We live in a world where the majority people, especially those in rural areas, live miserably due to pangs of poverty, hunger, poor access to social services and other vulnerabilities.
It does not necessarily require biological connection to be a guardian angel or mother to vulnerable groups, children in particular.
All it takes is a kind heart and dedication to make a difference in lives of other people.
This is the story of 23-year-old Clara Kalemera who has embarked on an ambitious charity drive in Mtonga Village, in Salima District to help reduce the plight of vulnerable children.
She is driven by a passion to bring change in her community that is ravaged by absurd rates of school drop outs, poverty, hunger, early marriages and unchecked pregnancies.
Operating under the trademark Feeds the World, Clara’s initiative feeds106 orphans and children of other vulnerabilities.
In an exclusive interview with EveryWoman, she shed more light on what motivated her to embark on the charity which has caught the attention of many communities.
“I am a young mother of one, originally from Machinjiri Township in Blantyre. But currently, I am based in my village in Salima where I am serving my community,” she said.
Clara founded the Feed the World initiative last year with her fiancé.
“We observed that many children in my community are school dropouts due to the long distance to and from school. It is estimated they walk about 10 kilometres for primary education,” she added.
As result, many girls between the ages of 14 and 16 dropped out of school, became brides and mothers who are struggling to take care of their children.
Clara stepped in to support the innocent and vulnerable children with education and access to nutritional food.
She cited illiteracy and poverty as some of the factors leading to widespread sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, early marriages and pregnancies that are causing many children to become orphaned.
“When we saw many children rendered vulnerable due to the death or vulnerability of their parents, we introduced the initiative to teach them how to read and write. We also provide food owning to high malnutrition rates caused by food insecurity among many households,” she said.
Village head Mtonga said the situation was alarming.
“The state of children in our community, which is caused by poverty, lack of education and high rates of STIs is worrisome. More children are born and raised without proper support and care. Therefore, we joined forces with Clara to provide a better future for these children,” he said.
Mtonga said their efforts are limited due to lack of resources.
While Clara feeds 106 children daily, he said there are many vulnerable children who need care and protection.
“We appeal to well-wishers to support this initiative because together we can make a huge difference in the lives of these children,” said Mtonga.
The village head emphasised that failimh to help the current generation of orphans and vulnerable children will have a devastating impact in future.
“If we don’t act now, we are creating a safe haven for future poverty. But we need to join hands to stop this. We need support in kind, resources, cash or services to slow down population boom, HIV spread, child marriages and pregnancies,” said Mtonga.
Clara’s vision is to reach out to as many vulnerable children as possible through the provision of nutritional food, education and care.
“To create a bright future for every child in this community, we need vibrant education, nutrition and care services. My plan is to establish a school where these services will be expanded to reach a greater number of vulnerable children in our area.
“We are currently facing huge challenges in sourcing consistent resources, managing logistics and expanding our reach. Funding and resource constraints are significant hurdles,” she said.
Clara attended Mkolokoti Primary School in Blantyre and Nanjiliri Secondary School.
She went on to pursue hotel management at the Malawi Institute of Tourism.
But now she has chosen to be a full-time caregiver in her village.
Clara said she was particularly interested in empowering girls because most of the challenges facing the world today have a female face.
“Women bear the brunt of most burdens in our society, be it HIV, lack of education, poverty or hunger.
“Growing up, I feared limited opportunities and societal expectations. I managed to overcome these fears through determination and support from loved ones. But not all girls, especially those from rural areas, are privileged. That’s why I want to help with the little I have,” said Clara.
She advised girls and young women to believe in the colour of their dreams no matter the challenges life throws at them.
“Self discipline and education are key to empowerment. Therefore, embrace your purpose in life and never give up because giving up is a recipe for disaster,” she said.
Clara said she was grateful to her fiancé Bornvictor Banda and communities of Mtonga Village for their generosity, support and kindness.
