Abba's Rest

Malawi is suffering the worst drought for 100 years – the ‘El Nino’ effect – maize was planted in early December at the time of the first rains, but then the rains stopped, the maize died, and the January rain came too late. Here, the maize we bought last April for the ‘hunger months’ at this time of year is being distributed to the beneficiaries who, supporting orphans and other vulnerable children, desperately need it. Government help reaches less than 10% of those who need it. Care&Share is highly regarded by the district council for all the many ways in which, through contributions from Scotland, we help the villages around Chiringa.

Congratulations to our Malawi trustee George, whose wife has given them a daughter, named Patience, as sister to their two boys.

Our newsletter went out by email on the 17th November and printed copies are now being distributed.

2024 is a busy year for us – and we must put more posts onto the website – anyway, look forward to getting all the news in the November newsletter (due out by the end of that month) – new supporters always welcome (and needed!) – use the form on the Donate page to contact us.

We will post, in a few days’ time, a copy of our May 2024 Newsletter, as well as two short video clips from our Malawi trustees. We have not put much on the website for six months but – and this is true – so much good work has been going on that we just didn’t get round to writing Posts – you’ll find lots of interest in the newsletter – if we have your email address, you will have received an email copy today – if you look forward to the printed copy, that should arrive within a week or so – if you get neither, you’ll find it on our Newsletter page by the end of this week.

So much is being done that we have been behind in updating the website. Trustees Muriel and Ian visited in August (at their own expense) to see the Malawi trustees, the different local organisations, and some of the many beneficiaries, young and old (eg grandparents caring for youngsters).
We use your donations wisely and we thank all the individuals and Ayr an D&G groups who support Abba’s Rest.
The November newsletter contains much more information – visit the Newsletter page to download it.

The May 2023 newsletter is on our Newsletters page, and is well worth reading, mostly written by our manager at Chiringa, Chikondi Gundo. The AGM will be held on Zoom on Wed 5th July at 2.30 pm. Contact us in any way you wish in order to receive papers and details of the Zoom link, in advance by email. Zoom should make attendance easy.

Much has happened in Chiringa in six months – lots of activities supported by our good supporters in Scotland (see the May newsletter for a summary) – plus (in March) the worst cyclone to hit southern Malawi in recent history, leaving many dead and over half a million homeless – and your Scottish and Malawi trustees are working hard to make best use of your funds in times when financial support of a small charity remains solid but limited and costs, in Malawi as elsewhere, rise inexorably. We ask you to Follow us on Facebook – find us at ‘Abba’s Rest Orphans’ – and check the website from time to time – www.abbasrest.org and, if your funds allow, you’ll find our bank details on the Donating page. Two Scottish trustees will visit Chiringa this August – totally at their own expense – to meet the Malawi team and see for themselves how your generous gifts are being put to use.

The November newsletter is now on this website and the gift ideas are the same as last year.

The Zodiak journalist who visited earlier this month gave a good write-up of Care & Share activities – the link is in the newsletter but it’s quicker to click here for it – a ‘must-read’ for all our supporters.

Our May/June 2022 newsletter, mostly written by our Malawi manager Chikondi Gundo, is now online at the ‘Newsletters’ page. Over the last year we have managed to fund what has been needed (Gift Aid has supplemented supporters’ regular givings) but the challenges of higher costs and greater needs will make balancing the books much more difficult over the coming financial year – we aim to quantify this in time for the AGM . . .

The AGM will be on Zoom on Tuesday 19th July at 11.00 am – if any supporter does not know how to join the meeting, please use the form on the ‘Donate or Contact’ page to let us know you wish to attend.

The maintenance of this website, providing an essential public face to all the excellent background work carried out in Scotland and in Malawi, is provided by a supporter at no cost to Abba’s Rest.

Season’s Greetings to our supporters – and thanks for the extra donations of recent weeks. All the current news (up to late November) is in Newsletter 15, now available from our Newsletter page. Discussions and decisions continue to be taken by email and on Zoom, but Zoom does enable Chikondi from Chiringa to join in despite the distance! This month has included maize distribution to the needy, and discussions to ensure the sustainability of the solar-powered water supply.