Thomas Baldwin reports on this year’s Moderator’s Challenge to create ‘light libraries’ for children and students in Malawi.

CHURCH members are being encouraged to be a “light in the darkness” to help school pupils and students in Malawi reach their potential.

The Rt Rev Dr Shaw Paterson, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, is asking congregations and others to help fund solar power energy initiatives for students.

The Moderator’s Challenge appeal will fund schools to create ‘light libraries’, with small solar lamps that will enable children to do their homework in the dark, in homes with no electricity or where power outages are common. The lights are provided by the Malawian social enterprise ‘Sunnymoney’, owned by UK-based charity SolarAid.

It will also provide solar panels to enable PhD students at Zomba Theological University (ZTU) to study during the hours of darkness.

The Moderator was inspired to encourage people to support this challenge after his visit to Malawi in September where he saw the difficulties children faced in studying during the dark evenings without lights in their homes, and was inspired to issue a challenge to donate to an appeal named, ‘Let your little light shine’ – Creating light libraries in Malawi.

Daylight hours in sub-Saharan Africa are short and most children are forced to do their homework by the light of candles, kerosene lamps and fire.

“ Daylight hours in sub-Saharan Africa are short and most children are forced to do their homework by the light of candles, kerosene lamps and fire.

Dr Paterson also witnessed first-hand power outages in ZTU. The university is embarking upon an ambitious renovation project to provide accommodation for new and expanding postgraduate programmes. The proposed development includes solar power provision and improved IT infrastructure throughout the renovated buildings to provide a variety of flexible working locations.

Energy supplies in Malawi are often erratic, are vulnerable to disruption during extreme weather and are subject to increasing prices. ZTU has existing solar power infrastructure to cover classes, administration buildings and the chapel, but not currently its expanded facilities. Dr Paterson said the call to action fits the theme of his Moderatorial year, Building Together. He said: “During my visit to Malawi in the autumn, I was struck by the determination of the people, and particularly within the Church, to ensure education at all levels becomes available and accessible. We were able to see the steps from Early Childhood Development Programmes to the accredited University programmes of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) with whom the Church of Scotland have a long-standing partnership.

“I became very aware of the many obstacles in the way to achieving goals set by both the educational providers, the students and their parents. I evidenced a real desire and enthusiasm for education and was so taken by the steps learners (of all ages) took in their thirst for knowledge.

“This seemed to me to fit in well with my theme for my Moderatorial year of ‘Building Together’. As much as I love a good DIY project, this theme is more about ‘Building the People of God’, allowing everyone at whatever level they are at to be encouraged and supported to take the next step on their journey through life.”

Donate at https://cos.churchofscotland.org.uk/donate/?fund=128170