Tag: malawi

What does Extreme Poverty mean?

Extreme Poverty…what does it actually mean? What does it look like for the children we are helping to support and how we are changing lives with the help of our supporters.

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Sarah’s blog 13/12/24

I had been asked to talk to Eyemouth & District Rotary Club and Allander Rotary Club about our projects and about how Allander Rotary Club have been supporting us for the last 18 months. So last night, over Zoom, thankfully all the technical things worked and I shared about the difficulties and successes in helping to support the orphans and their families/care givers in rural northern Malawi.

I keep using the phrase ‘Extreme Poverty’ but what does this mean? And what does it look like? During my talk I explained some of the information below;

Extreme poverty is the most severe type of poverty, defined by the United Nations as “a condition characterised by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, education and information. It depends not only on income but also on access to services.”

Extreme poverty – what does that look like for the children and young people we are helping to support?

Extreme poverty means children not eating every day.

Extreme poverty means children not having proper clothes or shoes to wear.

Extreme poverty means not having toilet facilities at their homes and having to relieve themselves in the bushes with no dignity, at risk of attack and no sanitation. No water and soap to wash their hands.

Extreme poverty means no clean drinking water at their homes.

It means that children are sleeping fully clothed, cuddled together on the floor of their hut trying to keep warm at night as the temperatures drop because they don’t have blankets or mattresses.

Extreme poverty means living in a small mud hut with a leaking roof, no windows and an ill-fitting door. There will be bugs living in the grass roof.

Extreme poverty means they can’t sleep properly because they are hungry and malnourished, and they wake up exhausted.

Extreme poverty means that some girls, as young as 10 or 11 are at risk of being married off as it is one less mouth for the family to try to feed.

Extreme poverty means missing big chunks of school to try to earn a pittance to help your family. This happens to a lot of older siblings who miss school to work so their younger siblings can attend school.

Extreme poverty means that girls, if they have no sanitary protection, miss one week of schooling each month.

Extreme poverty means that children and their families cannot afford to buy malaria tablets if they get ill.

Extreme poverty means that even though a child passes their primary school leavers exams. If they cannot afford to pay the fees for secondary school, that is their education finished.

Extreme poverty means that families cannot afford to buy notebooks, pencils and uniform for their children’s education.

The older students are, the poorer their families are as they’ve missed so much schooling. There are students at Bright Futures Secondary School who are age 20 now as they are desperate for education.

Extreme poverty means that children regularly walk, with a bag of maize on their head, to the nearest maize mill approximately 15km away. They walk in groups to help stay safe from being attacked. They walk all day with no food or drink then walk back again. The maize isn’t even their own…it belongs to someone else who is giving them a few coins for their effort.

These are just some of the examples of what life is like for the hundreds of children and young people whom we help to support. HOWEVER, they now have HOPE. Things are getting better and they do have a brighter future.

I’m sharing last year’s Advent Calendar again as it has some great examples of how, with the help of our supporters, we are Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thank you so much for reading and for supporting the children we are helping. We couldn’t do what we do without your help. Teamwork always. Sarah x

Agribusiness 1 – first harvest

Look at this amazing first harvest for the agrigroup. They have worked so hard and are grateful for the opportunity they have been given.

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Sarah’s blog 10/12/24

Levison sent these great photos and video yesterday. The first agribusiness group have worked so hard and yesterday they harvested their first crop of beans. This crop will be bought by The Feeding Programme at market value and the money will be reinvested into the Agribusiness to purchase more seeds to grow more vegetables.

The group are absolutely delighted with the success they have had from their hard work and are thankful for the opportunity they have been given. All the adults we are supporting are living in extreme poverty and volunteer their time to help hundreds of orphans and other vulnerable children. So these adults are hard workers and deserve to have this opportunity to start up their own small business.

Thank you to those who donated to help start up this project. We are trying to raise enough money to fund a second group. Will you make a small donation please so that we can buy some tools and seeds for a second agribusiness group?

Here is the link if you would like to help. https://donorsee.com/project/24574?share=1

Have a look at the photos and videos. A great start for this group. Thank you, Sarah x

Agribusiness Update
Hunger and malnutrition in Malawi

#Giving Tuesday & Advent Calendar

Will you help us fund our small projects for #GivingTuesday please? The Team at DonorSee will top up the funds we raise.

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Sarah’s blog 2/12/24

Tomorrow, 3rd December, is Giving Tuesday. This day of giving to charity was established in 2012. As some of you know, we have some fundraisers for small projects on DonorSee which is a great way for people to give, whether the donation is big or small. Although the currency is shown in $$, it will automatically be converted whatever the currency is where you live.

We’ve had the following information from the team at DonorSee:

Based on funds raised on DonorSee, between now and midnight (ET) December 4th, 2024, they will gift us the following amounts;

  • A gift of $100, if you raise between $250 and $499.00
  • A gift of $250, if you raise between $500 and $999.00
  • A gift of $500, if you raise $1,000+

WE NEED YOUR HELP PLEASE. This opportunity of a top up donation is too good to miss. Together, we can make this happen and use #GivingTuesday to make a big difference to hundreds of children, living in extreme poverty, in rural northern Malawi. Click on the link DonorSee and have a look at our open projects and choose which one you’d like to donate to.

So please do help us make the most of this great offer. DonorSee Will you choose to help fund the Christmas Party for 500 orphans? Or to make a small donation towards purchasing science equipment for the vulnerable students at Bright Futures Secondary School? Or will you give to one of the sustainable, income generating projects that will help the community become self-sufficient? DonorSee

I have attached our Advent Calendar from last year. The son of one of our sponsors gave me some help putting it all together. It’s a good reminder of all the positive things that are happening with the help of our supporters. It’s good to pause and reflect that if we all make a small donation, together we can continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thank you everyone so much, Sarah x

Hunger and malnutrition in Malawi

Please read this news article. The children we help to support are some of the most vulnerable in Malawi and need your help.

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Sarah’s blog 30/11/24

I saw that a friend on Facebook had shared this newspaper article on hunger and malnutrition in Malawi. I asked Levison if he was ok with me sharing it. I am aware of trying to get a balance between positive and good news stories against those stories that are about how people are struggling and need our help. Levison said ‘This is the truth. It is pathetic to see how kids suffer from hunger in Malawi and we expect them to do well in class.’ So here it is. (I will retype some of it as it will be difficult to read if looking at it on a phone).

A 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) report has indicated that the hunger situation in Malawi is serious….According to the report, Malawi faces significant challenges regarding food security and nutrition, exacerbated by several factors which include high levels of poverty, reliance on subsistence farming and vulnerability to climate shocks. The report says that, despite progress being made, hunger has declined only marginally since 2016 and that the prospects for achieving zero hunger by 2030 are grim. Malawi has about 4.7 million food insecure people. The report says progress in reducing all four GHI indications – under-nutrition, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality – is lagging behind international targets.

This is why we need you help. Yes, progress is being made and we (thanks to our wonderful supporters) have several successful building projects under our belts now including; Bright Futures Secondary School, Emma’s Rainbow Library, a shower block, latrines, and Teachers’ accommodation. There is clean drinking water too as well as an orchard, hens and now three pigs.

However, whilst progress is being made for future sustainability and self-sufficiency… 500 of the most vulnerable children are only being fed at The Feeding Programme once a week. It’s not enough. Some are walking from up to 20kms for that one proper meal of the week. Some are carrying toddler siblings. One nutritious meal per week is not enough but it is all we can afford. Some girls are still at risk of being married off too young as families cannot feed them.

There are no big charities are feeding children in schools in the rural north. That immediately puts these children at a huge disadvantage. How can they sleep properly if they are hungry and cold? How can they concentrate if they are tired? How can we expect them to retain information if they are malnourished and not eating properly each day?

This is why these children need your help and why we keep appealing for donations. The end goal is sustainability and self-sufficiency but the children need more – now. We need to do more to relieve the hunger and malnutrition amongst the children we help to support. Will you help?

We are now in the run up to the end of 2024… another year that has gone so quickly! And we are hoping that you might include one of our projects in your charity giving. We have a page on DonorSee where there are a few projects – some of which are food for the future while others, like the Christmas Party appeal, are to give children an extra meal and a party. Will you help us please? As we are volunteers, all money we receive goes to the projects we support.

You can either email me for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com , or give via the link on the website Donate money to Changing Lives Malawi or via our page on DonorSee. The link to the children’s party is here https://donorsee.com/project/25004?share=1

Thank you so much to everyone for your support. We always say it’s about teamwork and we need you on our team to continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thank you for reading and giving, Sarah x

Bananas – a sustainable project
Some of the children queuing up to be fed
children are fed in age groups with the youngest ones being first
Please help us ensure that there is funding for the children’s Christmas Party
Your support means that some of the most vulnerable children in Malawi will receive an extra meal and a fun time with their friends.

Bananas – a sustainable project

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

Agribusiness Update

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

Here is the link to the second agribusiness group. https://donorsee.com/project/24574?share=1

Facts & Figures from Chambo Primary School

Some amazing facts and figures from Chambo Primary School. Thank you everyone who has helped us to support them.

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Sarah’s blog 19/11/24

Levison had been to visit the headteacher at Chambo Primary School this morning. I had asked him to ask for some figures regarding exam rate passes when he was there. I wanted to know, and be able to share, some actual figures in relation all the support that has been given to the students at Chambo Primary School over the last five years. Primary School Leavers Exams are a good way to do this.

Let’s remember that these students are amongst some of the most vulnerable in the whole of Malawi. Many are malnourished. All are hungry. Most have experienced trauma through family members dying. Lots of families have been affected by HIV. Many children are living with an elderly grandparent and are having to care for them as well as trying to get an education. Many people cannot afford to eat, let alone buy clothes and shoes for their children.

Lots of children miss huge chunks of school due to having to work for a pittance to help bring a small amount of money into the home to buy food. Many girls are at risk of being married off too young as families cannot afford to feed them. Girls were missing a week of school each month as they did not have any sanitary towels and had to stay at home. Life is so so hard for these children. Yet they continue to try their best. They know that education is their way out of the extreme poverty in which they live. Class sizes are large – there are approx 500 children across 8 classes at Chambo Primary.

In 2019, 59% of p8 students passed their primary school leavers exams. In 2020 and 2021 the figure was 60% for each of these years. In 2022 the figure rose to 63% pass rate. In 2023, 69% of students passed their exams and in 2024 that figure had risen to 78% of students passing their primary school leavers exams.

That is an amazing difference and we are delighted for the students. Here are some of the reasons that the headteacher and some of the teachers at Chambo Primary were able to attribute to the improvements and we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped make all these changes happen:

  • The Feeding Programme. This runs once a week at the weekend and ensures that 500 of the most vulnerable children eat a substantial, nutritious meal once a week. Some children can go for days without eating properly so they know they will have this one meal to look forward to. However, children are walking long distances to access this feeding programme…some are walking 15km, even 20km. Some carry their toddler siblings much of the way to be fed. Feeding them just once a week isn’t good enough. However, it is all we can afford whilst we help them set up sustainable projects.
  • Clothes. Especially donated school uniform. Some months get quite cold overnight and many children do not have blankets and are sleeping on a mat on the floor. An outgrown school jumper and shorts/trousers or a skirt that have been donated can make all the difference to a child who has been wearing rags. They are warmer, look smarter and know that someone cares enough about them to want to help.
  • School Holiday Study Classes have made a big difference to students helping them to revise for exams and get help from teachers should they need it. Each p8 student who attended these lessons, that we financially supported for the past two years, has been given a free school lunch each day. This was a great incentive to turn up for extra lessons each day!
  • Thanks to grants we successfully applied for, Chambo Primary now has three classrooms with desks and benches (previously they only had one). We also facilitated the school to have clean drinking water and water for handwashing and provided buckets, soap, and cups for the students.
  • A girls’ latrine block was built with money from another grant. The girls now have dignity, privacy and safety when they need to relieve themselves. Previously they had to go in the bushes. Thanks to being given reusable sanitary towels, girls no longer miss a week of school every month. So the girls now can attend the same amount of lessons as the boys.
  • Exercise books & pens – students have been helped by receiving gifts of stationery.
  • School Literacy Project – We started with 17 boxes of preloved books that we gifted to Chambo Primary School, then more have been added. The books range from picture books with a few words for the lower school to more advanced stories for teenagers to enjoy. There have been dictionaries and many non fiction books donated too. The feedback has been great about how engaged students are with the books and colour pictures are really helping to ensure that the books are well used. In particular, girls have become more interested in books that they wouldn’t normally have been because of the pictures/photos. They see pictures of girls in subjects that would previously have been aimed at boys. We are excited to see how the School Literacy Project continues to make a difference as there are lots of boxes of books due to arrive early next year. Some of the boxes include group reading programmes that two primary schools local to me were updating. Having multiple copies of the same book will really be helpful in helping students become confident readers.
  • An orchard of fruit tree saplings is about to be planted at Chambo Primary thanks to another successful grant. This will help the students with practical agricultural lessons and will provide future food for the students as well as being good for the planet.

To give things a bit more context, the average pass rate for primary school leavers exams across the whole of Malawi was 86% in the 2024 exams. Chambo students will have to walk a lot further than the average. Chambo students and all the surrounding primary schools in the north do not have a big charity running a school feeding programme each day. These are just two ways they are at a huge disadvantage compared to the rest of the schools in Malawi. There will be so many children benefitting from a porridge programme. Sadly that isn’t the case for the forgotten children in the rural far north.

Yet, despite these issues they are succeeding. They are doing their best. They do want a good education to ensure they have a better future. They are attending school and working hard. We hope you agree that these children and young people are amazing and deserve a helping hand.

Again, a big thank you if you have donated to any of the above projects. We couldn’t do what we do without your help. You can see from the above that together we are Changing Lives (in) Malawi.

We are raising funds to help give the children a Christmas Party and an extra meal…will you help us please? https://donorsee.com/project/25004?share=1 Or you can email us to help with any of the above projects or anything else at contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you again, Sarah x

Students with their new notebooks and pencils
Washing hands at the new tap
There was much excitement when clean water arrived at Chambo Primary School. Now they can wash their hands and drink clean water.
Filling the new cups we gave them with clean water for the first time.
p8 holiday study school in the one classroom that had desks and benches.
Thanks to a grant, we were able to ensure two more classrooms have tables and benches. Here children are happily showing their new notebooks and pencils.
The first 17 boxes of books that were gifted to Chambo Primary through our School Literacy Project.

Uniform Donation – All Saints Junior School, Maidenhead

Thanks so much to All Saints CE Junior School, Maidenhead for this great donation of school uniform for vulnerable children in Malawi.

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Sarah’s blog 12/11/24

We love making new connections like this one and are delighted that we have another school supporting our charity.

On Friday we received a delivery of four large boxes of school uniform from All Saints C E Junior School in Maidenhead. In the boxes there were t-shirts, jumpers and cardigans, fleeces and school bags. We love donations like this as they will be perfect for gifting to the vulnerable children we help to support. As there are approx 500+ of them, that is a lot of children to clothe, so this donation will really help towards that project.

I had first been contacted by the school before the summer holidays, asking if we would like some uniform from them. Once school returned in September, they planned a non uniform day to raise funds to help cover the cost of sending the uniform to Malawi. We are so grateful as they raised £140. There will be some money left over from the money collected which we are going to put towards buying tree saplings like pine, eucalyptus and umbrella trees.

Planting trees is so important for several reasons; to prevent soil erosion during heavy rains, trees can be planted at field boundaries. During the hottest days, trees provide very welcoming shade. Obviously we know how vital planting trees are for combatting climate change and also to replace trees that were used for fuel. Students from Bright Futures Secondary School will be able to help manage this project as part of their Agricultural Classes.

We are delighted that the school will be helping us with this initiative and look forward to bringing photos of the saplings being planted and then when they grow.

In the meantime, here are the photos of the school uniform donations which will be going to the very vulnerable children we help to support. Again, there will be photos when the items are distributed.

Many thanks to all at All Saints Junior School in Maidenhead for supporting us. Here are twp small projects we are raising funds for; science equipment at Bright Futures Secondary School https://donorsee.com/project/25307?share=1 and https://donorsee.com/project/25004?share=1 to donate to fund a Christmas Party with food for 500 very vulnerable children. Or you can email for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com . Thank you for your support, Sarah x #SustainableDevelopmentGoals #QualityEducation #LifeOnLand #GoodHealth

Namapasa School visit to Bright Futures Secondary School

It’s been a very successful and enjoyable day of netball and football at Bright Futures Secondary School with visitors Namapasa Secondary School.

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Sarah’s blog 10/11/24

Today was an exceedingly busy day for Levison and team at Bright Futures Campus. The Feeding Programme was running today and approx 350 vulnerable children turned up to be fed their one proper meal of the week. Many of these children are suffering from malnutrition and also have stunted growth because of lack of food and nutrition.

Namapasa Secondary School is approx 40km away and had made contact to ask if they could visit to play football and netball against Bright Futures Secondary School. Of course the answer was YES. As BFSS is in such a rural location and it would cost a great deal to transport students to other schools, they don’t get to play sport against many other schools. This was a great opportunity to meet new students from another school and play team sports which everyone loves.

We were concerned about the students and accompanying adults from Namapasa SS not having anything to eat for the whole day, especially while they were exercising. Also with the feeding programme running today, all other children on campus would be fed apart from the visitors which wouldn’t be fair at all or show hospitality. We sent extra money so that the visitors could also share in a meal and the extra money covered all the costs of feeding the visitors.

An holistic approach is taken to the health and wellbeing of students at BFSS so days like today, and the recent rugby tournament, mean a great deal to the students and raise morale and self-confidence. School clearly is about far more than classroom based work and exams, although they know that they are expected to work hard and do their best in everything. Playing football and netball, with their friends, forgetting all the problems in their lives for a while, means everything to these young people.

Scores: Team A netball Namapasa 5 – Bright Futures 2, Team B netball Namapasa 10 – Bright Futures 12, Team A football Namapasa 1 – Bright Futures 0, Team B Football Namapasa 1 – Bright Futures 1.

I asked Levison if there was any feedback from today. He said “The visitors were very impressed with the hospitality we gave them. Most of them it was their first time to be at BFSS and were so amazed to see the beautiful environment they were not expecting to see in the area. They admired our beautiful classrooms, nice furniture and well organised teamwork.”

Levison continued “BFSS students were happy to have visitors to play sports with them as they have stayed for a long period without having a game.” “The visitors were also amazed with the agricultural projects, especially the chickens and the orchard projects. Some were also surprised to learn how we are pumping water from underground.”

Here are some photos and videos from earlier today. We hope you enjoy them. Here is the link to raise funds for a football tournament for local schools to take part (with food) https://donorsee.com/project/24384?share=1 Or perhaps you could help to fund the food for another school visit like today? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

And here is the link to help provide a Christmas Party with a meal and gifts for 500 vulnerable children https://donorsee.com/project/25004?share=1 Please will you join us in making a difference and spreading a little happiness to the children we help to support? Many thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x

Some of the children being fed at today’s Feeding Programme. They are fed in age groups. Some walk huge distances for this one decent meal each week.
Bright Futures Campus is a safe place for all the children who come. They look forward to seeing their friends, playing games, learning new skills and, of course, having a nutritious meal.
A warm welcome to today’s visitors
Some of the visitors from Namapasa Secondary School approx 40km away
Everyone enjoying their lunch
Students from Namapasa School enjoying their lunch
Sharing food and showing hospitality to today’s visitors
The Bright Futures Secondary School Boys Football Team
Namapasa Secondary School Boys Football Team
Namapasa Secondary School and Bright Futures Secondary School boys football teams
Namapasa Secondary School netball team
Namapasa Secondary School Girls’ Netball Team
Bright Futures Secondary School Girls’ Netball Team

BFSS Agriculture Classes – digging holes for planting

Students at Bright Futures Secondary School have been working hard to prepare the ground for planting. We are very grateful for the support we have received for this ongoing project.

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Sarah’s blog 3/11/24

Over the past few months, we have been fundraising so more fruit tree saplings can be purchased to provide a sustainable food source and also an income at Bright Futures Campus. We have been very fortunate that we have had several donations towards this project. We are grateful to everyone who has helped. We are still fundraising, as it is an ongoing project to ensure that there will be food and an income and that malnutrition will be eradicated.

In the background of some of these photos and the video, you can see smallish bushes. These are fruit tree saplings that were planted two years ago. There will be a selection of fruit tree saplings but also banana tubers will be bought as bananas grow far quicker.

During their practical agricultural lessons, students are preparing the land and digging holes for the new saplings. Hopefully, they will be planted next week. It will be the rainy season soon. There have been a couple of days of rain already, so the ground is slightly easier to dig, and the rain will help the plants grow.

Here are the links to buy more fruit trees and also seeds and sweet potato vines to help supplement school lunches at Bright Futures Secondary School. Growing food for themselves and their friends is an amazing achievement and will really help now and with learning skills for their futures.

This is the link to buy more fruit tree saplings https://donorsee.com/project/23627?share=1

and this link is for seeds and sweet potato vines https://donorsee.com/project/24114?share=1 or you could email for bank details to make a donation that way contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Whichever way you choose, please know you are making a big difference and that we are very thankful for your support, Sarah x

Hard work! but the students at Bright Futures Secondary School are doing an amazing job!

Lots of chickens!

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.

Here is the link to our project on DonorSee https://donorsee.com/project/25321?share=1 or you could email for bank details if you’d like to make a donation contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Enjoy the video and thanks to everyone who has supported this project already. Together, we are Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thanks, Sarah x

Science at Bright Futures Secondary School

Some great photos from an S2 practical science lesson at Bright Futures Secondary School. Will you help us provide more equipment please?

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Sarah’s blog 31/10/24

Thanks to our donors and supporters, we have achieved a great deal on a relatively small budget. There was only a very small amount of money for supporting practical science experiments at Bright Futures Secondary School.

We are grateful to one of our supporters who bought some more science equipment which arrived on the last container. These items were used in lessons this week for practical experiments. As you will see from the photos and what the teacher has told me, students being able to learn practically as well as theoretically, makes lessons far more exciting and easier to understand!

However, although everyone is delighted that they now have some equipment for performing science experiments, they do need to buy many more items to cover practical lessons in physics, biology and chemistry for all four years of the curriculum. Will you help us please? In addition to another microscope, circuits, beakers, burners, magnets etc…there will be an ongoing need for a selection of chemicals to be bought each year. Will you help us so that the students have what they need to achieve their potential?

contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com for our bank details or if you have any items we might need. We have a fundraiser on DonorSee specifically for science equipment and any donations will be very much appreciated. https://donorsee.com/project/25307?share=1

I asked Mr Kanyimbo, one of the science teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School, for some feedback from the students and himself after his lesson using the new equipment in his lesson. I was delighted to receive such a comprehensive response from him.

Mr Kanyimbo reflected on the lesson. “From the students’ perspective, many of the students seemed genuinely excited to work with new equipment, saying things like ‘I didn’t know experiments could be this fun!‘ They were clearly engaged, asking more questions and showing greater curiosity about the science behind what they were doing. They were also taking more initiative, setting up their experiments carefully and troubleshooting alongside their peers.”

“One student noted, ‘Having the equipment makes understanding this so much easier’, which highlights how hands-on resources help clarify abstract concepts and others said ‘this is way better than just reading about it’, which captures the enthusiasm and deeper understanding gained through practical work.”

“From my side, the addition of practical equipment brings new ways on how we can approach teaching. Instead of only relying on theoretical explanations, we are able to bring lessons to life, allowing students to make tangible connections between concepts and real-world applications. With practical lessons, students engage more deeply, ask more critical questions, and demonstrate a much stronger grasp of the material. I have already noticed a difference in their confidence and interest in science.”

“Additionally, with hands-on experiments, students become active learners. It is one thing to discuss theories, but quite another to let them test and observe these concepts in action. This approach doesn’t just make learning enjoyable but also builds problem-solving skills, deepens comprehension, and fosters a love of science that goes beyond the classroom. If we can have more equipment for practical lessons, for form 3 and form 4 work, we can have some better improvements in our science department. We currently do not carry out experiments with form 3 due to lack of chemicals and other apparatus.”

Please help us ensure that the students (and teachers) have what they need to be successful this year! https://donorsee.com/project/25307?share=1

Thanks to Mr Kanyimbo and his S2 students for the photos and feedback from what looks to have been a fun and informative lesson! Enjoy the photos and video (sorry about poor sound quality of the video) and please donate if you can, Sarah x

Sorry about the poor sound quality. The students are thanking donors for the new equipment and explaining what they are holding. They are asking for some additional equipment to be sent so they can complete more practical science lessons.

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