THE RESPONSE to Hope4Malawi’s Emergency Appeal following Tropical Storm Freddy was incredible. As well as bringing immediate relief to some of the most vulnerable people, money raised will help local people to build low-cost 'model homes' that will be much more cyclone-resistant and cool in the heat.
Currently, the Hope4Malawi team is working to develop plans for the model home specification, based on Malawian Government standards. A prototype 4x5 metre home with space for six people is being built at the Hope Skills Centre site.
Neil Ambler, an engineer from the UK, will then run a ‘Building Safer Houses’ course for locals at the end of July.
Homes are not strong enough to weather heavy storms
Unfortunately, many of the homes around Hope4Malawi’s partner schools in Mabala and Jana village collapsed in the recent storm or were severely damaged. The houses are vulnerable because they are built cheaply, and the rains then destroy them.
Houses often have poor foundations and are built with wrong-size bricks, so they are not strong enough to withstand bad weather. People don't build more robustly due to a lack of know-how and because they can’t afford better materials.
Hope4Malawi will provide training and support
Hope4Malawi plans to empower several local villagers by equipping them with the skills to rebuild houses to this new specification. These people will then train others who, in turn, will support local villagers by passing on their knowledge.
Families will make bricks and provide some of the building materials. They will then be able to apply for a grant from Hope4Malawi to fund the additional costs of building the standard model.
With weather events getting worse, the aim is to provide more future-proof and safer housing.
Can you help a child in Malawi?
Thanks to the kind support of our partners, sponsors, fundraisers and volunteers, Hope4Malawi's school building, resourcing projects and student sponsorships continue to provide life-changing opportunities for children growing up in rural Malawi.
For information about the latest projects, and ways to get involved, please contact us.