About Bloom

The Warm Heart of Africa
Malawi is a beautiful country in South-East Africa. The people are very friendly and hospitable, and Malawi is called "The Warm Heart of Africa". It has avoided many problems that haunt the African continent. Malawi is therefore often left in the dark while places of war, drought or ethnic conflicts receive the main part of attention.

The children and the Silent Disaster
The silent HIV/AIDS disaster has left Malawi with 500.000 orphans between 0 and 17 years of age (UNAIDS, UNICEF and WHO). In Malawi the  number of orphans is now more than 1.2 mill. Many of these children have lost not only their parents, but also grandparents, aunts and uncles who would have helped. These children are struggling hard to survive without proper food, housing, clothes, school, healthcare or even a bit of adult guidance. And if they have younger siblings they are usually forced by destiny to provide for them too.

Parents in despair
Tens of thousands of parents pass away every year in Malawi, leaving two or more children alone. Which one of two parents who passes away first is a matter of coincidence, but if one parent has died due to HIV/AIDS, then the remaining parent often follows in just a few years time. It is hard to imagine the parents worries and sorrow when they realise that they may die and leave their children all alone. It is not possible to describe the fear and despair that strikes a parent who realises that his or her children will be forced to struggle on their own with without food and housing in a desperate attempt to survive.

BLOOM helps and supports orphans in the Malawi villages.
Here space for housing and arable land is available. Local resources have been activated, establishing local "ownership" and solid long-term solutions. BLOOM is trying to secure:

• Regular and healthy food supplies.
• Safe housing covering both physical and social needs.
• Social upbringing based on Malawi's cultural values
• School and additional education in basic skills like domestic work, local farming etc.
• Health services and education in health-related subjects including information about local diseases.
• BLOOM has no religious preferences.

BLOOM
BLOOM is a Norwegian organisation with strong roots in Malawi. Bloom will offer regular meals, housing, basic health services and social training including education in local customs and local knowledge. The children are trained and raised to manage on their own as soon as possible. In a long term view it would be wonderful if these children again can help other orphans. Because we are a small and transparent organisation we spend a very limited funds on administration, and the distance "from hand to mouth" is extremely short.

Helping yourself
Both the orphaned children and the local authorities are actively involved as useful participants. We assume that everybody will contribute - of course according to position, age, skills and health. Assistance is brought in deep respect of local customs and local culture. Only in that way can the projects be properly rooted and bloom in local "ownership".