GUILDERLAND — Students at Farnsworth Middle School who raised $6,000 to pay for a well in Malawi are now hoping to send books there. They are looking for sponsors to pay for the postage.

Science teacher Jean Quattrocchi was moved when she saw a film about Charles Banda, a firefighter and preacher from Malawi, who formed the Freshwater Project, which has installed more than 2,000 wells since 1995 and was recognized by UNICEF as an exemplary non-governmental organization.

She spearheaded a movement to raise money for his project.

Banda visited the school in November to thank the students for their generosity. (For the full story, go online to www.altamontenterprise.com and look under regional archives for Nov. 19, 2009.)

The money the Farnsworth students raised bought a pump and two latrines in the village of Chigombe, supplying water for the 414 students at the Kesinala village school.

The students there cannot afford reading books, Quattrocchi says.

The Farnsworth students have collected 30 boxes of books to send; shipping each box costs $130.

“We have four already adopted,” said Quattrocchi.

“It does seem expensive to ship each box, but in Malawi, books are very expensive,” she went on. “Someone I know who was in Malawi last year paid $30 for a paperback.”

Quattrocchi is hoping Scout or church groups might want to pitch in on the postage.

Those who are interested in contributing may make a check payable to “FMS Adopt a Box of Books” and mail it to Farnsworth Middle School, 6072 State Farm Road, Guilderland, NY  12084.

For more information, e-mail Quattrocchi at [email protected].