Home of Hope Orphanage and Education Institution in Mchinji was all smiles on tuesday as Apostle Clifford Kawinga of Salvation for All Ministries donated K25 million and other items as a way of celebrating his birthday.
Apostle Kawinga has also donated 20 bags of beans, 10 bags of rice, 100 blankets as well as 14 cartons of note books before he hosting surrounding community members to a lunch-on.
Speaking during the donation Apostle Kawinga said the move is to help the orphanage to alleviate hunger and economic challenges.
“I thought of celebrating my birthday here as one way of preaching love to the vulnerable. I know the challenges that this orphanage face and I hope my contribution will help to address some of those challenges and growing up as an orphan I thought of a way of motivating these young ones,” he said.
Apostle Kawinga also reached out to over 1,000 elderly people by assisting them with various assorted items such as sugar, salt, cooking oil, soap as well as 2 kgs of rice.
In his remarks, Principal of the orphanage, Reverend Thomson Chipeta, who is 96 years old, hailed Kawinga for the donation, saying it will help to address some challenges.
“This is a free institution for every child and it is not easy to meet the needs of each and everyone as a result we face challenges everyday. So, this kind gesture is timely as it will go a long way in addressing some of the challenges we face here,” he said.
Founded in 1998 by Reverend Chipeta the institution has over 750 vulnerable children from ages 1 to 20.
Home of Hope Orphanage operates a primary school, secondary school, and vocational training centre serving children living on site and from the local community with 600 children receiving education each day including many who are unable to afford school fees.
The facility has three areas of farmland to provide food for the children and grown staff. Apart from maize as staple food, groundnuts and fruits are also grown.
Chickens and goats are reared for meat and dairy products.
In addition to agricultural produce, they also farm fish in ponds.
Alongside serving children, the orphanage has a village clinic and a maize mill, providing vital support to the home and community.
