KIND kids at a Rugby primary school put the ‘fun’ into fund-raising to help a Rugby-based charity improve education in one of the world’s least-developed countries.
Year 4 children at The Crescent School have raised £2,120 for the Bwengu Projects Malawi charity, which Rugby couple Sue and Tony Melia set up in 2005 after they witnessed the terrible conditions at a Malawi school where they were teaching voluntarily.
Each year, Year 4 children at the school study Africa, Malawi and the work of the charity, and organise fund-raising activities for the whole school.
This year, they raised money through various activities – most successfully through a sponsored bucket fundraising challenge which gave the children an insight into what it is like to carry a bucket for miles to fetch water every day.
Other fund-raising initiatives included a non-uniform day, a day of activities and games, and collections at the Easter Service and Spring Concert.
The school was one of the Bwengu Projects Malawi’s first supporters back in 2007 when it donated books for use in school libraries – one of the charity’s earliest projects.
The school’s Deputy Head Bryony Forth said: “Supporting Bwengu Projects is a highlight of my teaching year, something which I am personally very proud to be a part of.
“Over the years, we must have raised nearly £20,000 for this charity, and helped pay for renovating schools, building a Women’s Development Centre, providing sewing machines, classroom furniture, a teacher’s salary and nearly 60,000 meals for orphans.
“The children worked incredibly hard this year organising lots of events. They smashed their fundraising target, raising a total of £2,120, and pupils have chosen to support projects that include funding 12 months of orphan food, a school block renovation and adult education and equipment.
“I am really proud of the children’s engagement with Bwengu Projects and their work to empower communities in Malawi.”
Sue and Tony’s daughter Sam Melia, who works with the charity, visited the school to receive the cheque during the school’s morning assembly.
She said: “There are so many different people in need across the world and we are so grateful that every year the pupils at Crescent School choose to support Bwengu Projects and help unlock the opportunity of education for the children of Malawi.”
