Thank you so much to Malawi24 news for sharing the story of the important work being done at Bright Futures Secondary School during their agriculture classes.
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Sarah’s blog 12/1/25
We area absolutely delighted that my post about tree planting by the students at Bright Futures Secondary School was seen by a news outlet in Malawi. They interviewed Levison yesterday and have published the story today. Levison says he’s had lots of phone calls about the article both from others who are also taking part in reforestation projects and people passing on their congratulations. I hope you are able to read the article below;
Thank you to everyone who has supported this project with financial donations. As you can see, it is a hugely important project and we are delighted that the students at Bright Futures Secondary School are having opportunities like this to make a difference in their community and that they are learning about reforestation, agroforestry, agriculture, climate crisis and being responsible citizens. The students are going to be shown the article tomorrow and I am sure they will be delighted that their hard work is being recognised. Thanks, Sarah x
Thank you so much to Malawi24 news for sharing the story of the important work being done at Bright Futures Secondary School during their agriculture classes.
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Sarah’s blog 12/1/25
We area absolutely delighted that my post about tree planting by the students at Bright Futures Secondary School was seen by a news outlet in Malawi. They interviewed Levison yesterday and have published the story today. Levison says he’s had lots of phone calls about the article both from others who are also taking part in reforestation projects and people passing on their congratulations. I hope you are able to read the article below;
Thank you to everyone who has supported this project with financial donations. As you can see, it is a hugely important project and we are delighted that the students at Bright Futures Secondary School are having opportunities like this to make a difference in their community and that they are learning about reforestation, agroforestry, agriculture, climate crisis and being responsible citizens. The students are going to be shown the article tomorrow and I am sure they will be delighted that their hard work is being recognised. Thanks, Sarah x
Planting more trees at Bright Futures Secondary School. Students are setting a great example to their community and learning practical agricultural skills.
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Sarah’s blog 10/1/25
More tree planting was done yesterday and today by the students at Bright Futures Secondary School and I think there are still more saplings to plant!
As you can see from the photos, the pine tree saplings are mostly being planted round the perimeter to act as a windbreak and prevent soil erosion. In the videos, the students are saying that they are helping the climate and planet too.
Teaching agroforestry in schools is hugely important as it is helping to inform the next generation about farming and the benefits of planting trees with agricultural crops too. The students at Bright Futures Secondary School are gaining practical skills as well as learning theoretical knowledge. They can feel proud watching the trees that they have planted grow bigger each year and know that they are making a positive difference. They are also showing the adults in their community how important it is to replace the trees that have been previously cut down for fire wood.
I hope you enjoy the photos and videos. You will see how hard the students have worked digging the holes prior to planting. The ground is damp because of rain the previous day so that will help the saplings to take root. Eventually, we would like the students to all have wellingtons or boots while they are working on agricultural projects. This will be safer for their feet and also the shoes they are wearing are, for most, the only shoes they have so we don’t want their footwear to get ruined by the mud.
Here is the link to make a small donation so that more pine trees can be planted round the village to help with reforestation https://donorsee.com/project/25914?share=1 and here is the link if you would like to help buy notebooks and pencils for the students at Chambo Primary School https://donorsee.com/project/25617?share=1 Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x
Levison has made a great video update on the progress of the first Agribusiness Group.
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Sarah’s blog 28/12/24
Levison made this video a few days ago to show the successful maize crop that the first Agribusiness Group have had. In his video, he says that the more groups that can be set up then there will be less hunger in their village. The people we are helping to support with these agribusiness groups are all living in extreme poverty and either volunteer their time helping to cook for the orphans at the weekly feeding programme or are looking after vulnerable children.
By giving them the basic tools and seeds each group will be able to grow their own crops, sell what they produce and reinvest the money towards buying more seeds. So far, only one group has been funded but we are hoping that, with your help, it won’t be long before groups two and three have been established. Will you help please?
Here is the link to donate to our current small projects DonorSee or you could donate through our website or contact me for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you so much for your continued support, Sarah x
Planting Christmas trees at Bright Futures Secondary School today as part of their practical agriculture classes.
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Sarah’s blog 19/12/24
The rains have started in Malawi. Thankfully, the only damage from the recent cyclone was that one of the solar power systems was hit by a lightening strike and will need to be repaired.
The students at Bright Futures Secondary School finished their exams yesterday so were happy to be out of the classroom and starting on an environmental project. The pine tree sapling planting has been planned for a while and over 300 saplings were on order. Now the ground is softer and the saplings will be well watered, now is the right time to get busy planting!
There are several reasons for planting pine tree saplings; to provide a wind break, help prevent soil erosion and flooding, replace trees that have been cut down, and to provide shade. Planting trees is obviously helping combat climate change too.
Pine trees will be planted around the edges of fields to help prevent crops being washed away. There will be more tree planting on Monday and students at BFSS will each be given a Christmas tree to take home and plant on Monday afternoon. As well as the above reasons for planting trees, this will help spread the message through the community about how important tree planting and reforestation is.
Thank you to everyone who has donated to enable these pine tree saplings to be bought. We do hope that we can raise some more funds for reforestation during this rainy season. This is the link to our small fundraiser to buy more pine tree saplings https://donorsee.com/project/25914?share=1 or you can donate via the link on our website Donate money and gifts to the Changing Lives Malawi foundation . I hope you enjoy these photos and videos from earlier today. This work that the students are doing is very important and I am hoping that they are able to see that their efforts are appreciated by this project growing and getting the attention it deserves. Well done students and teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School! Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x
Projects like this are going to make a huge difference both in education and generating income. Have a look at these great photos and see what the next project will be.
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Sarah’s blog 28/11/24
Thanks to money we have received from generous donors, banana suckers have been bought and the students at Bright Futures Secondary School planted them yesterday.
Banana plants grow quickly and can be split to grow more plants so everyone is very excited for this sustainable project. As well as being able to grow their own food, the students are learning about being self-sufficient and learning skills for life in their practical agriculture classes. Hopefully, they will be able to sell some of the bananas and use that money to buy seeds or other things the school might need.
The aim is to set up lots of income generating projects that will help the community be self-sufficient and provide a good educational opportunity. We are trying to raise funds to make beehives and start a beekeeping project at Bright Futures Secondary School. Would you help us with this project please? https://donorsee.com/project/25476?share=1 The more practical learning opportunities the students get, the better equipped for life they will be. The more income generating, sustainable projects we help them set up, the quicker they will become self-sufficient.
Teachers and students worked hard yesterday with planting. The roots of the banana suckers have to be treated to prevent some diseases/pests, which is why they are being dipped prior to planting. I hope you enjoy the photos and videos. Thanks to everyone who helped with this project. When the heavier rains come, then more fruit tree saplings will be planted too. Together we are Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thanks, Sarah x
Look at this field of maize…thank you so much to everyone who donated to help the first agribusiness group start on their journey towards self-sufficiency.
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Sarah’s blog 26/11/24
This is just a quick update on the brilliant progress being made by the first agribusiness group that was funded a few months ago. People want to be self-sufficient and be able to work hard and have a better future. They just need a helping hand to start their journey to a better and brighter future for themselves and their families.
Thanks to the donors who contributed, the group have been working hard and are now seeing the results. Levison sent this video and photo yesterday. Their maize crop is looking…well it’s looking AMAIZING!
Well done to them and to everyone who has supported them. Can we now fund a second group to help them out of extreme poverty? The people who are being helped are the ones who have been volunteering their time to help feed the orphans. Despite having hardly anything themselves, they have been giving of their time to support those even more in need. It’s wonderful to see change starting to happen. Together we can continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thanks, Sarah x
Sustainable Development Goal 1 #NoPoverty, Goal 15 #LifeOnLand
The chickens are growing and students from Bright Futures Secondary School are learning skills by helping to care for them.
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Sarah’s blog 1/11/24
How is it the 1st of November already? So much happening, so much to do, but some great results are starting to show.
Levison sent this video yesterday of Martha and Asante helping to care for the chickens (chooks). This is the great thing about having projects like the chickens, pigs, goats and all the crops. They can be used for education as well as becoming income generating projects.
Agriculture is a core subject in the Malawian curriculum and students are very much hands on with projects during their practical lessons. They are learning skills for life. Many people in Malawi, grow crops or keep a few animals (if they can afford to) to supplement whatever other income they have. So students at Bright Futures Secondary School will have the skills they need to be able to be growing their own crops and keeping chickens, pigs or goats and they and their families will hopefully have a brighter future!
The incubator is working well now that it has it’s own solar power supply. However, the hen house needs an extension. If eggs were put in the incubator every day each small batch of chicks, hatching after 21 days, will need a separate area from the other chicks. This will enable them to grow safely and allow their progress to be monitored closely, including knowing which chicks have been vaccinated and when. So it is proposed that an additional room, like the one seen in the video, is built to accommodate more chicks and allow the incubator to have regular batches of eggs.
We are very excited that the first three piglets have arrived as part of an income generating project. Another step towards sustainability and self-sufficiency.
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Sarah’s blog 7/10/24
It’s very exciting! The first three little pigs have arrived (on a motorbike) as part of an income generating project. I do have a cartoon picture in my head of these piglets riding in on the motorbike…although what actually happened is that two people joined them. The pillion passenger – one of the teachers – was holding the piglets and it took two precarious journeys.
As well as future sustainability, this project will enable students in S2 at Bright Futures Secondary School to gain practical skills for their agricultural lessons. There is a module on keeping pigs, so all students will learn from this project.
The kraal for the piglets has been made of wood but the permanent pig pens will be made from bricks and concrete. Again, this will be more learning experiences for the students at Bright Futures Secondary School.
Hope you enjoy the photos and the video. Thank you so much to everyone who helped fund this project. We are very grateful and look forward to seeing more updates as this project grows.
If you’d like to help fund another income generating project then here is the link https://donorsee.com/project/24574?share=1 Thanks for reading and supporting us, Sarah x
There are so many things that are happening and I am just hoping they all come together in time for the new term starting.
Everyone in Malawi is working hard on building staff accommodation and checking supplies for the new term as well as setting up income generating projects as well as planting vegetables to eat. Applications for the new teaching positions have been received and are being reviewed. This is in addition to the pastoral work that Levison does for the most vulnerable children and continuing to source supplies for the weekly feeding programme.
Here, Jackie is doing an amazing job with crunching numbers and making the donations we have received go far. There is never enough money for all the wish lists and requests that are needed to support 500+ of the most vulnerable children and young people but we are trying our best. Currently, Jackie is ensuring there is money to buy more text books as well as all the various supplies needed for the accommodation block build, wages and other monthly costs. We really are grateful for all she does.
What am I doing? Sometimes that is difficult to answer lol. Some days, caring responsibilities take over and I don’t have as much time to give as I’d like to our charity, but I can only do my best with the time I have. Other days, I am working hard from morning until evening ticking off jobs on my list as I go. I am trying to make our charity known to more people with the hope that more donations will come in over time. I’m trying to find more sponsors so young people can go to secondary school and have a brighter future. i work closely with Levison and we are a good team. I’m writing blogs, and updating social media as well as liaising with potential donors…. and (when there is time) writing new grant applications. Oh and packing boxes with my husband Stuart who does an amazing job of organising all of the boxes to be packed properly, labelled and taped up ready for the next part of the journey to Malawi.
One of the goals that we are working towards is to help the community we are supporting to be self-sufficient. We have some small projects on the site DonorSee. Here is the income generating pig project link which just needs a few more people to donate and then it will be totally funded. https://donorsee.com/project/23894?share=1
Below is a previous post with details of the students who are looking for a sponsor to help them take up their place at Bright Futures Secondary School. All of these students passed their primary school leavers exams, which is excellent, but they need your help to support them at secondary school contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you so much to everyone who helps and supports us to make lives brighter for the young people, Sarah x
Now is the time to plant trees. Communities all over Malawi are doing this in January. There are numerous reasons for planting trees and obviously for future food, self-sufficiency and because it’s good for the planet all rate highly along with other benefits like helping to prevent soil erosion. Thank you to everyone who contributed to help us send money to purchase these fruit tree saplings.
However, I want to share with you a piece of work that two of the teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School have facilitated. We are delighted to have enthusiastic teachers who understand the need for sustainable food sources and that children and young people will learn more by taking part in practical learning. We are hoping that the saplings grow well and will provide much needed food and also a sustainable income for years to come.
More fruit tree saplings are needed still and also hundreds of pine tree saplings are needing to be planted to replace trees that the community have used for fuel and building. Are you able to help provide some money to buy more saplings? Would your business like to have a sign in the orchard if you sponsor planting some saplings? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
I hope you enjoy reading part of the report from the agriculture teachers and looking at the photos of young people busy planting the fruit tree saplings. Thanks, Sarah x
For 8th December we are highlighting agriculture and skills for life.
The orphans and other vulnerable children whom we help to support learn life skills at the Foundation. They learn to grow their own food and these vegetables are used at the feeding programme in addition to maize and beans. However, with 500 children to feed, the harvest doesn’t last long.
Fruit tree saplings have been planted to ensure future food security and an income through selling surplus fruit. Many more fruit trees are needed so we would be grateful if you would purchase some fruit tree saplings. It only costs £10 for 4 saplings. Please help.
Levison, who is the director of the Foundation, is a trained teacher. In addition to that he also has a degree in Agriculture so he is able to pass on his knowledge to the young people.
Pictured here is Timothy who really enjoys helping with the crops. Timothy even appointed himself as an unofficial supervisor to some of the younger children showing them how to do the weeding and digging. Timothy is an orphan and lives with his grandmother. He is now in first year at Bright Futures Secondary School. I sponsor Timothy and without support he would not have been able to afford to pay the fees required for secondary school in Malawi. Timothy’s grandmother is a caring lady and they have a girl living with them who was orphaned and had no extended family to care for her. If you would like to sponsor a young person so they have the opportunity of education and a brighter future please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com If you’d like to buy some fruit tree saplings then please donate at https://gofund.me/d3cf8c3a Thank you for helping to support Timothy and other vulnerable children like him. Thanks, Sarah x
