The story of Hannah’s Home, a safe space for orphaned and vulnerable children in Blantyre, Malawi.

The year was 2011 and a small team from PFJ Ministries was visiting Bishop Gift Chaula and his church in Blantyre, Malawi. Bishop showed the team, which consisted of Carla, Hannah, Beth and Luke, around the city. He introduced them to many friends and family members, and spoke of the challenges they face in the local area.

Bishop arranged for the team to visit a children’s home. There, they were treated to songs and heard stories from the children about their lives and the hardships they faced prior to living at the home. This experience sparked a conversation. Was there anything that we could do to help local children who were in desperate need of a stable and loving home? 

The answer was yes.

Establishing Hannah’s Home

Speaking with Bishop and his trusted colleagues, we discovered that a property was available just a short walk from the church and a couple were more than willing to act as house parents. In the blink of an eye, the deposit was paid, and the home was moved from idea to reality.

Next came the name. It had to be meaningful to the community. Carla suggested Hannah’s Children’s Home. In the bible, Hannah longed to be a mother, but experienced infertility. She prayed for a child and, not long after, Samuel was born. Later, per her prayers, Samuel was dedicated to God and, as a reward, Hannah was blessed with five more children. For many Christians, she is a memorable example of motherhood.

Raising money for the home

Suddenly, it was GO GO GO! Bishop began identifying children who were in need of a loving home, and the PFJ team returned to the UK to begin fundraising.

Over the years, Hannah walked the length of Hadrian’s Wall, held a coffee morning, walked the London Marathon route, and ran the Vitality 10k. Beth and Luke held events at their school, including leg waxing talent shows, with Beth later doing a 50-mile walk to Blackpool Tower. Most recently, Hannah’s dad ran the Vancouver Marathon (you can still donate to that here!).

All the money raised for Hannah’s Home goes directly to support the children and staff in Malawi. It pays for water, electricity, food, clothes, schooling, healthcare, and much more.

Living for today and looking forward to tomorrow

In 2011, Hannah’s Home cared for five children, aged between 4 and 12. Today, Hannah’s Home is home to 11 children, one of whom, Tisunge, has been there since the start and is currently in the process of applying for college! 

We have big dreams for Hannah’s Home. A large plot of land has kindly been donated, which we aim to build a beautiful new house on, complete with a well, crops and livestock. Until we can achieve this dream, we are raising money for more immediate needs including new bedding, a fridge and freezer, seating, school supplies, kitchenware, seeds, and personal hygiene products.

If you would like to donate to Hannah’s Home, please click here. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to reach out to admin@hannahs-home.org