Indianapolis, Indiana USA … In conjunction with MIBI, a major international school and vocational training center proposed for the central district of Malawi, the Malawi Project is working to raise the needed funding for a maize mill to serve the villages surrounding the site of the new school.
A total of $25,000 will complete the mill construction, supply the equipment and build a residence for the mill operator. The mill will assist approximately 28,000 people, who otherwise would have to carry the maize nearly 20 kilometers in order to have it ground.
Over half of the needed funds have now been secured, with ground breaking scheduled for later this year.
Hospital Also on List
At the same time as the maize mill is coming off the drawing board, the Project is also focused on beginning construction of another major medical facility in the central region of Malawi. It’s first venture in hospital construction took place between 1999 and 2006, when a five building, 110-bed medical complex was completed north of the capital.
Ground Breaking Anticipated
Working closely with the Dzidalire Community Development Agency in Dedza, this new medical complex is expected to have construction underway later this year. The villagers have already made thousands of bricks, and are eager to see the construction begin. Fund raising has started, with ground breaking anticipated to take place in June or July. Pouring the foundation is hoped to begin shortly after that.
The medical complex is expected to take multiple years to reach its full capacity, and the cost of the buildings is estimated at $300,000.00. The first phase is an out patient clinic with a birthing center to follow. This will move forward as funds are available. As with the maize mill, the villagers of the area must travel many miles to reach the district hospital, and this is most often in the back of an ox cart, on a bicycle, or walking.