Who Are We?

Very different from an orphanage, Kindle Orphan Outreach operates in the community and more importantly...By the community! You will find no large bunk bed warehouses, no mess halls, and no authoritative guidance by a madam with a yard stick! Kindle is not a place. It is a neighbor, a relationship, an encouraging word, a pat on the back. More precisely ...Kindle is people.

KINDLE is an acronym for Kids In Need Deserve Love and Encouragement. Kindle is motivated by the desire to bring the light of Christ's hope to orphans. The word "kindle" also means to light and inspire. Kindle works with communities to support orphans and their guardians to reach their full potential as productive members of society.

Orphaned children are taken in by others in their community. Kindle uses its resources to train up and empower those communities to assist one another. Staffing approximately 30 Malawians and a mere handful of foreign volunteers, kindle relies heavily on its 10,000 volunteers within the community to build, teach, care and disciple the youth of Malawi. "This structure is fantastic. It allows children to grow within their culture and community, while building the capacity of literally everyone around them." This was the comment of Kindle Founder, Andrew Barr, who grew up in Malawi as well.

Come to Kindle for a visit! It is very likely that you will be looking around and saying "This is a very different kind of NGO!"

Kindle is governed by the laws of the Social Welfare Department of Malawi and has 3 different local registrations; Council of Non-Government Organizations of Malawi, Non-Government Board of Malawi and the Ministry of Social Welfare.

Kindle serves nearly 700 children, among 35 villages, and includes 20 youth and counseling groups. Our focus is to provide to orphans and their caregivers Health, Education, and Community Development all supported by a strong spiritual and social foundation. The Kindle Board of Directors is made up of five local members. Kindle is under the directing leadership of Ian Williams.
(November 2007)

History of Kindle

Kindle Orphan Outreach began with a vision to empower orphaned and vulnerable children of Malawi. In the late 1990s Andrew and Francis Barr saw a need to care for both the physical and spiritual needs of the many orphaned children of Malawi. At the time, The Barrs were managing a coffee plantation in Malawi. Their resources were limited, yet they still donated their personal time and money into as much of the project as possible. By the year 2000 they were feeding and clothing 100s of children in their area and saw a real need to launch a full Non-Government Organization (NGO). In the year 2001 Kindle was born.

The early work of Kindle took place in the hills of Nanjoka village by the hands of only two staff members; Founder, Andrew Barr and current Site Manager, Heston Mbena. Since 2001, it has continued growing and impacted outwards of 35 villages in 2007.

Values and Purpose

Kindle is a non-profit, non-denominational, Biblically mandated Christian organization whose purpose is directed by James 1:27 which states "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans...in their distress." Kindle endeavors to meet the physical, mental, social and spiritual needs of orphans and their guardians. Kindle's objectives are twofold:

1. To inspire and support orphans towards lives of hope, reaching their full potential as compassionate and productive members of society, driven by a vision of community empowerment.
2. To provide resources and a support system that is designed to adequately assist guardians who nurture orphaned children within their local community.

About Malawi

Malawi is a land locked country that uniquely has nearly one-third of the country under water. Lake Malawi is ranked as the 8th largest lake in the world and inhabits over 850 species of tropical cichlids, a tropical fish sold in pet stores world-wide. The lake also reaches depths of over 2000 ft.

Population: 13 million estimated, over 600,000 are orphans.
Location: Central Africa, Eastern Coast

Languages: The primary languages spoken in Malawi are English and Chichewa. Greetings include the use of a few common phrases and includes hand shaking. Below is a common exchange.
“Muli Bwanji?” = How are you?
“Ndili Bwino. Kaya Inu?” = I am fine. And you?
“Ndili Bwino.” = I am fine.
“Zikomo.” = Thank you.

Climate and Weather: Malawi is located at 12 degrees south latitude. The seasons in the Southern Hemisphere are directly opposite to those of the Northern Hemisphere. The climate revolves around two main seasons, rain and dry. The rain season of Malawi lasts from November until February. Kindle is located near Salima Town and tends to be warmer, as it is in the Rift Valley. In the rain season temperatures regularly reach high 90s and into the 100s. The coolest part of the year is in the middle of the dry season from mid May until mid August, with daily temperatures averaging 77 degrees. Other times of the year (March – May and August – November) daily highs are around 90. Go to www.accuweather.com and use “Salima, Malawi” for up to date weather information.

Currency: Malawi uses the Kwacha (MK). In November 2007, 1 US Dollar = 140 Malawi Kwacha.

Contact Information

Comments regarding this web site, please email info@KindleOrphanOutreach.org