Youth Justice Service helps Malawi residents
Money raised from the sales of books donated by Warwickshire residents has been put to good use in one of Africa’s poorest countries.
Staff from Warwickshire’s Youth Justice Service (YJS) regularly collect a range of reading material to sell at the annual book sale in Rugby. Over the years, young people working with YJS have also helped as part of their Reparation Orders.
Proceeds from the event are given to the Bwengu project, set up in 2006 by Sue Melia – a part time sessional worker with the Youth Justice Service – and her husband Tony to help children in Bwengu, Malawi.
They have been involved in a number of projects such as recently starting work on an extension to a medical wing at the local hospital, setting up a successful orphan care food programme service 34 villages in Malawi, and improving educational services including the provision of new classrooms.
Heather Shilling, Operations Manager for Warwickshire’s Youth Justice Service, said: “The proceeds of the sale of books donated by generous Warwickshire residents have been used to help generations of people in Malawi.
“Here, the project helps young people working with the Youth Justice Service, who have in the past helped sort books to sell as part of their reparation programme.
“In the process, they achieve an increased understanding of charity work, improve their knowledge of another country and are introduced to the local library.”
For more information regarding Warwickshire County Council’s Youth Justice Service visit http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/yjs or for details of the Bwengu Projects visit http://www.bwenguprojects.co.uk.