Scottish Catholic Observer

Scottish charity Mary’s Meals has delivered its 50,000th backpack of the year in Malawi, the highest number distributed in one country in one year by the charity.

Sosa Saldi, 7, who attends Chilobwe Vocational Primary in rural Blantyre, was the lucky recipient of the milestone backpack.

Before receiving her gift from Mary’s Meals, Sosa (above) did not have a bag of any kind to bring to school. The main focus of the Dalmally-based charity Mary’s Meals is setting up school feeding programmes in areas of the world where hunger and poverty often prevent children from gaining an education. The charity currently reaches 822,142 vulnerable children with a daily meal in their place of education.

The Backpack Project complements the school feeding programmes by offering a further incentive for children to attend, since pupils must be in school to receive a backpack and the distribution visits are always a surprise.

Along with pencils, coloured pens, and a notepad, Sosa’s backpack contained a tennis ball, toothpaste, soap, a blouse for school, and a pair of flip-flops. Her favourite item is the flip-flops.

“I have never seen shoes like these before,” she said. “This backpack is a gift, I am happy. I wish everyone could have a backpack like mine.”

Mary’s Meals supporters in the UK, Germany, and Austria have contributed to this year’s record-breaking haul of backpacks.

Gillian Boyle, Mary’s Meals Malawi logistics coordinator, commented that ‘everyone in the team was so happy when we managed to break our record and distribute 50,000 backpacks to children receiving Mary’s Meals in Malawi this year.’

“By giving a backpack we ensure that all children have the same access to the materials required for comfortable schooling and they all treat each other with respect,” she said. “The greatest thing about this project is arriving at a school and seeing the children who woke up that day thinking it would be a normal day. As part of the distribution team, we are the luckiest ones in this chain of love as we get to see how the receiving of that backpacks impacts on the child.  It is like 10 Christmases rolled into one for them.

“We’d love to reach even more children next year and I hope our wonderful supporters will help to make this possible. Thank you so much, from everyone here in Malawi.”

—http://www.marysmeals.org.uk/

—[email protected]