Accomplishment: Building a Confident Community

World Vision began working with the people of Mpama community in 2008. We listened as they examined their strengths and needs, and supported them as they developed specific goals. In 2009, together with generous Canadian sponsors, we were able to:

• Encourage community members to look at their strengths, weaknesses, needs and resources;
• Draft plans to improve access to safe water, which will ease the burden on girls and women who often have to walk distances to collect water;
• Develop a plan to address gender biases;
• Train 95 community leaders, 40 teachers, five community change agents and members of 30 community-based organizations in child protection and encourage them to identify abuse;
• Promote raising livestock as a way to boost income and provide natural manure for agriculture; and
• Improve the health of 5,400 children aged 1 to 14 by distributing de-worming drugs.

Mpama also has plans to support birth registration for children. Although this is not yet mandatory in Malawi, UNICEF has been pushing for legislation so that each child is recognized as a citizen of his or her country.

“Having [birth registration] in place allows for a more accurate count of children in Malawi and better planning for services for them,” said Agnes Muvira-Kiromera, Regional Program Manager for World Vision Canada. “It also gives rights to children that they otherwise cannot claim for.”

Building on Sponsorship: Gifts That Matter

A massive birthday party — complete with gifts that encourage play, fitness, teamwork and learning — has helped children feel special and look to the future with more confidence. There had never been such a birthday party here, and by the time the gifts were distributed, the children could no longer contain their excitement. They jumped for joy and sang at the top of their voices.

Each year, World Vision sponsors are invited to celebrate their sponsored child’s birthday by sending a birthday greeting and making a special donation. The children receive their greetings for their birthdays, but the donations are pooled over the year so that the community can determine for itself how best to use those funds to benefit the children. The people of Mpama decided to hold a large party for sponsored children. 

Children from 14 primary schools and 31 community child care centres were joined by their families and community leaders for the party, which featured talent shows and traditional dancing. Local leaders also addressed the challenges and issues faced by the children of Mpama.

But the highlight was the distribution of gifts.

Preschool children received bundles of toys to use at the childcare centres – and these were a great hit given that most centres had run short of toys. Primary school pupils received netballs and soccer balls, as well as sports uniforms. With uniforms, the children can now enter competitions, and they could not resist trying on the new uniforms at the party.

More than 3,800 children from the Mpama community benefited from this wonderful event. Several schools reported that the gifts had motivated children to attend school more regularly, and had even prompted some who had dropped out to return to school.