The Birth of Timvane Cooperation

 When Cyclone Freddy hit the Southern Region, everyone who could jumped into help the survivors, Sparkle Foundation literally jumped into the floods to pull out survivors, saving lives and losing some. Concerned citizens started forming groups to track into the mud and get relief supplies to people whose roads had been cut off and bridges washed away. We saw the rise of the Land Rover clubs doing heroic feats in the mud. Malawi united under the harsh reality of the damage and loss that was upon us.

That is when this story of solidarity began, we just wanted to reach 1 man, Amos with supplies, because he was our friend, a member of our group and a colleague of  good neighbors of mine Mphatso and Revival Mjathu. We didn't know it would lead us to helping out 8 camps with relief supplies, getting connected to local efforts and working with a team of like minded people  like health Relief Trust and the Transport Association of Malawi. It wasn't long till the question came up, what is next after the donors get fatigued and the rest of the world move on, how do we help this community rebuild.

Luka and his friends went back out to the receding flood plain and with guidance from Mrs. Mjathu, they planted sweet potatoes. We encouraged by new partners, we realized we could support them with technical expertise, seed, access to finance and markets, in the end we had identified 25 youth  to work with and 500 families to feed.

It is this coordination, trust and vision that inspired the youth working us to name their cooperation 'Timvane' which loosely translates into 'Let us work together in a mutually respectful and trustful manner'.