Speeches

It was only a trip - a trip to Malawi. But never did they think how it would one day change their lives forever. Landirani means ’please receive’ in Chichewa and this word formed a charity now known as ‘The Landirani Trust.’ It is very traditional in Malawian culture to take a small gift when visiting family of friends. When the gift is given, you say ’Landirani.’ The charity’s vision is to see a healthy, educated and self-sufficient community in Malawi and to give children with HIV/AIDS a gift of life.

Heather Palmer is the Chairman of the charity in England while Kafumbi Njewa takes the role of Director in Malawi. Founded in April 2005, the hope for the country is for them to be able to live happily without illness and poverty controlling their lives. In June 2006, statistics state that half the Malawian population is under 15. Many children’s parents have died and are left in the care of their extended family which are mainly grandparents. Traditionally, the parents would have cared for the young and old generations, but now there is a generation missing and there is no-one to fill the gap. The majority of the grandparents are at their most needy time of life and cannot look after the young children as well as their children would have done.

In England, there are presently three trustees working at their own will for the charity. There is also a treasurer, fundraising manager and volunteer project co-ordinator as well as six people in Malawi on the executive committee.

Malnourishment is a physical problem that many children suffer from in Malawi. The symptoms are a distended stomach and lack of hair. Though they look well fed, they are actually very deprived of the needed food that we have the privilege of. They wait hours for a single piece of cloth to be filled with maize. They don’t know when they’ll eat again. Are you hungry? When it’s filled, it is seen as one of the most precious things in the world to them. Would only one bag be so important to you? The water they drink is dirty and the well is often dangerous. But it only costs £15 to make it safer and £150 to provide clean, pure water for a whole village. It doesn’t take much. Malawians are resourceful and make use of anything they can find. A plastic bag to you, is a ball to them. Small gifts you give bring great happiness to ill children in Malawi and can change the light on the whole village community.

One field to grow maize costs £50 and 20 trees cost £20. That sleeping mat in your loft would be a gift to Malawians at this desperate time of need.

Many fundraising events have happened over the past three years including a world record attempt. On the 4^th of July 2008, The Trust, along with 23 schools and colleges from Surrey, attempted to set the Guinness World Record for "the largest footprint made from children's footprints". The meaning behind it was to help the children of Malawi walk out of poverty and reduce our carbon footprints in the UK as all money raised went to the reforestation project in Malawi. There are so many ways we can help these children - we can build a future for them, a hope to carry on. I will, will you?