Abba's Rest

‘Likuni phala’ is the Malawian name for the nutritious porridge of a corn soya blend enriched with a blend of vitamins to fill children up and give them energy for the day ahead; Mary’s Meals provide this across several countries but of course can’t reach everywhere. This video shows likuni phala being made at Memezi CBCC (pre-school Children’s Centre) – Abbas Rest provides the funds to Care&Share, and, three times a year,  trustee/manager George Makawa makes sure that Memezi CBCC receives a supply of the ingredients. Click the video for a stirring scene!

Abbas Rest provides items such as exercise books for the orphans at three schools (one primary and two secondary), and menstrual health items for girls to make sure they do not miss a week of education each month., assisting 145 learners in total. Abbas Rest is grateful to the Souter Charitable Trust for assisting with provision of the menstrual health items. This video shows Project Co-ordinator Blessings Chikopa in the office with these items, prior to the official presentation organised in conjunction with the Social Welfare officer – the speeches at such presentations remind the pupils of the importance of education and include thanks to Care&Share and to the Scottish donors for their support. The second photo is one used in a local media report of the event.

At Christmas, knowing of the problems of Malawi with rising costs, inflation, poor tobacco export figures, and much else, Abbas Rest covered the cost of a Christmas meal for orphans, carers and elderlies. The Malawi trustees organised it with great care and it was much appreciated. The short video here shows the meat being prepared.

The CBCC – Community Based Childcare Centre –  at Memezi was first assisted by Abbas Rest in 2013 and the building was provided in 2017. It is a pre-school & feeding station for about 200 3-5 y.o.s; we supply the nutritious ‘likuni phala’ porridge. When trustees Muriel and Ian visited in 2023, they saw roof damage caused by the 2023 cyclone; this short video shows 2025 repair work in progress.

 

After delivery, the maize is spread out for re-drying and treating to preserve it. It is then bagged in 50kg bags (400 this year) and stored in a store room, double locked so that two Care & Share trustees need to be present when any is given out. Most is kept for the ‘hunger months’ at the end of the year. The annual maize purchase is the largest item in Abbas Rest expenses.

 

The annual purchasing of maize – its arrival at the Care & Share compound. This is the biggest single expense of our financial year – this year buying 400 bags of maize for the ‘hunger months’ later in the year.

The November newsletter went out this month both by email and by post – if any supporter has not received it, email us. The photo here shows some maize distribution – essential more than ever in Malawi where unusual climate changes are playing havoc with the annual harvests and the government is having serious problems in sourcing supplies.

Thanks to all who helped achieve a tremendous result at the Ayr St Columba coffee morning on the 22nd. Our funds are never enough, but your assistance is making a big difference – a small charity, but making a great impact.

Abbas Rest has been as busy as ever facilitating assistance to orphans, carers and others in the small area where we work and where the people are enjoying the support which we can provide – we are now preparing the November newsletter which will cover these latest six months. For a picture to go along with this post, we offer a group of secondary orphans in their new uniforms.

We have added the May 2025 newsletter to the Newsletter page – plus the two previous ones which we had omitted to add at the time.  Things are busy at our centre in Chiringa – continuing support for young people, a little apprenticeship training, maintenance of the compound wall, so enjoy the newsletter. It’s not too late to attend our AGM on Zoom (July 8th, am) – if interested, email us at info@abbasrest.org for the link and the annual report. Funds are increasingly tight, so any extra supporters or increases in standing orders are welcomed – bank details are on our Donate page..

In Abba’s Rest Orphans, our Malawi team are purchasing maize to store for the hunger months later in the year.

Last year 500 x 50kg bags cost £10,000. This April, the same quantity will cost £16,000 (due to poor rains and hardly any harvest).

Our small charity cannot absorb this increase, but food is basic. Our Malawi manager/trustee George wrote last week: “a lot of our beneficiaries haven’t harvested even 10kgs….. putting them at hunger risk. We will pray hard that funds should be available.”

To ward off hunger, we appeal to you to buy a £30 bag—we need to find funds for 200 bags—you are free to buy more!

Please help us by one method or another:

cash to one of our trustees (and mention ‘Maize Matters’)

OR bank transfer to Barclays sortcode 20-29-24, Abbas Rest Orphans a/c 80050482 (ref.: Maize)

OR visit GoFundMe at https://gofund.me/6306dcc8 (a supporter will cover the handling fee)

You can look forward to our usual half-yearly newsletter in May – lots to report, as usual!