Community Builder Award

Keith and Mary Woodworth are the inspirational husband-and-wife team behind a community-based orphan care programme supporting over 5000 children through a network of 13 centres in the Mulanje district of Malawi.

The seeds of the idea for the formation of Friends of Mulanje Orphans(FOMO) stemmed from the many harrowing stories relayed back to Mary Woodworth from her friends and relatives still living in her home village in Mulanje. During a visit in 2000, Mary and Keith were able to see and hear of the desperate plight of many of the local children and as a result FOMO was born.

Determined to make the FOMO idea a reality, Mary contacted relatives and friends, who over the years had been helping many orphaned children. Mary, who speaks Malawi, remains the bridge between FOMO UK, a small fundraising arm, and FOMO Mulanje, where 200 volunteers and a small staff provide and enhance the health, education, food and security of the children. The aim is to meet the basic human needs and develop the potential of all the orphaned children of Mulanje.

Mary has a clear view of the injustices that exist in Mulanje and, with Keith, works tirelessly to ensure that FOMO covers the provision of school materials, personal items and community based bore holes.

On being notified of the award, Keith Woodworth explained the key contribution of FOMO: “Though there are many high profile agencies within Malawi, our strength is in giving local, one-to-one help to the children.”

Chairman of theBeacon Awards judging panel Stephen Cohen said of the award: "We were especially impressed by the combination of perseverance and pragmatism in the Woodworth’s long history of generosity and community spirit. Bringing these skills into helping those who are disadvantaged has had a phenomenal effect in implementing a sustainable system for improving the lives of thousands of Mulanje residents.”

www.fomo.co.uk/