those who are HIV positive. The volunteers are here each day, working with great commitment to make a real and lasting difference to the lives that these children have ahead of them.
The Under 6 Centres help these children in many different ways. They are able to get used to being in a classroom with other children and a teacher. We see that they are already learning to read and write in both Chichewa and English. Head Teachers in the primary schools notice a huge difference in the children who graduate from Under 6 Centres into primary schools; they are more able to concentrate, are already used to the school environment, are more self-confident, and have a head start in their basic education. The nutrient enriched food has also ensured their healthy physical and mental development.
One of volunteers, whilst carrying two little ones, is leading the class in a dynamic English lesson in which she chants out a question and the children reply in unison with choreographed actions that the older ones have mastered, and which some of 2 and 3 year olds are still perfecting, observing and copying their older classmates. They chant the alphabet, the vowels, the days of the week and the months of the year. The children take turns to stand up and answer the questions individually. A tiny boy stands up and in a loud voice says:
‘Introduction! My name is Peter, I am 4 years old, I am a boy, thank you Madam!’
As he finishes, the whole class joins in an encouraging chant of ‘Well Done! Well Done! Keep it up!’ Their enthusiasm to learn is life-affirming and, as we say goodbye, I feel that that it is great to be part of this effort to give them the support and care they need to keep going.
