The Feeding Program
The Feeding Program provides a large, healthy meal every Saturday for 250 orphan children at St. Mark’s Anglican Church in Mzuzu. Some of the children come from significant distances in the city.
Funding from the Mzuzu AIDS Orphan Care Program in Cobourg is sent to the Mother’s Union Orphan Committee. This group of volunteer mothers from St. Mark’s purchases the food from local markets and prepares the meals for the children. The meals are designed to maximize nourishment for the children. Since the inception of the Feeding Program in 2005, the physical condition of the children has improved markedly. In cases where children have been identified as having HIV/AIDS, a specialized healthy meal formulated for those with the disease (Likuni Phala) is provided to them on a daily basis so that they are able to handle the powerful antiviral drugs that are being administered to them. About 30 particularly indigent guardians, who may be very elderly, are also fed at the same time. Having the 250 children assembled every Saturday for a meal allows St. Mark’s to help the children with any minor health needs, provide dental care once a month and provide training in tinsmithing, sewing and knitting, as well as spiritual support. These activities have been added to the basic feeding program due to the generous support of the donors of this project. |