Suitcases, Sunrises and Saplings: A Day Rooted in Hope

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 Ruth was up unusually early today, 5.30am, and sometimes, the quietest moments speak the loudest. She sat on the veranda as the sky slowly changed before her eyes. At first, just a pale glow. Then streaks of soft pinks, gentle oranges, and deeper hues began to spill across the sky behind the hills. A new day unfolding, slowly but surely. Her only company was a whole choir of enthusiastic cockerels announcing the morning with all the confidence in the world.

There’s something powerful about starting a day like that, unhurried, full of colour, grounded in creation.

Later that morning, we received a copy of a photo that just made our hearts swell – six more Home of Hope students heading off to university. Each one standing proud. Behind the smiles lies a huge moment, a step into the unknown, often many hours from Home of Hope, and the beginning of something that will shape the rest of their lives. To date thirteen will be starting their first year at university and the numbers may grow if the Universities release more spaces.

Each student carried with them not only the hopes of their family and community, but also a laptop and a mobile phone, all donated from supporters in the UK. And those suitcases? We bring them full each year, knowing they’ll be far more than luggage. Here, a suitcase is a gift – a way to keep your life together, to pack a future with care.

It’s incredible to see the number of students going to university grow year on year. Every photo like this reminds us that the seeds planted long ago are now starting to bear fruit in classrooms, lecture halls, and future careers. Could you help support a student with their living expenses? Just £30 a month can cover accommodation, food, and other essential living costs – a far cry from what it takes in the UK. If you’d like more information about how to support a student, email ruth@malawiorphanfund.uk

Speaking of seeds, today we spent time walking the macadamia orchard, just above Home of Hope. This isn’t just any orchard. It’s a space full of vision, planning, and the kind of determined energy that gets things done. We had a fantastic meeting with Thompson and Alex, who oversee the orchard and the macadamia enterprise that MOF has been proudly supporting for some time now.

As we stood under the sun, Thompson smiled and said, “We don’t talk, we do.” And it’s true. The plans are clear, and the action has already begun. Upright holes are dug for the shaded area that will protect the tender rootstock saplings, helping them grow faster and stronger out of the harsh midday sun.

We spoke too about improving the way the nuts are dried, building a secure structure with mesh racks to allow air to flow freely around the dehusked nuts. The goal is to reduce moisture and get that satisfying rattle – the sound of a nut ready for market.

There's real opportunity here. Home of Hope's location offers so much: rich soil, mountain spring water all year round, and even something as practical and rare as easy access to tarmac roads. It matters. Not every road in Malawi is tarmaced and that link to the national road network could mean faster, smoother movement for goods, and ultimately, more income back into the community.

As we wandered among the trees, we saw every stage of life: flowers just opening, small green nuts beginning to grow, and fully mature nuts nearly ready to harvest. There was talk of November’s harvest, a hopeful date on the calendar we’re already looking forward to.

And then came a bit of fun – measuring tree trunks to begin looking at their eligibility for the Carbon Damage Mitigation Certificates (CDMCs). It turns out a macadamia tree’s age and trunk size can tell you a lot about how much carbon it’s capturing from the atmosphere.

A 4-year-old tree might be around 25 to 30 cm in circumference. At 5 years, that could be 40 to 45 cm. By 7 years, they’re pushing 50 to 60 cm, and by 9 years, many are reaching 70 to 75 cm, strong and mature. The wider the trunk, the taller the tree, the more carbon it’s absorbing.

We’re working with the Neno Macadamia Trust and a local expert, Ken, to get Home of Hope’s orchard officially contributing to the CDMC programme.

Today, we also made a personal investment that felt more like a privilege – the purchase of 100 grafted saplings to be planted on the gently sloping hill to extend the orchard. It’s a growing space, both literally and symbolically. We know what those trees will become. Shade, shelter, harvest. Income. Hope.

As we stood looking out over the land, the echoes of the sunrise came back again – colours changing, slowly and beautifully. Much like the work here.

There’s so much more to say, but for now we end the day as it began, rooted in gratitude, warmed by the Malawian sun, and watching possibility rise over the hills.

If you’d like to be part of this work, you can help our macadamia orchard continue to grow and do good. Visit the Neno Macadamia Trust website at nenomacadamiatrust.org/carbon.html to learn more and consider purchasing a Carbon Damage Mitigation Certificate. Every tree planted makes a difference – for the environment, for the children here, and for generations to come.

Ruth xx

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