Mwai* is a 15-year-old boy living in Maonde Community with his mother, Edith*. His father passed away when he was very young, leaving Edith to care for four young boys. His three older siblings no longer live with them; two of the brothers have married and the other brother has gone to find work in Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi.
In 2014, while visiting other children in the community of Maonde, volunteer Care Workers from Chisomo Community Based Organisation (CBO) learned of Mwai’s story. At the time, Edith was too sick to work and was unable to provide for Mwai’s basic needs. The family were also unable to afford farming necessities like fertilizer and pesticides to grow their crops. Mwai helped where he could, finding odd jobs to support his mother, but this meant he was unable to attend school. Their lives were very vulnerable, so the Care Workers committed to caring for Mwai and his mother.
Today, Mwai attends grade 3 at the local government school and through the support of his Care Workers, he is doing well in class. Despite being behind many of his peers in school, he continues to persevere in hopes of completing his education. He attends the Care Point each day where he receives a hot, nutritious meal, access to basic health care, and support with his education. The Maonde Care Point is a place where Mwai feels safe and welcomed and he can often be seen sharing with his friends or playing football.
Mwai values the role his Care Worker, Cecilia, plays in his life. She visits his home regularly, building with him a strong relationship and encouraging him with the promises of God found in
scripture. Together, they are learning to pray together and Mwai now knows he has a Heavenly Father who deeply loves him. Edith is grateful for the support as she knows she has a friend in Cecilia and is not alone in caring for her son.
*Name has been changed
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