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Community Overseas Aid Project

It has been some while since the last update from the Community Overseas Aid Project (COAP) on the status of the schemes currently being supported in Malawi. The reasons for this are twofold: The schemes are being executed by the Salvation Army (SA) and historically COAP dealt directly with Salvation Army officers in Malawi. Following the COAP visit at Easter 2007 not only did many of these faces change but the SA undertook a major internal re-organisation to centralise the co-ordination of its overseas aid activities at its UK headquarters. The objectives of this include the implementation of tighter controls and improved communications. Donor organisations will now be provided with clearly documented objectives, budgets and expected benefits for individual projects. It should be noted that COAP funds will continue to be wholly directed towards the nominated projects and not to the cost of administration. COAP now has a single point of contact, Jonathan Bamber, who recognises the past communication failures and has started to provide good feedback. He visited Malawi at Easter time and reports that “I was most encouraged to see the enormous variety of projects that Malawi is developing on the ground with overseas partners like yourselves...”.

Bicycle Ambulances

COAP has now provided funding for 20 bush ambulances. The two manufactured locally and presented by COAP during their Easter visit in 2007 were the first in Malawi. Their success has generated much interest in Malawi and amongst similar small groups across the UK. Consequently the SA now has orders for 50 in total. Objectives include a reduction of 30% by December 2009 in the number of deaths due to transport problems in villages to which ambulances have been deployed.

Mchinji Child Anti-trafficking Centre

Located close to the Zambian border, the centre provides a refuge for children rescued from human trafficking. It is one element in a comprehensive scheme, started in 2007, that aims to reduce trafficking and rehabilitate those rescued with their families. There are currently 22 children in residence. The centre also provides day care for orphans and other vulnerable children. COAP has funded a sports pitch built at the centre by SA students. With the World Cup in South Africa looming, there are ideas to start a local sports ministry. The centre is badly in need of security fencing and there are two new dormitories that need furnishing. These are likely to be the next items funded by COAP. The centre is also trying to establish its own income generating activities from things such as fruit growing and chickens. This aim is typical of the SA’s endeavours to encourage self-sufficiency.

Lilongwe Pre-school

When COAP visited this SA run pre-school on the outskirts of Lilongwe in 2007, its total resources ran to one blackboard, a couple of posters and a few dedicated but under-paid teachers to serve 90 pupils: No pens, no books and mostly just the floor to sit on. COAP has donated £3,000 to fund essential teaching supplies.

Smile Malawi

Not all COAP funds are disbursed through the Salvation Army. Smile Malawi is a charitable trust founded in the UK by Sittingbourne based civil engineer Elspeth Baecke to help orphaned and vulnerable children. Elspeth established an orphanage in Malawi in 2006. COAP recently made a modest contribution to the running costs to enable Elspeth to concentrate on fund-raising for a life-saving heart operation for one of her charges. Time is of the essence to meet a June deadline. If this is a cause you feel you would like to support, you can donate on line at www.smilemalawi.com.

Organisation

Tim Sidney has been chairman of COAP since its formation in 2001. With support from wife Jo and the rest of the committee he has been instrumental in raising funds in excess of £40,000 and overseeing their distribution to worthy projects: No mean feat! Tim has decided that 8 years in the chair is long enough and is relinquishing the role to Bruce Leckie in order to take a well-earned break. Jane Gransden is also stepping down as secretary and that post will be filled by Charlotte White.

In the past COAP has sometimes been referred to by the misnomer, “the Lynsted Malawi Project” as this is where founding committee members live. However, COAP was always intended as a benefice-wide mission initiative. With the recent re-organisation of the Doddington group of parishes into the Kingsdown & Creekside Cluster, the intention now is to include both Teynham and Oare into COAP activities.

For more information or to pledge your support please contact:

Fund Raising Events

4th July      Hog Roast and Barn Dance

Come and dosy doe your partner in the Community Orchard, Lynsted. Barn doors open 5:00 PM. Tractors 11:00 PM. Revd Steve Lillicrap will be swapping his dog collar for a kerchief to call the dances. Anyone willing to offer a helping hand on the day please, call Jo Sidney on 521714.

              Village shopping arcade                                    Barren grazing with termite mounds                      Cattle looking for grazing

Malikopo Village, simple houses for a whole family, hall paid for by COAP in 2004 and a well paid for by COAP and constructed in late 2006.