Tag: skills for life

Summer Camp at BFSS

Levison and team thought it would be a real treat for them to have a few days together, having fun, learning, eating together and building relationships and team spirit.

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Sarah’s blog 14/9/26

Last week there was a Summer Camp at BFSS for the students to enjoy before the school year restarted. This was the first ever Summer Camp at BFSS but will now become an annual event, providing funds allow.

The young people who attend Bright Futures Secondary School are some of the most vulnerable in rural northern Malawi. Most are orphans living with extended family. All are living in extreme poverty and do not have enough to eat.

Levison and team thought it would be a real treat for students to have a few days together. Having fun, learning, eating together and building relationships and team spirit and doing things that other young people take for granted.

Bright Futures Secondary School is a small private secondary school, built especially for these vulnerable young people. It gives them opportunities that they wouldn’t otherwise have had and allows them a brighter future.

If it wasn’t for BFSS, then many of the girls would have been married off too soon to older men and already have children or even died through the complications of childbirth as happens to young girls.

We are responsible for this private school. With your help, we can continue to support the running costs including paying teachers salaries and providing students with everything they need for school. Of course, a big cost is that they receive a nutritious cooked lunch each day. For many, this is their only meal of the day. They need this food in order to be able to concentrate and learn.

This is why we need ongoing support and FRIENDS OF BRIGHT FUTURES SECONDARY SCHOOL to ensure the ongoing success of our small private school. We need to ensure a brighter future for these students and students in years to come. The young people know that education is their best way out of poverty.

So as you look at these photos and videos of some of their activities from last week, could you please spare £5 or £10 per month towards core running costs of Bright Futures Secondary School? Could you become a Friend of Bright Futures Secondary School and a friend of these students?

Or could you spare £25 per month towards core help sponsor a student? You could share this cost with friends, family, a club or your business could sponsor a young person’s education.

Amazing things are happening at Bright Futures Secondary School but we need a team to ensure this continues and all costs are covered. Would you like to give a young person a brighter future?

Summer Camp at BFSS saw the students watching a sunrise as well as exercising together. They watched a film and shared snacks. There was a health talk from a local nurse. A teacher from another local school gave them keyboard lessons. There is currently a carpenter working on campus and he supported the students to make their own stools with off cuts of wood. Sewing is always a popular activity and the sewing machines were in use again! These were just a few of the activities.

Thank you to the teachers and all the team behind the scenes who organised everything in advance of the first Summer Camp at BFSS. It’s another incentive to work hard and stay in school.

So enjoy the photos and videos and please, if you can, donate some money towards a brighter future for these amazing young people. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com for our charity bank details and join us to continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thanks for reading & supporting, Sarah x

More little piglets

More little piglets! Great news from the pig project at Bright Futures Campus.

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Sarah’s blog 31/8/26

There is more good news from Bright Futures Campus. Another five more little piglets have arrived safely.

There is another pigsty being constructed and almost finished. There will soon be plenty of room for the expanding Bright Futures Pig Family.

Mr Kanyimbo, Deputy Head Teacher at Bright Futures Secondary School, is pictured caring for the five more little piglets. He has been working hard alongside a small team of other teachers and staff. They have been looking after the welfare of the adult pigs, the juvenile pigs and these new piglets.

There will be great excitement and interest amongst the students at BFSS when their agricultural lessons start again. They will be delighted to see that there are more little piglets to care for. We all love baby animals, don’t we?

This project has the potential to help the school work towards self sufficiency as more piglets are born and sold. What a great way to learn practical agricultural skills, complementing what the students are learning in the classroom in their agriculture classes. They are also learning about self sufficiency and business.

We are delighted to see that quality education is happening at Bright Futures Secondary School. Students, who are all living in extreme poverty, now have a brighter future. We need to grow our team to continue supporting the school and the young people. Will you be part of our team? Can you spare £5 or £10 per month to make a difference?

Enjoy the photos and videos. There are two videos of the other piglets, born a few weeks ago, now growing well. Thanks to everyone who supports the students. To the organisations and individuals who have believed in us and provided funding for Bright Futures Secondary School.

School starts back very soon and we are looking for sponsors for individual students which is £25 per month and also ‘Friends of Bright Futures Secondary School’ and ‘Friends of Bright Futures Nursery’ to support these projects with a monthly or one off donation. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Will you help us support some of the most vulnerable children in Malawi please? Together, we can be a team that can continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thank you, Sarah x

Bright Futures for S2 students
Five Little Pigs

BFSS S4 Graduation

In today’s blog, I am sharing some amazing photos and videos from the BFSS S4 graduation ceremony and party.

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Sarah’s blog 26/6/26

In Scotland, where I live, for most, today is the last day of school before the summer holidays. For the S4 students in Malawi, it is their last day of school before their final school exams start on Monday. Today, I am sharing some amazing photos and videos from the BFSS S4 graduation ceremony and party.

The BFSS S4 graduation ceremony and party happened on Sunday afternoon. The teachers did a fantastic job of giving these students a great send off. This is the first lot of students from Bright Futures Secondary School to have completed all four years of education at Bright Futures and be sitting their MSCE exams (Malawi School Certificate of Education). We wish them every success in their exams and for their futures. We are so pleased to have these photos and videos of the BFSS S4 Graduation.

We are all so proud of the young people they have become. Whilst at BFSS, as well as learning the curriculum subjects, they have better numeracy, literacy, they have learned how to grow vegetables and care of chickens, pigs and goats, they have learned how to sew and do some basic carpentry. The students have enjoyed playing football, netball and rugby with their friends.

Above all, they have had the opportunity for a brighter future. Who knows if the girls would have been married off at age 12 or 13 and have had babies by now? Who knows if the boys would have been having to steal to feed themselves? Thankfully, because of the opportunity they have been given, they now have more choices and chances for a brighter future.

Thank you to their teachers for all their hard work. Thank you to the parents and caregivers for encouraging the young people to attend school. Most of these students are either from single parent families or living with extended family. They are all living in extreme poverty and know that education will give them and their loved ones the opportunity of a brighter future.

So we thank their sponsors for supporting these young people through school. Your monthly donation of £25 has provided a nutritious school lunch each day which, for most, is the only food they eat each day. You have also helped provide the stationery that the students need. Periodically, the young people receive new clothes and shoes. As you can see in these great photos and videos, the young people have been given new clothes. The t-shirts were donated by All Saints Junior School in Maidenhead.

So as we say ‘goodbye and good luck’ to these wonderful young people, we are looking for people to sponsor and support students who are looking for a place at Bright Futures Secondary School in September. The more people who want to help, the more young people can be offered a place in S1 in September. We really do need your help to give other deserving young people the opportunity of a brighter future. Will you join us? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com It’s only 85p per day to change a life.

Enjoy the photos and videos and do get in touch if you would like to support a young person like one of these amazing students graduating from Bright Futures Secondary School today. Thanks for reading and supporting the students, Bright Futures Secondary School and Changing Lives Malawi, Sarah x

S4 exams

Bunches of Bananas

Students at Bright Futures Secondary School are reaping the rewards of their hard work.

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Sarah’s blog 2/5/26

Last week Levison had the devastating news that lots of maize had been stolen from one of the fields. All their hard work gone. Future food for the children gone. Can you imagine how heart breaking this would be?

But here is some wonderful good news to share. The banana tubers that the students at Bright Futures Secondary School worked hard to plant, now have some bunches of bananas! Hard work is reaping rewards for the students in this project. This is a fantastic boost for them. Remember most of these students are orphans, living in extreme poverty with extended family. Their only food is the free lunch they are given at school each day. So this is a big deal for them.

Also banana tubers were shared with Chambo Primary School and they too have bananas… hopefully we will get an update from Chambo Primary next week.

The students at Bright Futures Secondary School are going to keep some bananas to eat but are going to sell the majority. They have been asked to think about what they should purchase with the funds from the sale of their bananas. And we look forward to hearing some of their ideas. I wonder what they will suggest?

This practical agriculture lesson has taught the students how to grow bananas should they wish to become farmers after they leave school. However, their learning is being extended by teaching them business skills and how to become self-sufficient. They will only be able to spend what someone is prepared to pay for their bananas.

Here are some quotes from students at BFSS.

Lloyd told Levison, ‘I am happy to see the saplings we planted a few months ago giving us fruits. I will make sure I plant some bananas for my family.’

A quote from Hilda, ‘I am just happy to be part of this gardening team.’

Saviour added, ‘Thanks to our supporters for giving us this opportunity to learn how to grow bananas. The skills will help me to earn money when I finish school.’

Will they choose to buy more banana tubers? Or some seeds or fertiliser? Or something they need for their classroom? A vote will be taken so that the students know their voices are being heard and that they are involved in shaping their own education and brighter future. Hope you enjoy these photos. Thanks again for supporting us to continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi, Sarah x

PS it’s only just over two weeks until Liz and I head off to Malawi for a fortnight. We are so looking forward to meeting everyone there and seeing projects like this. Will you support us to help vulnerable children while we are in Malawi? You can click on the link here and read about our trip and make a donation https://gofund.me/5d34c8533 . Alternatively, send an email to contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com for bank details or make a donation through our website. Every little helps as the saying goes! And we are very grateful to all of our supporters. Thanks again, Sarah

Bananas – a sustainable project

Sewing Classes at Bright Futures Secondary School

Sewing lessons at Bright Futures Secondary School are giving vulnerable students skills for life and giving back to the community.

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Sarah’s blog 26/2/26

Students have been busy in their Sewing Classes at Bright Futures Secondary School. To start with, they are helping with the Period Poverty Project. We are very proud of their efforts.

Girls miss one week of schooling every month because they do not have any sanitary pads and therefore have to stay at home. This is wrong that girls cannot access education because of a natural bodily function. We are helping to ensure that as many girls as possible can benefit from the gift of reusable sanitary pads. Will you help us?

Students, both male and female, have been learning to sew. They have been improving their hand sewing skills and using the sewing machines that we sent. They have been making bags and sanitary pads. These students are ensuring that girls will have equal access to education. Why should girls miss out on their education?

The Period Poverty Project aims to give out a bag containing ; underwear, reusable sanitary pads, soap and a health information leaflet. Through the sewing classes at Bright Futures Secondary School, students are giving back to their community. Students are also learning important skills for their futures.

Once enough supplies have been made for the local girls, students will move on to making something of their choice. I wonder what they will decide to make next? The Period Poverty Project sewing can be revisited again when the next group of students start sewing classes at Bright Futures Secondary School.

To get in touch with us our email is contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com . If you like the projects we are supporting and want to contribute financially, you can donate via our website or to our charity bank account – A/C no 21081462, Sort Code 80-22-60, Changing Lives Malawi, Bank of Scotland. The Period Poverty Project is an ongoing project, so more fabric and soap will need to be bought. The more supplies that can be made, the more girls that can be supported.

Thanks to teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School for supporting the students to learn new skills and for sending these photos. Thanks also to everyone who supports the students and projects like this. Together, we can continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thanks, Sarah x

Sewing Lessons at BFSS

No bees…yet

No bees in the new beehive…yet. Students have been to check the site where they placed their newly made hive.

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Sarah’s blog 16/1/26

On Wednesday, a group of students went to look at the beehive they had built and placed in the local forest. Unfortunately, there were no bees…yet. They will check regularly. They will research if there is any more they can do to encourage bees to take up residence in their new hive.

We have received some funding so that more wood can be bought so students can make additional beehives. Thank you to the donors for supporting this project. If you would like to make a financial contribution to enable the students to make more beehives then please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com The aim is that, as well as learning new skills, the school can become more self-sufficient. Projects like this can bring in an income and give students skills to be more confident about their futures. All they need now is bees!

Thank you also to the teachers who have supported the students to research, design and build the beehive. There is so much learning involved in this project. It’s great to see the students gaining skills and becoming more confident. They will be learning business skills too as well as becoming better at carpentry and beekeeping.

So, despite there being no bees…yet, I hope you enjoy the photos and videos I was sent by the teacher this morning. Let’s hope it isn’t too long before bees move in. Thanks, Sarah x

The First Finished Beehive

Two new classrooms

Thank you to charity ‘Vets with Horsepower’ for their help and support to build two new classrooms on Bright Futures Campus.

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Sarah’s blog 12/1/26

We are always grateful for the support and kindness we receive. As a very small group of volunteers, we work very hard and appreciate help we receive from others. Thanks to a donation we received from charity Vets with Horsepower, two new classrooms have been built.

The two new classrooms are a dedicated nursery classroom for Bright Futures Nursery and also a classroom for sewing and textiles. It is hoped that, in future, sewing lessons can be given to vulnerable people in the community and be a hub of activity. By learning new skills, people will be able to have a brighter future for themselves and their families.

Jessica Kidd, whom one of the classrooms has been named after, is a top equine vet and one of the key people in the charity Vets with Horsepower. She, Professor Knottenbelt (whose name is already above one of the other classrooms), and the other vets, are making a huge difference to the charities they have chosen to support. We are delighted to have been one of the charities to benefit.

Each year, talented equine vets give up their time and talents to share their knowledge and experience with other vets. As well as being equine vets, their other love is motorbikes. Hence, Vets with Horsepower. Different destinations are chosen in Europe. Last summer was ‘The Italian Job’. The team of vets travelled hundreds of miles on their motorbikes giving lectures in their various fields of expertise.

Here are photos of the finished building. There will be more photos and videos of the two new classrooms shared over the coming weeks. If you would like to support our charity to ensure that children and young people have a brighter and better future then please do get in touch contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com You can help by sponsoring a vulnerable young person’s education, or supporting the weekly feeding programme. There is a food crisis in Malawi and food is scarce. None of the children and young people we support have enough to eat. Or would you like to make a donation to an existing sustainable project or to a new one?

Thank you again to Vets with Horsepower. Thank you for all the organisation that goes into your trips. Also thank you to all the people who attended your lectures and contributed financially to enable the two new classrooms to be built. We are delighted that slowly and surely things are improving for that community and people living in extreme poverty. By supporting vulnerable teenagers through education and opportunities to learn new skills for life, they have brighter futures. They now have choices and chances that they wouldn’t otherwise have had. Thank you also to the people who support and sponsor the vets to ensure that they have the time off work and backing they need to give these lectures for their charity. Also to their families for supporting each of their trips. As we say about our charity too….it is always a team effort!

Thank you for making a difference and supporting us to continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi, Sarah x

Students are learning business skills

Thanks to their teachers, students at Bright Futures Secondary School have been growing and selling maize.

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1/1/26

Firstly we would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy New Year! I had to double check that I’d written the date correctly…it’s going to take a few days to remember that it is now 2026! Bright Futures Secondary School students are learning business skills.

Today’s post is a short one but is filled with hope for a brighter future for students. They are all vulnerable, have nothing and are living in extreme poverty. We cannot begin to imagine just how hard life must be, especially with the current food crisis and the heavy rains which have destroyed homes and crops as well as infrastructure.

However, this post shows that, bit by bit, things can change for the better. This is just a tiny drop in the ocean compared to how things need to change and how much money is needed to help this community back on its feet. It is a start and is a small good news story worth sharing at the start of a new year.

Teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School have been supporting students to grow vegetables. The students had planted a field of maize and have just sold half of the fresh maize (corn on the cob) to traders to sell at the market. The students will use the money to buy more seeds and fertiliser to plant more crops. The students are learning business skills for their futures.

This is such a great cross-curricular learning experience. As well as the agricultural skills they have learned during a complete growing cycle, they are learning about business opportunities and working together as a team.

These students will have far more skills for their futures as they become increasingly confident and learn to be entrepreneurs. They live in such a rural location that it is very likely that many of them will be working on the land in some form when they leave school. Having the opportunity of secondary education means that their numeracy and literacy skills will be better and will help them whatever they do for work in future.

Look how happy they are to have achieved and have been trusted by their teachers to be part of this project. Their self-esteem is growing and, hopefully, there will be more good news stories like this to report. Your support is important to ensure these students can continue learning new skills and continue achieving. The end goal is always self-sufficiency but we need you as part of the team to ensure this can happen.

Levison specifically asked me to mention two teachers who have worked hard with the students on this project. Thank you to Mr Kanyimbo and Mr Msukwa for supporting the students in this ongoing project. Your hard work is greatly appreciated and you must be very proud of what your students are achieving.

Thanks for reading and supporting Changing Lives Malawi. If you’d like to support a specific project like this then please do email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thanks, Sarah x

The first video shows the maize being driven off to market by the person who purchased it. The second video shows students; Levi, Amos, Hilda and Bernard.

Bright Futures School’s Innovative Beekeeping Initiative

Students are making their beehives

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Sarah’s blog 19/11/25

As Bright Futures Secondary School wants to become more self-sufficient and have projects that will help with this, we asked our supporters on DonorSee to help with an innovative beekeeping initiative.

Once we sent the funds to Malawi, wood was bought to make the beehives. Firstly, students researched possible designs of beehives from the beekeeping books in Emma’s Rainbow Library. Then they drew their chosen design. Last week they were measuring the wood and cutting it to size.

I’ve been sent some great photos and videos today by one of the teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School. Students decided that one of the hives should be built in the forest. In these photos and videos, it’s great to see the students working collaboratively and problem solving.

Although making the beehives is part of their new carpentry class, students will be studying beekeeping as part of their agricultural lessons. It is also giving them skills for life. Some students may use the knowledge they have gained at school to keep bees and sell the honey when they are older. Or some may become carpenters. It’s thanks to the kindness of strangers that they have had these opportunities. Opportunities for a brighter future.

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https://donorsee.com/project/29253?share=1 This is one of our other projects on DonorSee to provide material for the students to make reusable sanitary towels for all who need them, ensuring girls have the same access to school all month like the boys in their class. Or you can message me for bank details or donate via the website contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Hope you enjoy seeing the progress they are making. Your help is making a difference to these students who are living in extreme poverty. Together we can continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thank you for the support, Sarah x

Beehives at Bright Futures

Sewing Lessons at BFSS

Sewing classes at Bright Futures Secondary School are helping S3 and S4 students learn extra skills.

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Sarah’s blog 26/10/25

Levison Mlambya, the Director of Bright Futures Secondary School, has sent these great photos and a video of S3 and S4 students who are taking sewing lessons and carpentry classes to learn skills for life.

In the sewing lessons they are learning to use the sewing machines that have been donated and sent on the container via The Bananabox Trust.

Learning skills for life will equip these vulnerable students, who are all living in extreme poverty, with a way to earn money in future, giving them choices and chances they wouldn’t have had previously. Many thanks to the donors of the sewing machines & sewing supplies.

If you’d like to make a donation to support buying more fabric we would be very grateful. https://donorsee.com/project/29253?share=1

The plan is that during sewing lessons at BFSS, they make reusable sanitary pads and bags to put these in and, when there are enough, give them out to those who need them in various local schools. Your financial support will be so helpful.

Thanks also to their sponsors for supporting them. There are still S1 students needing to be matched with sponsors to support their education. https://changinglivesmalawi.com/2025/10/11/international-day-of-the-girl-child/

Thank you for reading and supporting the teenagers at Bright Futures Secondary School, Sarah x

https://videos.files.wordpress.com/ZhqEbst7/3a2c0979-ea89-4e09-bfde-6b8fbb5e719c-1.mp4

Agribusiness Groups 2 & 3

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Sarah’s blog 23/6/25

Here is the proof that your help makes a difference! Thank you to the people who helped fund these two groups of ladies from our DonorSee appeals. There had been a slight delay in them getting started. The land that they are going to be farming had crops growing which had to be harvested. This has now happened so the ladies are ready to start work.

These women are some of the poorest in their community and most in need. As they are living in extreme poverty, they have been unable to provide for themselves and their families. Some of the women have been affected by HIV and are bringing up their families alone.

Maria, in group 2, had been a student at Bright Futures Secondary School. She became pregnant and had her little boy. Maria’s aunt looked after the baby whilst Maria returned to school. She has tried so hard to continue her education but, they live a long walk from school and her little boy was failing to thrive. Maria was sitting in class worrying about him. She was exhausted. Maria decided to drop out of school. She has been working for farmers doing piecework to earn a pittance. Maria is a very hard worker and is delighted to have the opportunity to be part of agribusiness group 2 (she holding the watering can in the photo). Her little boy, Wakisa, now has a sponsor to ensure that he has a food parcel each month.

Agribusiness Group 2

Mrs Ng’ambi, whose house was repaired through another DonorSee project, struggled to feed herself and her four children. She is delighted with the new roof on her house. She has been offered a place in agribusiness group 3. Her future is looking much happier. She is on the left of the photo. Both groups have been given seeds, fertiliser, spades and watering cans. Thank you everyone who helped to give these ladies this opportunity and hope for a brighter future.

Agribusiness Group 3

We have a few projects on our DonorSee site to try to give some of the poorest people a helping hand so that they can help themselves. Everyone wants to work hard and be self-sufficient but things are so difficult for them that they need our support. Will you help please? If lots of us give a little then change will happen.

We know that our supporters care about our projects. We are asking for your help to buy more fruit tree saplings and banana tubers to help feed all the hundreds of orphans that rely on the weekly feeding programme. There are no porridge programmes in primary schools in the rural far north of Malawi. Most children are suffering from malnutrition. All are hungry. How can they concentrate at school when their bodies don’t have the nutrients they need? How can they get to sleep at night when their tummies are empty and sore? Do you want to support children to have enough to eat?

Students are learning skills for life through planting and caring for the saplings that have already been planted. We want them to be self-sufficient in years to come and have fruit to eat and surplus fruit to sell. However, when there are 500+ children who do not have food at home to eat and rely on the weekly feeding programme, that is a huge amount of fruit tree saplings and banana tubers that will be needed. Will you help them have a brighter future? Will you help us try to ensure that less children are suffering with malnutrition? Here is the link to donate https://donorsee.com/project/27708?share=1 or you can contact me for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

We are also appealing for more tools to help students with their practical agricultural classes and also start doing some basic carpentry classes. These are all skills for life for students living in such a rural location and will help them earn a living in the future. https://donorsee.com/project/27684?share=1 or send me an email for bank details.

Many thanks for your continuing support of our charity, where you know that all money goes to the projects we support, as we are all volunteers, passionate about making a difference to the community we are helping in rural northern Malawi. However, it is always about teamwork and our donors are a valuable part of our team. We couldn’t do what we do without you. Thanks again, Sarah x

Agribusiness Update

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

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