Malawi Fundraising
Orphaned children in Malawi will be over £2,000 better off, thanks to the efforts of Penicuik High School staff and pupils who got involved to help raise the cash through a fun-filled Bonanza Fundraising Day in December.
The money will go to Open Arms Infant Home in Malawi which cares for babies who are orphaned, usually because of the Aids epidemic but sometimes because of malnutrition. Some of the money will go to provide an education for children at the home.
As well as raising awareness of the plight of the people of Malawi through a short film made by PeniProductions, a student film company, the multi-activity fun day included sumo wrestling in fat suits,
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| Sumo |
gladiator-style jousting,
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| Gladiators |
an army assault course,
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| Assault Course |
salsa and belly dancing,
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| Salsa |
a Christmas Karaoke, Sudoku, and tombola, as well as a host of other games and competitions.
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| Beat the Goalie |
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| Preparing for the Leg-Wax |
Events were co-ordinated by Principal Teacher Mary Stewart. She said: "We chose to raise money for the Open Arms Infant Home because it is such a worthwhile cause. The staff and pupils have been very generous and many have been genuinely touched by the plight of these children and the country of Malawi.” Interest in the charity had been initially generated by Maths teacher Rosemary Chew, who has a direct link with the home, and who had coordinated earlier fundraising efforts with small groups of third and fourth year students.
The Fun Day was preceded by a programme of lessons designed to inform pupils about the difficulties facing Malawi which is the sixth poorest country in the world. Money is hard to come by for the basic necessities in life, let alone education, but at Penicuik High School pupils now recognize the importance of providing children with an education to enhance the quality of life in Malawi and help them build a better future.
Headteacher Mark Edie said: "We can help give these children a better chance in life, and education is the best way to do that. I’m proud of the magnificent efforts of everyone here at Penicuik High. As well as having a lot of fun, I feel this is a very valuable form of enrichment for our pupils, who are, after all, preparing to live and work in a global economy."
