Tuesday 6 May 2014

Hurst Students Help Hundreds

For five years students and teachers from Hurstpierpoint College in Sussex have helped transform the lives of hundreds, if not thousands of children living in and around the rural village of Chilangani, in Malawi.

Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, and there are simply not enough schools to cater for every child. In 2009 children living in Chilangani were walking for miles every day in order to reach the closest primary school. As a result many students dropped out of school early.

But thanks to Hurstpierpoint College life has improved for everyone in the community of Chilangani over the last five years. This long term partnership has seen three groups of volunteers from the school travel out to Malawi with Inspire Worldwide and each group has built a either one or two classrooms. Chilangani now has enough classrooms to offer the first 6 years of Primary education. And last year, a £1,000 donation enabled the school to purchase urgently needed text books to further improve teaching at this rural school.

Since the partnership began in 2010 students have raised over £25,000 to make this school a reality and 2015 will see another group head out to this impoverished community and build another classroom at the school - a truly incredible achievement.

The experience has been life changing and rewarding for children at both schools. Vulnerable children living in this impoverished rural community are now able to get an education, which will help them work themselves and their families out of poverty and students from Hurstpierpoint College, as their Headteacher put it, "The effect on our pupils was life changing. They returned undoubtedly wiser and, key, better people." 

We would like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all the students, teachers, parents and trip leaders who have made this partnership such a success.

To find out more about group volunteer opportunities with Joshua, click here.

Saturday 3 May 2014

Good luck Superheroes (and Villains)


Joshua Trustee Sarah Monkeying around at last year's race
Joshua is thrilled to have a team of 11 runners taking part in this year's Heroes Vs Villains Run on Hove seafront of Sunday the 18th of May. The run is a fantastically fun way to raise money for our life changing projects in Malawi - not only do you get to run along the seafront, but you also get to do it clad in spandex as your favourite Superhero or Super Villain.

This is the third year Joshua has had a team taking part and we are delighted that it is the biggest team so far! Please join us in wishing Geri, Sarah, Pippa, Alexander, Samantha, Pips, Steve, Peter, Oliver, Frankie and Jess good luck!

And if you're more if a sofa supporter, why not come along and cheer for them on the day, or donate to one of their fundraising pages online.

Friday 2 May 2014

Get on 'yer bike for Joshua


If you're a Wiggo wanna be, or just like using your own pedal power to explore beautiful countryside by bike, then we have the cycling event for you.

The High and Low Sportive on Sunday the 31st of August is about taking on a new and uplifting cycling challenge that will take you physically and quite possibly emotionally, High and Low through some of the South Down’s most stunning scenery.

Starting and finishing at St Bede's School in Sussex there are three routes available, all of which take you across some of the most beautiful landscape the South Downs has to offer. The Blue Route is 45 miles, the Green Route, 56 and the Red Route is 68.

In order to join the Joshua team on any of these three routes all we ask is that you pledge to raise £250 - it’s the perfect challenge to burn of all those summer beers and BBQ's - So what are you waiting for? E-mail Heather now for details of how to join Joshua's team. 

Tuck Shop Twix Tackles Poverty


Everyone likes a nice tea break biscuit, a birthday celebration wouldn't be the same without office cakes and Fridays are the perfect excuse for a finger of fudge. But who'd of though our sweet tooth cravings here in the UK could stop hunger in Malawi?

Last year Joshua supporter John Evans decided to do exactly that, by running a Tuck Shop at work and donating all the profits to Joshua. John was a volunteer with QuestOverseas in 2006, helping to build a double classroom block, and in 2012 he tackled the three peaks for Joshua. But in 2013 he decided to take on a different challenge, and he raised an incredible £750 in the process.

This money has been used to support some of the neediest families in Malawi with maize during the "Hungry Season." This is a six month period from roughly November until April, when thousands of families maize supplies are running low and they simply don't have enough food to eat every day.

The money John raised has donated 70 bags of maize to the poorest families during this period - with each bag providing two meals a day for a whole month - This works out at a total of 21,000 meals - incredible!

Chikumbutso Chilumba (pictured) lost his mother when he was just eight years old. Abandoned by his father he and his two siblings are cared for by his grandmother, but she's in her mid-sixties struggles to earn enough money to support them all. As a result on the day I met Chikumbutso in November last year, he had not eaten.

Sometimes Chikumbutso is forced to miss school in order to earn money to ensure the family can eat. But John's Tuck Shop effort has ensured that Chikumbutso doesn’t have to do this, and can stay in school, focus on his studies and work towards his dream of becoming an engineer “Coming to school is important to me because I want a good future.”

We would like to say a huge Thank You to John for his incredible fundraising efforts on behalf of some of the world’s poorest people. Who knew a chocolate treat could do so much good?