Preparations underway for Malawi school trip 2022

It's been a long time coming, but we're now just weeks away from returning to Malawi. 

This week, we gathered three years of donations, stored carefully around the school and beyond, and packed them into 43 suitcases to take with us to October. 

We're being selective in what we bring with us. We don't want to undermine local enterprise in Malawi so we only take items that cannot be purchased locally for a reasonable price and are essential to the success of our partner programmes. For instance:

• Bras and pants: these are very expensive to buy locally and are part of our Smalls 4 All relationship
• Sewing machines: to help STEKA set up more of its young people in business. 
• Football and netball strip: it's not easy to find enough kit to equip a whole team 
• Boots: these are very expensive. We think it's better to have good quality second hand stuff. 
• Reading schemes: these cannot be bought in Malawi and we buy jotters and pencils locally. 
• PE kit: our partners give these to their primary school pupils in placce of school uniform. 
• Hand knitted booties: perfect for the newborns at Bwaila Maternity Hospital.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us to fill all these suitcases.  We still have a few suitcases left, so if you have any unwanted items you'd like to donate, please get in touch at malawi@gwc.org.uk.