Christmas update from Open Arms
We are all so grateful for your ongoing support of our work and for cheering us on through these challenging times. Your sponsorship is enabling us to offer children like Peter the very best care and is truly helping to build a much brighter future. From all of us here - thank you!
Update on Peter from the Outreach Team
Peter has grown tall recently and is looking in good health. He is in year 2 at school and doing well.
He now helps with gardening at home and sweeping the house yard. Their garden has been prepared and they are waiting for rains to plant their Starter Pack maize seed.
His uncle still supports the family but visits them rarely as he has moved from where he was staying. He now stays in Liwonde, where ‘bicycle taxiing’ has more business than in rural Machinga District, where Peter remains with his Grandmother.
The Family was thankful to receive its Starter Pack from Open Arms again this year.
Impact of Covid on Open Arms
We are currently experiencing a higher than usual number of abandoned babies being referred to our Infant Homes, or brought to us for care, which we attribute to the increase in mental health issues.
Our paediatric nurse-led team continue to love and care for these new babies and nurture them back to health, before working with Social Welfare to either find them a loving, permanent home or work with other members of the children’s families to reintegrate them back to their home communities and villages.
307 rehomed children are receiving vital support through our outreach visits, to ensure they are well settled, properly cared for by their guardians and thriving. Another 61 children who have returned home and are needing ongoing financial help are able to access this through our community sponsorship programme.
Covid in Malawi
Although a very small percentage of the population in Malawi are vaccinated (around 5%), COVID-19 cases and deaths remain encouragingly low. The economic impact of the pandemic, however, is most definitely starting to be felt.
National restrictions have caused businesses to shut down and many people have lost their jobs and livelihoods as a result. Closures, even if only temporary, hit small scale businesses and those living hand to mouth particularly hard. This loss in income and prospects has understandably caused a rise in mental health problems amongst the adult population.
Open Arms in the UK
We are also delighted to be running the Make a MEAL of it campaign again this year, where we invite you to host a meal for family or friends, collect small donations and give the proceeds to Open Arms Malawi. You can find out more and register your interest here! This can be done at any time to suit you and can be great fun to do.
For more information about Open Arms:
Watch our inspiring short film
about the children of Open Arms
