Oct
08
2016

SMP AGM 2016

180 organisations and individuals with Malawi links joined us for our 2016 AGM on Saturday 8th October at the University of Strathclyde's Technology and Innovation Centre.

180 organisations and individuals with Malawi links joined us for our 2016 AGM on Saturday 8th October at the University of Strathclyde’s Technology and Innovation Centre.

We also had almost half a million twitter impressions, raising awareness of Scotland-Malawi links across a further 175,000 people.

Check out the AGM video below!

The afternoon was themed “Dignified Partnerships: Sustainable Impact

We supported our members to think about the sustainable impact their work is having in Malawi and Scotland in a fun and engaging way. Each member gave us their own impact case studies written on different coloured balloons: red balloons showing social impact, green balloons for environmental impact, black balloons for economic impact, and blue balloons for impact in Scotland. More than 400 impact balloons in total were collected, with which we constructed giant Malawian and Scottish flags.

With the magic of technology, we also had impact balloons from the Scottish Government Minister for International Development, Dr Alasdair Allan, and Malawi Scotland Partnership Chair, Andrew Namakhoma, as they chaired a parallel event at the same time in Lilongwe, Malawi!

The balloons may now have come to an end but this social, environmental and economic impact is continuing to transform lives in both our countries. The University of Edinburgh estimates that more than 4 million Malawians and 300,000 Scots benefit from these civic links together each year.

The afternoon also celebrated specific contributions to the bilateral relationship through our Member Impact Awards. Full information about each of these awards, and the incredible, inspiring stories of all our winners and nominees, is available here.

And that’s not all, we also…

  • Heard from Patrick Grady MP, Margaret Ferrier MP and Annie Wells MSP about their own Malawi links.
  • Through active networking made around 700 new strategic connections between Scottish organisations working with Malawi.
  • Agreed our Strategic Plan for 2017-20 and listened to our members tell us how best we can support their work.
  • Heard from all the SMP team, with key updates from the last year across: youth and schools; business, trade and tourism; media and communications; faith-based links; lobbying and advocacy; and much more.
  • Gave a free bag of Malawian Kilombero Rice to all our members.
  • Elected our SMP Board of Directors.
  • Enjoyed Malawian coffee, Malawian manadzis and (world famous) Malawi Gin and Tonics!
  • Launched a new partnership with Africanos World, offering members up to £10 off each bottle of Malawi Gin.
  • Gave away INCREDIBLE trade and tourism prizes, including:
    • 1 night for two people at Luwawa Forest Lodge, Mzimba, including horse riding
    • 4 nights for two people at Funky Cichlid, Cape Maclear
    • 5 nights B&B for two people at any Sunbird Hotel
  • And an incredible “explore Southern Malawi” tour, with:
    • Free vehicle hire with driver from the Responsible Safari Company
    • 2 nights at Funky Cichlid, Cape Maclear
    • 2 nights B&B at the Sunbird Ku Chawe Inn, Zomba (Sunbird)
    • 2 nights at Kara O’Mula Country Lodge, Mulanje
    • 1 night full board with two activities at Thawale Lodge, Majete

We’re keen to extend a very big thank you to all our members, staff and Board that made the event such a success, and also to:

The University of Strathclyde that gave us the wonderful Technology and Innovation Centre for the day.

All our amazing tourism partners, including Travel Malawi, the Responsible Safari Company,Luwawa Forest Lodge, Funky Cichlid, Sunbird Hotels, Kara O’Mula Country Lodge, and Thawale Lodge. Malawi really is one of the most beautiful and friendly holiday destinations in the world.

Africanos World for keeping us and our members supplied with Malawi Gin!

Just Trading Scotland for giving members wonderful Kilombero Rice.

Davie “Street Rat” Luhanga and Be United for the wonderful music.

And of course Patrick Grady MP, Margaret Ferrier MP and Annie Wells MSP for their support and leadership.

So don’t miss out next year. Save the date: Saturday 30th September 2017, Edinburgh.

2016 AGM Papers:

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