FROM ORPHAN TO NURSE

Violet Favour Msukwa was born in 1993 and, against all odds, is well on her way to fulfilling her lifetime dream of becoming a qualified nurse. She is Howard Msukwa’s eldest neice. Some of you may have met Howard, the smallholder farmer from Northern Malawi when he was over with Webster in September last year. They toured the country doing talks about Kilombero Rice, climate change, and life in Malawi.

Violet’s mother Beatrice, who was teacher by profession, passed away in October 1998 and her father Paul, an orthopedical clinician by profession, passed away in 2004.

Violet has two brothers Dickson and Paul Junior and life became very difficult for them at this pivotal stage in their lives when they became orphans. In Malawi, Violet would usually be expected to take on the role as mother to her younger brothers, however, this would mean giving up any chance of achieving her dream of becoming a nurse. Instead, she would have to try and earn a living to support herself and her brothers.

Thankfully Violet’s Uncle Howard took the three children into his home and became their guardian. As Howard is a smallholder farmer and a member of KASFA, his niece qualified for educational support from JTS. This is the only reason she has gotten through her nursing course. As a result, after completing secondary school, Violet joined St John of God College of Health Sciences. She is only one month away from completing her nursing course. Dickson is now a second year student at university of Malawi studying Agronomy while Paul is still in secondary school.

“As a smallholder farmer I couldn't have managed to pay for her education and support her and she would have ended up rotting in the village like so many others” explains Howard, and this is the harsh reality for many young people in Malawi. Paul Tofield of Dumfries, who has an interest in agriculture both at home and in Malawi and is a great supporter of fair trade and, is now paying for Dickson's degree in Agronomy so that he can improve the farming methods used in his village. When he completes his degree, he will be able to teach others how to improve the soil and seeds on their farms to help increase the productivity and quality of their harvests.

This family is just one example of the impact your donations can make through KASFA.

WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO ARE SUPPORTING US AND FOR PLAYING YOUR PART IN CREATING A BRIGHTER FUTURE