Have a look at these great photos and videos from Friday’s fun day at Bright Futures Secondary School. The students had chance to relax and have some fun after working hard.
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Sarah’s blog 23/04/25
Teacher’s have given up some of their Easter holidays so that the students at Bright Futures Secondary School and p8 class at Chambo Primary School could have some extra tuition to prepare for upcoming exams. We are grateful to the teachers for supporting the students like this.
On Friday, they had a fun day so that everyone had a different day away from their normal classes. In the morning, the activities on offer were; drawing, sewing and knitting. After lunch there were netball, football and rugby matches.
I think you will see in the photos and videos below that everyone enjoyed themselves.
We are still trying to raise funds to buy notebooks & pens for p8 students at Chambo Primary. If you would like to make a small donation then here is the link https://donorsee.com/project/25617?share=1 or you can email me for our bank details at contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you to all our sponsors and other supporters for giving these young people choices and chances for a brighter future. Sarah x
UN rights of the child states in article 24 that children have the right to nutritious food. Please read today’s blog and help us if you can.
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Sarah’s blog 15/4/25
The United Nations Rights of the Child states in article 24 that children have the right to the best health care possible, safe water to drink, nutritious food, a clean & safe environment and information to help them stay well.
The Sustainable Development Goals number 2 is working towards zero hunger.
As many of you know, we help to support a feeding programme that runs once a week. It’s nowhere near enough, but all we can afford as we help the community to set up sustainable projects.
500 orphans and other vulnerable children access this feeding programme. Some walk as far as 15km-20km to have this one proper meal each week. Some young people carry their younger siblings. There are NO children being fed in primary schools in rural northern Malawi. All are hungry and many are malnourished. Some girls, despite it being illegal, are married off at age 11 or 12 as their families cannot afford to feed them.
Thankfully, because they have sponsors to help support their secondary education, all students at Bright Futures Secondary School have a nutritious free school lunch each day. In the video below, Ethel explains how none of the students have any food at home.
One of the big challenges, apart from sourcing food for so many people, is that prices continue to rise and currently the price of maize, where they are, has doubled from last year, and last year’s price was double the previous year. How are people supposed to feed their families? Most are really struggling and the situation is getting worse.
There is a holiday study school running this week and next for all students at Bright Futures Secondary School and p8 at Chambo Primary School to prepare them all for upcoming exams. There are teachers to pay, notebooks & pens to buy for the students at Chambo who have none, and food for all of them each lunchtime. Please will you help us? https://donorsee.com/project/26846?share=1
Having a nutritious meal at lunchtime is a huge treat for the students in p8 at Chambo Primary School. They don’t eat during their school day normally and their biggest meal is usually at the weekly feeding programme. We could not expect these young people to do extra studying and not feed them. Will you help us please? https://donorsee.com/project/26846?share=1 or you can email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com for other ways to donate or give through the link on our website. Donate money and gifts to Changing Lives Malawi We look forward to bringing you photos and videos from this week’s study school. Thank you for your continued help and support, Sarah x
The price of maize has quadrupled in the last two years. Families cannot afford to feed their children and we cannot afford to buy as much food with the same amount of money.Some of the children lining up to receive food at the weekly feeding programme. They are all hungry. Many are malnourished.
This post comes with a big THANK YOU to Vets With Horsepower, The Clive Richards Foundation and The Inverclyde Trust who all generously donated towards new buildings on Bright Futures Campus. I have also attached some photos of the completed teachers’ accommodation block, wash block and sinks. The majority of the work was completed in time to be used by teachers but, due to circumstances out with our control, finishing touches have only recently been completed and photos sent.
I have split this post into two sections; the first being the difficulties that have been faced by the team in Malawi. But, despite all these challenges, they continue to achieve and we are delighted with how the new accommodation block looks and the difference it will make to being able to employ even more teachers next year.
Firstly, the challenges;
Prices have continued to rise regularly, their currency has been devalued several times. (bags of cement bought yesterday for the next building are now the equivalent of £20 each).
The truck broke down and was out of action for several months. An expensive part was sourced and purchased in Tanzania. There was no way of knowing if this would fix the issue but, thankfully it did! While the team didn’t have use of the truck they had to pay a local farmer with two oxen and a cart to transport bricks and water to the building site. As you might imagine, this was not easy or quick.
There has been no fuel in petrol stations (especially rural ones) on and off for months now. They have had to source fuel on the black market when they can, at very inflated prices, and other times just wait until tankers do refill supplies.
The government has started some building work relatively locally, so hiring workers has also proved problematic.
The weather. The aim was to complete building work before the rainy season but it wasn’t possible to do this.
Despite these issues, the following has been achieved:
There are now six lovely new sitting room/bedrooms for teachers which has been such a great addition to know that there is accommodation to offer staff. Because it is such a rural location and the community is living in extreme poverty, teachers must have somewhere to live on campus. So there are now 10 bedroom/sitting rooms thanks to a previous grant we received from The Clive Richards Foundation for the first block of four.
There has been a second latrine block built beside the staff accommodation too.
Clean water has been piped from the local health centre to that area of Bright Futures Campus. The teachers now have a water tap outside their accommodation.
There has been a wash block built with showers and sinks and a drying area for clothes. There will be an additional wash block built in the next few months so male staff/female staff have their own space.
Solar panel kits have been sent and are about to be installed on the teachers’ accommodation blocks, giving them plug sockets. Each room already has it’s own solar power x 3 lights giving one outside light and one light each in the bedroom and sitting room.
So despite a challenging year, we have a lovely new accommodation block thanks to the financial help we received. We are very grateful for everyone’s support in helping us to continue to work with some of the most vulnerable children and young people in rural northern Malawi and grow Bright Futures Secondary School.
The young people are benefitting by having free secondary education, free school lunches, playing team sports and learning skills for life (practical agricultural lessons growing their own food and looking after chickens, pigs and goats) and by being in school, lots of teenage pregnancies have been prevented. Also, there are no girls that have been married off too young because families cannot feed them. Because of their free, nutritious school lunch, there is one less mouth to feed at home.
Primary School Leavers exam pass rates are increasing year on year because of our School Literacy Project, collecting preloved books to send to schools where there are little or no resources.
Thank you again for taking a chance on our small charity. With a great team of supporters we can continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi and give children & young people a brighter future. Thanks again, Sarah x
If you would like to help provide notebooks and pens for students from Chambo Primary School during the Easter holiday study school, please donate here https://donorsee.com/project/25617?share=1 This study school is to help them prepare for their school leavers exams. If they don’t have paper and pens then they can’t take notes. Please help?
There was much excitement yesterday as there were lots of eggs to gather. These eggs were from the hens that had been hatched in the incubator so everyone was very excited that those hens have started laying.
Two students from Bright Futures Secondary School, Martha & Wongani, gathered the eggs and put them in the incubator to hatch.
Once the rainy season is over, an extension to the hen house will be built to ensure there is enough room for birds of different ages. It will be such a good learning environment for the students at Bright Futures Secondary School as they have practical agriculture lessons in their curriculum as well as classroom based learning.
Martha and Wongani aren’t used to talking to a camera but did a great job! Well done girls.
If you would like to support Martha and Wongani and all their friends at Bright Futures Secondary School and in p8 at Chambo Primary to eat a free school lunch each day during at the holiday study school please donate here https://donorsee.com/project/26846?share=1 None of the students have enough food at home and rely on their school lunches. The p8 students will all come for extra lessons during the holidays as they don’t get fed at primary school. It will be a real treat for them to have free lunches. And how can we expect young people to concentrate to study if they haven’t eaten? Please help.
Thanks so much for supporting our projects, Sarah x
Forgotten Voices – hungry children. We are making a few very short videos with some of the most vulnerable people talking about issues they face. These ‘Forgotten Voices’ are from the far north of Malawi where help is scarce.
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Sarah’s blog 24/3/25
We are making a few short videos under the heading ‘Forgotten Voices’. There are not many charities working in the very far north of Malawi and certainly no big charities feeding children in primary schools.
These videos are a way of hearing some of the issues that the most vulnerable face. Their stories, told in their own words, making an impact. This video is ‘Forgotten Voices’ – hungry children.
Ethel, a student at Bright Futures Secondary School, is living in extreme poverty with her aunt. She has a long walk to get to and from school. She says that she and her other fellow students do not have any food in their homes. At least these students at Bright Futures Secondary School have a nutritious free school lunch each day. The children and young people in primary schools have nothing.
We help support a feeding programme once a week that feeds approximately 500 children and young people. Some children walk for 15km/20km for that one decent meal of the week. We are trying to help set up sustainable projects but these children need feeding now. Please will you help us?
There will be an Easter holiday study school running again for the BFSS students as well as the p8 students from Chambo Primary. Feeding 60+ students from Chambo Primary every day during this study programme is a huge cost and one that we need help with. However, we will not support these holiday revision sessions without feeding these malnourished young people. How can we expect them to concentrate without having food in their tummies?
So we would love your help with feeding the students during the Easter holidays please. If you’d like to help then the link is here https://donorsee.com/project/26846?share=1
Also, the students in p8 at Chambo Primary still need new notepads and pencils (well the whole school does but we cannot afford to help them all unfortunately). If you’d like to support purchasing notepads and pencils/pens then please click here https://donorsee.com/project/25617?share=1
We are very grateful for all the preloved football kit that has been donated for the vulnerable children & young people and to Julian from ‘Wear a Sports Shirt Day’ for his hard work and support.
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Sarah’s blog 20/3/25
We are very thankful for the people who support our work. We always say it takes teamwork and Julian at ‘Wear a Sports Shirt Day’ charity is one of those fantastic people who regularly help the vulnerable young people in rural northern Malawi.
Julian spends most weekends travelling to football grounds to watch the games but to also collect donated preloved football kit. He shares what he collects amongst a few organisations and we are very grateful for his hard work and support. He regularly sends boxes on the Bananabox container and here are photos of some of what has been donated this time.
Some of the students at Bright Futures Secondary School enjoyed modelling these football kits. A couple of the kits will be kept on campus for use by students at Bright Futures Secondary School and also for the orphans who attend the weekly Feeding Programme at the weekend and play sports also. The other donated kits will be given to local schools who are in need of new sports kits.
It is currently the rainy season in Malawi but, once the rains are over, there will be a football tournament organised with all the local schools invited. Everyone looks forward to sports days like that with great anticipation and excitement.
Thank you again to Julian for all your hard work it is much appreciated. Also thank you very much to all the clubs who have donated kit to be reused in Malawi. Having matching football kit brings a sense of belonging, of pride in their team and of self-confidence. Knowing that people they have never met care enough to send them football kit makes a big difference to these vulnerable young people. Thank you on behalf of them, Sarah x
Thanks to teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School for these great photos of students.
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Sarah’s blog 8/2/25
These photos that were taken yesterday at Bright Futures Secondary School are great. Thanks to the teachers who took the photos and sent them to me.
As you can see class sizes are small to give these most vulnerable teenagers the best chance of a good secondary education when everything else is stacked against them. The older the students, the harder their lives have been as they have missed big chunks of school to work for a pittance. All are living in extreme poverty and the free lunch they have at Bright Futures Secondary School is, for most, the only meal they have each day. In September we hope that we can start increasing class sizes a bit now that the school has been open for a little while. Class sizes at Bright Futures Secondary School will always remain lower than government run schools.
Because it’s the rainy season, there are often a few absences as the rivers are too swollen for children and young people to cross. So, unfortunately, if students live further away, and it has been raining for a few days, they cannot reach school. Although things are greatly improved thanks to the wonderful help we receive from our supporters, the community still faces many challenges like having no bridges.
These photos were taken in Emma’s Rainbow Library. There are shelves of books along one wall and there will soon be shelves along another wall for the additional books that have been sent for the library. There are books for all age groups and spending time in the library is a treat to read or look at the pictures in books, as well as being able to do some studying.
All of these students would not have been able to attend secondary school if it wasn’t for us being able to match them with sponsors who help pay for their education and school lunches. This is the difference that having a sponsor makes. These students now have opportunities, choices and chances that they didn’t have before.
I will be sending these photos to sponsors of these students next week. Thank you to everyone who supports them on their educational journey, Sarah x
January has been such a busy and quick month for us. We’ve had lots of birthday celebrations in our family, as well as having a huge storm last week which resulted in a power cut. I seem to have been busier than usual and now February is here!
So, I’m a bit late with this post but there are so many ways that our supporters are helping us, through educational projects, to make a brighter future for the hundreds of orphans and other vulnerable children we help to support in rural northern Malawi.
Also we are trying to raise funds to buy a stock of wellington boots to be kept at school so children taking part in practical agricultural lessons have protective footwear and will prevent their only pair of shoes being ruined by mud. To help with this click here https://donorsee.com/project/26186?share=1
We have an Amazon wish list and have added some science equipment to this and would love to be able to have additional supplies to box up to send to Malawi. If you’d like to have a look at our list (and purchases get delivered to us) the link is here Amazon.co.uk
Here are a few photos of just some of the ways we have been able to support the education of some of the most vulnerable children in rural northern Malawi. None of this would have happened without our supporters and we are so grateful for your help. Thank you, Sarah x
Planting bananas at Chambo Primary SchoolClean water for drinking and washing hands at Chambo Primary SchoolNew desks and the gift of notebooks and pencils at Chambo Primary SchoolBuilding a girls’ latrine at Chambo Primary School. This enables the girls to have dignity and privacy as well as safety. Previously, they had to relieve themselves in the bushes putting themselves at risk of being attacked.We have collected thousands of preloved books and sent them to Malawi to support Emma’s Rainbow library, Bright Futures nursery, two primary schools and Bright Futures Secondary School. Already, exam results are improving so this relatively low cost project (£17.50 per box on the container) is making a huge difference and being noticed by the Education Department in Malawi.Bright Futures Secondary School has been built for vulnerable teenagers who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity of secondary education which needs to be paid for in Malawi. We match each student with a sponsor to help support their educational costs. There are four classrooms and students receive a cooked school lunch every day which, for most of them, is the only food they have to eat and saves their families feeding them.Bright Futures Campus on a day that the feeding programme was on. It feeds 500+ orphans and other vulnerable children once a week. No children are fed in primary schools in that area. Most are malnourished, all are hungry. Some children walk up to 15km to get to this free food.Each Easter holidays we facilitate a holiday study school for the students in p8 at Chambo Primary and the students in S2 at Bright Futures Secondary School. These revision days are proving popular, making a difference and all the children are fed each lunchtime (a huge treat for the students at Chambo Primary who never receive food at school).Recently, Bright Futures Secondary School received some more basic science equipment thanks to one of our supporters. Students said that they didn’t realise science could be so much fun! We are raising funds for more equipment and also have some science equipment on our Amazon wishlist.Team sports are very popular, especially football and netball. We have facilitated touch rugby being introduced in schools in northern Malawi and the students are loving it!Children queuing for their meal at the feeding programme. Teachers have reported that even this one meal per week is making a difference to the concentration of the most vulnerable children. Most children are malnourished. All are hungry. We wish could feed them more than once per week but that is all we can afford whilst we try to set up sustainable projects like planting fruit tree saplings. Children should have access to food each day. Unfortunately, although things are better than they were, this is still not the case. Prices are rising all the time and girls as young as 10 are at risk of being married off by their family so that there is one less mouth to feed.More great photos of team sports when children can forget about their problems and have fun with their friends. We are fortunate to have had lots of preloved sports kit donated to us that we have been able to share. Having matching kit makes a big difference as they feel like they are part of a real team and their confidence and self-esteem grow. Also, knowing people that they have never met actually care about them is a huge boost for these vulnerable children.As the community lives in such extreme poverty, there was nowhere for teachers being employed at Bright Futures Secondary School. Thanks to a grant we received, this is the first of two teachers accommodation blocks. Each teacher has their own bedroom and sitting room.Catherine, Emily and Naomi all passed their S4 school leavers exams which is a huge achievement and we are very proud of them. They had a lunch in their honour and the girls spoke to younger students to encourage them.There are up to 70 pre school children (age 4-6) meeting 5 times a week at Bright Futures Nursery. They are fed at each session. We give these children a care pack when they start nursery; a bag with two red t-shirts, 3 pairs of pants, a blanket, soap, toothbrush & toothpaste, 2 books and a soft toy. Teachers at Chambo Primary have reported that children who have attended this nursery are further ahead than those who have not.A trainset was sent for use in the nursery. Although the children had never seen anything like this, they soon worked together joining the pieces. The older children who attend at the weekend ask to play with the trainset which has become a favourite pass time. Students at Bright Futures Secondary School grow some of their own food during practical agricultural lessons. Here they are planting sweet potatoes.Thanks to our supporters Emma’s Rainbow Library was built and is extremely well used.
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
Wishing all our supporters a very Happy Christmas and Happy & Healthy New Year.
This week has been extremely busy for Levison and his team with organising two Christmas parties in addition to the usual daily chores.
Despite the rains having started, it has been dry for a few days so the tree planting has been delayed until the ground is wet and the saplings will have a better chance of survival. Hopefully, we can bring photos of this in the next couple of weeks. This was probably good that it will take place at a later date because of how busy it has been.
Firstly, there was a party for the students at Bright Futures Secondary School to celebrate their exams finishing and it being the end of term. After helping care for the animals, the students shared a meal and played some games. All the students at BFSS were given a sports top to wear at home. Then, yesterday, on Christmas Day, there was a party for all the children.
Because it had not been raining for a few days, the water levels in the rivers and streams were low so children came from miles around – even children who do not usually use the feeding programme. News had spread that there would be food and, because they are so hungry, children were prepared to walk a long way to take part – some walking from up to 20km away.
THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN FAR EXCEEDED 500. Food prices have almost doubled and most children are malnourished and families are really struggling to feed the children each day. We are going to have to try to do more to ensure children have more to eat as there are no porridge programmes in primary schools that far north. We need more help to make things better. So yesterday was a real treat for all the children who attended.
All children received a nourishing and filling meal. The youngest children are fed first and it takes several sittings to feed them all. After that, there were games to play. Many children, were very interested in looking at the pigs. Because of religious reasons, lots of the children hadn’t ever seen pigs before as they are scarce in that area. The pigs found themselves the centre of attention!
We want to take this opportunity of thanking the supporters who gave money to help provide food for the Christmas parties and also to thank Levison and his team for all their hard work and enthusiasm for making this happen. If it wasn’t for them giving up their free time, none of these children would have had a proper meal on Christmas Day.
We are trying to help this community towards self-sufficiency. So here are some ways that you could help us please if you are able to make a small donation;
I think, next year, we need to have someone dedicated to taking photos as Levison was far too busy helping with feeding the children and organising everything to take lots of photos this time. We hope you enjoy these photos and videos of the children and thank you for helping to make a difference. Sarah x
