Projects

Monitoring and evaluation of all our current and future projects is carried out to assess the impact of the project on the communities. Reports are sent to Action Aid Malawi quarterly, National Aids Commission and World Vision International monthly by Michael and Chrissie.

For the immediate future the focus will be on the direct support of the orphans. The JCT Children’s Foundation plans to build Resource Centres in the three districts where children can learn different skills; these include panel beating, spray painting, tailoring and many more such as learning to raise pigs, chickens and other farm animals.

An engine pump for irrigation will be of great assistance, as it will promote all year round farming cycle to reduce hunger and improve the health standards of the children. This will ensure increased numbers and variety of crops, trade of farm products within the community and the attainment of sustainability.

We need to buy a maize mill, where we can process Soya flour and distribute it to the children to improve their nutritional status.  We have already identified 16 HIV/AIDS patients in Lilongwe and one home based care provider who is willing to support our organization once we have the funds to pay her. 25 patients were identified in Nsanje. Due to financial constraints, our work in this area has to date been limited.

One of our main aims is to work in the prevention of HIV/AIDS and support children who are affected by it. We want tackle general poverty in the villages where our centres are based, educate children about HIV/AIDS, support community care for children orphaned by AIDS, challenge prejudice against young people affected by HIV/AIDS, protect orphaned children from exploitation and abuse, and involve children in HIV/AIDS prevention and support work.  Over time we would like to incorporate projects such as setting up mobile clinics, encouraging HIV / AIDS Education in schools and the local communities to help to combat the further spread of this terrible disease by dispensing the knowledge of its dangers and methods of transmission. This will be augmented through conducting vocational training.

Another main focus is something we really do take for granted in the developed world, namely the development and provision of primary and secondary education. This will enable children in the specified districts to gain dignity and future prosperity for themselves and their communities and is absolutely key to the long term success of Malawi. Many orphans cannot afford to go to school, but education is vital if they are to have a better future. It costs just £15 ($30 USD / 3555MK) to send a child to primary school and £40 ($70 USD / 9485 MK) to secondary school for a whole year. 

As at 30th October, 2006 the following activities were done with the money

• 25/09/06 procured Soya Beans which were planted in community garden so that after
  harvesting, we feed the children in our Community Based Child Care Centres
  
  
• 26/09/06 Procured maize seeds which we distributed to orphans and vulnerable
  households so that hunger be reduced in the coming seasons
  
  
• 27/09/06 Procured watering cans in order to help the community in watering
  vegetables which will be distributed to our children’s in our Centres
  
  
• 29/09/06 Procured Likuni Phala, it is a highly nutrition’s porridge which we cook in
  our Community Based Children’s Care Centres every morning of their class because
  
• many comes to school without taking anything as a results of poverty
  
  
• 02/10/06 Procured 3 cartons of toys in the Community Based Children’s Care Centres
  
  
• 03/10/06 Vehicle Hire which was used to distribute the items to our Centres
  
  
• 05/10/06 Paid John C Thomas staff salary arrears in Nsanje
  
  
• 10/10/06 Rental in Nsanje, Lilongwe and Chitipa for the John C Thomas Offices
  
  
• 17/10/06 Bought office stationary
  
  
• The remaining bank balance was used to procure fertilizer for the seeds we distributed
  and this exercise was done at the first rains in January.
  
  
• The traditional village community leaders thank John C Thomas Children foundation
  for the support with the above donations.
  

Compiled by:

HADWEL BECHA
Accountant – The John C Thomas Children – Based in Lilongwe, Malawi
 

Current Projects for 2007

 

Flash Floods in Malawi - January/March 2007
The flood started on 20th January 2007 and ended on 3rd March 2007, a duration of 43 days.

The flooding affected over 22,000 households, more than 20 villages were washed away resulting in the destruction of livestock, crops and over 1,000 homes - some of them belonging to teachers. The downpours also meant that at least 10 primary schools in Nsanje, Lilongwe and Chitipa Districts were closed or destroyed, affecting thousands of pupils. Three major rivers in the district flooded.

Supplies for families resulting from recent floods
The immediate focus of The JCT Children's Foundation is the dispatch emergency supplies to the flood-affected areas, so that families can resume a semblance of their former lives. Tents for shelter, emergency survuival kits, hurricane lamps, plastic buckets, chlorine, soap, jerry cans to carry water, and pots and pans - among other supplies - are urgently needed.

A preliminary assessment has revealed that those whose houses have been destroyed are now homeless and have lost all their property including food, kitchen utensils, clothes and blankets. To date, affected families have not received any assistance apart from their neighbours helping them to evacuate.

Forthcoming Projects

'3 New Schools'

Due to the flooding The JCT Children's Foundation are looking to build three new schools and clinics for Nsanje, Karonga and Chikwawaeach, costing in the region of £8,000, and have already acquired the land to build these schools on. All we need now is the funding to actually build them.


We Aim...

• To become more involved and research specific HIV/AIDS related projects.
• To provide educational and treatment programs that strengthen family life.
• To provide accessible, affordable primary health care for children.
• To provide primary and secondary education for all children.
• To provide higher education and / or vocational training for adolescents.
• To provide adequate housing, nutrition, sanitation and clean water for children.
• To provide appropriate management and technical support for the service providers and volunteers
• To promote programs concerned with the spiritual and emotional development of children.
• Monitor and evaluate the activities provided by the different centres
• Ensure sustainability of the projects