This month, we would like to draw your attention to the humanitarian work that Sarah Brook does with orphans in Malawi as the founder and director of the Sparkle Malawi Orphan Centre.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I am a 25 year old British expat who has lived in the UAE for the last two years, pursuing a career in public relations. I have represented England for the Rugby 7’s and national level hockey. I am also a qualified wakeboard and water ski instructor with a degree in psychology and a masters in journalism.
Tell us how Sparkle Malawi started?
When my grandfather died when I was 18, he had left me some money, so when I left school I decided to travel the world. The first stop was Malawi with a school friend of mine. Whilst over there, I ate the local food and drank the water and became seriously unwell.
Suffering with a bowel complication, I was rushed to the local hospital unconscious. There was only one doctor on duty. With a queue of around 300 Malawians and a high rate of HIV patients, the doctor needed to operate on me but said that there was a high risk of me getting HIV. The only other option was to find a villager who could drive me to a hospital a few hours away but that would put me at risk of dying on route, which was a risk he was prepared to take and one that ultimately saved my life.
When he came to visit me, he explained that the Malawian people queuing to see the doctor had pushed me to the front, as they wanted me to be seen. From this moment on I knew I owed the country my life, so I made it my mission to help them.
Soon after, I returned to the University of Exeter. With the help of friends and family and lots of sponsorship and fundraising, I raised about GBP 35,000. I travelled to Malawi in 2012 and set up the Sparkle Malawi Orphan Centre. I then moved to Dubai so that I could make the most of the tax-free salary and fund the project. To ensure the sustainability of the project, I employed eight members of local staff and put strategies in place. This past June, I decided that I wanted to be in Malawi full time to oversee things. Having 150 children between the ages of zero and six who call me mother at the age of 25 isn’t something I had ever imagined, but life is full of twists and turns and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
How does Sparkle Malawi aim to help children?
With one in 14 children dying before the age of five in Malawi, Sparkle aims to ensure all of our children make it to primary school as healthy and loved individuals. We provide children with two meals a day, early infant education, unlimited clean water supply, two vaccinations a year and 24-hour love and support. We give them the best head start possible, in the most crucial years of their life. With more funding, we hope to be able to expand so that we can accommodate all of our children up to the age of 18.
What’s the next step for you and Sparkle Malawi?
In two weeks’ time, I will be in Malawi full time. I am speaking in several schools around the UK and getting my vaccinations and other things sorted before heading out there. In Malawi, I will be installing solar panels, building a volunteer house, sorting out transport and improving the kitchen and water facilities. It is going to be non-stop! The team in the UAE will also be working hard to keep me out there, building partnerships with companies, individuals and schools and reaching out to people for support.
How can people get involved?
Everyone has something they can offer Sparkle. Your phonebook and contacts is the most valuable tool to us. Whether it is advice, experience, giving two hours a month of admin time, providing us with free printing, auditing, funding... you name it, it can help us. Charity isn’t just about the money and what makes Sparkle sparkle! It is also about the people involved who have a genuine passion.
Visit www.sparklemalawi.org.