The philosophy behind the Capacity Foundation is that a charity can become self-sustaining in terms of its income.
In five years, we have gone a good way to proving it – but among the many steps forward there are occasional steps backward.
In Spring 2023, Malenga Mzoma, the area of Malawi where Capacity operates, was hit by catastrophic floods.
Crops were washed away and houses demolished or severely weakened (see this news item).
In addition to now needing funds for disaster relief, our ability to run adult literacy classes and farming improvement programmes has been severely curtailed.
So we now need to raise £10,000 to make up our income shortfall and to keep our essential programmes going during the rest of 2023.
If you can support us, please do, whether by donating direct via this page or helping us raise funds in other ways.
Thank you for your generosity.
PREFER TO DONATE OFFLINE?
If you’d rather send us a cheque, please make it payable to The Capacity Foundation and post it to us at:
Brooklands Cottage, Ffordd y Bont, Pontybodkin, Mold, Flintshire CH7 4TS.
YOU CAN ALSO SUPPORT US IN OTHER WAYS …
HELP RAISE FUNDS FOR US
Bake a cake, run a race, have a car boot sale … there are lots of ways you, your family, friends and colleagues can raise money for us. If you need some inspiration, check out our fundraising ideas.
LEAVE US A LEGACY IN YOUR WILL – OR DEDICATE A GIFT TO A LOVED ONE
About one in six people who make their Will include a legacy or gift to charity. If you’re interested in this type of giving, then find out more.
HOW WE USE YOUR MONEY
Funds raised outside Malawi to support the Foundation’s objectives are spent on the Microloans programme, the Farming Improvement Programme and the Academy (adult literacy and numeracy classes). Examples of individuals’ achievements can be found across this website but here’s an overview:
The Microloans programme involves giving marketing and business skills training to prospective loantakers; helping them to devise a business plan; and monitoring and advising them during their 10-month loan repayment period. The Foundation’s Programme Manager, Emily Nkhoma, and Field Officer Vincent Mphande oversee the loans programme. The ‘loan book’ is maintained by the recycling of repaid loans and the infusion of earmarked donations from the UK.
The Farming Improvement programme is run through 16 Lead Farmers who are trained by the Foundation’s agricultural advisor, Andrew Kamanga (who once performed the same role for the Malawi Government’s department of agriculture) and two members of Foundation staff, Kennas Jim and Vincent Mphande. The Lead Farmers are coached in the best organic practices including the making of bokashi (organic fertiliser). The Foundation pays for farming and water capture equipment including a petrol-powered tiller, tools, seeds and fertiliser ingredients that cannot be foraged.
The Capacity Academy comprises eight adult literacy and numeracy classes under the supervision of Adorn Kuzala, a trained teacher. There are eight class teachers plus an itinerant teacher who circulates across classes to instruct beginners. Some students enrol in the Academy simply because they want to be able to read and write while others have the express intention of applying to the loans programme where literacy is a prerequisite. Reading books, notebooks, other consumables and equipment (including bicycles for the teachers to reach the more remote class locations) are funded by the Foundation.
All of the Foundation’s 20 staff are Malawian, so boosting employment in the area as well as delivering the Foundation’s programmes.
