December 22, 2005 (Juma, Malawi) – Ground has been broken at the school Slotland.com’s New Chance for a New Generation project has given to an impoverished African village. Provided the rains don’t delay construction, the school will begin providing a better outlook for the children of Juma, Malawi early next year.
“Our players know what a big role luck plays in their lives,” said Hannah Morante of Slotland.com. “Those that live in areas where we can enjoy the luxury of online entertainment should remember just how lucky we are. We feel good about sharing our prosperity with those less fortunate, and everyone that plays at Slotland.com can share in that good feeling.”
The school foundation was recently dug out by a local football team in exchange for one football and set of twelve football kits in the colors of Manchester United. As the rainy season is starting and prices will rise, the local organizers hurried to buy all the needed building materials such as gravel, sand, cement, planks and iron sheets, as well as building tools with the initial funding provided by Slotland.com.
The impoverished village of Juma is near Blantyre City, the industrial capital of Malawi. The region is of little interest to both government and non-governmental organizations. Local people rely on growing maize and other vegetables, or occasion piecework if they can find it. Without this help from the western world, the future looked bleak for its children.
The “New chance for a new generation” project obtained support from local traditional authorities – both the village headman and the group village headman – who gave the project a vast piece of land for building a preschool and for growing enough maize and vegetables for the school kitchen.
“An important part of our project is the extension officer, a local secondary-school teacher,” explains Project Coordinator, Tereza Mirovicova. “Thanks to his knowledge of the local environment and people, we’ve been able to identify and employ experienced and reliable builders.”
Thanks to the hard work of local workers and organizers, and the generosity of Slotland.com, there is new hope in the New Year for the children of a struggling African village.