A selection of pictures from the first trip this year to the south of the country with team Sciaf and (Ireland based charity) Trocaire in April.

Women celebrating arrival of a ‘solar kiosk’ centre in their isolated village in Machinga district.

It was the main growing season when the landscape is lush and the crops are high. But just three weeks after Cyclone Idai devastated the region with floods and extreme rainfall.

New safe water borehole pump.

Homes and subsistence crops were washed away or dissolved as ‘biblical’ rain beat upon walls and roofs.

Sifati [right] is deaf and cannot speak, but has developed her own system of sign language. And is a leader in the CCPM programme in her village in Malawi’s Machinga district.

Climate Challenge Programme Malawi (a Scottish Government initiative) is helping communities in Malawi adapt to the impact of climate change with training, equipment and new types of plant seed.

Store for new types of drought and flood resistant maize grain.

Water, energy and food crops are the main themes for change – from solar powered village resource centres and deep borehole safe water pumps to cyclone early warning training.

Displaced people camps in Malawi in April this year [above] – just four weeks after the floods and extreme rain of Cyclone Idai destroyed homes and subsistence crops belonging to these families in Chikwawa district, the far South of the country.

Patricia, a CCPM programme lead farmer, and her little lad Sheriff.

On the front line of human trafficking: this is Chandidhan, Uttar Pradesh, India, and right on the border with Nepal.

Above: the ladies in saris are standing on a rickety dry season bridge which is also used by the traffickers. Nepal is on the other side of this river – we are looking at it from India.

Recent work with the Sciaf charity, who are helping the authorities and local communities prevent this nasty trade in human suffering.

The villagers of Chandidhan witness many trafficked youngsters pass over this bridge on their way from and to Nepal – young girls moving to work as bonded labour housemaids in the mansions of Delhi. And young lads taken from Uttar Pradesh to work in the brick and metal products factories of southern Nepal.

Some of these pictures have appeared this week in the press – the Daily Record, The Herald, The National and Daily Express.

See more on: www.sciaf.org.uk/news

Childline in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, who receive calls from youngsters fleeing from traffickers.
Work with the Sciaf charity on a trip to Gorakphur, Uttar Pradesh, India, to publicise their programme to help target child traffickers in India.

Childline counsellor Rama is from nearby Nepal, from where many children are taken for bonded labour. The centre is within the grounds of a catholic institution – as you can see from the background.

Shalini – a Childline counsellor.

Above: a child water seller at Gorakhpur Junction station, one of several main hubs used by traffickers to abduct lone children.

Targeting child trafficking in India: work with the Sciaf charity on a trip to Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh.

The plight of children who are trafficked for forced labour, forced marriage and the sex industry is being highlighted by Sciaf’s summer campaign.

A selection of pictures is being used this week in the press (including the Daily Record, The Herald and The National) and is about a shelter home for young boys in the town.

It’s quite a moving experience hearing the boys’ life stories.

See: www.sciaf.org.uk/news