Happy New Year and a Warm Welcome Back to Term One

Dear Friends and Supporters,

I would like to begin by wishing you all a very happy New Year and the very best for the year ahead. Thank you, as always, for your continued kindness, encouragement, and support.

I am pleased to share that the children returned for the new school term yesterday, 12th January.

The area has experienced heavy rains over recent weeks, which meant some children were unable to attend, but we were still delighted to welcome 65 children back on the first day. As the weather improves and the sunshine returns, we expect attendance to rise again to around 100 children.

With the rains now easing off, we are moving ahead with plans to repaint the classroom, helping to keep the learning environment clean, bright, and welcoming for the children. At the same time, we have begun sourcing quotes from local carpenters to build small chairs and tables for the classroom so the children can learn in comfort.

At present, locally made wooden chairs are averaging around $7 per chair, including materials and labour. In contrast, ready-made plastic chairs are significantly more expensive at approximately $16 per chair, largely due to transport costs, as the nearest suppliers are based in Lilongwe. We would genuinely welcome your thoughts on which option you feel would be best — wooden or plastic.

Thank you once again for standing with us. Your support continues to make a real and lasting difference, and we will, as always, keep you updated on our progress.

With warm thanks and best wishes for the year ahead,

Sarah Kumvana Amani

Kwathu Breakfast Club

Sani Village, Nkhotakota by Lake Malawi

A Long Overdue Thank You and an Important Update from Kwathu Breakfast Club

Dear Friends and Supporters,

My sincere apologies for the long silence. I wanted to take the time to write properly and share a meaningful update, as the past three months have been fully dedicated to strengthening the foundations of the nursery school and ensuring its long-term sustainability.

During this period, a significant amount of work has gone into re-registering the nursery school and supporting the re-establishment of a local Nursery School Committee. I am pleased to share that we now have 10 committed committee members, and they are due to attend their official Committee Orientation Training from 22nd–24th December. This training will focus on governance, record keeping, safeguarding, care of materials, and accountability, which are all critical for the programme’s future.

Thanks to your generosity, this year alone we have served over 100 children, providing them with daily porridge, learning materials, and a safe space to learn, play, and develop. What began as a simple breakfast initiative has grown into a structured, community-owned early learning programme. We have also recently secured funding to repaint the nursery school, including a bright, child-friendly mural.

Maintaining a clean, welcoming, and aesthetically stimulating environment is vital for young children’s development. It supports learning, pride, wellbeing, and a sense of belonging, and we are excited to refresh the space for the children and caregivers alike. Looking ahead to the new year, our priorities are focused on quality and sustainability:

1. Sending 4 caregivers to UNICEF-accredited 21-day training in Lilongwe, covering Early Childhood Development, health and safety, child safeguarding, fundraising, and sustainability.

2. Securing funds to hire a local carpenter to build children’s small chairs, and tables so learners can sit comfortably and learn with dignity. None of this would be possible without your continued kindness and belief in this project.

Thank you for walking this journey with us, for your patience, and for your unwavering support. You are helping build something lasting for the children and community of Sani Village.

With heartfelt thanks and warm wishes,

Sarah Kumvana Amani

Kwathu Breakfast Club

Sani Village, Nkhotakota, Malawi

A Wonderful Start to the Year – Thank You!

Dear Supporters and Friends,

I’m delighted to share that the new year has started on a fantastic note at the nursery school in Sani Village, Nkhotakota! We now have 75 children attending regularly, receiving a warm bowl of porridge each morning and engaging in their lessons with the help of their teacher, Jane.

It is currently the rainy season in Malawi, and in previous years, heavy rains meant we had to close the breakfast club on wet days. But this year, thanks to the nursery school building you helped make possible, the children are learning, playing, and thriving—rain or shine! They are particularly enjoying their tablet learning sessions, which have been a great addition to their early education (please see pictures below).

As we continue this journey, we are excited to start growing our own vegetables this year, including peanuts, spinach, and tomatoes, to improve the nutritional value of the children’s meals. If you have any gardening tips or advice, we would love to hear from you!

Once again, thank you for making all of this possible—your generosity is giving these children access to food, education, and a safe space to develop. Wishing you all success in your endeavors, and we look forward to sharing more updates soon!

Using tablets to learn basic literacy and numeracy

With gratitude,

Sarah Kumvana Amani

Kwathu Breakfast Club