Barefoot Safaris are involved in a number of charity projects in Malawi.
Project African Wilderness
PAW is an organisation formed to protect and restore the Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve in Southern Malawi. Its aim is to work with local people and the Government of Malawi and integrate social, economic and environmental solutions to create a sustainable future for the reserve and improve local community livelihoods.
PAW is not only a conservation project - money that we raise is put into the development of projects (and infrastructure) that will benefit the local people of Mwabvi and allow them to take control of their own livelihoods through businesses and education relating to eco-tourism.
Our projects fall into the following areas:
• Protection and restoration of the wildlife reserve
• Eco-tourism
• Small Enterprise Development
• University twinning scheme
• Secondary school education programme
• Volunteer programme
• Fundraising
For more information, see, www.projectafricanwilderness.org
SOS Children's Village
SOS Children's Village is on the outskirts of Lilongwe. Guests coming out donate toys and clothes to the children. We have received several donations in the past and they were highly appreciated by the staff and children at the village.
Chinjoli School (Rumphi District)
At the moment we are busy building the administration block at the school which consists out of an office for the Head Master, a library and a staff room. The school and community are actively involved - they have moulded and fired 80,000 bricks, river and dambo sand were carried by school children, parents, uncles, aunts, grannies etc to the building site. We have received more than GBP£900 through small donations which is controlled by us and we send money as the need arises. We also oversee the building process.
A full soccer kit was donated by Mrs Jane Galloway, who has been on
several Barefoot Safaris as well as hundreds of educational books and
stationary. A further 22 boxes are presently on their way from the UK to Malawi from Mrs Galloway with library books and clothes for the school. We control this and see that it gets to the school and that it is utilized properly.
House Building
Barefoot is involved in building houses for the local community also through donations. Money is donated and we utilise it by buying the building materials and see that the owners of the houses are also involved
in the building process etc. Two houses have been completed to date. These are proper brick buildings with brick walls - plastered, cement floor, windows and an iron sheet roof.
Helard Kaunda
Helard Kaunda is six years old. He was born with club-feet and could hardly walk. Through a missionary we contacted Dr Lavy in Blantyre and he agreed to operate on Helard. Barefoot has provided clothes and food for him and his mother's stay in Blantyre. Helard had 2 successful operations and today he is walking like a normal child. He also received a brand new bicycle from Mr Ray Case (missionary) and he is a happy child today.