Another Self Sustaining Program
Salima, Malawi …The success of the Malawi Project to procure needed supplies, and to distribute them throughout Malawi has been a great success story. Governments, corporations, small businesses, not for profit organizations, churches and innumerable individuals have come together to make it happen. When these shipments reach Malawi, with hardships unrecognizable by the rest of the world, the people move to unload, store and distribute these goods where needed. People come from distant parts of the country, realizing great difficulty to reach the distribution points, to obtain goods that are often not for themselves, but for others they are trying to help.
Growing Numb with Numbers
As these shipments come and go, they often seem to be simply massive numbers; numbers of medical supplies, numbers of books, numbers of pencils and paper, numbers of pieces of literature. A shipment arrives, and distributed. Another comes, then another, and another. Sometimes, however, it is good to look back for a moment, and see the value of the supplies, through the eyes and life of a single individual.
George Banda, organizer and administrator of Kuchandiza Osayenda Disability Outreach (KODO), a program to help those with physical disabilities, takes a look back to one person who received assistance several years ago. Her name is Tomaida Chande, and in 2006 she was in grade 7 at the Yambe Primary School. When she came to K.O.D.O she was struggling to get by. Her and her grandmother received supplies, including a wheelchair, schoolbooks, blankets, and other items from one of the shipments. (
George reports today, “These items assisted the girl’s life at secondary school. She finished, passing her final exams with very good grades. This has enabled her to secure a course in accounting at one of the colleges in Lilongwe. Who would know she is still using the wheelchairs so many years later.”
Rather than give a man a fish, it is better to teach him to fish. In this case it might sound like this, “Rather than feed and care for this girl for life, it is better to give her a wheelchair.” Some call them, “self sustaining programs.” Whatever you call them they are spell S U C C E S S.