As part of the Junior School's focus on COP26 summit, Primary 6 children worked with Petal from Zomba TREEZ to understand more about climate crisis and its effect on Malawi in particular. 

  Today, the promised washing machine arrived at Achikondi Clinic. And not just any washing machine, but the much prized and long sought Samsung Top Loader. You can see from the video link below just what a cause for celebration this is! For years now, Charity and her team have had to wash all the clinic's materials - sheets, uniform, dressings - by hand. With Covid, the workload was overwhelming so with  your help, Watson's Malawi Partnership funded a new washing machine.  It has taken some time to procure. Charity was very specific about her requirements but after many months searching for the elusive item, Arran managed to track the correct model down.  In the first of the video clips, Charity explains just what a difference a machine like this will bring to her team.  And in this second video, it would seem it is not just Charity who appears, as she describes it, to be 'overexcited and overwhelmed' by Arran's delivery!

As part of the Sustainability Series organised by George Watson's College, Tracy Morse shares her experience tackling public health in poorer countries. 

On Thursday, 4 November, some of our students  attended the Climate Cooperation event hosted by the Scotland Malawi Partnership and had the honour of meeting His Excellency President of Malawi Dr Lazarus Chakwera. 

  We’ve had a busy few months during lockdown, working to ensure that our projects and support could continue despite the challenges presented by COVID-19.  The team has been meeting regularly – virtually of course! – and we have some exciting updates to share with you.

  We couldn't visit Malawi in person this year, but we still managed to travel out there - Strava-style. In just seven weeks, 97 people ran, walked and cycled 21,018km through 15 countries to raise £872 for reforestation.

  Dear friends and members of the Watson Malawi Partnership and the George Watson’s College community, We were delighted to receive your recent donations following your virtual ‘Race Night’ in March 2021. You raised approximately £4,000, which is a fantastic sum in support of our vulnerable children and communities in Malawi, and we are grateful for your efforts and dedication. I hope you’ll enjoy hearing some of our latest news from Malawi, as in spite of the difficult conditions we have operated within over the last year, a couple of our children have successfully been able to reintegrate with their communities and return home after thorough assessments, including Blessings and Yankho.  We also welcomed a new baby, Shadreck Benson I pictured above), who was born on the 4 th April 2020 and who comes from Simon Village, T/A Nankumba, Mangochi District. His mother had passed away from high blood pressure on the 21 st November 2020, and after his aunt was no longer able to...

Going, going, gone but to such a great cause. Our first ever silent auction raised a staggering £3600 for our partners in Malawi. 

Captain Baz took us horse racing this week - and all from the comfort of our sofas.

Elaine Thow has been busy over lockdown making beautiful new dresses and shorts for the children at Thom's Colourful School and Open Arms Nursery. Now retired from George Watson's College primary school, Elaine has recycled some of the curtains and bedsheets you have donated into 140 sets of new school uniform and decorated them with ribbons and colourful pockets. Too often, a lack of clothing prevents children from attending school in Malawi so these clothes will be invaluable. Thank you Elaine!  We can't wait to take them out to Malawi, once restrictions allow.

In a bid to support Tom and Petal's reforestation campaign, we're travelling 7,756 miles to Blantyre - Strava style.  You too can get involved for a £10 donation and a whole lot of peddling, running (or gentle walking). 

Many thanks to Aaran and Paul for delivering essential personal protective equipment to our three partner schools in Mangochi: MCV, Bolera Palms and Thom's Colourful Classrooms.

Open Arms reached out with a report on recent activities in Malawi, including the good news that the solar inverters are now in place in Mangochi and the steps they are taking to maintain operations during the pandemic. 

With covid case numbers out of control and the vaccine a long way off, schools have closed once again.  The steering group is holding an extraordinary meeting to review available funding and see how we can extend our help on the back of updates like this one that we received from Thom's Classroom this week: I hope that this message finds you well.  It has been so confusing and hard to cope with the new cases of Covid-19 and alarming rise in deaths that have come with this  second wave of the pandemic in Malawi. Last week, two cabinet ministers succumbed to the disease which has so far claimed 285 lives as of last week only. Meanwhile, the schools are closed again and there are some crucial measures in place to follow. This is really hard times for my students especially  those who come from the poorest families... who cannot afford to buy some protective materials to protect themselves while they are at home.  If there is any way you help these little chil...

  Dear Miriam, We're delighted to receive your email, and we're very grateful for your fundraising efforts! This is so appreciated at such a challenging time for our teams in Blantyre and Mangochi. It will make an enormous difference to the children in our care at the Infant homes and for those who have been fortunate to return home, in their communities in Malawi too.  Best wishes, Grace  Click here to read the Christmas update from Open Arms Click here to see how The Sipping Point was able to raise funds for Open Arms  

Thanks to Miriam Reynolds and the wine lovers of our Watson's Malawi Partnership community, we have been able to give Open Arms £1,900 this month.  Miriam has organised a series of wine - and gin - tastings over the last couple of months and has given over all the profits to the Watson's Malawi Partnership.  She has kindly agreed to extend her sessions until March. Group sessions over zoom; DIY tasting notes for the zoom-shy or indeed, any way that suits you!  If you are interested, you can read all about here on the WMP website . And please do share these details with your friends, family and work colleagues. The  more, the merrier!