Lebanon, Indiana … With an influx of critically needed supplies for the people of Malawi the work at the Lebanon, Indiana warehouse has accelerated to an all-time high.
School Supplies
The end of the school year signaled an inflow of new and used textbooks and school supplies. These arrived from schools in Zionsville, Lebanon, and Lafayette, Indiana. They will be distributed through a number of the over 1,000 Malawi schools the Malawi Project and Action for Progress have assisted in recent years.
Chairs
Students at the Indiana United Methodist Children’s Home in Lebanon were recently challenged with math exercises, and container tracking, following the route of a shipment containing several dozen stackable chairs donated to Malawi by the Home.
Drip Irrigation
A 40-foot shipping container arriving in Malawi recently included several dozen drip irrigation systems for agricultural programs in Northern Malawi.
Maize Planters
In recent days the Lebanon center received over 300 of the newly invented maize planters. (See story https://www.malawiproject.org/volunteers-pick-up-tools-to-help-farmers/ – https://www.malawiproject.org/new-corn-planter-nails-it/ ). The maize planter is the invention of AJ Batt of Brookston, Indiana, and promises a faster and easier way for small plot farmers to plant and fertilize maize (corn) production.
Green Houses
Progress in the production of tomatoes in the large green houses at the AfP distribution hub promises to become an example of a successful way Malawi farmers can increase crop production using large green houses. A special “thank you” to Bill Miller of Brookston, Indiana for seeing the need, and soliciting the funds to purchase two additional greenhouses for the Lilongwe property.
Hospital Equipment
The arrival of two shipping containers of hospital equipment helps to insure the hard to obtain equipment will be available during construction of a new medical facility north of the Dedza Trading Center, and a planned clinic on the AfP property west of Lilongwe. Appreciation goes to Kevin Vaught and his team at Project Cure in Ft Smith, Arkansas for sourcing and sending these supplies.
Emergency Medicine
Thanks also goes to World Emergency Relief, and their international support network, for two emergency shipments of antibiotics and other pharmaceutical supplies flown into Malawi from Canada. They were delivered to cyclone ravished areas in south-eastern Malawi. These shipments were highly newsworthy, with three of Malawi’s news outlets scrambling to cover the story.
Baby Packs Available
Over 1,000 baby packs for expectant mothers have been made and sent to the Malawi Project site in Lebanon, Indiana in recent weeks. These will assist many mothers to have safe deliveries for themselves and their babies.
Mobility Units Arrive
Arriving simultaneously with one of the shipments of hospital equipment at the AfP distribution center
“Fire Brick” Conservation
Initial tests have proven successful for the “fire bricks” made from shredded paper and pressed into a solid block. Additional tests are currently proving fruitful, and when they are completed, the “fire brick” will be made available for village households to prepare meals without cutting tree limbs or cutting down trees for cooking fires.
3rd Annual Golf Scramble
Adding to the other July activities is the 3rd Annual Malawi Project Golf Scramble. It is scheduled for the Ulan Country Club in Lebanon, Indiana on Wednesday July 12.
Administrative Vehicle
While every effort is made to keep costs at a minimum for both organizations some costs cannot be avoided. One of these is the need to periodically upgrade vehicles. The administrative vehicle purchased in 2007 had outlived its life span and repairs were eating deeply into funds needed for other work. A funding request was met favorably by the World Outreach Foundation in Atlanta, Georgia, and a large portion of the funds needed for a newer vehicle were supplied.
Protective Security Wall
For some months the Project has been gathering needed funds for a protective wall around the distribution hub in Lilongwe. With literally millions of dollars in medical, educational, and agricultural supplies passing through the warehouse at any given time the need for added security is a must. A recent grant request has been approved and the beginning of construction is scheduled to begin in coming days.
Pictured is a portion of 150 maize planters made by a men’s church group in Dallas, Texas. These were delivered to the Lebanon warehouse by Duane McGuire, 3rd from the left. Also pictured are Malawi Project board members Suzi Stephens, Richard Stephens, and Jim Messenger who helped unload the planters.