The Story of Fosa Community

Within the Fosa community in the Maonde area, life is challenging. In order to survive, many people farm, but without sufficient fertiliser and seeds, producing a good harvest is a struggle. Additionally, the community’s rural nature makes accessing formal employment difficult, leaving people to rely on finding piecework in the community.

100 Children currently supported

14 Care Workers Coordinated by Kaweta

Basic Services Started in 2022

In 2008, Jonathan, a local pastor, saw the need to support his community and invited people to join him in answering God’s call to care for the most vulnerable.

In 2011, Jonathan met Hands at Work in Africa and together, they encouraged and challenged seven local churches to play an active role in supporting their community. Through their mobilisation of the local church, the Chisomo Community Based Organisation (CBO) was born in 2013. Hands at Work provided training for the Chisomo volunteers and assisted them in building up the CBO.

For many years within Maonde, two Life Centres were operating under the umbrella of the Chisomo CBO. The purpose of having multiple Life Centres was to limit the distance the children travel between their homes and the Life Centre. Fosa was one of these Life Centres.

In April 2022, the local Hands at Work team in Dedza, after seeing the ever-growing need in the Fosa community, decided to make Fosa its own independent Life Centre and CBO – with its own leadership and team of Care Workers. This change gives the Fosa CBO an even greater capacity to serve the most vulnerable children.

A ‘Foundations’ training was run in Fosa, where the Dedza team shared with the Care Workers the foundation of Hands at Work and the importance of Holy Home Visits and Relationship Groups.

The local Hands at Work team in Lobi currently supports five Community Based Organisations, which exist to care for the most vulnerable in their communities. The office provides training, networking, and encouragement to those Community Based Organisations like Tima. It also gives administrative support, including helping with funding proposals, monitoring and evaluation, bookkeeping and reporting to donors.  

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Stories
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Bible Stories Coming to Life

Our monthly bible stories coming to life in the community of Mngwere in Malawi.

Making it Personal
Making it Personal

Acting with concern and compassion, Rashid raised his hand and said he would bring Sara home. One Saturday morning, Rashid woke up early and left the house at 4am. Using several different taxis and motorbikes, he headed into the mountains and forests in the general direction he had been told.

Equipping the Next Generation
Equipping the Next Generation

“Our children saw the stark difference between our comfortable lifestyle and wealth and the hardship and poverty that the people of Mcheneke Community, Malawi, live with daily. They also saw the difference in attitude between their own complaining and discontent hearts and the joyful, grateful hearts of the Care Workers and children that they met, despite their impoverished conditions.”

An Urgent Call to Prayer – In the Wake of Cyclone Idai
An Urgent Call to Prayer – In the Wake of Cyclone Idai

Late last week and through the weekend Cyclone Idai hit South Eastern Africa. What initially looked like a bad storm has turned into disaster for tens of thousands of people, affecting Malawi first with floods, then Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

It is said to be the worst ever weather related disaster to strike the southern hemisphere according to the UN. 

Growth in Germany
Growth in Germany

We are grateful for the amazing support that we have seen growing in our church and surrounding communities. We have not only seen God’s hand in this but we have witnessed a deep appreciation for what Hands at Work is doing. Through regular visits and strong relationships, people have realised the love and trustworthiness that Hands at Work is based upon and therefore are willing to support the work with their finances and prayers.


A Vision that Keeps You Coming Back
A Vision that Keeps You Coming Back

I was surprised, moved and thankful for the things that had changed. New additions to the team. New Care Points serving more children than was previously possible. New dreams and imaginative possibilities for partnership with the international church.

Care Workers Across Africa
Care Workers Across Africa

Care Workers are the key in bringing healing and transformation to the lives of our children. They are men and women from the local churches within our communities who recognize their Biblical mandate and answer their call to care for the most vulnerable children. They demonstrate what it means to give freely, love unconditionally, and sacrifice everything. Often, Care Workers face their own traumas and live in dire poverty, just as the children they care for do, but their determination to persevere and care despite their own circumstances challenges everyone they come into contact with. They are greatest in the Kingdom of God!

Bringing Relief to Chinkhu
Bringing Relief to Chinkhu

Royie Nazombe, Dedza local office coordinator, shares, “This feeding program had a great impact. Grandmothers and caregivers could not believe this was happening to them. I remember meeting with the grandmothers after the packages were distributed. Before, all they were eating was a small amount of vegetables for lunch and supper. I heard them say ‘today I will taste nsima for the first time’. People were very happy.”

The Cry of a Hungry Child
The Cry of a Hungry Child

I wake up early and spend some quiet time with God, but I know this morning is different than any other I had spent so far in Malawi. I am going to visit Chinku Community, a community quite a far distance away. I hesitate – “Is it too far? Maybe I am not up to going out today.” I make excuses. My quiet time reflects my hesitation, and I ask God, “Why am I feeling this way? Why am I hesitating?” As tears well in my eyes, I know God has something different for me today. I do not know what to pray, but I know the Holy Spirit is praying – groaning on my behalf.