Last week I wrote about Denis Kasambala, a sixteen year old boy who received the gift of a piglet from his community in Manyamula, Malawi in May 2017. (Read the story of the gift-giving here.)
The members of the local Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative wanted to encourage and support Denis in making a better life for himself. His mother died when he was 9 years old and his father is often missing due to alcoholism. So Denis and his five siblings live with their uncle, who also has five children of his own.
Last month I got an update on Denis’s progress over the past year and a half. Barely after a year of caring for the piglet, Denis’s pig grew to maturity, and gave birth to piglets in April. Denis’s pig had four piglets, and of that litter, one still alive.
Then in September, the pig gave birth again, this time to six piglets! All are alive and well at this point. So now, Denis has seven piglets, plus the sow!
Denis cares for his 8 pigs in a wooden pen.
Rooting Denis in Success
The community continues to show Denis their support. Denis had recently been sent home from school because he had no school uniform and was missing textbooks.
“As a social act of love,” says Canaan Gondwe, “Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative has immediately come in to address the issue. Our staff went to meet the Head Teacher to allow the boy in school while the Cooperative is buying the school uniform and copies of books for Denis.”
At the end of October, the community had bought Denis a uniform and books and he was back at school. “Indeed the Cooperative and the community have taken a firm stand to root Denis into success.” With the whole support of his community behind him, Denis will surely go far!
Denis’s sleeping hut, near the house of his step-mother.