4% Billy Riordan Memorial Fund.

This project was brought to us by a co-op member who knows the founder of the charity, again giving a really nice direct link between ourselves and the project. It was set up in memory of the founder's son, and has initiated several projects for the Malawi village in which he'd spent a lot of time. We were able to contribute in 2005, and again in 2006, towards a project addressing the issue of food instability in Malawi, which has been a feature of life there for a number of years now, and stems from an over-reliance on producing one crop, in this area maize. Failure of the rains, which is beginning to happen more frequently, results in poor or no maize production, which can lead to a famine situation.

Our donation has gone towards an educational agricultural programme in partnership with the Chembe Village orphan project, working with AIDS orphans to plant alternative food crops, in the hope that local people will see the need, and the benefits, of a more diverse, sustainable agricultural system. Profits from the sale of vegetables grown will be used to provide food and other necessities for the orphans who work on the project.