
“Guest speakers at this week’s N&W Rotary meeting were Joe and Beth Robinson. Their Charitable work is undertaken at Fisherman’s Rest in Malawi. What an inspiring presentation it turned out to be from two such dedicated people. The school for primary and secondary pupils is now functioning in government funded, purpose built, classrooms … a far cry from where it started in 2009 in a wooden shelter with a palm tree roof. Primary education is free but secondary education is fee paying which prohibits many pupils attending.
Joe’s latest projects include reforesting 50 sq kilometers’ of land which has suffered from floods and landslides. This is undertaken with local subsistence farmers. It involves the planting of coppicing for firewood and fruit trees grown locally from seed. He has also an invented a DIY cooker made with earth bricks which burns 70% less wood than the previous open fires. The local population have now been trained to maintain and repair the hand operated communal water pumps so essential for everyday living.
There are opportunities for students from the UK to spend time in Fisherman’s Rest assisting the local population in some of the other projects being undertaken. The cost of sponsoring a student is £150 pa. (Gift Aided Sponsorship by individuals would be £120 pa net).
Further information and more photographs are available on the website https://www.fromwales.com/“