< Volunteer Archives – Mamie Martin Fund

Welcome to our new Trustees

At our recent AGM we were delighted to report the election to our Board of two new Trustees. Matthew and Francesca are both much younger than the average age of the current Trustees – a welcome change! We need young voices and perspectives in the steering of our work.

Francesca has experience of work with grassroots NGOs and a strong interest in International Development. Matthew works for a clothing manufacturer with a focus on ethical trade. As such, he is very aware of the many issues facing women and children around the world. His current job in ‘social impact’ also involves managing donor projects and partnerhips. We are so pleased to have this level of expertise available to us now.

We say ‘thanks and see you later’ to the Trustees who have stepped down this year – Phil Wright, Mariot Dallas and Kate Jere. They each have strong connections with our work in Malawi and we hope to see them return to the Board at a later date.

Another great coffee morning in Fife

How lovely it was to meet so many of our lovely Fife supporters in person again.  More than 60 people, mostly local, came to support girls’ education in Malawi and to enjoy Isabel Stanners’ wonderful baking. The blueberry scones were a particular favourite!

These joyous events remind us all of the power of community – this Fife community supporting girls and their families in other communities far away. The weather was very wet and so we had the pleasure of welcoming a group of ‘Talking Tandems‘. These hardy cyclists decided that a nice coffee and cake was a lot more sensible than cycling in the rain. They cycle on tandems, with a sighted cyclist in front and a blind or partially sighted cyclist behind. We thank them for their support of our event.

We were delighted, too, to have a Fairtrade stall at the event, stocked with colourful and interesting Malawian products from the One World Shop. Winnie Wood runs a regular Fairtrade stall at this Church and added colour and interest with Kibébé products for this occasion. 

Our event raised over £400.00 (net) – the goodwill and fun cannot be measured but joy and fun rose above the wind and rain to dominate the morning. Thanks to you all.

Being a Trustee for the Mamie Martin Fund

What do you think of when you hear ‘Trustee’? Those old men in top hats in Mary Poppins when there was a run on the bank? Twinsets and pearls and a long shiny table? Read on and I’ll tell you about being a Trustee for the Mamie Martin Fund.

Mariot Dallas

It’s a voluntary role with serious responsibilities. That could be daunting, but the Board is a team, and we work together. Each of us brings our experience and expertise to help make sure the Fund operates in line with our constitution and helps girls in schools in Malawi get their secondary education. We use your donations to pay their fees.

As Trustees, we commit to attending meetings, now mostly on Zoom. We share the responsibility for making sure we have productive and positive discussions and that we spend your donations wisely.

I hope that doesn’t sound dull. It really isn’t. Meeting online means that our Malawian Advisers and our Malawi Country Director can join the meeting. Provided all the tech works well, we can hear firsthand about how your donations are being spent. My favourite times are when we hear about young women who have left school and are making their way in paid work because they have completed their secondary education.

As Trustees, we have decisions to make and reports to approve. For me, the financial oversight part of the role is challenging. Accounts and financial reports don’t speak to me but being part of a team means there is always someone to explain and clarify. As a Board, we talk through financial decisions carefully so that we are using your money responsibly and in line with our constitution.

We have to have a strategic plan, so that we can manage all the various tasks and responsibilities and priorities we have as a Board. The plan is also where we note the evidence to show that we are using our funds appropriately. If you are somebody who likes to break large projects down into manageable tasks, then maybe we could bring your expertise to the Board.

Underpinning all these strands of activity is the process of fundraising, including grant applications. Our Marketing team has responsibility for agreeing fundraising strategy and reports regularly to the Board.

Being a Trustee of the Mamie Martin Fund is never dull and there is a strong likelihood of job satisfaction in this voluntary role. We know that we are making a difference to the young women of Malawi and to future generations. If you are interested in becoming a Trustee, we would love to hear from you!

Mariot Dallas, Trustee

Volunteering – a Malawian perspective

Guest blog post from Tamanda Moyo in Lilongwe, Malawi:

“In Malawi, volunteering isn’t a formal concept like it is in the UK. Instead, community engagement is an integral part of daily life. People naturally help one another, often without expectation of reward or recognition. This cultural dynamic is rooted in the concept of “ubuntu” or interconnectedness, where individuals prioritize collective well-being over individual gain.

Growing up in Malawi, I witnessed this spirit firsthand. Neighbours helped neighbours with farming, childcare and other tasks without hesitation. Community members came together to support each other during times of need, celebrating milestones and mourning losses as one.

While formal volunteering may not be prevalent, Malawians demonstrate a remarkable commitment to community development. Initiatives like the Mamie Martin Fund, which supports girl child education, are crucial in empowering young minds and fostering a brighter future.

Through my experiences, I’ve learned that volunteering isn’t solely about structured programs; it’s about embracing a mindset of service and compassion. Malawi may not have a formal volunteering culture, but its people exemplify the true spirit of community engagement.

I look forward to joining the Mamie Martin Fund as a volunteer because I am interested in contributing to my community and the world at large, I am passionate about girls’ education and I know that volunteering with MMF will help me contribute to the UN SDG 4 which is Quality Education.”

Coffee Day success in Falkirk

Mariot Dallas reports:

We had a very enjoyable MMF Coffee Day at the end of May in Trinity Church hall, with a steady flow of customers for hot drinks, filled rolls and delicious home baking.  We were happy to welcome regular customers from Trinity Church, passers-by who saw the banner and smelt the coffee and a heartwarming number of MMF friends who made a special journey to Falkirk to support the event. You know who you are and we were delighted to see you!

John Dallas’s accordion playing set our toes tapping. The Freedom of Mind Community Choir sang a selection of well-loved favourites and soon had us all singing along. In the kitchen, MMF Trustees and volunteers worked hard as they learned how to operate the kitchen equipment. In no time we were operating as a plausible catering team!

We raised over £400 in donations. We enjoyed telling the MMF story through our publicity material. The small prints of some of the Mamie and Jack historic photos from the 1920s generated a lot of interest.

We are grateful to Nina, business manager from the church, for all her help and encouragement. We hope to book the hall again in December for a Christmas Coffee Day. Watch this space.

#Birthday30 news

As this is our 30th birthday year, we are running a #Birthday30 challenge. Supporters and friends are invited to challenge themselves to 30 activities. We are delighted to have 23 participants based in four countries (Scotland, England, Portugal and Canada). The range of activities is exciting. People are cooking, walking/hiking, cycling. They are taking photos of reservoirs, lighthouses, trees, churches. They are playing tunes, creating pieces of art and reading books. Phew!

This project will run all year and you can join at any time. Many participants have set up a fund-raising page but you could just use the overall #Birthday30 one. We find that just popping the link into your email signature or in your social media posts is quite enough to solicit kind donations.

A team of volunteers is managing this project and all roles are important. Handy Kamanga, our Instagram Manager, keeps the project alive on there from her base in Lilongwe, Malawi. We really appreciate her skill and enthusiasm. Hannah Wright, in Kendal/Manchester (depending on term time), creates little videos for each 10 activities submitted.

One of our participants, Karin Kastern, has completed her project of photographing 30 Norfolk Churches. We understand that she continued to do this long after she has finished her #Birthday30 lot. The word is that she has well over 100 now.

Projects like this serve to engage people in learning and talking about the Mamie Martin Fund and our work. Widening our circle of supporters and friends is as important as raising money and we are grateful to all who are engaging in #Birthday30 with such enthusiasm.

Friendship and collaboration in person

On Saturday last we were delighted to attend in person at the AGM of the Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP). What a day of warmth and excitement. We had not seen friends and colleagues for so long. The day felt like true partnership all the way through. We shared a table and volunteers with the One World Shop. We caught up with Kenyawi KidsSteka Skills, the David Livingstone BirthplaceMalDent and many many others. The team at SMP put on a great day which included Malawi Gin (of course), Malawian food, great music and a tremendous tribute to the outgoing CEO, David Hope-Jones, who has been so supportive to the Mamie Martin Fund over the years.

We were pleased to introduce our friends from the Malawi-Scotland Partnership to our friends at St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, where they were welcomed to the Sunday morning service.

Thanks to our volunteer, Liz Hall, and to all the supporters who stopped by our table to chat or buy notecards or gift cards.

Why be a Mamie Martin Fund Trustee?

MMF’s Co-convenor shares some ideas about trusteeship of our little organisation, with thanks to all those who contributed to this list.

  1. Educating and empowering girls helps to save the planet. See BBC Radio 4 – 39 Ways to Save the Planet, Educating and Empowering Girls
  2. The Scotland -Malawi and Malawi-Scotland relationship is strong and well supported by our governments. As a Trustee you will be playing your part in a lively and vibrant country to country partnership 
  3. We are a working Board, so you will have the opportunity to use your existing skills and experience as well as learning new skills
  4. We use digital resources to work and communicate as efficiently as possible and to save time
  5. Your work will be interesting, you will learn a lot and will never be bored
  6. You will never be short of conversation topics, or material for interviews and applications
  7. You will give your time and energy, but you will know that you are helping to make a difference. See Number 1 above.

Give a little regularly – make a big difference: Margaret Coutts’ story

Margaret is in her 80s, and (in her words) will talk to anybody. Mariot from MMF met her today in a café for a cup of tea to talk about why she donates £10.00 a month to the Mamie Martin Fund. The meeting today had to be fixed around her other commitments, as she is a volunteer with various local groups and has a busy diary. Margaret donates regularly to three charities working in Malawi: Mary’s Meals, the Raven Trust and Mamie Martin Fund.

She visited Malawi as part of a small group from local churches in 2003 and describes it as a ‘life-changing experience’. She loved meeting and talking with Malawian people but was aware of the extreme poverty and the hardship in many people’s lives. The group visited some schools and Margaret remembers seeing good teaching and enthusiastic learning, in very basic accommodation with minimal resources. They also saw Mary’s Meals at work, providing food for school children.

Margaret came home from Malawi determined to support the organisations working to alleviate poverty and inequality. When she found out that the rebuilding of four Falkirk schools meant that the furniture and equipment from the old buildings was heading to the skip, she had the idea of sending that school furniture to Malawi instead.  Thanks to the support she got from the Raven Trust and local churches, children in Malawi are now using desks & chairs all the way from Falkirk.

She is great fun to talk to and there was a lot of laughter in our chat today. Margaret was in Brownies and Guides in her young days and still attends the Trefoil Guild. She encourages young people today to join youth organisations and sees it as a great way to make friends and learn new skills. Perhaps that helped to develop her zest for life and strong sense of service. In her sixties she sat and passed her Advanced Driving Test.

In summary, Margaret says ‘I’m passionate about education for girls. It opens up their lives and their futures.’

Mariot’s meeting with Margaret Coutts, 3 August 2021

Our volunteer web ‘master’

Introducing another of our band of volunteers, Jean Gordon, who is a social worker, researcher and educator and lives on the Black Isle in the Scottish Highlands. Her interest in education, and especially girls’ education, dates back from two very formative years in her ’20s teaching at a secondary school on a small island in Fiji.

As a social worker, and now university tutor and researcher, in the Scottish Highlands, Jean is particularly aware of the challenges of accessing education in rural areas. She’s been involved with the Mamie Martin Fund for about five years, first as a trustee, and now helping to look after the MMF website.