Tag: sponsored

Sponsored Children & Young People -food parcels (part 1)

Having a sponsor is making a huge difference to some of the most vulnerable children and young people we help to support. All of them are living in extreme poverty. All are hungry. Many are malnourished. Many are orphans living with extended family.

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Sarah’s blog 11/9/25

Having a sponsor is making a huge difference to some of the most vulnerable children and young people we help to support. All of them are living in extreme poverty. All are hungry. Many are malnourished. Many are orphans living with extended family.

One way that sponsors are changing the lives of children is that the younger ones (those not at secondary school) receive a monthly food parcel/care package. As you can see in these photos, as well as maize, they have each received a bottle of cooking oil and two bars of soap.

Usually, students at Bright Futures Secondary School don’t receive this monthly parcel, as they receive a free school lunch each day instead. This, for most, is their only meal each day so it is vitally important that free lunch is supplied as well as free education. The small amount of food that the family has at home can be shared amongst other family members as they know the student has had a nutritious lunch. As it is school holidays, the sponsored students at Bright Futures Secondary School have received a food parcel instead of school lunches.

There were some children and young people who didn’t attend to receive their parcel but it has been kept for them and, hopefully, we will have photos of the remaining sponsored children and young people within the next couple of weeks. As it is school holidays, some have gone to stay with relatives slightly further away, others are working in the fields to try to bring in a tiny income for their families to use to buy food.

Life is really hard for them all as there are no big charities feeding children in primary schools in the far north of Malawi. We can only afford to support a feeding programme once a week whilst sustainable projects are being set up to help the community be self-sufficient. However, everyone can see that life is much better than it was. Having a sponsor for the most vulnerable is giving them hope of a brighter future.

Secondary School needs to be paid for in Malawi and none of the young people we help to support could afford to pay school fees. They can attend Bright Futures Secondary School free of charge if we can match them with a sponsor to help us with the cost of their secondary education and school lunches.

Will you please sponsor a vulnerable young person who is waiting for a place at Bright Futures Secondary School? It’s only £25 per month and you can sponsor as an individual, friends or family or your business can sponsor a young person. Email if you’d like to help contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com .

I’d just like to take a moment to apologise that there haven’t been more updates on sponsored children & young people recently. The last 18 months had been really difficult for me with caring responsibilities and therefore I haven’t been able to dedicate as much time as I would have liked. However, I am now catching up with everything and aim to get more information and updates to sponsors more often.

Our sponsored children section on our website also needs updating and is on the list of jobs to do. Every child or young person who is matched with a sponsor will have their own page on our website that I will update with information and photos regularly and sponsors will be able to click on the link for their child or young person.

So here are the first photos of children & young people looking so much healthier and happier thanks to support of their sponsors. Many thanks as we couldn’t do what we do without your help. Together we are Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thanks for being so supportive, Sarah x

The New Staffroom – Planning for September

Lots happening in preparation for more teachers & students at Bright Futures Secondary School in September.

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Sarah’s blog 02/05/25

Now that the rainy season is over, it is far easier to get on with building work. As there will be four classes next year at Bright Futures Secondary School, and more teachers need to be employed, a staffroom is needed. As you will see from the photos, the builders are working really hard and it won’t be long until it’s finished.

All students at Bright Futures Secondary School have been matched with sponsors to support their education. Secondary education needs to be paid for in Malawi and none of the young people we help to support would have the opportunity to progress past primary school, even though they passed their primary school leavers exams. Teachers salaries have to be paid, students receive a free school lunch every day (for most their only meal each day), school uniform and other clothes, stationery and exam fees are all free of charge to students.

As everything is free of charge for these vulnerable young people who are living in extreme poverty, we cannot unfortunately accept additional students who do not have a sponsor helping to support the costs of their time at Bright Futures Secondary School. Levison told me this week that recently he has had over two hundred young people pleading for places at Bright Futures Secondary School. Their families have not been able to keep up payments for the secondary schools that these students are attending and they have been chased out of school due to non payment of fees. Unfortunately, all Levison can do is to take a note of their names. This is a really difficult situation. The more sponsors we have then the more students can attend Bright Futures Secondary School.

We are already thinking about September when there will be a new class of S1 students to find sponsors for. It is still only £25 per month to help support a student. If you would like to express an interest in supporting a young person in September then please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com . We also have younger children who are needing immediate support if you would like to be matched with one of them we would be very grateful.

Right now we are raising money to buy soap for all the children and young people who use the feeding programme each week, Bright Futures Nursery, Bright Futures Secondary School and Chambo Primary School. There is always soap for handwashing and showering at Bright Futures Campus but the vast majority of these children and young people do not even have one bar of soap at home. The Malawi Government have issued guidelines to help protect against outbreaks of the MPox virus. Thankfully, there are none in that immediate area but we must help with preventative measures. You can either email for bank details to donate or give via this link https://donorsee.com/project/27307?share=1 .

We are also still fundraising to buy notebooks and pencils for students at Chambo Primary who have none https://donorsee.com/project/25617?share=1

The students at Bright Futures Secondary School are also still fundraising to have their own beehives. This will give them more agricultural skills as well as providing honey and an income from selling surplus supplies. https://donorsee.com/project/25476?share=1

I’d like to thank everyone for the ongoing support we receive, both here and in Malawi. It’s always about teamwork and, playing our small part of a team, using our skills, we can do great things and help continue Changing Lives (in) Malawi. Thank you, Sarah x

The new staffroom at Bright Futures Campus is taking shape

A new roof for the Ng’ambi family

Some wonderful photos and videos to show that a little bit of help can make a big difference. Thank you to everyone who has helped the Ng’ambi family.

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Sarah’s blog 16/4/25

Some of these videos have made me cry earlier on today along with the story I am going to tell you in today’s blog.

Last month we highlighted a family who are living in extreme poverty. Mrs Ng’ambi is now a single parent struggling to bring up her four children. She has nothing and her roof has huge holes in it. The family sleep on the floor in the mud during rainy season. My previous post is in the link below.

Support the Ng’ambi Family: Donate for a New Roof

We asked for help for this family and the response was overwhelming. Have I said before that our supporters are amazing? We are so grateful to everyone for their generosity. The four children now have sponsors thanks to Willow & The Olive Branch gift and flower shop in Balfron Facebook (if you live locally to me, this is such a lovely shop and well worth a visit).

We also had a fundraiser on DonorSee for a new roof for the family. We still have other projects looking for funds. Changing Lives Malawi Supporters kindly donated money to buy supplies for a new roof. Because of the rural location and because there is so much to do, it can take a while to organise. However, yesterday was the day for the new roof. Just look at the difference we, along with all of you, and the team in Malawi, can make to individuals in dire need!

Levison and team arrived with supplies and had to carry them for the last part of the journey as the truck could only go so far. Mrs Ng’ambi was told she was getting a new roof. She didn’t believe Levison. She couldn’t comprehend what was happening. She kept saying to Levison ‘but where will we go’ ‘we have nowhere else to go’. She thought she was being forced to leave and the roof was being fixed for someone else.

Imagine having so little and it being a constant struggle. Mrs Ng’ambi must have felt she was not worthy of the help and attention she and her children were receiving. Even after it was explained to her again she said that she didn’t have any money to pay for a new roof. She tried to give them the few possessions she had in payment for the roof.

Mrs Ng’ambi was in a state of shock and untrusting of what was happening for the whole time the new roof was being built. Only afterwards, when Levison and the whole team each told her that there was no charge and the work was done for free for her and her children that she finally accepted that she wasn’t expected to either leave her home or pay for the materials that were used.

You can see in the last video that Mrs Ng’ambi and one of her daughters is crying as they are overcome with emotion that they have had such support and they are so thankful.

Levison had taken food with him so that they could all share a meal together. As Mrs Ng’ambi is so poor and not used to receiving anything or any attention, this was a big deal to be brought lunch and to be served lunch by Levison.

The roof was completed yesterday but the gaps above the bricks have been filled in today. The carpenter is making them a new door too that will shut properly at night. This will help keep the girls safe as they grow up.

One thing that made me cry is when Levison told me that the family had woken during the night when it started raining. They thought their new roof was breaking due to the noise of the rain on the iron sheets. None of them had ever slept in a building with a proper roof before. So they didn’t expect the noise or understand what it was. They are happy now that they have been reassured that rain bouncing off a roof is a normal noise and can actually be quite nice when you are inside and know that you are no longer going to get wet while you try to sleep at night.

It is so humbling to be able to help people who have absolutely nothing but, with teamwork, we can make a difference. We know we can’t help everyone or change the whole world, but we can change the world for a few people. Thank you so much to everyone who has helped this little family. Hopefully, they are now starting to feel better about their future. They have some food coming into their home every month, thanks to the children being sponsored, and now their home has a lovely new roof. Thank you again, Sarah x

At this point Mrs Ng’ambi is still unsure of what is really going on. She thinks she might be forced to leave her house. She doesn’t understand that the repairs are all for her and her family.
In this video you can see one side of the previous roof that is made of sticks fall off in one piece.
As the truck could only get so near, the supplies had to be carried the rest of the way.
Levison explains, again, to Mrs Ng’ambi and her children that this new roof is for them and it is a gift. Supporters wanted to help to make their lives a little bit better.

Support the Ng’ambi Family: Donate for a New Roof

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Sarah’s blog 4/3/25

Recently, we highlighted on social media the Ng’ambi family who are living in extreme poverty, very much in need of help as their situation is dire. The mother has four children. Her husband was ill but also left them on their own.

Their small home has a roof made from branches and leaves and has huge holes in it. It is rainy season and their home is full of water and there is thick mud on the floor. The five of them huddle together on dirty blankets. They need help!

We need your help to purchase metal sheets to replace their roof. Two of the children have been sick from malaria recently…mosquitos love the rainy season and they have no protection from all the bugs and insects.

Thankfully, after our appeal, we have sponsors for all four children which means, as well as them continuing to access the weekly feeding programme, each of the four children will receive a food parcel once a month. This will supplement any food Mrs Ng’ambi is able to buy through doing piecework.

All of the children in the Ng’ambi Family will receive new clothes and blankets from the boxes that arrived on the container, but the immediate issue was to give them some food to eat.

Levison bought maize (which has doubled in price) for the family, thanks to donations we received from generous supporters. The family was asked to come to see Levison. Naomi (the eldest) was missing as she is unwell but the rest of the family came. Mrs Ng’ambi was so thankful for the food that they have been given. She said “Is it really happening to me? It is like I am dreaming. Thank God! I didn’t expect this.”

So if you would like to help us enable the Ng’ambi Family to have somewhere dry to sleep, please do consider making a small donation to help us help them. You can email for bank details contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com or donate at https://donorsee.com/project/26482?share=1 Thank you for continuing to support the most vulnerable children and young people and their families in rural northern Malawi, Sarah x

Thanks to generous donors, Mrs Ng’ambi can now feed her children and they have been given clean clothes.
As you can see, the family is malnourished, dressed in rags and have no shoes. They will be given clothes, shoes & blankets from the boxes we have sent.
Sylvia, having a nap on the dirty blankets/sheets that the family share on the earth floor. As soon as it rains, they are wet and the floor turns to mud.
This is the roof on the family’s home. Look at the huge gaps where the rain gets in. Please help us help this family have somewhere dry to sleep.
Clean clothes and food, Mrs Ng’ambi is very thankful.

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!

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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.

Two little boys

Look at the difference in these two little boys. Having sponsors to give them a helping hand has changed their lives. Could you make a child smile by being their sponsor?

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Sarah’s blog 1/1/24

Firstly let me start by wishing everyone a very Happy New Year. May we all be healthy and happy and have enough to share with those who are in need.

I want to start 2024 off by sharing photos of two little boys. You will see the difference in them.. The reason? They both have sponsors. This means that a monthly food parcel goes to their home to supplement whatever food the family have. They also receive clothes, shoes, soap, toothbrush & toothpaste.

Of course, they have access to the weekly feeding programme where 500 of the most vulnerable children are fed a substantial and nutritious meal. For many, this is their only proper meal of the week. Unfortunately, we do not have enough money to run the feeding programme more often and no big charities are feeding children in schools in that area, meaning most are suffering from malnutrition.

When we first met Brighton, he was in rags and starving. He had to be showered as he was dirty and his hair was covered in lice.

Elijah was also wearing rags and malnourished and his parents were very embarrassed that they couldn’t feed him or his siblings properly.

Thanks to two kind sponsors who came forward in answer to our appeal these two boys are doing so much better. Elijah and Brighton both have lovely smiles. They are attending school regularly and doing well.

This is the difference having a sponsor can make. Wouldn’t you like to give a vulnerable child a chance at a better and brighter future? Wouldn’t you like to make a child smile?

It’s only £25 per month to sponsor a child or young person. You can sponsor as an individual, a family or two friends can split the cost. It might be the most important decision you ever make for a child like Elijah or Brighton. Hundreds of children & young people need a helping hand. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Thank you to all our sponsors for the difference their help is making. Levison started taking photos of the sponsored children and young people yesterday, so hopefully we will have a new photo of all of them very soon. Many thanks, Sarah x

At last Elijah has something to smile about…and what a lovely smile!
Brighton looks so much better & it’s lovely to see him smile.

Having a sponsor – making a difference

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Sarah’s blog 8/2/23

I want to show you how sponsors ARE making a difference and ARE changing children’s lives. By making a commitment to a child you can help them have a brighter future.

Maria Sibwila was 11 when Levison first asked for help for her. Maria is an orphan living with her grandparents. At age 11 she was in danger of being married off as her grandparents couldn’t afford to feed her. Thanks to having a sponsor, Maria is looking happy and healthier. The difference in her is amazing to see. She no longer worries about child marriage. Could you sponsor one of Maria’s friends?

The next good news story is about a mum, on her own, with six children. The older children have missed out on schooling to earn some money in order to help support the family and the younger children at school. We first saw the two youngest children, Lucia and Rodrick, when they came to the Feeding Programme. They were dressed in rags and very obviously malnourished. They were given food and new clothes and Lucia was matched with a sponsor.

Levison visited the whole family at home and when he found out how much the family was struggling, asked me to try to match more of the children with sponsors. Thankfully, two sponsors came forward for Ketti (not pictured today) and Temwa. So the family have three out of the six children matched with sponsors, meaning that there are three food parcels each month to supplement what they have to eat. All the children are now attending school. Thank you so much to the sponsors for giving these children a chance at a better life.

Thank you to all our sponsors. Through your generosity, these children now have happier lives and brighter futures. If you’d like to change a child’s life by being a sponsor please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x

No one has ever become poor by giving (Anne Frank) – Changing Lives Malawi

Lucia and her family – Changing Lives Malawi

Merchiston Castle School – another rugby donation

Another generous rugby donation from Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh – thank you

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Sarah’s blog 2/2/23

Bruce Aitchison, a housemaster at Merchiston Castle School, has been so supportive of our charity and of introducing rugby to the orphans and other vulnerable children we support in rural Northern Malawi. Bruce also runs the social media site for rugby fans ‘Happiness is Egg Shaped’.

Rugby was only played for the first time in the far north when Jack Mphande, Malawian Rugby Development Coach visited last year. We and Community Sports Leaders Africa sponsored Jack’s visit to coach the young people who absolutely loved it. The fact that someone came from the south to spend time with the orphans was a huge deal to them. They no longer feel forgotten and they know that people are investing in their futures.

Last year Stuart, my husband, travelled to Edinburgh to Merchiston Castle School, to meet with Bruce and some of the boys who are students there to receive a big donation of rugby kit, boots and rugby balls. These have all now arrived in Malawi and the young people have modelled them and are delighted with such smart rugby kit. Bruce contacted us to say that there were more boots for us to send so we were able to meet him this morning. These donations will make such a difference to the young people’s mental health as well as enjoying playing rugby for their physical health.

Jack Mphande has kindly set aside two weeks (in May/June dates to be confirmed) to head north once again to train teachers in the 14 primary schools and also coach the young people at Bright Futures Secondary School. We estimate that to facilitate this it will cost approximately £400 so any help would be much appreciated. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

All the rugby balls, kit and boots will be able to be shared amongst the different schools. A lot of students, even though they are still at primary school, are teenagers, as they have missed a lot of school to work for a pittance to try to earn money for food. These vulnerable students love playing team sports and are able to forget about the poverty they live in and the trauma they have experienced. Spending time learning new skills and playing competitively with their friends is so good for them.

Thanks so much to Bruce and Merchiston Castle School. I’ve included some links from Bright Futures Secondary School and Jack’s first rugby visit.

Hope you enjoy the photos and videos and reading my blogs and thank you everyone who has supported us to help the children in Malawi, Sarah x

Phase 2 0f Bright Futures Secondary School – classrooms 3 & 4 – Changing Lives Malawi The link to our fundraiser for phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School is https://gofund.me/ece5753a

Rugby, School & Sponsorship – Changing Lives Malawi

Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh – Rugby Kit Donation – Changing Lives Malawi (includes links to Jack Mphande’s first rugby visit)

Housemaster Bruce Aitchison who also runs the rugby social media site ‘Happiness is Egg Shaped’
Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh
Today’s donation was two big bags of rugby boots – thanks to Bruce and everyone who donated their boots!
Some of the students at Bright Futures Secondary School with the generous donation of kit, boots and rugby balls from Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh

A great photo of orphans enjoying playing rugby during Jack Mphande’s first coaching visit to introduce rugby in the far north of Malawi.

Reasons to celebrate

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Sarah’s blog 27/12/22

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. I just wanted to post a few videos celebrating how wonderful we think the children in Ibuluma are. There are hundreds of them who are malnourished and have suffered varying amounts of trauma but, despite all that they are doing well. They now know that people care about them.

If you have helped us then we thank you. Here are ways you can support us to continue Changing Lives Malawi.

1. Donate to help us build phase 2 of Bright Futures Secondary School (classrooms 3 & 4) https://GoFund.me/44a92444

2. commit a monthly amount of £5 or £10 to support one of our feeding programmes; the nursery, secondary or weekly feeding programme for 500 children.

3. Sponsor a vulnerable child or young person for £25 per month which supports their education and provides a monthly food parcel. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy the videos. I’d be grateful if you could share with others as we try to grow our audience. Thanks, Sarah x

Rugby coaching
no guitar? no problem! let’s make one!
An update from Catherine
Getting used to the new computers in the library. Children are wearing clothes from Strathblane Primary and Riverside Primary Schools in the Stirling area of Scotland.
Food, fun and dancing at the Christmas Party
Chancy thanking his sponsors and telling them he passed his exams
one of the football matches…everyone loves team sports
Trying out the new clippers we sent
Let’s dance!
Laston, one of the sponsored children, asking for a new school. He is doing well now after missing a great deal of school to help a farmer look after his cows for the equivalent of £1.50 per month.

International Children’s Day

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Sarah’s blog 20/11/22

Every day is a day to celebrate children but today is International Children’s Day. Today I am thinking about the hundreds of wonderful, resilient children we help to support in rural northern Malawi. Despite the fact that they have all experienced grief, trauma, malnutrition, poverty and hardship, they get on with things and make the best of life. Many have missed out on a proper childhood as they have had to work long hours, missing school, for a pittance to try to help feed themselves and their family.

We are helping to change their lives. We need your help. We are a team, each with our own part to play. These vulnerable children need a team around them to help nurture them and help them thrive. They are fed once a week at The Feeding programme. We would love to do this more often if we had more funds. If you would like to support the feeding programme for 500+ children by donating a monthly amount, then please email me contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

The Child Sponsorship Project matches the most vulnerable children with sponsors. The children receive clothes, a blanket, a monthly food parcel, welfare checks, and secondary education. If you are able to sponsor a child, then please do get in touch. It is only £25 p/m to sponsor a child and it might be the most important thing you ever do for these very vulnerable children. You can sponsor as an individual, a family, a business or share the cost with a friend. Please do let me know if you could help give a child a brighter future. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Here are some of the young people who have just started at Bright Futures Secondary School and who need your help. Please will you sponsor me? – Changing Lives Malawi

We are also looking for people who can commit £5 or £10 per month (or an amount of your choice) to help support hot, nutritious school lunches for the teenagers at the new school. Is this something you can do? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Bright Futures Secondary School – phase 1 has been completed and welcomed new students two weeks ago. We are continuing to fundraise for desks, more textbooks, and towards building classrooms 3 & 4. If anyone is able to donate £500 or over, they can have one of the classrooms named after them (or the name of a business etc). The school fundraiser is here https://gofund.me/44a92444

The School Literacy Project is ensuring that children have access to books on a daily basis. We are sending boxes of books to primary schools in rural Northern Malawi. How can children learn to read if they don’t have books to practice with?

Sports – Children and young people are playing football, netball and rugby. They can forget about their problems whilst playing with their friends. They are learning new skills and becoming more confident. Team sports are good for physical and mental health.

There are so many other ways that the lives of the hundreds of vulnerable children that we help to support are changing for the better. We want them to have choices and opportunities. We want them to be the best that they can be. We want them to have brighter futures. We want them to learn to be self-sufficient. They also want these shared goals. Please do read through the different pages on our website and my blog pages for all the things that the children are doing and getting involved with.

Sinclair House School Fulham

At the start of the year, I was offered school uniform from a preparatory in London. Sadly, the school was closing due to covid and lockdown, so there was lots of uniform that needed a new home. We were very thankful to be offered this for the very vulnerable children we support in rural northern Malawi, and we were grateful too for the donation made towards covering the cost of sending the boxes on the container.

As this was a school for younger children the uniform is obviously in smaller sizes. However, because of malnutrition and poverty, the 500 plus children that are supported through various projects, are a bit smaller than the age sizes stated on the clothes. So here are some of the first boxes of uniform from Sinclair House School that were given to children this morning. There will be more given out during the week, and some will also be given to children at a nearby primary school. As you will see, some of the teenage students at Bright Futures Secondary School were able to fit into the largest size of the sportswear and they were delighted to receive these. The girls were pleased with their trousers too… culturally girls and women only wear dresses and skirts, but teenage girls are beginning to ask to wear trousers.

I hope you enjoy the photos. One young person that I will show you photos of to show just how much having a sponsor can change a life is Laston. He lives with his grandmother. He missed so much school as he was helping a farmer with his cows and being paid approximately £1.50 per month. He was depressed and hungry and only had the clothes he was wearing. His life has changed thanks to his sponsor. Please, on International Children’s Day, consider helping to change the life of another vulnerable child who is waiting. Thank you for reading and for everyone who supports our work, Sarah x

contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

l-r Maria, Margaret, Laston and Brian are delighted with their new clothes they received today

In the picture on the left, Laston only has the clothes he was wearing. His shoes have holes at the front as they are too small for him. He missed lots of school to work for a farmer, helping with his cows, for £1.50 per month. Thankfully, we were able to match him with a sponsor and he is doing well at school.
Some of the students at the new school – Bright Futures Secondary School
Margaret is delighted with her new clothes
Maria loves her new clothes and is enjoying wearing trousers!
Some of the students at Bright Futures Secondary School
Thank you for their new uniform
Students looking very smart in their new uniform
Maria is looking very smart
Brian looking smart in his new uniform
Thank you for the donations Sinclair House School
Margaret in her classroom
Maria
New cardigans for these younger girls
Lots of happy children with their new clothes
Thank you for the new smart uniform
looking very smart in their blazers!
Very smart in new shirts and navy shorts
Thank you for my new blazer!

Emily and Catherine

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Sarah’s blog 19/11/22

This is the story of Emily and Catherine, two girls who have greatly benefitted from being part of the sponsorship programme.

When students have taken their primary school leavers exams, they are placed according to their grades. The ones who have the highest grades are offered a place at Wenya Secondary School, then after that Chisenga Secondary School.

Part of the reason Bright Futures Secondary School was built, and is so important for the community, is that there are not enough places on offer at Wenya and Chisenga for all students who passed their primary school leavers exams. Those with the best grades get chosen for a secondary school place. The rest do not get a place and have to either leave school with only primary school qualifications, or resit p8 with the hope of getting better exam results the following year and being offered a place at Chisenga. All secondary school education must be paid for. If you cannot pay, even if you are offered a place, then you cannot go. Students at Bright Futures Secondary School, who are the most vulnerable, will not have to pay any fees.

Emily and Catherine both did so well in their primary school leavers exams that they were offered places at Wenya Secondary School which was an amazing achievement for them. They have been encouraged and supported and are thriving and working hard. They have just started in 3rd year at Wenya after passing their second-year exams. They made these short videos before they returned to school and are both growing in confidence which is lovely to see.

When they were originally picked to go to Wenya school, and others were picked for places at Chisenga, I had a huge shopping list of what needed to be purchased for all the students. I suggested that Levison take Emily and Catherine with him on that shopping trip to help him. He had to hire a car as there was so much to buy, and the three of them had a great day. It was the first time the girls had been to town and the first time they had eaten in a restaurant. Good experiences for them before going to their new school.

So, if you needed proof that being a sponsor CAN change lives and DOES make a difference, then Emily and Catherine are great examples of how you could get involved and change a child’s life. There are so many others like Emily and Catherine just waiting for someone to take a chance on them and give them the gift of education. It’s only £25 per month and you can sponsor as an individual or share the cost with a friend. It might be the most important thing anyone ever does for a very vulnerable young person in rural northern Malawi. Thanks for reading and supporting, Sarah x

contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Please will you sponsor me? – Changing Lives Malawi

Catherine Nyondo
Emily Mkwala
Two years ago, just before starting at Wenya Secondary School, Emily and Catherine helped Levison with the school shopping list for themselves and the other sponsored young people. It was the first time they had been in town and at a restaurant for lunch. It was a great day for them.

The Day Before School Starts

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Sarah’s blog 6/11/22

It’s been a very busy weekend! Levison had the local dignitaries visit Bright Futures Secondary School on Friday prior to opening. The teachers arrived on Friday afternoon and have been settling in. You can read the full story from Friday here: VIP Visitors to Bright Futures Secondary School – Changing Lives Malawi

Boxes of supplies that we sent were opened yesterday containing: blankets, soap, toothbrushes & toothpaste, towels, pads of paper, calculators, dictionaries, filled pencil cases and bags. There is some preloved school uniform too, although not enough. We get lots of donations of primary school uniform but not high school ones. So, if anyone has preloved secondary school uniform they no longer require then please do email me. Also, school shoes for teen boys and girls are needed too. email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Today, the teachers have met to discuss the timetable and make plans before the children arrive tomorrow. It may take a few days for news to reach absolutely everyone that the school has opened so, hopefully, most children will turn up tomorrow or Tuesday. Also, it’s a difficult situation because so many teenagers are coming every day to ask for a place at Bright Futures Secondary School. Everyone is desperate for an education and a way to a brighter future.

Unfortunately, Levison is having to turn most of them away. As we are a small organisation, and building a school is a huge undertaking, we are having to build the school in phases. We are also keeping class sizes smaller than some schools, so that children have a better chance at a good education and to achieve. Eventually, we hope to have two classes in each of the four years of secondary school, with 45 children as the maximum in each class. However, this year we will have one class of S1, one class of S2 and a smaller class of S3 students, giving them all plenty of attention from the teaching staff.

Thank you so very much to all of you who have helped to fund the building of phase 1 of Bright Futures Secondary School. We really could not have achieved what we have without you. You will see from the video that the staff accommodation is nearest, and the school is in the far left as it pans round. I keep saying it’s all about teamwork and each of us have a part to play in the team that is supporting these orphans and other vulnerable children. Thank you.

If anyone would still like to contribute, we still need money for desks for the children https://gofund.me/44a92444. Thank you all, Sarah x

Just some of the resources we sent to support the children’s learning

The Foundation with the new staff accommodation front right and Bright Futures Secondary School far left.
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