Mission Partner: Christian Aid

Esther Saizi lives in Malawi - a baker, farmer, leader and a woman strong in faith and hope. For ten years Esther grew pigeon peas. She has never received a fair price from exploitative middlemen and was devastated as a violent storm washed away her crops. She felt powerless in the face of the fierce weather caused by climate crisis.

So, it was a happy day when she joined her local cooperative. Esther learned how to store her peas in a warehouse, safe from increasingly frequent floods and storms. By joining together with other farmers, she could sell her peas for a better price. At last, she could turn her peas into profit. One of her dreams is to be able to help her daughter by paying for her two grandsons to go to nursery.

Jen is facing a heart-breaking choice - which of her children would she send to school, and which child would have to put their dreams on hold.

Christian Aid has worked in Malawi for 20 years. Together with their partners, they empower vulnerable communities to find practical and sustainable ways out of poverty. This includes giving them skills to grow crops that are more resilient to the climate crisis, restore soil fertility, increase harvests, learn business skills and join cooperatives to earn more from their crops.

We can help Christian Aid to realise the dreams of these two women and so many more. Let us give what we can afford this May when that envelope drops through our door or give online here Trish Brown