Tag: quality education

School Literacy Project – Chambo Primary School

We are delighted to see these photos and videos from Chambo Primary School. They have received more books as part of the School Literacy Project.

Sarah’s blog 17/3/25

How can children learn to read without books to practice? Thanks to the help of many of our supporters, Chambo Primary School has once again received a huge donation of preloved books as part of our School Literacy Project. Thanks to so many people who have donated books and to Strathblane Primary School and Balfron Primary School who donated all of their group reading books which they were updating. There are a few other organisations local to us who also made donations. We are grateful to everyone and to those who helped us towards the cost of sending some of these boxes. Kalanga Primary School will also receive a donation of boxes of books in the near future.

As always, thanks goes to the volunteers at Bananabox Trust in Dundee who document the contents of boxes, order the container and then pack all the boxes into the container. We always say everything is teamwork and we are very grateful to all the people who help us support the children and young people who live in extreme poverty in rural northern Malawi.

Most of the orphans and other vulnerable children we help to support attend Chambo Primary School. There are eight classes in the school with approximately 600 students in total. During the rainy season, not all students are able to get to school as it is not safe for them to cross the swollen rivers.

As you can see from the photos and videos, this school is very basic. They don’t have notebooks and pencils, teachers don’t have enough chalk. There are no porridge programmes in the rural far north so all these learners are hungry and many are suffering from Malnutrition.

Thanks to the help of our supporters and grants that we have successfully applied for, so far we have helped the students at Chambo Primary in the following ways;

  1. They only had one classroom with desks and benches; a grant paid for desks & benches in two more classrooms.
  2. There was no clean water supply for drinking and washing hands. Thanks to a grant we applied for, they now have taps and a supply of clean water.
  3. Students relieved themselves in the bushes, making girls especially very vulnerable. We received a grant to build a girls’ latrine block.
  4. Girls who need reusable sanitary towels are provided with them so that they no longer have to miss one week of school each month.
  5. Exercise books and pens and chalk have previously been donated; however they need more urgently. https://donorsee.com/project/25617?share=1
  6. Many of these children attend the weekly feeding programme. It is nowhere near enough, as most don’t eat every day, but all we can afford as we try to work with the community to set up sustainable projects.
  7. Many of these children have received preloved clothes that we have sent.
  8. The students at Chambo Primary are benefitting from The School Literacy Project where we collect and send preloved books to support education. Primary 8 leavers exam results have been improving year on year since we have been supporting them.
  9. Chambo Primary has received sports kit and students have taken part in sporting events that we have supported.
  10. Chambo Primary has received fruit tree saplings, banana tubers and pine tree saplings as part of a sustainable project.
  11. We have supported a School Holiday Study School for the past few years to give p8 students revision time prior to their exams. They receive a substantial school lunch each day so that it helps them concentrate and is a great incentive for them to attend lessons during their holidays.

If you can help with purchasing new exercise books and pens/pencils for these students we would be extremely grateful. They need these to take notes ahead of their exams. https://donorsee.com/project/25617?share=1

Thank you again for all the support (and a huge amount of work went on behind the scenes too). Enjoy these photos and videos, Sarah x

Some of the staff at Chambo Primary School
You may be able to spot a few Strathblane Primary School sweatshirts
Facts & Figures from Chambo Primary School

International Women’s Day 2025 #IWD2025

#IWD2025 We are highlighting the story of one young woman whom we help to support. We want all women to have equality & empowerment and the choices and chances they deserve.

Sarah’s blog 8/3/25

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY #IWD2025
The themes for 2025 are – Accelerate Action for ALL women and girls: Rights, Equality & Empowerment.

For International Women’s Day, I’m going to share with you part of the story of one of the young women who has been supported for the last few years. Her life is hard and she is living in extreme poverty. There are lots of issues in this story, so it is very apt for International Women’s Day.

Maria had missed out on a lot of education due to her family circumstances. Being so poor, she had to work for a pittance to help buy food. Maria came to Levison and said that she wanted to be able to attend secondary school. Levison could see what a hard worker she was and so gave her some extra coaching so that she could pass her primary school leavers exams…which she did and was delighted.

We found a sponsor for Maria so she could attend secondary school free of charge and she progressed well, passing her national school exams at the end of s2 (final exams are at the end of s4).

Maria lives with her aunt and her younger sister and has a two hour walk to get to school. That in itself is a huge burden and exhausting and shows real commitment to getting an education.

However, Maria became pregnant. We do not know the full story. Maria will not talk about it, nor did she actually realise she was pregnant until one of the women who helps with the cooking noticed. Maria was supported to attend the health centre regularly and, because she was having a nutritious school lunch each day, she was in fairly good health whilst pregnant.

Maria had a very difficult birth. Her aunt stayed with her at the hospital. Patients have to have someone with them to help care for them and have to provide their own food. Conditions are very basic. So Maria and her aunt were supported with food during this time.

Thankfully, Maria gave birth to a healthy baby boy – Wakisa. Maria asked to return to school for the new term and her aunt agreed to look after Wakisa during the school day.

This has been really hard for Maria but she is dedicated to her son and has been trying to navigate being a new mum, a full-time student and living a distance from school in extreme poverty.

Her son, Wakisa, has been poorly on and off for a few months so Maria has either been at the local health centre with him, at home with him or sitting in class worrying about him. How could she think about her lessons when she was thinking about Wakisa and also worrying about how to make life better for her and her son and provide for him?

Maria has now made the decision to drop out of school as she was getting more and more behind with her work and she obviously wanted and needed to be with her son. As she has a good work ethic, Maria has been trying to find piece work in farmers’ fields to earn a pittance.

I cannot imagine how hard life is for Maria and so many young women like them. But they don’t give up. They keep trying to do the best for their family. They have no choice.

Maria is still sponsored at the moment even though she has dropped out of Bright Futures Secondary School. So that means she will get a monthly food parcel to help supplement any other food coming into their home. However, we need to give her a hand up not a hand out so she cannot be sponsored forever.

Little Wakisa has also just been sponsored, so he will also have a food parcel each month. So those are two good practical things that are happening for Maria and Wakisa, thanks to their sponsors.

Because we know Maria is such a hard worker we do want to support her to get back on her feet and feel like life isn’t so hopeless. If you would like to help Maria then please do email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Let’s make a difference to young women like Maria so that they can bring up their families to have a better and brighter future with choices, chances and opportunities.

The village chiefs, during a recent conversation with Levison, said that by keeping girls in education it has lowered the teenage pregnancy rate greatly. Obviously, pregnancies will still happen and also because of long distances walked in very rural locations, girls and women are still very much at risk.

I am glad that things are improving for girls and women but there is a great deal more to do. I always say it is about teamwork, so if you’d like to be part of Maria’s team and make a difference on International Women’s Day #IWD2025 then let us know. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you again to all our sponsors and everyone who supports our work. Thank you, Sarah x

Maria (top right) during a science lesson at Bright Futures Secondary School
Maria recently working in a farmer’s field for a pittance whilst carrying her son on her back
Maria and Wakisa after receiving new clothes for him, a blanket, a food parcel and soap
“My name is Maria Chizumira. I was schooling at Bright Futures Secondary but I have dropped out of school because I need more time to get food, soap and other resources for my child. It was my wish to continue with my education but circumstances have made me not to.”

BFSS Students Photos

Thanks to teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School for these great photos of students.

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

Bright Futures Secondary School in the news for tree planting initiative

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.

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;

Malawi24 – NGO embarks on tree planting initiative A local… | Facebook

https://donorsee.com/project/25914?share=1 is the link to help us purchase more tree saplings to help with this reforestation project.

This is the link to yesterday’s article https://changinglivesmalawi.com/2025/01/10/agroforestry-at-bright-futures-secondary-school/

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

Bright Futures Secondary School in the news for tree planting initiative

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.

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;

Malawi24 – NGO embarks on tree planting initiative A local… | Facebook

https://donorsee.com/project/25914?share=1 is the link to help us purchase more tree saplings to help with this reforestation project.

This is the link to yesterday’s article https://changinglivesmalawi.com/2025/01/10/agroforestry-at-bright-futures-secondary-school/

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

Agroforestry at Bright Futures Secondary School

Planting more trees at Bright Futures Secondary School. Students are setting a great example to their community and learning practical agricultural skills.

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

Christmas Tree Planting

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.

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

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.

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!

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?

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.

Celebrating the success of 3 girls

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.

Congratulations Catherine, Emily & 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

https://donorsee.com/project/23627?share=1 is the link to help the students at BFSS plant fruit tree saplings for a sustainable food source.

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 Naomi
Levison Mlambya, Director of BFSS and Co Founder of The William Stewart Foundation, addressing the students, teachers and the three special guests; Catherine, Emily and Naomi
Members 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 photo

Miss 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 & Naomi
Miss Chisenga, Emily, Levison, Catherine & Naomi
A lovely photo of Naomi with her gifts of new bag, water bottle, stationery, toiletries and money.
A very happy Emily with her gifts
A nice smile from Catherine who was delighted with her gifts.
Three happy girls celebrating their hard work and achievements, l-r Catherine, Emily and Naomi

The 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.

Thank you for the books Balfron Primary School!

Thank you Balfron Primary School!! We need some families to help with this project too…so will you read today’s blog and make a difference please?

Sarah’s blog 12/6/24

We are delighted as we have had a brilliant donation from Balfron Primary School of all their books from their reading programme that they are updating. Headteacher, Angus Black, brought five big boxes of books to us which are going to benefit hundreds of very vulnerable children in primary schools in rural northern Malawi through our School Literacy Project. This project is working towards UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 – Quality Education.

This is an amazing donation of books which will help so many vulnerable children to learn to read.

Most of the primary schools in the rural far north of Malawi have large class sizes and minimal resources. How can we expect children to read well if they don’t have books to practice? These books will make a huge difference to the children’s knowledge as well as helping them to be more confident readers.

So a big THANK YOU again to Balfron Primary School for supporting School Literacy amongst some of the most vulnerable children in rural northern Malawi. We will have photos to show when the books finally arrive in a few months time. We sort and repack all the books into age groups and into strong boxes and label them up to go to Dundee where they await the next container.

Although our School Literacy Project is relatively cheap as the books are all donated, it still costs us £17.50 to send every box on the container. If you can please help pay towards the transportation costs of these books then here is the link to donate on our DonorSee site https://donorsee.com/project/23626?share=1

When students leave primary school at the end of p8 they have to sit national primary school leavers exams. They cannot go to secondary school if they don’t pass these exams. We expect, through our School Literacy Project, to start to see improved exam results within the next few years as literacy levels improve.

None of the hundreds of vulnerable children we help to support can afford to go to secondary school, which has to be paid for in Malawi. So, even if they pass their primary school leavers exams, if they cannot pay for secondary school then that is their education finished.

That’s why we match students with sponsors to support their secondary education. It’s only £25 per month to sponsor a student and you can share the cost between friends and family….it’s less than £1 per day to give the gift of education. Sponsored students are given a place at Bright Futures Secondary School where they receive free education, uniform, stationery and everything else they need for school. They get a free nutritious school lunch each day. For most students, this is the only food they get every day so it is really important to enable them to study and concentrate.

Here is the link to my blog about the students who are looking for sponsors so they will be able to attend Bright Futures Secondary School in September. If you could help support the education of one of these very vulnerable young people then please do get in touch contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

https://changinglivesmalawi.com/2024/05/23/sponsors-needed-for-p8-students/

Thanks again, Balfron Primary School for supporting our charity which is just round the corner from the school. It’s always about team work and together, with your help, we can make a difference, Sarah x

Students at Chambo Primary School where three out of eight classrooms now have desks and benches. These children were delighted when we paid for them to have new notepads and pencils in January. They are about to receive another gift of notepads and pencils thanks to our fundraising on DonorSee site.
We applied for a grant on behalf of Chambo Primary School to enable them to have a toilet block and a clean water supply.
The first 17 boxes of books gifted to Chambo Primary. After this shipment of books, we will start collecting books for another primary school in that cluster.
Children looking at the first boxes of books that were sent on the container

Advent Calendar – highlighting projects & children – day 19

Sarah’s blog 19/12/23

19th December and today we are again highlighting Quality Education. It’s the key to a better future for the hundreds of vulnerable children we help to support who are living in extreme poverty.

The photo at the bottom right hand side shows a group of children with looking at a book from the first box of books we sent to them. They had never seen a ‘story book’ with pictures before. Even in their school there were hardly any text books, so these books have opened up a whole new world for them.

Seventeen boxes of books were donated to Chambo Primary School as part of the School Literacy Project and more will be donated later this week. Other primary schools have been receiving boxes of books too. We are hoping children become more confident readers and that literacy levels will rise.

As you can see, money was raised for a library – Emma’s Rainbow Library, in memory of Emma Buchanan – a lovely girl from my village who had cystic fibrosis. Her family helped raise money towards the library. When Emma was poorly, she loved her dad reading to her. Emma had wanted to go to Malawi with a trip from Balfron High School. Her memory lives on and is making a big difference. We have sent lots of books for the library, as well as them buying some locally. It costs £17.50 to send a box of books on the container, so if you would like to support literacy in rural northern Malawi, or any of our other projects, then please do get in touch. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com https://gofund.me/d3cf8c3a

As well as a well stocked library that the children have access to, they are learning about computers. These are opportunities that would never have happened for these children without the help of our supporters. The children in the photo are wearing preloved uniform from Strathblane Primary School and Riverside Primary School. We sent these preloved tables and chairs too.

Quality Education will change these children’s lives for the better giving them choices and chances that they previously would not have had. Thank you for caring and helping us to support them, Sarah x