Tag: donation

Community, Donations, Education, Fundraising, Healthcare, Malawi, Volunteers

Volunteers Jeremy and Norma assist for 3 months in Ruarwe

Phunzira

Nyumba ya Masambiro and Ruarwe Health Centre were delighted to host volunteers Jeremy Dobbs and Norma Coward for three months. Jeremy and Norma joined us from the UK for July, August, and September 2025. A retired GP and midwife respectively, their main aim was to spend time supporting Paul Kabuzi and the medical team at the health centre, but once they got to Ruarwe, they got stuck in with so much more.

Initially supporting Paul in seeing patients, and supporting midwife Dan with antenatal appointments, care, and teaching, as well as the distribution of reusable maternity pads, they then took on reorganising the clinic, which needed all hands on deck following both Covid-19 and a subsequent cholera outbreak. They provided funds for much-needed medications and organised and funded the repair of all inpatient beds, as well as the toilet and shower plumbing systems at the clinic.

Meanwhile, in the afternoons, they both got stuck in at Nyumba ya Masambiro. They helped to reorganise the library, creating new labels so that all the books could be easily found and facilitating the distribution of excess books to Bunga CDSS, Khondowe CDSS, and Stepping Stones Primary School. They painted two beautiful murals on the library walls and refreshed the existing ones, which had faded over time. They worked with Stanley, the NYM nursery school teacher, to teach phonics, nursery rhymes, and early reading skills to the children, and then headed into Ruarwe Primary School to paint two murals there as well at the request of the teaching staff.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to both Jeremy and Norma for the incredibly generous gift of your time, your financial contributions, and your energy during your stay in Ruarwe! Yewo chomene! We all look forward to welcoming you again in the future!

Community, Donations, Education, Fundraising, Malawi, Nursery

Upwards of 35 Nursery School students this academic year

Phunzira

We are delighted to announce that in this academic year, 2025–2026, Nyumba ya Masambiro’s nursery school has 35 children enrolled – the maximum capacity.

Over the years that NYM has been in place, a number of other nurseries have opened within Ruarwe and the NYM catchment area. However, due to the prohibitive cost of covering both the staff members’ salaries and the porridge meal, these have all closed within a short period of opening. Nyumba ya Masambiro has been able to maintain the nursery as a result of ongoing financial support from Phunzira.

Within the community, there are calls for NYM to open a second nursery class, as there is growing demand for children to attend the nursery at NYM. At present, this would be an unsustainable cost for NYM and Phunzira, but we would be very happy to accept donations towards the nursery and all our other ongoing activities at NYM.

Do get in touch for more information about donating to Phunzira.

Community, Education, Malawi, UK Schools, Volunteers, Youth

Stories Without Borders: From Scotland to Ruarwe

Phunzira

We are delighted to share the joyful news of a special collaboration that has connected learners across continents through the power of storytelling.

In 2023, two teachers travelled from Inverkeithing, Scotland, to our community in Ruarwe. During their visit, they worked closely with learners at both Ruarwe Primary School as well as youth visitors to Nyumba ya Masambiro to collect and record local stories — tales of daily life, imagination, culture, and hope.

At the same time, back in their own school in Scotland, students were also busy writing and sharing their stories. The result is a beautiful exchange of voices and experiences, bridging communities through creativity and mutual learning.

We are proud to announce that these stories have now been officially published into books. Even more exciting, copies of the books have arrived in Ruarwe, where learners can see their words in print and read the stories of their friends in Scotland.

The books are now available at the NYM Library, where community members, students, and visitors are warmly invited to come and read them.

This project is a wonderful reminder that while our communities may be separated by distance, stories have the power to bring us together. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the teachers, students, and everyone involved in making this cross-cultural journey possible.

Donations, Education, Malawi

Donation of Early Reader Books to the Library

Phunzira

We’re thrilled to announce the donation of over 30 early-reader books to the Nyumba ya Masambiro library, thanks to the efforts of our current volunteers Jeremy and Norma!

From very first A,B,C and early word books to more complex books for children in the first years of primary school, these books will help to spark curiosity, support foundational English and literacy skills, and help young children fall in love with reading from the very beginning.

Early reading is one of the most powerful tools we can give a child. It’s about more than just learning to read—it’s about growing confidence, expanding vocabulary, supporting cognitive development, and laying the groundwork for success in school and beyond. Children who have access to engaging, age-appropriate books are far more likely to thrive both academically and socially. Children from the community frequently ask to come and read with volunteers in order to improve their understanding and English language skills. It is wonderful to have a new supply of books, which children can read both independently and with any volunteers at NYM. 

The books donated by Jeremy and Norma will make a big difference for the young learners who visit the library each day. A huge thank you to them for taking the time and energy to collect all these incredible books and for bringing them out to Malawi, and to everyone who continues to support this journey. Together, we are creating a space where reading is celebrated and learning never stops.

Donations, Education, Fundraising, Malawi, Nursery

New Nursery Uniforms for NYM’s Youngest Learners!

Phunzira

Following ongoing requests from the Nursery School parents, Nyumba ya Masambiro has successfully purchased brand new school uniforms for all of the Nursery School children. Uniforms play a vital role in fostering a sense of belonging, equality and school identity, helping to build a positive and focused learning environment. 

The nursery school at NYM provides foundational education for dozens of children in the local community, setting them on a strong path for future academic success. With early childhood education being a critical component of lifelong learning, initiatives like these make a lasting impact. We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this possible. While this first round of uniforms was purchased by NYM, going forward they will be purchased by the Nursery School student’s parents, though no child will ever be turned away from NYM’s nursery for not having a uniform.

Community, Donations, Education, Malawi

Uniform Donation Supports Students in NYM Catchment Area

Phunzira

Two teachers from a school in Inverkeithing, Scotland, who visited Ruarwe in 2023, organised a generous donation to Nyumba ya Masambiro through the sale of Chitenge items made by their High School Craft Club. As agreed, NYM has put the money towards a range of new school uniforms, which have been provided to a number of vulnerable and low-income students in the region.

For many families, the cost of uniforms can be a barrier to consistent school attendance, because while education itself is free at primary level, parents are expected to pay for uniforms, exercise books, pens and pencils etc. This donation helps ease that burden, ensuring that more learners feel equipped and confident as they take part in their education.

The uniforms were made by a local tailor here within the community, meaning that this donation not only allows some students to attend school, who would otherwise have been excluded, but also contributes to the local economy. We’re incredibly grateful for this thoughtful contribution, which supports our wider efforts to make education more accessible to all children in the communities we serve.

Community, Donations, Healthcare, Malawi

Malaria medications donation to Ruarwe and Khondowe Health Centres

Phunzira

This malaria season has seen a very sharp rise in malaria cases as a result of various factors including the change in climate. This is a nationwide crisis, which has unfortunately coincided with a Forex and a fuel shortage, hampering the purchase and distribution of the malaria treatment Lumefantrine and Arthemeter (LA). Phunzira has been able to make a donation of LA to both Ruarwe and Khondowe clinics, to hopefully see out the rest of the malaria season.

This donation of medications coincides with a nationwide government initiative to distribute mosquito nets to all households, which started in the Ruarwe area at the beginning of November. Alongside the education provided by the clinic staff at the start of every clinic day we hope to see a drop in malaria rates and no fatalities. We are grateful to be able to help the wider community at a time of need such as this, and will continue to focus on education for the whole community about the importance of using mosquito nets correctly and prevention methods community members can take to reduce their risk of infection.

Donations, Healthcare

Donation of clinical supplies to Ruarwe Health Centre

Phunzira


September saw a donation of medical supplies of bandages and sterile gloves to Ruarwe Health Centre. Surplus supplies, otherwise destined for landfill, from a health facility in the UK were provided to the clinic. As we come up to planting season here in Malawi, the clinic is seeing numerous wounds and injuries from farming. Both the bandages and sterile gloves have come in really helpful to manage these injuries and wounds. The sterile gloves have also come in useful for the delivery of two babies at the clinic in the last few weeks! We are really grateful to the facility in the UK for thinking of the clinic in Ruarwe and for facilitating this donation, which really does make a big difference. Yewo Chomene!