In 2015 we have some wonderful projects planned. It has been a few years since With Change In Mind took on a building project. The time is right and we have found two projects that we know will have an incredible impact on the community we are working with.

Over the past few years we have taken on many projects at Adziwa Orphan Community. One of the things we have remained focused on is the food program for the children who are under 5 years old. During our previous trips we have seen the daycare program for these children and have known we can make changes to improve it. We have spoken with community members and leaders and through those discussions have come to several conclusions. The first thing we realized was that in order for this program to remain sustainable, we needed to consider the space in which the 50 children who spend their days. Currently the program is held in a concrete open-air building that is also used for community meetings. What this means is that when the building is needed for other things the children are moved outdoors. The kids are seated on a large grass mat that is put out on the grounds and that is where they stay, sometimes spending 8 hours just sitting and talking together on this mat. We have been able to provide some learning materials, and are still working to collect more of those things. We all agreed that these children need a place to call their own. They need a classroom that can be theirs all day long, 5 days a week…a place to store materials and a place that they can take pride in as their very own.  We also know that building something that will only be used 5 days a week, 8 hours a day isn’t the best plan. When taking on any project we always try to see how what we can do can have a greater impact. We have decided that instead of just building a classroom, we will instead build a Community Learning Center!

This building will be used during the week for the daycare program. It will be a dedicated space where a preschool/daycare classroom can be. Storage for learning materials and toys will be built and eventually we will have tables and chairs so the children can begin working on things that will prepare them for school. This building will also be used for classes and lectures that will benefit the community. We will offer workshops on gardening, environment and eventually even business leadership during the evenings and weekends. Down the road we can start to develop a small community library where books can be stored and checked out by the families at Adziwa. We are excited that this building will be built in a traditional style. We will be building a mud structure with a thatched roof. This is the way buildings and homes have been built in Malawi for years and we feel that this will add incredible beauty to the community. It will also allow us to use natural materials that we source right from the community. What an incredible learning process this will be for this years volunteers! Throughout the course of our 2-week open trip, this building will come to life with the help of a local construction crew and our volunteers. I know that members of the community will also be pitching in.

Alongside this Community Learning Center we have another exciting project. What is a preschool/daycare without a playground? We know the value of play for children of all ages and can’t wait to give these 50 children a place to play during their breaks and a place they can run off some of that precious energy. The playground will be built using only recycled materials. We are currently in the process of creating a design and I am excited for the sketches to be shared with you all! We have a closed trip scheduled for the first part of June and our Family Trip which is set for the end of July. Between these two groups we will complete this amazing addition to the Community Learning Center.

With two big projects in the books we will need to raise some money! We have budgeted $20,000 for the projects and the continued support of the food program and community. This will cover both projects and our financial support. We hope that many of you will help to contribute in order to make these projects happen. Please use the “Donate” button on this page or on our home page. You can also send a tax deductable donation to our office. Use our contact form to get those details. We are working on fundraising ideas, but always welcome general donations. If you have ideas for fundraising or would like to help with our fundraisers, please get in contact with us via our contact form.

We have spots open on both our Family Trip and our Open Trip. We would love to have YOU along!