History

Shine Relief’s overriding belief is that “help begins by understanding African culture and not by imposing westernized culture.” Our project started by listening to the local people as they told us what they want to do and what we can do not for them, but with them. The project area was chosen after a situation analysis revealed a high need for a relief project to support orphans and vulnerable children.

The programme led by Suzen Zidana and her husband Hastings Zidana and 6 Trustees, all of whom are Malawian nationals, and is founded on the good news which Jesus Christ came to bring. Together with our strong staff team  and local volunteers,  we serve the community delivering vital support through CBO’s, local schools, and Shine’s Resource Centre.

SRTUK fundraising office based in Hull, UK, works to encourage individuals, churches, schools and local businesses to invest in the vital work of Shine Relief Malawi which is impacting the area. Events are organised 3-4 times a year and support is given to individuals wishing to fundraise for Shine.

SRTUK monitors the project in Malawi along with Shine Relief New Zealand. Regular reports, skype calls, and annual visits to Malawi, which are self-funded as much as possible, provide an opportunity for ongoing discussion and feedback.

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Shine Relief has continued to listen to feedback from the community and we have ensured projects at Shine Village, and across the region are delivered by local people.  Chief Chilambe is a keen volunteer at Shine Village providing insight and advice. He is always involved in planning new activities and sits on our  Children’s Home committee along with representatives from the community, social welfare and Child Protection. This works very well. The organisations receive no funding from the government, so the income is received from regular donors, through various fundraising activities. We receive one-off grants from a small number of Trusts to support the development of Shine Village. 

MALAWI INITIAL PROJECT REPORT 2010-11

The Shine Relief Project is working in Traditional Authority (TA) Kuntumanje in Zomba District. The project area was chosen after a situation analysis revealed a high need for a relief project to support orphans and vulnerable children out of 4 TA’s (Chikowi, Mwambo, Mlumbe and Malemia). The situation analysis was carried out by the District commissioner’s office on behalf of Shine Relief Project in July 2009. After all preparations and consultations were done following up on the results of the situation analysis the Shine Relief Project started its work in March 2010.

The following activities were conducted in the month:

• Consultative meeting
• Household visitation
• Purchase of feeding materials
• Meeting with secondary students and fees
• Groceries for needy children
• Meeting headteachers
• Follow up in feeding centers

CONSULTATIVE MEETING

In the month of February Shine participated in a consultative meeting in which all stakeholders that are doing community and development activities in TA Kuntumanje shared ideas and report the type of activities that are rendered in the area. The gathering also shared the challenges and success that are facing as an NGO.   The numbers of stakeholders that participated in the meeting were as follows: Emmanuel International, WALA project, Shine Relief, Hunger Project, ERAD, IDASA, Community Based Organisation (CBO), Village heads and Government personnel. After the consultative meeting, the gathering made a plan of action for the three months.

Shine Relief project Director visited two households. The project assisted the household with assorted groceries that will sustain their needs. The project managed to assist a child who was very sick was helped with transport to Malosa hospital where he was admitted at the intensive care and he was on oxygen machine for a day. After five days in the hospital he was discharged and he will go for review in the infection of the ear and coughing. Shine also brought comfort to a physically challenged woman who had lost her child and encouraged to visit the CBO centres so that she can benefit from the feeding programmes assistance to malnourished children within the village at household level. 

On 7^th February the project procured assorted items that were distributed to two CBOs in the group village headman. To sustain the feeding program the community participate in mobilizing local resource so that firewood and actual cooking whilst the project assisted with cooking pots, spoons, cups, plates, washing basin, mats and pails.  Parents benefit from Health education from HSAs that shares some of the sign and symptoms of diseases or malnutrition.   Due to an increase in the number of orphans and vulnerable children being registered to both CBO centres, the project supported them with mats to be used on the floor. This helped to reduce the dusty conditions in the rooms and prevent occurrences of chest infections  

MEETING WITH STUDENTS AND FEES

On 10^th February the project organised a meeting with 10 secondary school students who receive special assistance of school fees for three terms in 2011 from the Shine Project. During the meeting students shared some experiences that affect their education like shortage of school materials, poverty and inadequate numbers of teachers. The project Director shared about the importance of education and insisted that students should at least work extra hard in order to achieve their goal which is to pass final examination. She also assisted in career guidance that students should work extra hard in all subjects with an aim to achieve the purpose in future.  The project met the headteacher to discuss issues with the school students who benefit from the Shine Relief Project and the bursary policy assisting the needy students. In these discussions with the TA Kuntumanje and the headteacher recommended the vulnerable secondary students to be targeted with school fees. Shine Relief Project agreed to support these children.