Bwengu Projects Malawi

Bwengu Projects Malawi is a small, family-run registered charity in England and Wales, established in 2005 by Sue and Tony Melia. They are joined in their efforts by their daughter Samantha, son-in-law Rob, and granddaughter Abi. The charity is registered under the number 1183709.

Objectives and Activities

The primary goal of Bwengu Projects Malawi is to advance education in Malawi for children, young people, and adults through various initiatives. These include renovating school buildings, providing furniture, constructing toilets, and supporting learning with teaching kits and an adult literacy program. Additionally, the charity supplies food for orphan care at feeding stations.

Geographic Focus

Bwengu Projects Malawi focuses on the Bwengu district in Northern Malawi and has expanded its efforts to the Chitipa District. The Bwengu district is a sizeable region, comparable to Warwickshire, encompassing 52 villages with a population of approximately 18,000 people. It includes 32 primary and secondary schools. In contrast, the Chitipa District is more remote, requiring a 10-hour journey from Lilongwe, and contains 184 primary schools and 27 secondary schools.

Operational Model

The charity operates with minimal overheads, ensuring that all funds raised go directly towards their projects. Governance is maintained through built-in systems, and project progress is monitored and reported by local head teachers using WhatsApp. Recommendations for new projects come from these head teachers as well as the charity's extensive local knowledge gained over years of traveling in Malawi.

The trustees and those working with them personally cover their travel, accommodation, and living expenses. This model allows the organization to remain lean while maximizing the impact of donations. Bwengu Projects Malawi enjoys support from various local Rotary organizations, small businesses, schools, and individual donors.

Funding and Projects

Each year, the charity identifies and fundraises for specific educational and community projects in Northern Malawi. They rely on donations to implement these initiatives and have identified a number of prospective projects awaiting funding.

Financial Information

As of the latest available data, Bwengu Projects Malawi has a reported income in the tens of thousands. This financial support is crucial for sustaining their operations and expanding their reach in Malawi.

[1] https://www.justgiving.com/bwenguprojects [2] https://bwenguprojectsmalawi.org [3] https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1183709&subid=0 [4] https://bwenguprojectsmalawi.org/support-us [5] https://ngoexplorer.org/country/mwi/show-charities?filter-skip=442