Have you ever experienced having a sick child, or maybe a sick relative who has required your care? It’s often an incredibly exhausting experience for the caregiver and requires a lot of time and logistical juggling to be by the patient’s bedside.
As a mum to two littlies, I frequently battle the numerous daycare illnesses, but I’m so grateful for the incredible medical support we have available in Australia. Many parents around the world must travel significant distances for their children to receive the medical care they need.
In Australia, organisations like the Ronald McDonald House provide accommodation assistance to families caring for seriously ill children. But in many places where our local Christian Partners work, there’s no such option and families are separated at the most stressful time. But that’s no longer the case in one Malawi community where our local Christian Partner’s Youth Club put the training they had received though Child Sponsorship into action and built their own version!
The Problem: No Place To Stay
Matthew’s Youth Club is part of a rural community in Malawi with a population of over 2,500 people.
The community is situated along one of Malawi’s numerous lakes, and many local people earn an income through the thriving fishing industry. There’s one local primary school, and a hospital which services the surrounding region.
This hospital has four clinics that provide critical care for children under five. Parents and caregivers frequently travel significant distances for their children to attend the clinics, but the Youth Club noticed there was a real need for safe and appropriate housing so parents could stay close to their sick children.
Over five years ago, building began on some accommodation near one of the clinics, but unfortunately the project stalled. This was a disappointment for many in the community, and it prompted the young people from the Youth Club to start thinking about how they could help relieve the stress and exhaustion felt by those caring for sick children.
The Solution: Youth Advocacy
Thanks to the training they received from our Partner, Matthew* and his friends from the Youth Club were well equipped to speak up about the accommodation issue and asked the local chiefs to resume construction. Challenging their elders was a very bold move, but they believed that it was worthwhile.
Many chiefs were receptive to the youths’ request and supported the idea, but some strongly opposed it. Undeterred, the Youth Club continued to engage the chiefs in open and respectful dialogue. They clearly and courteously presented their case and were finally successful in gaining the approval of local leaders to restart the building project!
‘If the youths did not advocate for it, the project would have remained idle up to now,’ Matthew said.
The Youth Club then worked closely with our Partner’s Village Development Committee to collect financial resources for bricks and to assist with building. They even managed to garner the support of Members of Parliament who contributed additional bags of cement to the project. Moreover, the chiefs who’d previously opposed the building encouraged community members to transport sand from a lake over a kilometre away. The enthusiasm of these young people was infectious!
What’s Next For Matthew’s Community?
Matthew happily reports that the accommodation block for the clinics is now complete— it’s a great source of pride for the young people who successfully implemented what they learned through the Youth Club. As a key part of our Child Sponsorship program in Malawi, Youth Clubs are places full of learning and action. Young people learn about topics such as child rights, health, nutrition, and vocational skills.
‘Before being involved in the project I never knew I can lead a team of people’, said Matthew.
‘Before being involved in the project I never knew I can lead a team of people’, said Matthew. ‘My life lacked knowledge in most areas.’
But now, Matthew and his friends are using these skills to boldly advocate for important change!
Best of all, the accommodation project has fuelled the youths’ resolve and ambition to continue helping their community progress. Matthew says he wants to continue inspiring the young people around him to become ‘self-reliant, reliable and responsible members of our community.’ He also aspires to see the Youth Club take up more responsibility within the Village Development Committee, so they can become role models for others.
As they continue to grow in their leadership skills and advocate for others, it’s not just the youth that benefit but the whole community!
Child Sponsorship means young people have the opportunity to be a part of Youth Clubs and receive training, so they can advocate for change in their communities. Click here to find out how you can be a part of supporting young people in countries such as Uganda, Bangladesh, and Cambodia, who are working together to make a BIG difference.
*Name changed for privacy protection.
Mike Bartlett
Meredith Benson
