In the low autumnal light of Tuesday morning, 13,240 tools packed within a double-sized 40 foot container began its journey to Malawi.
Despite all the challenges that have been thrown our way this year, volunteers across the UK have pulled together to work tirelessly to ensure that tools were refurbished, packed into kits, and sent – ahead of schedule.
The 386 kits for tin-smithing, bike repair, tailoring, auto mechanics and carpentry trades– to name just a few – will be placed in the hands of newly trained young people throughout Malawi. These pre-loved tools will be used once again by trades people to create livelihoods for many decades to come.
A huge thank you to Natalya’s fund for their generous donation to provide 76 carpentry kits and to cover their shipment costs, in memory of Bob Cook. They have supported 18 individual solo kits, two large training-centre kits, six kits for larger business groups of eight people, and 50 kits for business groups of three to six people to reach people in Malawi to build sustainable livelihoods.
Read more about the Natalya’s Fund here.
Looking forward to 2021, our partners are ready to deliver more quality training opportunities to communities across Malawi.
As well as trainees receiving toolkits from this latest shipment, a total of 21 training kits were sent to partners, including 6 sent our partner Young Achievers Foundation (YAF) to help to equip their newly built training centre seen in the photographs below.
Located in the south of Malawi in the Chikowa -Chikumbu, 120 people, some may already have basic skills in a trade, will be formally trained in either carpentry, tailoring, bicycle repair or construction skills. Quality tools are extremely expensive in Malawi so the kits will mean the trainees can hit the ground running after graduating.
Starting early 2021, 100 young people from the Salina district, located centrally in Malawi who are living in economically disadvantaged communities will transform their lives as they train in carpentry and joinery, tailoring, welding and fabrication, auto mechanics and tinsmith skills.
The project is in development to support vulnerable young women and men to train alongside each other learning electrical installation, carpentry, tailoring, welding and auto mechanics skills.
This project will work with 108 young people in Kauma, on the North east outskirts of Lilongwe. Creating opportunities, this project will support people who are unemployed, including those affected by or living with HIV/AIDS, or those who are in high risk groups for transmission, to train through two 12 months programmes learning either tailoring and designing, carpentry and joinery, motor-vehicle mechanics, electrical installation, welding and fabrication and electronical repairing.
Prince trained in construction with partner Craftshare in Sierra Leone
For many trainees it would take them months to work to save and afford to buy tools.
Otherwise destined for landfill, the donated tools are of high quality and invaluable to a new graduate to get their business set up and running.
Thank you for donating your unwanted tools and sewing machines and supporting us with your gifts to ensure people can learn quality skills so they can use them to build sustainable livelihoods.
To find out how you can donate tools and support projects click here
19 November 2020
