Fishers Trainers and Senders Ministries
E3 partners with Fishers, Trainers and Senders Ministries (FTSM) in Mtambwa, an isolated rural community where families live in extreme poverty in Malawi.
The community is around 20km from the nearest market so there are limited opportunities to earn a living from making and selling. It is also hard to grow crops to eat without special fertiliser. FTSM has started with adult Bible study groups and children’s clubs to share the word of God and encourage group members to share their faith. In 2025, E3 funding enabled an agricultural project to start to improve livelihoods and combat hunger.
E3’s partnership helps fund:
Training for church leaders, adult Bible study group leaders and children’s club leaders.
Four Bible study groups for adults, with 74 members. Trained on HIV and gender-based violence in 2025.
Fourteen after-school Bible clubs for orphaned and vulnerable school children, reaching over 1,400 children. They play games and leaders share God’s word with them. The clubs provide a safe place to spend time, have fun and receive nurture and support.
Training and empowering group members through farming to combat hunger and generate an income. The trained women become lead farmers and trainers, passing on their learning so more people can start farming. Following the initial training with 40 women in 2025, 120 households were indirectly impacted because they too started growing vegetables or were able to buy fresh produce.
Grant from E3: £7,000
Stonard Banda is the project leader.
Nedson’s story: let’s not neglect the children
Nedson is 20 years old. He joined a church in 2020 and felt that the church was putting too much emphasis on the adults and neglecting the children in their teaching of the gospel. He started a children’s club in his area, but he did not have any teaching resources and did not know about children’s ministry. In March 2023, he was invited to children’s ministry training funded by E3.
“I knew the training was a great opportunity and would change my life forever. It boosted my teaching skills so I could make the lessons enjoyable and impactful. Soon after the training, the number of children in my group increased from 12 members to 42 members! I don’t yet have a Bible of my own, but I borrow the pastor’s Bible when I’m preparing for the club.”
Sarah (pictured on the left holding her baby sister) is age 12.
“My Bible club teacher, Memory, has made the Bible come to life through the interesting lessons she prepares. Memory has a great sense of humour and talks about topics that children like me appreciate and need to hear. She models how to follow Jesus by providing me with a practical, flesh-and-blood picture of what a person sold-out to Christ looks like.”
Eneleti is a lead farmer and role model, showing other women how farming can start to transform family life.
Eneleti prepared the soil, added organic manure and planted high-yield tomato seedlings. She shared her experience at community meetings, encouraging others to adopt irrigation and sustainable practices. The profit from selling the tomatoes bought more seeds and fertilisers, clothes for her and her children, two huge bags of maize and paid school fees. She dreams of saving to build a modern house to replace their mud and thatch home from the proceeds of her farming business.
At Enelesi’s Bible study group she has enhanced her understanding of Scripture and deepened her relationship with God.
“I've learned to apply biblical principles that are vital to my life, resulting in positive changes in my character and behaviour. Through the weekly meetings, I have found inner peace about my children, knowing that God is in control. The group has encouraged me to pray more regularly and fervently. We pray for each other's needs and for the needs of the world, strengthening our reliance on God. We share our struggles and pray for each other, reminding each other of God's faithfulness and promises. This has helped us to grow in our faith, moving beyond basic knowledge to a deeper understanding and a more mature relationship with God.”
How you can help
Pray…
Praying for E3 partners on a regular basis brings you closer to the life-transforming work that is happening on the ground and is fundamental to our mission, helping us seek God’s wisdom and be effective in our partnerships and work.
Donate…
Your donation will go to where it is needed most or to a specific appeal like Back to School. We work hard to minimise the running costs of the charity so more of your donation goes to the work.
