After a period of planning and making new plans the Makoko Foundation has set up a crowdfunding project at PIF world to collect enough money to finish the construction of the orphanage. At the same time we've started a cooperation with SURCOD to expend the activities of the Makoko Foundation in the area. 

To check and support our crowdfunding project we would like to direct you to the following page: 

In 2014 we build the first dormitory for the realisation of the Makoko orphanage. After some challenges in 2015 and 2016 we are restarting the project together with the local organisation 'Hope of the Community'. In 2017 we plan to finish the project.  The mission is to build one more dormitory and a kitchen. This will make the complete compound to consist of two dormitories, a kitchen en and commutal.

​To be continued!

Involving local people from the start is essential to ensure the work of international NGOs keeps going when funding dries up.
Malawi has almost 500 NGOs, most of which are funded by international donors. But many NGOs don’t work closely with local communities, so when they leave, projects collapse.

After working in the Mulanje district for 15 years, World Vision stopped facilitating a project that provided vulnerable children with school materials and basic healthcare, and the local community with low-cost maize. The people entrusted with maintaining the project failed to pay the rent and the landlord evicted them. Now only an empty building signifies the project ever existed. World Vision relocated to another area of the country.

Fred Movete, Mulanje district commissioner, says that organisations must prioritise what the community wants if sustainability is to be achieved. “NGOs must follow the district’s development agenda so that we can carry on once they leave. But it is also a problem that the NGOs don’t implement what the community needs,” says Movete. “In the past, a lot of money [from NGOs] has been channeled to HIV/Aids. Even if we tell them our priority its water and sanitation because a lot of children are dying from waterborne diseases, they will never buy it.”


Read more:
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/sep/28/ngos-in-malawi-what-happens-when-donors-leave

Last weekend we had a visit planned to check on the progress of the construction of the dormitories. unfortunately we never got there due to a motorbike who refused to cooperate. Instead George brought a visit to the Boma this morning to show the pictures of the building. They look great and are almost finished. Today he received the last part of the budget to finish the building. In 1,5 week I'll go for a last visit before leaving Malawi to take pictures, talk with some of the orphans and finalize the arrangements for continuing the support of the orphanage after I left the country. To be continued! 

During my last visit to the Makoko Orphanage, I took some pictures of the progress of the construction of the first dormitory. But unfortunately the memory card of the camera crashed. After some trouble we were able to save some of the photo's, which we happily want to share with our donors.

Last week I paid the Makoko orphanage another visit. To check on the progress of the construction of the dormitory and to bring the budget (150.000 Kwacha/ 275 Euro) for the construction of the walls. While I was there I was happy to see that the constructors have been working hard. The walls of the dormitory are already half finished. The first dorm will be finished before the rainy season starts. Next week I'll give the remaining budget for the construction of the roof and finishing of the first dormitory (250.000 Kwacha / 458 Euro). I took some pictures of the progress, but unfortunatly the memory card of my camera is not working anymore. I can't post the pictures online.

While I was there I heard some bad news. The donor who would sponsor the construction of the second dorm pulled back. For us a huge dissapointment, because while we have collected enough money the build the first dorm, we don't have enough jet to build the second dorm. Because of this we will going to have some delay in the planning. We can't start with the construction unless we are sure we are able to finish it, otherwise the storms during the rainy season will damage the building too much. But we will keep on working on it!

I hope to be able to go to the orphanage and take some pictures next week (if I can get a new memory card), I'll keep you posted on the progress!

After months of planning, writing and collecting money, we started with the realization of the foundation of the first dormitory in the beginning of this month. Within a week this was finished and we started planning for the finances for the construction of the dormitory itself. Last week George got a conformation from a local NGO that they will cover part of the costs of this dormitory. We were so happy! With this contribution we can continue the work. Monday the 14th of October the constructer started with the realization of the dormitory. Next week I'll pay a visit to make pictures of the progression of the building and of course I will share these on this site.