Donate your child’s backpack to a Malawi pupil

Malawi pupil Martha Payne is delighted with her backpack.

So charity Mary’s Meals is encouraging families in the region to ‘buddy up’ for the latest drive of its Backpack Project so they can make a positive difference to the lives of hungry children in Malawi

Parents and children are being asked to team up with other families to fill pre-loved backpacks, which will be gifted to school children in the African country.

The old school bags can be recycled and filled with useful educational items, such as pencils and notepads, or other essentials like clothing, soap and toothpaste.

Many of these children do not have basic items for school, such as pencils and notepads, and the backpacks are often the only gift they have ever received.

Head of Grassroots Engagement at Mary’s Meals, Emma Hutton, said: “Rather than throwing away school backpacks at the end of the school term, these items can be put to great use by Mary’s Meals at schools in Malawi. Bags filled with essentials give children there a chance to get the most out of their education.

“It is wonderful to see the immense joy which these bags bring to every child who receives one. This is an exciting project for families in the Borders to get involved in over the summer months as their support will allow us to continue spreading that joy among children receiving Mary’s Meals.”

For more information on what to donate and how the project works, please click here.

To donate, call 0800 698 1212.