prizes Archives

BFSS Essay Competition S3 – February

Lawrence has won February’s S3 essay prize…. well done Lawrence

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Sarah’s blog 7/3/24

The S3 students are becoming more confident at writing essays and their writing is giving some very good and useful insights into how hard life is for each of them, how important education is and what they like to do.

Lawrence was the winner of February’s essay prize. Just like so many young people all over the world, he likes listening to music and dreams of being a famous singer.

It has been an amazing achievement that we, as such a small charity, and all our dedicated supporters, have been able to build Bright Futures Secondary School and that the most vulnerable young people are benefitting from a good education that they wouldn’t have otherwise been able to afford.

We have had to concentrate on the necessities like desks and chairs, textbooks and exercise books to start with. We still need to buy textbooks for the new s4 next year (Lawrence and his fellow students). We have provided some basic science equipment but much more is needed. We also need more books on a variety of topics for the library. However, we hope, in time, to be able to provide some art equipment and also some musical instruments to extend and enhance their learning, opportunities and overall school experience.

S4 text books are approximately £10 each. There are 12 subjects and we need at least 15 sets…so that is £1,800. For science we need some electric circuit kits, a molecular model kit for chemistry, some magnet sets, more safetly goggles, various chemicals etc. We’d like to provide pastels, drawing paper and other basic art materials as well as a CD player with a variety of CDs to listen to difference genres of music and eventually some musical instruments and recording equipment. If anyone would like to contribute then please do contact me contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com It might be that, if you live local to us, your own children might have finished with their circuit sets or CD player etc. Providing things are in very good condition, we would love to repurpose them. Each box we send does cost £17.50 on the container so we do ask for a financial contribution to help towards costs.

I hope you enjoy reading Lawrence’s essay. Thank you for your continued support, Sarah x

BFSS Essay Competition – December

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Sarah’s blog 19/1/24

Just before the school term finished for the Christmas holidays, students at Bright Futures Secondary School, having finished their exams, were asked to write an essay entitled ‘What I like about Bright Futures Secondary School’.

There were several reasons for doing this exercise; so we can find out more about the students and the school, to help students get more used to writing essays and, as there is a small cash prize for the best essay in each class, it is good motivation for all of the students.

We hope you are able to read the essays. The school does not yet have a printer or scanner so a photo had to be taken of each piece of writing and then sent to me.

In S1 Phaless has been chosen as the winner. The S2 prize goes to Alexander. In S3 Daniel’s essay won as it was a very powerful piece of writing. Very well done to all three!

Unfortunately, during the rainy season, not all students are able to attend school if the rivers become too deep and dangerous to cross. This is why some students were absent that day and haven’t written an essay. We are hoping this will become a monthly exercise as it will ultimately help them when writing exams.

Enjoy the photos and the essays and thank you to everyone who helps us make a difference to the lives of these young people. The three winners were overwhelmed and couldn’t believe they’d won. They’ve never won a prize like this. Daniel cried tears of joy. Hopefully they will begin to realise that they are important and deserve our help and that they do have brighter futures. Thank you, Sarah x

PS Alexander doesn’t have a sponsor yet, so if anyone would like to support this bright young man’s education then please do get in touch. It’s only £25 p/m to be a sponsor and you can split that cost with a friend! Thanks, Sarah x contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

An Amazing Quiz & Band Night!

Thanks to everyone who supported our very successful fundraiser for the next phase of Bright Futures Secondary School.

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Sarah’s blog 25/2/23

Thank you to everyone who came along last night….it looked like everyone was having a brilliant time! The quiz that Douglas did for us was great fun! He’d put in a lot of work to prepare it and present it – so thank you so much Douglas!

There were so many raffle prizes that had been donated – thanks so much to everyone. We are very grateful to the following businesses; West Group Technical Services Ltd who donated a firepit made by Foldaway Fires, a cycling jacket from Endura, a hamper from Endrick Trading Ltd, vouchers from Tir na nog Holistic Centre, Milk & Honey Artisan Ice Cream, The Woodhouse, The Kitchen Window, Briarlands Farm, Wellsfield Farm, Ticketyboo Hair Design Buchlyvie and Exceptionail Buchlyvie. We had some wonderful prizes!

There was also a bottle of single malt whisky donated by one of our trustees, David Bell, to use as a prize for throwing £1 coins at….the nearest coin wins the bottle. There were so many coins being thrown and someone’s coin touched the bottle whilst lots of people were still waiting for a turn. So David, very kindly offered to buy a second bottle of whisky so everyone else got a turn to throw their £1 coins… this and the amount of raffle tickets that were purchased made a lot of money for our charity.

Then there is a huge thank you to local band, Acoustic Station, who gave their time and talents free of charge. Stuart, the drummer, is one of our trustees (and my husband) so I am slightly biased but they were amazing and people were up dancing all night!

After a very late night, I counted all the money this morning and added what was already paid directly into the charity bank account. £1,503 is the grand total! An amazing start to our fundraising for phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School. Thank you for buying tickets, raffle tickets, donating raffle prizes and being so supportive of what we, as a small group of volunteers, are trying to do. 100% of the money will go towards building the next phase of Bright Futures Secondary School. Thank you so much to those who helped set up and tidy up and, as always, it’s been amazing teamwork.

I hope you enjoy the video clips of Acoustic Station from last night. The link to our fundraiser is https://www.gofund.me/ece5753a and, as always, if you want to get in touch then the email address is contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thanks again, Sarah x

Bright Futures Secondary School – desks, chairs, uniform & exams – Changing Lives Malawi

Merchiston Castle School – another rugby donation – Changing Lives Malawi

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