After two years of lessons in the open air or under a makeshift cane shelter the 400 children of Milo Junior School Manyowe now have two large solidly constructed classrooms. As a result of a £14,000 Millennium project undertaken by the Churches and schools of Mildenhall in Suffolk.

Manyowe is a very rural community not far from the city of Blantyre where the local ZEC Church started Milo School nearly three years ago by to save the children having a five mile walk to the nearest school. Apart from the one roomed Church building the children had no accommodation until the two classrooms were presented on behalf of the people of Mildenhall by ZM representative, Colin Cresswell, during a short visit to Malawi at the beginning of October. The occasion also marked the completion of toilet blocks financed by Whepstead Baptist Church, near Bury St. Edmunds.

The ceremony was attended by the local MP and Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Samuel Kaphuka, several members of his staff, ZEC leaders and many members of the Manyowe Church and community as well as all the children of the school. In thanking the people of Mildenhall and Whepstead, the Minister expressed warm appreciation for this very practical link between communities and the hope that such co-operation could continue in the future. He also pledged the Government's help for further classrooms at Manyowe.

A message was read from Rev Ian Bell one of the instigators of the project in Mildenhall. He too spoke of the desire of the local community in the UK to continue the links established with the people of Malawi by this effort.

Malawian television filmed the event and made it a main feature of the national evening news. There was also full coverage by the radio and national press.

A Thanksgiving Service is to be held in St. Mary's School, Mildenhall on Sunday 12 November 2000 (6.30pm). This will include a display of the project and a video of the opening ceremony. Everyone is welcome to attend.