The Right Reverend Timothy Stevens, Prelate of the Order of St John, and Professor Mark Compton, Chancellor of the Order of St John Australia and Chairman of the National Board of Directors of St John Ambulance Australia, travelled to Africa to learn more about St John’s work in Malawi and Zambia.
Both Great Officers were warmly welcomed with a Guard of Honour to St John Malawi’s headquarters in Blantyre, followed by an impressive first aid demonstration where volunteers presented their life-saving skills.
St John Malawi is running a successful Mother and Baby Programme in the neighbourhoods of Mbayani and Ndirande close to Blantyre, as well as in Chiuzira next to the capital of Lilongwe. During their visit, Timothy Stevens and Mark Compton spoke with several St John volunteers, local health staff and beneficiaries in all three locations. They saw first-hand how the passionate work of the volunteers can make a big difference to the lives of pregnant women, new mothers and babies in one of the poorest countries in Africa.
In Zambia, a visit to Chunga and Shifwankula provided an opportunity to meet and speak with pregnant women and new mothers as well as the volunteers who deliver community-based health programmes. After the inspection of cadets parade, the Prelate and the Chancellor discussed St John Zambia’s Social Enterprise for First Aid programme. Recently, the Association has launched its own business offering workplace first aid training and first aid at events. This allows them to use the returns to offer charitable first aid training to people in schools, churches and community groups. St John Australia has already donated two ambulance cars to Zambia in support of their first aid services.
Commenting on his visits, The Right Reverend Timothy Stevens said:
I heard about the work St John is doing in Malawi and Zambia, but nothing compares to seeing it on the ground. It was transformational. The measureable difference St John is making for mothers and babies speaks for itself.
