Meet our Knotty Boy Sponsored-Child Family!

Memory Kalieka - Malawi, Africa - Rest in Peace

We are heartbroken to announce that Memory, our first little sponsored child from 1999, passed away in the Spring of 2007 from complications related to malaria - a disease so easily treated if only they had had the treatment. We had heard that her health was not good and hunger was prevalent in her school, and tried mulitple times to contact them in order to find out what we could give or do to help. We were devistated that the next communication we received was that Memory had passed away, along with another classmate.

In their honor Knotty Boy requested from CHER Canada that a fund be created in Memory's name to which the procedes would specifically go to treating the medical needs of her fellow schoolmates to attempt to ensure this would not happen again. Knotty Boy contributed $675 dollars in addition to the sponsorship contributions for our other little ones in 2007, and here is the letter that was written back to us from the Director of CHER:

"At our last CHER board meeting I told the Board about the donation you had made for medical aid in Malawi in memory of your sponsored child, Memory Kalieka, and they were quite touched and decided to match your donation for Malawi Medical Aid.  Thanks to you, a total of $1,350.00 will go to Malawi for medical aid.  
I know this will be a blessing to the children.
Take care and thanks again.
 
Sue Mathi"

Even in this dark hour some good has come. We are so grateful for this help, and our thoughts are with her family mourning the loss of Memory. Here was her story during her time sponsored with us...

Meet Memory Kalieka from Malawi, Africa
Memory was 8 years old at the time Knotty Boy began sponsoring her in 1999 - she was our very first Knotty Boy sponsored child, and this is a picture we were first sent of her. Memory is from Malawi, Africa where she lives with her mother and two brothers. Her father has died of AIDS and they live in very extreme conditions. The money that you help us donate to this little girl provides her with meals, school supplies and clothing - all things she could never hope to have without a sponsor. Now she is enjoying school and is a healthier, happier child!

Update 2006
Memory is growing up! Here she is 15 years old already. We have been sent progress reports showing her doing well in school, and she also sent us a little note in July with her picture that says "...I have written this letter just to say thank you for what you have been doing for me. May God bless you, and please keep on helping us needy children...". We were so happy to hear from her, and that what we've been doing with all you Knotty kids' help has been making a difference in this little girl's life!

Letters:

Spring 2006

Dear Sponsor,

Firstly receive my greetings to you. I hope you are fine, just as I am here… My life is going on but not well enough. I usually get sick. I always suffer from Malaria. As of now, I’m recovering.

But as for school, well school is going on a little bit OK because first term I failed my exams, but this term I’m try all my best to do well. But there are some subjects that I find difficulties in. Like social studies and science. But I don’t lose hope. I’ll do fine in them.

May God bless you.

Thanks,

Memory Kalieka

Summer 2006

Dear Sponsor,

First receive my greetings and how are you? Here we are all fine. I have written this letter to let you know that here school is going on well and last term I took position 13. Another thing I would like to let you know is that I needed your letters and here we are facing hunger. Lastly may the God Lord bless you,

Thanks,

Memory Kalieka

Note: Knotty Boy contacted the Director of CHER Canada in regards to what Memory has been telling us about her health chellenges and hunger despite our sponsorship. Here is what we have been told:

"Thank you for your care and concern towards Memory.  Unfortunately, even with sponsorship, the children still struggle with hunger – some more than others.  Malawi is in the middle of a huge food shortage, which is why CHER has a general Food Fund for Malawi. 

In all our schools, it is a requirement that each sponsored child receive a nutritious meal every day.  With the food shortage in Malawi, it was attempted to have the sponsorship money try to feed the entire school, rather than just our CHER children. As you can imagine, our funds were insufficient for such a broad scope.  The reality is that it is extremely difficult to feed our sponsored children at school, when so many others are without anything at all, so in Malawi we operate slightly different.  Rather than provide one meal per day at school, the children are given supplies to take home.  Obviously, the children do not keep the supplies for themselves, but must share it with their family.  As a result, it is highly likely, that the sponsored children are still not getting what they need.  As for the malaria, I have heard reports back from our contacts, that malaria is very prevalent right now.

It is a sad reality and of course, we hope to do more.  For now this is where we are at, and we hope that God will bless and multiply our efforts."

Sue Mathi, Director CHER Canada

Knotty Boy is doing what we can to find local help for Memory’s health, as well as looking into providing financial aid to her school to help them buy more food for the students. We will keep you all posted.