Lifeline Fund Makes A Difference A visit to the Gomani Home for Children

Meet Chipiliro and Precious, photographed here at the Gomani Home for Children, which is funded by Lifeline. Both boys have had an incredibly tough start to life, becoming friends under extreme circumstances; living on the streets of Blantyre City, Malawi.

Precious lost his father when he was just 6 years old, leaving him alone with his mother who was unable to provide for him. Forced to fend for himself, Precious took to the streets to source food from rubbish bins, begging and stealing in order to survive.

One day, he met Chipiliro, and a brotherly friendship soon developed between the pair. Leaning on each other for support, they scavenged scraps of food together until they were caught stealing and thrown into a cell where they were severely beaten.

Unwilling to continue the life they were leading, Chipiliro approached the social welfare for help and the two boys were taken to the Gomani Home for Children, built in memory of the late Philip Veale at the request of his family. “I tell you life here at the centre is good,” Precious tells us as we visit him and Chipiliro at their new home. “It has changed my story from street kid to beloved son!”

At Cooleraid, we want to give children like Precious and Chipiliro a bright future and do everything we can to keep children off the streets. That is why we donate 10% of our rental revenue and 35p from every bottle of water we sell to the Lifeline Fund, who ensure that every pence is put to good use.

We are extremely proud to have donated nearly £4 million since 1999, and we don’t intend to stop now.

To find out more about the Lifeline Fund or if you are interested in helping, please contact John Searle on 01223 276710.