Our charity is inspired by the legacy of Mamie and Jack Martin, who worked in Nyasaland in the 1920s. When we look back at that time, we can find racist and paternalistic attitudes which do not sit easily with our views today and it is important to acknowledge that. However, when we read Mamie and Jack’s story through their own words, we see them learning the local languages, making friends amongst their communities, and working hard to better the lives of their new friends. They stood together with local couples at the baptism of Margaret in 1927, at a service taken by a black minister.
The Mamie Martin Fund stands in solidarity with all those who fight racism and we appreciate these words from the joint statement of 11 June 2020 by the Malawi-Scotland Partnership and the Scotland-Malawi Partnership:
Scots and Malawians stand in friendship and mutual solidarity, as partners and equals.
Black lives matter, in Scotland, Malawi and everywhere. It is important to keep saying this, but even more important to act. If Black lives matter, we cannot accept a world in which each Malawian earns, on average, 100 times less than each Scot.
At the Mamie Martin Fund, we take a stand against poverty and inequality by supporting the education of girls and we are grateful to our donors and supporters who help us to continue this work. We strive to continue this work in a spirit of dignified partnership.