The nurse helping orphans in Malawi

Today I visited a studio in the depths of the Perthshire countryside, which is helping to relieve poverty in Africa.

It was a news item on television that altered Lesley Mann, a community nurse of the link between Scotland and Malawi.

“ I had always wanted to do some volunteer work in Africa.”

So she decided to go there for six weeks in order to share her nursing skills, particularly baby massage, with the local community.

That was six years ago.

“Before travelling out there a friend and I had started making felted bags to raise funds for the infants home. They sold really well.
“On my return I brought back African cottons and hand carved buttons and incorporated them into the bags.”

And so began a social enterprise between Scotland and Malawi.

Lesley is exhibiting her bags for the first time this year with Forth Valley Open Studios (venue 2).

She is now working with People of the Sun Mawali to source materials and products to incorporate into her own business.