Containers within containers

On 9th February, a cold and wet day, Raven Trust volunteers met at the store in Strachur to load the latest container to be sent to Malawi with a large autoclave (steriliser), fish transporting tanks and over 1,000 boxes of assorted goods.

The fish transport tanks had been donated and were on their way to John Blyth at Mzuzu University who will use them at orphans’ houses to collect water from roofs to be used by the household. Archd, Fergusson Ltd., a local building contractor, made it possible for us to load these heavy items onto the container by loaning a fork lift and driver. Then it was up to the volunteers to load and pack the rest of the boxes, suitcases and equipment.

4 hours later, with a celebratory wave from Iain MacPhillimy, the last box was loaded, the doors closed and sealed and the container set off for Greenock on the first stage of its journey to Ekwendeni in Northern Malawi

Jumbo Well

Last August, in John’s “half term report”, we reported on the improved situation of the people of Jumbo, a village some 10 miles north of Ekwendeni, after they had been given a bullock drawn plough and ridger. At that time their water supply came from a shallow hole and was unsafe. Following talks with Jim McGill, the Synod of Livingstonia’s “water man” and the gift of some funding from Alba Aid, we have recently received pictures of Jumbo’s new well.

The people of Jumbo are delighted and it is hoped that it will be possible to use the original water source to irrigate their fields using a windmill powered pumping system.