A garden fete and sale is being held in Armagh to help young the poverty-stricken and orphans living in Malawi.
It is due to be held at the Clover Day Centre at St Luke’s Hospital on Friday.
The work will aid the Malawi Projects, a charitable organisation founded two years ago to bring aid and relief to those less fortunate.
One of the group, Fanchea Coleman, said they work on the basis of “giving a hand up, not a hand out”, with the old adage ‘Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day, teach a man how to fish and he will eat for life’ ringing true.
She told Armagh I how they came into being and what they have achieved and hope to achieve – with the help and support of the good folk of Armagh – through future efforts.
“We are a small charity who were formed in 2016 by a group of trade unionists from the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance, quickly joined by friends and colleagues from other unions and walks of life,” explained Fanchea.
“Over the past three years the group have fundraised almost £250,000 to support children, families and communities in Malawi in east Africa.
“Each year a group of 15 people have travelled to Malawi to visit projects supported by the fundraising efforts.
“Solar panels, a fresh water supply and a garden have been put into an orphanage housing 40 young women and girls.
“Last year the group bought a 37 acre farm, which produced enough crops to ensure food security for the girls for the next year – a first in the lives of the children and workers.”
Friday’s garden fete and sale in Armagh will support those ongoing Malawi Projects and help to expand the practical support given.
Said Fanchea: “There will be stalls selling over 10,000 items, from clothes, vintage and books to furniture and more.
There will also be teas, coffee, scones and cakes.”
The group are always seeking assistance to ensure they can continue to fulful their vital work.
And, to this end, they and would welcome donations of cash, clothes in any condition, bric-a-brac, household furniture, scrap and jewellery which they can put to good use.
Fanchea added: “This year the group are funding small family farms that will see people secure food for life, as they are supported to purchase land and taught how to plant seeds, grow and harvest the crops and to store them when they are harvested.”
You can follow their work and keep up to date with the group on their Facebook page The Malawi Projects
And anyone interested in learning more about the projects can get in touch. If you have any queries or would like to consider joining Malawi Projects on their next trip in 2019, contact Brian on 077 1267 8082 or email him on smyck88@gmail.com
Friday’s sale at the Clover Day Centre at St Luke’s Hospital in Armagh runs from 10am to 1pm, and all are invited to come along , browse, bag a bargain and enjoy a cuppa – and all in support of a very worthy cause.
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