The Dalitso Project

🇲🇼 Malawi 2026 – Day 9
The team started the morning at church, where Kirsty preached. 🙏
Then it was time to collect the final member of the team! ✈️ It was touch and go whether all the suitcases would make it onto the plane at Manchester Airport, but thankfully, it all worked out! And as you can tell from Charis’ face, she was very happy to be back in Malawi! 😍🇲🇼
The team then made the long journey up to Kambilonjo, where they received a wonderful welcome. ❤️
Everyone is now unpacked, settled in and ready for the work to begin tomorrow.

🇲🇼 Malawi 2026 – Day 8

Another lovely day in Malawi! 🇲🇼❤️

The morning started with a meeting with our secondary school students, an opportunity to discuss expectations around school, additional classes and the importance of making the most of their education. Just as importantly, it gave our older young people the chance to share any challenges they are facing and how we can support them.

The afternoon was spent celebrating at the wedding of one of our friends, whom we first met at Namisu back in 2007, on our very first trip to Malawi! 💍❤️

Tonight’s post is a little earlier than usual because I’m on my way! ✈️😂

Having left Aberdeen at 10:30 this morning, I’m now in Manchester (and have been for over 6hrs!), about to board the 9½-hour flight to Addis Ababa, followed by another 4-hour flight to Blantyre.

Still a long journey ahead, but absolutely worth it for a couple of weeks in the Warm Heart of Africa! 🇲🇼

🇲🇼 Malawi 2026 – Day 7

A slightly more relaxed day for the team today, with the opportunity to catch up with friends and familiar faces in Blantyre. 🇲🇼❤️

This included a visit from Mtendere, who handed over the items people had ordered.

Having a few extra days on this trip has been a real bonus for the first group, giving them time to properly catch up with people they often only manage a quick hello with during our usual busy visits.

And there was still time for a wee photo shoot with some of our littlest children! 📸❤️

Tomorrow brings something special — the team are heading to a wedding! 💍 One of the young men we first met at Namisu back in 2007, on our very first trip to Malawi, is getting married. A lovely reminder of just how far back some of our friendships in Malawi go!

A quieter day today, but a lovely one all the same! 🇲🇼❤️

🇲🇼 Malawi 2026 – Day 6

Another busy day at Thyolo! 🇲🇼❤️

The morning was spent meeting individually with our staff, giving everyone the opportunity to share how things are going, any challenges they face and how we can better support them. An important part of our visits is ensuring every member of staff has a voice.

Today was also our guardians’ meeting, where Sheila was joined by three of our young people who shared their experiences.

Joyce, originally from Thyolo, is now a qualified nurse.

Boniface, originally from Kambilonjo, is a qualified primary teacher now working at our Thyolo centre.

Deborah, also from Thyolo, is nearing the end of her further education studies.

Hearing their stories is a great reminder of what education and opportunity can achieve, and always a highlight of our guardians meeting.

The evening finished with something a little different — introducing the young people at the residence to musical chairs! 😂🎶 Safe to say it went down a treat!

Another productive day, with plenty of smiles to finish! 🇲🇼❤️

Apologies for the late update tonight — the person in charge of the daily posts has been busy packing her own bags to join the team! 🧳✈️

🇲🇼 Malawi 2026 – Day 5

Another busy day in Malawi! 🇲🇼❤️

This morning started with an important meeting with three of the village chiefs around our Thyolo centre. The chiefs are, in many ways, the voice of their communities, so these meetings give us the opportunity to hear directly about the needs in the surrounding area — but also about the impact the centre is having.

Pictured are the three chiefs who joined us today. Unfortunately, the Traditional Authority (T.A.) had another meeting and wasn’t able to attend, so we hope to arrange a visit with him later in the trip.

The afternoon was spent working through more of the final group of report cards, while Sheila and Kiri visited Toby at the Social Welfare Office.

Their discussions included the impact of the current fuel crisis, as well as the distances some guardians of our Infant Rescue babies have to travel to reach the centre. They talked about what could be done to make it easier for families to access the milk and other essential supplies they receive each month. 🍼❤️

Days like today are an important part of our visits. Sitting face-to-face with the chiefs, Social Welfare and our staff means we can hear about problems directly, discuss them together and look for practical solutions that work for both the centre and the people it supports.

🇲🇼 Malawi 2026 – Day 4

Another busy day in Thyolo! 🇲🇼❤️

This morning Sheila and Fraser headed into Blantyre to collect our now-repaired truck and return John’s borrowed truck — thankfully one problem from Sunday is officially sorted! 🛻

Back at the centre, Becky and Aileen continued with the interviews and have made fantastic progress, with only around 20 left to complete. That’s a great place to be at this stage of the week!

They’ve been ably helped by Jean, our friend from Thyolo, Bonface, our teacher, the Social Welfare students who are spending a few months with us again, and some of our older young people. It’s always great to see so many people getting involved and, particularly, to see our older young people coming back to support the work at the centre. ❤️

Tomorrow, the team will meet with the local chiefs, an important part of our annual visit. Listening to them helps us understand the current needs within the community and, importantly, helps make sure that the money you entrust to us is being spent where it is needed most.

We’re looking forward to meeting with them again tomorrow and hearing what they have to say. 🇲🇼

🇲🇼 Malawi 2026 – Day 2

Well… Day 2 certainly didn’t go entirely to plan! 😂

The team started the day at church in Chileka, Blantyre, with our good friend John Kang’ombe. The church was built in memory of John Searle, founder of Aquaid Lifeline, our partner charity in Malawi, making it a special place for us to visit.

The journey back to Thyolo proved slightly more eventful! Malawi is currently experiencing a huge fuel shortage — far worse than anything we saw last year. Cars the team passed yesterday were still in the same queues today, with hundreds waiting at petrol stations for fuel that may or may not arrive.

Getting through Blantyre and Limbe wasn’t easy, so Sheila took matters into her own hands and became our traffic officer! 😂🚦 Judging by the photo, she took the role very seriously!

Then, to add to the adventure, the truck broke down. Thankfully, John came to the rescue with a mechanic and another truck, eventually getting everyone safely back to Thyolo. 🛻

There was also time for a lovely visit from our friend and former Thyolo teacher Fanuel.

Tonight the presents are laid out and everything is ready. Tomorrow the nursery children will arrive before the older children after-school so interviews will get underway.

The real work starts tomorrow — and we can’t wait! 🇲🇼

🇲🇼 Malawi 2026 – Day 1

They’ve made it! 🙌🇲🇼

After a long journey, the team arrived in Malawi today — and, just as importantly, so did all 8 of the 23kg bags! 🧳😂

It wasn’t quite a straightforward arrival. Bad weather and thick fog delayed the flight into Blantyre, and at one point there was even talk of being diverted to Beira in Mozambique! 😬 Thankfully, they eventually made it safely onto Malawian soil.

Kiri and friends were there to meet them before the journey to Thyolo — where it has been raining for the last three days! 🌧️

So, first impressions of the Warm Heart of Africa… wet, foggy and 16°C! ❤️🇲🇼

Tonight has been spent unpacking, getting everything sorted and settling in before a much-needed early night.

The work — and the fun — begins tomorrow! 🇲🇼❤️

The Dalitso Project Newsletter - October 26 - https://mailchi.mp/6e65ba211ddf/the-dalitso-project-newsletter-october26-14049029