Program Summary
Since its inception, YouthCare has created two strong and sustainable programs:
The Safehaven
A fully functioning home for orphaned or at-risk youth. Currently, 12 adolescent boys receive meals, clothes, educational/biblical instruction, full-time adult care and supervision, and participate in an array of fun enrichment activities throughout the week. The Safehaven acts as a longer-term home and school for these 12 boys (10 of whom they have retained since the Safehaven's started over 3 years ago). One of the goals of the Safehaven is to educate these children while YouthCare attempts to raise scholarship funds for their school fees (public schools in Malawi require fees for books, uniforms, tests, and other necessary materials). The Safehaven gives individual academic attention to these children in the meantime to make sure they continually progress in their education. This program constitutes the primary project of YouthCare and requires the bulk of the ministry's resources.
The Afterschool program
A 3-hour afternoon outreach program targeting at-risk youth. The structure resembles something akin to Vacation Bible School here in the States: songs, a Bible lesson, games, and occasionally clothes and toys when the staff receives donations. Within the last year the Afterschool Program has grown from around 40 kids to over 200. They have added an additional two days to the camp in order to keep up with its increasing popularity.
Updates
Through some generous gifts from churches and charitable organizations in the US, YouthCare is preparing to build a centralized facility for its Safehaven and Afterschool programs; it is also working to develop and maintain a small, self-sustaining garden and chicken farm.
While the work that William and his Malawian friends are doing is finally starting to take hold and show the promise of long-term sustainability (near 100% retention of boys at Safehaven, and growth at the After School Program from 30-200 in just over a year), they are still in the midst of continued growing pains. Your support will help them see this project through as they establish themselves as one of the premier, grassroots organizations in Malawi and Africa.
About William Nyasulu
William Nyasulu was born and raised in Embangweni, Malawi. Growing up in a Christian home, he aspired to serve God with his gifts, and to gain an education that would enable him to serve in a greater capacity. This hope became a reality when he was accepted at the African Bible College in Lilongwe, Malawi. A four-year Christian University founded by missionaries to Malawi, African Bible College (or ABC) proved instrumental to William's development as an informed Christian. Read More
Our Mission & Vision
YouthCare's Mission
To enhance the lives of at-risk urban youth by equipping them with the tools necessary for academic excellence, life skills, spiritual growth, and leadership capacity, while meeting their basic physical needs.
YouthCare's Vision
To impact at-risk children and young adults of Malawi so that they might grow into fulfilled, resilient, healthy persons (both physically and spiritually) who would become leaders for their local, national, and global communities.
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Information about Malawi
- The Presbyterian missionary David Livingstone initiated what many consider to be the first significant Western contact with Malawi in or around 1859.
- The Malawian currency is the kwacha. The current exchange rate for dollars to kwachas is approximately 1 to 120.
- The current President of Malawi is Bingu wa Mutharika, who was recently elected in 2004.
- Since the beginning of 2005 Malawi has been in the midst of a food shortage and a subsequent drought. Over 4 million people (34% of the country) are presently starving as a result.
- Malawians won their independence from the United Kingdom on July 6, 1964.
- The life expectancy in Malawi is 41 years of age.
- Malawi is nicknamed "The Warm Heart of Africa" because of the extraordinary kindness and hospitality of the people.
- Lake Malawi, or Lake Nyasa, is a huge, beautiful body of water that extends vertically across much of the country and is nearly 580 km long.
Sources:
CIA-The World Factbook-Malawi & Wikipedia-Malawi