A CHARITY in east Africa which provides children with sports facilities and classrooms is building its very own version of a famous Colchester landmark.
The Building Malawi Charity, founded by the Colchester-based Bowden family, will soon have its own Jumbo Water Tower ...although it may not be quite as grand as the one in Colchester.
The Malawi version is being built on a 22-acre site owned by the charity in the capital Lilongwe.
The charity has the largest sports complex in the country which hosts more than 400 children a day.
It is also building classrooms and so the need for clean water for both drinking and toilets was a major hurdle.
Tom Bowden’s family runs the annual Rock and Blues in the Garden event in aid of the charity.
But it could not run the event last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and doesn’t now have the usual funds available.
Due to Mr Bowden’s association with the Rotary Club of Colchester Centurion, a plan was put together to obtain grants from other Rotary clubs and from Essex District 1240.
The plan came to fruition with a total of £9,500 having been raised and Jumbo Water Tower in Malawi is now taking shape.
Mr Bowden, said: “The requirement for clean water for drinking and sanitation is one of the main projects that Rotary identifies for its work around the world.
“My association with Colchester Centurion gave me the opportunity to appeal to Rotary and they have come up trumps.
“Jumbo Water Tower is a much-needed facility for the community on the outskirts of Lilongwe.”
Mark Howell, a former president of Colchester Centurion and the project leader, said: “It is not often that a small Rotary club can make such a difference to a community which is based thousands of miles away.
“It was both a challenge and a privilege to be able to make it happen.
“Rotary is a worldwide organisation but this shows that UK based clubs and our district are there to help those in need, wherever they are.
“To have a second Jumbo in the world is quite something.”
For more information about the Building Malawi charity and what is does, visit buildingmalawi.com.
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