Women in Malawi have a rough deal in many ways. They typically carry the greatest burden of housework and childcare responsibilities, and rarely get a chance to earn a living for themselves. One particular issue is land ownership traditional culture means that the farmland is owned and controlled by men, so in an agricultural society, it is hard for women to earn a living on the land.

We have come up with a solution to this problem. By working with women in mini co-operatives of three women, we are providing polytunnels to enable them to grow tomatoes which they can then sell through our new solar Chill Store. The crop is grown in sacks, so no farmland is needed and the polytunnel can sit alongside the family home and, with careful management, the families can have tomatoes to sell every month. Its well known throughout the world that where a mother has control of some of the family income, it will be spent for the benefit of the children, so this really is good news.

Our polytunnels are large the size of one and a half badminton courts and wed love if you could join us in raising the £1100 we need to get another three women started on their polytunnel journey.