WANDERERS' COMMUNITY Cohesion officer, Abdul Basit, has recently returned from Malawi where he spent two weeks working with the FA to deliver coaching sessions within the deprived areas of southern Africa.
Abdul was joined by the Lancashire FA and ex-England International Viv Anderson to assist over 4,000 children from ten different orphanages in not only delivering aid and supplies but also in helping to structure their daily lives.
The FA joined partnership with Preston based children's charity FOMO (Friends of Mulanje Orphans) to provide life skills, nutrition and enjoyment to those youngsters who have lost their parents through the effects of diseases such as AIDS.
The orphanages were developed and set up by Mary Woodford, founder of FOMO, who sadly attended her father's funeral in Malawi seven years ago to which over 25 orphans came to help themselves to the food due to their starvation levels.
Mary was touched by their desperate needs and decided she wanted to help in developing facilities for the youngsters. Now in 2007 she fronts ten orphanages, with their own vegetation, tailoring classes to make clothing for themselves, computing facilities for further education and even driving instruction to teach to the teenagers which will enable them to transport the youngsters to and from schools some ten to fifteen miles away.
The visit was welcomed by a traditional dance preformed by the orphans and the orphanage choir. The Malawi international team also attended to greet the British volunteers, pose for photographs and sign autographs for the children.
Abdul was selected by the FA to visit Malawi after being recognised for his hard work and developments that he has made closer to home within the Bolton Community and through the Club's Unity in Diversity project.
The FA and Abdul himself are aiming to revisit the area next year to see the development of the centres and to deliver further football coaching.
The entire visit was filmed by ITV to be screened in a documentary about FOMO and Mary's fantastic work in Malawi, which will be aired on Tuesday 10 July at 7.30pm.
For further information about FOMO please visit www.fomo.co.uk.
