It is estimated that 15% of Malawi's rural population and 32% of the urban population are infected with the HIV virus.

The first case of HIV was reported in Malawi in 1986 and by 1995 the number of orphans in Malawi was over 800,000. 409,000 of these were double orphans (lost both mother and father). It was this desperate situation that inspired the establishment of this project.

In 1996 Reverend Timothy and his wife Christine started the orphanage by bringing five orphans to live with them in their house. In 1997 with the help of their main founders they were able to secure a location to open a centre, where they have been caring for children ever since. A full day care centre was successfully completed in 2002.

Currently the project employs 22 staff, 8 volunteers and is caring for 350 orphans. The orphans stay with extended family members, whom the orphan project provides with loans and farming inputs.

The key is to identify ways to support these families and their communities, not to substitute for them.

At present about 10% of the orphans are HIV positive and are receiving anti-retroviral drugs funded by the government.

The project has been established as a Malawian NGO.

Their Mission

The main aims, refined by experience to date, are:

• To give nutritional support to orphaned and vulnerable children
• To provide them with a good education, including higher education for those suited to it
• To provide technical skills training and apprenticeships to other adolescent orphans
• To support families looking after orphans, with regular visits and assistance with housing needs
• To provide appropriate agricultural projects for the community for self-sufficiency in food
• To provide micro-loans to encourage enterprise
• To encourage a community response to issues and problems
• To raise awareness of the causes of HIV/AIDS and to encourage disciplined behaviour to stop infection
• Above all to provide love and support to all children in their care