A Dalry gran is on a mission to make life better for children and adults in a small Malawian village.

Elaine Graham has been out to the country’s William Village three times as part of an ongoing project and has plans to visit again in the near future.

The head of Building Services at Renfrewshire Council, Elaine first visited the village in 2014 along with some of her colleagues with the intention of building a school.

The new school, which includes facilities such as a teachers’ accommodation, Mary’s Meals centre and a toilet block, is now thriving.

Elaine and her team of volunteers have also completed various other building projects in the community, such as a nursery and a medical facility, and have equipped the villagers with essentials such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, clothing, toys, stationary, toiletries, school uniforms and more.

The latest project saw local women taught sewing skills so that they can start their own businesses.

Elaine said: “The village has moved forward 50 years in the last five.

“They had no education, now they have primary 1-7 and some are going on to secondary.

“They can speak English, read and write, and the adults can go to night classes because we fitted the solar panels, so they now have lights.

“They’ve got wee shops opening up and women doing sewing so there’s extra income coming in. Their prospects are much better than they used to be.”

Elaine told the Herald about the positive changes she has seen in the local children over the years

She revealed: “You know you’ve made a difference. In the village, there’s children that we’ve known since they were young and watched them develop, like Patrick.

“He was a very, very lost boy.

“We met him in 2015 and his behaviour – everything – has come on great and he’s now ready to start school.”

Elaine is looking for volunteers of any age to help out on the projects. Email her on john.scott94@hotmail.co.uk.