Well done students at BFSS for 100% pass rate in JCE exams. We are so proud of each of you for passing your S2 exams!
Sarah’s blog 18/8/25
Some amazing news to share with you today. We have just heard that all of the S2 students at Bright Futures Secondary School have passed their national JCE exams. We are so proud of how hard they have worked and delighted for each of them.
Each of these students lives in extreme poverty. Most rely on their free school lunch as their only meal each day as there is not enough food at home. Many of them are orphans and live with extended family. All of them have the odds stacked against them achieving their goals.
In Malawi, secondary education needs to be paid for. None of these students would be in school if it wasn’t for the fact that they have each been matched with a sponsor who helps to support the costs of their education at Bright Futures Secondary School, which was built especially for these students who couldn’t afford to pay to go to one of the government secondary schools. Sponsorship is only £25 per month per student and you can sponsor a student as an individual, a group of friends or family or even through your business. We are looking for more sponsors for the new S1 students. If you would like to help then email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
At Bright Futures Secondary School, class sizes are much smaller than at other schools. Students receive all of the following for free: education, uniform, school bag, stationery, torch, toiletries and of course their lunch at school each day. The school uses a holistic approach as theses students need nurturing as well as educating. And look at the results…100% pass rate for the S2 students in their exams. You have all done brilliantly, against the odds, and worked so hard.
We would like to thank the teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School for their hard work and dedication to their students. Great team work everyone, and to Levison for leading the team, well done, another successful school year completed. Also to each of the sponsors, thank you for giving these young people a chance to succeed and shine. They wouldn’t have had the opportunity to study for and sit these exams without your support. Thank you so much, Sarah x
S2 students received new uniform and stationery before sitting their national exams. Well done all of you for passing your JCE (Junior Certificate of Education). We are so proud of your achievements.Thank you to the sponsors for supporting these vulnerable students at BFSS. Thanks to you, and of course their teachers, they have all passed their S2 exams. They should each be very proud of themselves for all their hard work and dedication.
Thanks to their sponsors and their own hard work, Catherine, Emily and Naomi now have a brighter future and choices and chances they wouldn’t previously have had. Well done girls!
Sarah’s blog 30/10/24
This is such a good news story and we are all so proud of these girls. Also we are grateful to their sponsors – this story is about the difference that having a sponsor can make!
Last week there was a day of celebration at Bright Futures Secondary School. Three girls, all of whom are orphans living with extended family and all of whom live in extreme poverty, were being congratulated for working hard through secondary school and passing their Malawi Certificate of Education at the end of four years of secondary school. Without having been matched with sponsors, they wouldn’t have had the opportunities they have received to continue their studies further than the end of primary school.
Catherine, Emily and Naomi were all invited to Bright Futures Secondary School where their success was celebrated. There was a meal for all to share, music and dancing and the three girl were able to talk to students at Bright Futures Secondary School about the need to work hard to achieve a brighter future.
I was asked to speak to Catherine, Emily and Naomi as well as the students at BFSS. I was able to congratulate the girls and tell them how proud of them we are and how they should be really proud of themselves for everything they have achieved. I told them what good role models they are for the students at BFSS who can look up to them and aspire to be like them.
Catherine, Emily and Naomi all thanked their sponsors and Levison and team for all the support they have received. Without this help they would not have attended secondary school and passed their exams. This help has changed their lives.They now have choices and chances that they wouldn’t previously have had.
We had sent 50,000mkw for each of the three girls (equivalent of approx £25) to say congratulations and to wish them well as they are now no longer sponsored. They were also each given a new bag and a water bottle, stationery, soap and toothbrushes and toothpaste. As you can see from the photos, they were so pleased and surprised to receive these gifts.
It shows, that because these three vulnerable girls were given a helping hand, they have been able to reach their potential and passed all their exams. That is something to shout about and to celebrate. We need to keep encouraging other vulnerable girls (as well as boys) to work hard and realise that they too can achieve. Also we need to encourage people who are able to be sponsors.
Keeping teenagers in school has really reduced the amount of teenage pregnancies in that area. Being matched with a sponsor to help provide food and education for them has also stopped many girls from being married off as children (which is illegal but still happens when families cannot feed everyone). Below is my previous post with some photos of Catherine, Emily and Naomi.
Here are photos and videos from the celebration. You can see how the students at BFSS enjoyed it and were inspired. I asked all three girls to keep in touch and to come and tell Levison how they were getting on. I also said that maybe at some point in the future, they may return to work there….who knows? I reminded them of the kindness that they had been shown and that, if they are ever in a position to help others, they should pass that kindness forward.
Thank you to everyone who supports us to support these vulnerable young people, Sarah x
contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com if you would like to get in touch to sponsor a young person or talk to us about other ways you could get involved.
left to right; Catherine, Emily and NaomiLevison Mlambya, Director of BFSS and Co Founder of The William Stewart Foundation, addressing the students, teachers and the three special guests; Catherine, Emily and NaomiMembers of staff who have known the three girls for years, wanted to be able to tell them how proud everyone is of them.Levison talking to everyone, Emily, Naomi and Catherine at the front of the photoMiss Chisenga, Acting Head Teacher at BFSS addressing the students and invited guests.Levison and Miss Chisenga giving the girls’ their gifts. Left to right; Emily, Catherine & NaomiMiss Chisenga, Emily, Levison, Catherine & NaomiA lovely photo of Naomi with her gifts of new bag, water bottle, stationery, toiletries and money.A very happy Emily with her giftsA nice smile from Catherine who was delighted with her gifts.Three happy girls celebrating their hard work and achievements, l-r Catherine, Emily and NaomiThe staff of Bright Futures Secondary School with the three girls
Celebrations with music and dancing
Lots of music and dancing. The students at BFSS have been inspired and motivated by the celebrations.
Everyone shared a meal and drinks as part of the celebrations for Catherine, Emily and Naomi.
Exciting news for Emily, Catherine and Naomi who have passed their exams. Well done girls. We are so proud of you.
Sarah’s blog 19/9/24
Some very good news today…. Catherine, Emily and Naomi have passed their MSCE school leavers exams. We are absolutely delighted for them. This is the difference that having a sponsor can make to a young person.
Before Bright Futures Secondary School was built, there weren’t enough places at local secondary schools. Students were picked to go to a secondary school depending on their grades. So if students only just passed their primary school leavers exams, they often don’t get picked for a place at a government secondary school. This was one of the reasons for building Bright Futures Secondary School. Also, of course, none of the children we help to support could afford the school fees anyway.
Catherine and Emily got such good grades in their Primary School Leavers Exams that they were picked for a school called Wenya Secondary School. This is further away and a more expensive school than Chisenga Secondary where sponsored students who were selected for secondary school usually went.
Catherine and Emily have been sponsored all the way through their four years of secondary school. We topped up the money that their sponsors paid monthly as their fees were more expensive. We felt it was important that they went to Wenya Secondary as they had excellent grades and it would be good for them to have that experience. They have worked hard and we are so proud of them!
We were concerned about Naomi. She had to leave school to look after her sick auntie but asked if she could be sponsored at a secondary school near her aunt’s house as a day pupil. So although she has had the opportunity of a secondary education, she hasn’t had it easy with having a caring role as well as studying. So we are absolutely delighted for her that she has passed her s4 exams. That is a real achievement as she has obviously worked very hard. We are really proud of what she has achieved.
The three girls will hopefully come to see Levison soon so he can congratulate them and pass on our congratulations too. Also, Levison wants them to speak to the students at BFSS to encourage them. Catherine’s grades mean that she could go to university and Emily to college. Hopefully, Naomi will be able to secure a job or go to college part time. They will all have to find jobs and save up until they can afford to continue their studies but they are determined young ladies who have been given choices and chances that they wouldn’t usually have had.
Before they and others started secondary school, Levison had a huge shopping list and I suggested that he take Catherine and Emily with him to town and they could help him with the shopping. He hired a car and they had a great day. That was the first time either of the girls had been to town, or eaten in a cafe. So it was a very good experience for them prior to going away to boarding school at Wenya.
The fabulous news about each of these young people is testimony to their hard work and determination but also with thanks to their sponsors for supporting them financially. Of course, Levison and team are to be congratulated too. Without them there would be no brighter futures for young people in that community. These three girls are role models for the students still at school. To be able to see what they have achieved will be a real motivator for others living in extreme poverty and dreaming of a brighter future at Bright Futures Secondary School.
If you would like to sponsor a young person and give the gift of education, it is only £25 per month. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com
We are still trying to raise money for the repair of the truck which is vital for transporting food and other supplies for the hundreds of young people who we help to support. Here is the link to donate https://donorsee.com/project/24823?share=1
Also our fundraiser to send boxes of books to Malawi for our School Literacy Project is here https://gofund.me/3aa7d1cd and we would be very grateful if you were able to spare a few £££ to support one of our projects.
We will bring more photos of the three girls when they next visit Bright Futures Campus. Many thanks for reading and supporting us to continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi, Sarah x
Catherine & Emily’s first trip to town. They went with Levison to collect school supplies for themselves and other students.
Amazing exam results at Bright Futures Secondary School! Congratulations!
Sarah’s blog 18/8/23
We are all absolutely delighted with the news that all of the students in S2 at Bright Futures Secondary School have passed their S2 national exams.
This is a huge achievement for several reasons;
Bright Futures Secondary School (classrooms 1 & 2) didn’t open until 7/11/23 so they haven’t had a full school year.
Resources have been limited.
These are some of the most vulnerable teenagers in Malawi. Many are orphans. Most are older as they have missed out big chunks of school to try to earn money to feed themselves.
No big organisations are feeding children & young people in primary schools in this area so, until they started at secondary school, they weren’t eating properly every day. Most young people in this area are malnourished.
At Bright Futures Secondary School students receive a free cooked lunch each day. This might be their only proper meal each day.
Teachers have worked hard with the students and organised study classes after school and for a few days during the Easter holidays. It is dark every day at 6pm so unless students had a candle or small torch they wouldn’t be able to study at home during the evenings. Students have now been gifted solar lamps for home use.
Congratulation to the students, to the teachers and to Levison for overseeing the whole project. It is even more vital that phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School is completed by mid September so that these students can continue their learning journey in S3. If you can, please donate to https://gofund.me/ece5753a as we need to continue building on this success. Thanks for supporting us to support the students, Sarah x
