A Promise is a Promise – Malawi Project

Serving the Central Region and Lilongwe District is the Sacred Promise Healthcare for Orphans

“I made a promise, a sacred promise, to Mama Suzi and to you that I would give healthcare to the orphans,” Dr. Smith Chibaka repeated his promise during the conversation with Richard Stephens, the Executive Director for the Malawi Project in mid-2007.

“I intend to live up to what I promised,” added the doctor, one of less than 100 Malawi doctors who are trying to stem the tide of disease and suffering in this nation of 13,000,000.

He then removes the file of papers from the desk and laid them in front of his guests. Page by page the papers outlined the plan that will fulfill his promise to set up a medical program for a number of orphan homes in the capital city of Lilongwe. The list is impressive and totals nearly 2,000 children in 10 individual facilities scattered around the metropolitan area of approximately 800,000 people. They include:

Name of Center	Children	Location
Chikondi Orphanage	412	Kawale 1
Mchesi Orphan Care	200	Mchesi
Mbidzi Child Care	205	Falls
Kawale Orphan Care	40	Kawale 2
Lonjezo Orphan Care	200	Kawale 2
Tilerane Orphan Care	321	Chilinde
Samalani Orphan Care	398	Chilinde
St Theresa Orphan Care	64	Kawale 1
Mother Theresa Orphan Care	68	Kawale 1
Magfa Orphan Care	32	Kawale 1

The plan calls for visits to the children’s homes to begin with general health assessments and identification of health problems. A health attendant at each of the facilities will maintain contact with the main clinic as to the ongoing health needs of each of the children are accessed and care is extended. Up to date records will be maintained at the Sacred Promise Clinic and reporting to sponsors will take place from there.

The Malawi Project has made a sizeable contribution of funds in order to begin the establishment of this program. Plans in coming months call for enlarging this program as the need for medical care for orphans continues to grow in Malawi.