Written by Rachel Peichert | 10 October 2010

There is Hope has recently been donating laptop computers to university students so that they can further their education. A recent recipient, Esther Malata, was overjoyed when she was handed her laptop. It was not only the first time that she owned a computer, but it was the first time that she has ever touched a computer in her life.

Esther, a 20 year old Malawian, grew up in the district of Dowa with her three sisters and two brothers. They are all in secondary school and wish to also attend university when they are older. Esther explained that her mother was the inspiration that made her want to go to school. Her mom, Leah, teaches over five hundred primary school children. She hopes that all of her own children will attain a high level of education in order to properly provide for their families. Esther's father also taught primary school with his wife Leah until 2002 when he passed away.

At Kasungu Teacher Training College, Esther is studying to be a primary/secondary school teacher. She is working to improve her grades so she can be the best teacher possible. Esther's favourite subject is mathematics for which she is in the top 5 in her class. At the end of her course, she will be qualified to teach, apart from maths, a range of subjects from science, to environmental studies, to English.

When Esther isn't at school or doing her homework she likes to dance and watch movies. She is a hardworking student who will make great use of her new laptop. While taking her first tentative steps to type a document on her laptop, she slowly but accurately wrote “education is what happens to us from the day we are born to the day we die”.

As Esther is an orphan, she receives some financial support from Emmanuel Full Gospel Church, Dzaleka, towards her living expenses whilst at college. This laptop was one of many donated by our friends at Northside Baptist Church, Sydney, Australia. In an interview, Esther asks for There is Hope to extend their support to other orphans in need.

Other laptops have so far been given to There is Hope sponsored refugee students: Masabo, Lydia and Camille.

Written by Iyabo Oba | 10 October 2010

Two years into their partnership, There Is Hope and “Emmanuel Full Gospel” church (EFG) keep going from strength to strength.

On Saturday 2^nd October 2010 Congolese refugee pastor Joshua Kibezi of EFG Dzaleka, led a celebration to inaugurate the Orphans' Centre, based in Dzikapanda village, near the refugee camp.

EFG is a church of refugees living at Dzaleka camp who, through compassion for the vulnerable living in their host community, developed a desire to positively impact the local orphans and young people with practical skills. EFG has donated to the Centre 5 out of 15 sewing machines which There is Hope secured for them through the generosity of God's Economy (a non-profit from Baltimore, Maryland).

The inauguration, attended by local government representatives, pastors, village chiefs and the residents of the local village, was a joyous celebration full of music, dancing and choir performances involving all generations.

The local orphans demonstrated the skills which EFG volunteers teach at the Centre, including male and female trainee hairdressers and tailors showing off their talents.

In a country where refugees are often labelled as parasites, EFG are presenting a different picture, one that There is Hope wishes to sustain.

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Written by Florisa | 21 June 2010

DieuDonne Masabo, whom we started sponsoring for Business Management studies a year ago at a private college in Lilongwe, Malawi, has been awarded for his OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT in being the best student in the Faculty of Management and Accounting.

Masabo is a Burundian refugee who spent most of his life in refugee camps in Tanzania and Malawi. Since the time he ran for his life in conflict-stricken Burundi, he has no news of his parents or any of his siblings.

Masabo achieved two As and two Bs in his Certificate in Business Management exams (from the UK Board "Association of Business Executives"), he sat his Diploma I exams this month and has now started to study for his Diploma II.

We thank all those supporters who give financial gifts to There is Hope Malawi for the education of talented, deserving young men and women who have been forcibly rendered refugees through circumstances out of their own control. Thank you!

Written by Steve Weeks | 07 June 2010

Download Music by Innocent.  During the recent visit to England, Innocent has recorded two of his songs and made a CD ("London Dzaleka") in collaboration with one of our sponsors, Steve Weeks. You can download this music from ourdad.bandcamp.com and you can invite friends to do the same. It's a great way to publicise our charity, and introduce people to the incredible story of our journey alongside African refugees. On your right is a link to JustGiving.com where you can make a tax-effective donation should you want to respond to this generous gift; however, we do simply hope you will enjoy the music.  If you would like to know what the songs are all about in English, Innocent has also posted translations.

Dzaleka by Our Dad