Tag: students

A child’s right to nutritious food

UN rights of the child states in article 24 that children have the right to nutritious food. Please read today’s blog and help us if you can.

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Sarah’s blog 15/4/25

The United Nations Rights of the Child states in article 24 that children have the right to the best health care possible, safe water to drink, nutritious food, a clean & safe environment and information to help them stay well.

The Sustainable Development Goals number 2 is working towards zero hunger.

As many of you know, we help to support a feeding programme that runs once a week. It’s nowhere near enough, but all we can afford as we help the community to set up sustainable projects.

500 orphans and other vulnerable children access this feeding programme. Some walk as far as 15km-20km to have this one proper meal each week. Some young people carry their younger siblings. There are NO children being fed in primary schools in rural northern Malawi. All are hungry and many are malnourished. Some girls, despite it being illegal, are married off at age 11 or 12 as their families cannot afford to feed them.

Thankfully, because they have sponsors to help support their secondary education, all students at Bright Futures Secondary School have a nutritious free school lunch each day. In the video below, Ethel explains how none of the students have any food at home.

One of the big challenges, apart from sourcing food for so many people, is that prices continue to rise and currently the price of maize, where they are, has doubled from last year, and last year’s price was double the previous year. How are people supposed to feed their families? Most are really struggling and the situation is getting worse.

There is a holiday study school running this week and next for all students at Bright Futures Secondary School and p8 at Chambo Primary School to prepare them all for upcoming exams. There are teachers to pay, notebooks & pens to buy for the students at Chambo who have none, and food for all of them each lunchtime. Please will you help us? https://donorsee.com/project/26846?share=1

Having a nutritious meal at lunchtime is a huge treat for the students in p8 at Chambo Primary School. They don’t eat during their school day normally and their biggest meal is usually at the weekly feeding programme. We could not expect these young people to do extra studying and not feed them. Will you help us please? https://donorsee.com/project/26846?share=1 or you can email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com for other ways to donate or give through the link on our website. Donate money and gifts to Changing Lives Malawi We look forward to bringing you photos and videos from this week’s study school. Thank you for your continued help and support, Sarah x

The price of maize has quadrupled in the last two years. Families cannot afford to feed their children and we cannot afford to buy as much food with the same amount of money.
Some of the children lining up to receive food at the weekly feeding programme. They are all hungry. Many are malnourished.

BFSS Students Photos

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

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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

Andy’s Adventure

https://gofund.me/dc6fb80e We are really excited about this fundraiser! Click on the link and make a donation if you can please.

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Sarah’s blog 17/1/25

Just a quick blog today to introduce one of our trustees, Andy Ewing. Andy is planning a trip to Malawi this year to share his skills with the community we have been helping to support in rural northern Malawi.

Andy was born in Malawi and lived there for the first 5 years of his life. His background is engineering and if you click on the link to the fundraiser, you can read more about his exciting plans. Thanks, Sarahx https://gofund.me/dc6fb80e

https://gofund.me/dc6fb80e

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.

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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

World Children’s Day

For World Children’s Day today, this blog is about the right to health and health care. The Ministry of Health paid a visit to Bright Futures Secondary School.

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Sarah’s blog 20/11/24

This date was chosen in 1989, when the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention on the Rights of a Child. The Convention has 54 articles that cover all aspects of a child’s life regardless of gender, religion, disability or any economic, social, cultural, or political status.

Unfortunately, for the children and young people we are helping to support, not all of their rights are currently being met. However, things are improving and eventually we hope that all will have enough food, and a sufficient standard of living (article 27) and have good health and health services (article 24). I will attach the link to yesterday’s blog at the end of this post as it is a good example of how some things are improving for the orphans and other children living in extreme poverty.

Yesterday, officials from The Ministry of Health visited students at Bright Futures Secondary School. They were there to talk to students about Sex Education, HIV/Aids and other STIs as well as having a counselling service available and a voluntary testing service. I asked whether students felt embarrassed by this sort of visit. However, Levison said that the team visit schools on a regular basis and that everyone was happy to take part and used to talking about issues like this. Older students from Chambo Primary were also invited to attend the sessions. So this is one way the government are being proactive with supporting children’s health and their visit was very welcome.

As you can see from the photos and videos, when some of the younger children saw the visitors’ vehicle and heard their loud speaker they came to see what the excitement was about. They weren’t included in the educational sessions but had fun dancing and looking at the vehicle.

We are trying to make real change for these children through a variety of small projects on the DonorSee site. We would welcome any donation, big or small, to help us achieve our goals, especially on the run up to Christmas and the New Year. The link to our page is here https://donorsee.com/changinglivesmalawi?follow . Thank you everyone for your support, it’s much appreciated, Sarah x

Facts & Figures from Chambo Primary School

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

International Day of Charity

On International Day of Charity will you join our supporters by donating to one of our projects. You will be helping some of the most vulnerable children in Malawi.

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Sarah’s blog 5/9/24

“Show kindness and compassion to others” is the slogan of the International Day of Charity set up by The United Nations.

As you might know, because we are supporting a whole community living in extreme poverty. Support in the rural far north of Malawi is minimal so we are trying to work with the team there taking an holistic approach. Which is why you will see me doing so many appeals for different projects. However, they all lead to the end goal of self-sufficiency and sustainability.

Currently, there is new accommodation being built for teachers as there is nowhere locally for them to rent. It’s really difficult to get teachers to come to such a rural location and of course they need to be paid!

We still have nine young people who have passed their primary school leavers exams who are desperately looking for sponsors so they can attend Bright Futures Secondary School. Secondary Education needs to be paid for in Malawi. None of the young people we support can afford to pay. Being sponsored ensures the student gets free secondary education, free stationery and uniform and a free school lunch. This is, for most, their only meal of the day and means at home there is one less mouth to have to feed.

Ensuring young people get to secondary school also means that there are far less teenage pregnancies than there would normally be and also less risk of girls being married off far too young. Even if students do not pass their final exams (of course we hope that they do), being in school has avoided these risks and students will be far more literate and numerate and have more life skills than if they hadn’t attended secondary school.

So please would you sponsor one of these 9 young people to go to Bright Futures Secondary School? It’s only £25 per month to sponsor a student. You could sponsor as an individual, or split the cost with a friend…or even 5 friends each paying just £5 per month. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com if you’d like to give a vulnerable young person a brighter future.

5 weeks to find sponsors for 11 vulnerable students

Or could you help with core costs of running the school each month? Or make a one off or monthly payment towards the expense of food for school lunches? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

Here are some of our projects that we are hoping to get funded on DonorSee

https://gofund.me/df580f5b This is the fundraiser for our School Literacy Project.

With your help, we are Changing Lives (in) Malawi. But it’s always about teamwork and we need to on our team to support hundreds of the most vulnerable children in Malawi, many of whom are orphans. On International Day of Charity, will you help a child? Thank you for reading and supporting our work, Sarah x

Lots of the children arriving at Bright Futures Campus to be fed – it’s their one proper meal of the week. It’s not enough but all we can afford while we help set up sustainable projects.

Clothes and soft toys for the children at Bright Futures Nursery

Vulnerable students were delighted to receive new school uniform when Bright Futures Secondary School opened in Nov 22.

Lots to do before the new term

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Sarah’s blog 21/8/24

There are so many things that are happening and I am just hoping they all come together in time for the new term starting.

Everyone in Malawi is working hard on building staff accommodation and checking supplies for the new term as well as setting up income generating projects as well as planting vegetables to eat. Applications for the new teaching positions have been received and are being reviewed. This is in addition to the pastoral work that Levison does for the most vulnerable children and continuing to source supplies for the weekly feeding programme.

Here, Jackie is doing an amazing job with crunching numbers and making the donations we have received go far. There is never enough money for all the wish lists and requests that are needed to support 500+ of the most vulnerable children and young people but we are trying our best. Currently, Jackie is ensuring there is money to buy more text books as well as all the various supplies needed for the accommodation block build, wages and other monthly costs. We really are grateful for all she does.

What am I doing? Sometimes that is difficult to answer lol. Some days, caring responsibilities take over and I don’t have as much time to give as I’d like to our charity, but I can only do my best with the time I have. Other days, I am working hard from morning until evening ticking off jobs on my list as I go. I am trying to make our charity known to more people with the hope that more donations will come in over time. I’m trying to find more sponsors so young people can go to secondary school and have a brighter future. i work closely with Levison and we are a good team. I’m writing blogs, and updating social media as well as liaising with potential donors…. and (when there is time) writing new grant applications. Oh and packing boxes with my husband Stuart who does an amazing job of organising all of the boxes to be packed properly, labelled and taped up ready for the next part of the journey to Malawi.

One of the goals that we are working towards is to help the community we are supporting to be self-sufficient. We have some small projects on the site DonorSee. Here is the income generating pig project link which just needs a few more people to donate and then it will be totally funded. https://donorsee.com/project/23894?share=1

https://donorsee.com/project/23995?share=1 is the link to help us provide more textbooks for the students at Bright Futures Secondary School.

https://donorsee.com/project/24114?share=1 is the link to help provide seeds for the students at BFSS to grow their own food.

Below is a previous post with details of the students who are looking for a sponsor to help them take up their place at Bright Futures Secondary School. All of these students passed their primary school leavers exams, which is excellent, but they need your help to support them at secondary school contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thank you so much to everyone who helps and supports us to make lives brighter for the young people, Sarah x

5 weeks to find sponsors for 11 vulnerable students

Easter Study School

Some photos and videos from Easter Study School at Chambo Primary and Bright Futures Secondary School…everyone is taking advantage of this great opportunity.

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Sarah’s blog 09/04/24

Today I have some photos and videos from the Easter Study School. The ones from Bright Futures Secondary School were taken by one of the teachers yesterday. Levison visited Chambo Primary this morning and sent the photos and videos from there.

To help us pay for the nutritious school lunches each day during the holiday school for 100+ students please donate here; https://donorsee.com/project/23049?share=1

We are grateful to everyone who is supporting these very vulnerable young people to have these extra eight days of study and a proper cooked lunch each day. Teachers have given up their holiday time, cooks have prepared and cooked lunch each day and other volunteers on campus ensuring that things run smoothly for the young people. The lunches are important as it’s probably the only proper meal each of these young people will get each day. How can we expect them to walk a long distance and concentrate all day if they haven’t eaten properly?

In Malawi, national exams are taken at the end of primary school (p8). If you don’t pass then you don’t go to secondary school. Also you don’t go to secondary school if you cannot afford to pay. So for most of these students at Chambo Primary, even if they do pass, unless we have managed to match them with a sponsor to help support their education at Bright Futures Secondary School, their education is still finished at the end of primary school. We need more sponsors please and it’s only £25 p/m…that’s less than £1 per day. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

National exams are also at the end of S2 and the end of S4. There aren’t any S4 students at Bright Futures Secondary School until September, so this study school is for the S2 and S3 students. BFSS is only half full currently. There is capacity for more vulnerable students, but we need your help and financial support for their education. It might be one of the most important things you do for one of these young people.

Students at Bright Futures Secondary School were asked ‘What is good about school being open during the holidays?’

Bethsheba said ‘It helps us to cover the load that haven’t been covered during second term so that we stay focused to the curriculum of Malawi Government’ (for info – may students have missed classes due to heavy rains preventing them cross the swollen rivers). She also said ‘It helps us that we are not supposed to be playing at home so that we maintain the striving of excellence.’

Lawrence stated ‘It helps us to have more knowledge about school and it helps us to avoid bad behaviour that might happen when you don’t go to school. It helps us to have access to have lunchtime food, since we are coming from far distance with emptied belly. So during the holiday we continue to have access to food which improve our health so that we stay focused on our studies without thinking about hunger.’

Mathias added ‘It helps students to maintain a good position such as a student may proceed in working hard whether during holidays or school days. It helps students to have full information about the subject which haven’t covered in the past term.’

Mphatso said ‘It helps to have more experience on how can we handle subjects during holidays hence improve experience of subject. It helps us always to think about our career journey through our studies during holidays or school days and it helps students to spend more time in reading and concentrate on school activities hence improvement in academically.’

Agness commented ‘ It helps us to continue with our studies regardless of it being holiday time. It lets us improve our knowledge. It also stops students joining in bad behaviour during holidays. Being at school gives students to have ample time to do revision work for the past term and looking for areas of improvement.’

One of the teachers, Mr Byfore Kalambo, at BFSS said ‘It’s most important to provide studies to our students because it helps us to cover all the topics from the previous term. It also helps us as the teacher to be well prepared and focused about the coming term because we are more aware about students weakness during the previous term and finding ways of improvements. It provides us more time to do revision work with students so that when the school is open we stay focused on the scheme of work (lesson plans) prepared while we are maintaining the whole curriculum. We also have the chance to be more flexible and relaxed with classes so students find it easier to ask questions freely during holiday time hence good interaction between us teachers and students.’

To help us pay for all the food for the 100+ students during the eight days you can donate here: https://donorsee.com/project/23049?share=1 or email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

I hope these photos and videos help to give you an insight into the schools and the vulnerable young people we are supporting. Supporting these students to succeed is always about teamwork. Will you be part of our team? Thanks, Sarah x

Easter Study School, School Lunches & hungry students

S2 English at BFSS
S3 Social Studies at BFSS
p8 at Chambo Primary School
p8 at Chambo Primary
p8 at Chambo Primary
p8 maths at Chambo Primary
S3 Social Subjects BFSS
English S2 BFSS
Biology S3 BFSS

BFSS Essay Competition S3 – March

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Sarah’s blog 13/3/24

Please could you help us this month? If you’d like to, you could get in touch to say which essay you like best this month. We will decide the winner on Monday 18th March so please do get in touch before then with your favourite and why you like it. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com or you can contact us via social media.

As you can read from the students’ essays, there have been challenges this term. One of the challenges being the rainy season and rivers being too big and fast to cross so students cannot come to school if it isn’t safe to cross the rivers. Hopefully, we will be able to build bridges to make it safe for all children, young people and adults in the community. Another challenge remains the distance that some of the young people have to walk to school. They are tired and have hardly any time to study.

One thing that has also been an upheaval for the students is that three of their teachers left. The government created many new teaching jobs and three of our teachers were successful in getting new positions. We wish them well and thank them for their hard work.

Thankfully, there were many applicants for the advertisements that Levison placed and three new teachers have started and are settling in nicely. It sounds, from the students’ essays that they are happy with their new teachers and are enjoying their learning experience at Bright Futures Secondary School.

We are hoping that the new teachers will take on responsibility for essay competitions with the other year groups at Bright Futures Secondary School so we hear and see more from the S1 and S2 students. Enjoy reading the essays and let us know which is your favourite. Thanks, Sarah x

International Women’s Day

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Sarah’s blog 8/3/24

The theme for this year’s International Women’s Day is ‘Invest In Women: Accelerate Progress’.

‘There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.’

Michelle Obama

Thanks to our wonderful supporters, Changing Lives Malawi is making a difference to hundreds of orphans and other young people each day.

Because we believe in equality and inclusion, girls and women have needed more help and support due to the dire poverty they live in. The women and girls are strong; grandmothers caring for grandchildren, widows bringing up six children alone, mother’s caring for disabled children whilst being judged by society as it must be their fault that their child is disabled. When things are so bad, these brave women, who have been strong for so long, need a helping hand to get back on their feet. We try to get their children matched with sponsors so that their is some food going into that home to supplement the meagre amount they have.

The end goal is that all families will have enough to eat, all children will be thriving and in education and the community will be self-sufficient through employment and sustainable projects.

One of the first things that happened is that we sent hand turn sewing machines and fabric to Malawi. A group of girls were shown how to make reusable sanitary towels for all who needed them. This is an ongoing project. Hundreds of girls have and will continue to attend school ALL MONTH the same as the boys. Previously they had to stay at home for one week each month so missed out on a quarter of their education. So equal access to education is improving for girls.

Another way that girls are being helped is that, although illegal, some girls are still at risk of being married off too young, whilst still children, as their families cannot afford to feed them. By matching them with a sponsor, they have food coming into their home and have welfare checks and, of course, access to quality education.

All the young people are desperate for education. They know that this is their way out of poverty. We are ensuring that girls, as well as boys, who wouldn’t normally be able to go to secondary school, receive a quality secondary school education and a cooked school lunch each day. This is free of charge as we match them with sponsors whose monthly contribution of £25 helps pay for their place at Bright Futures Secondary School.

In September, there will be the next intake of S1 students to Bright Futures Secondary School from pupils who are in p8 at Chambo Primary. Very few families can afford to pay for their child’s secondary education at one of the state secondary schools, which is why it was so important that Bright Futures Secondary School was built. However, each of these young people will need to be matched with a sponsor to enable them to attend Bright Futures Secondary School.

If you would like to help a young girl, in her last year of primary school, have the opportunity to be the best she can possibly be by sponsoring her through secondary education then please do get in touch. It’s only £25 per month and the cost can also be split between two friends or a group. contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com On International Women’s Day 2024, this might be the most important thing you ever do for one of these girls.

We have good, strong role models in female teachers and staff and, of course, this offers employment and makes women independent in their own right. Also, there are wonderful women who volunteer their time to support the work in Malawi and of course here in Scotland and internationally. I personally want to thank them. I have strong women supporting me everyday and I am grateful and want them to know how much I appreciate them.

So on this International Women’s Day, will you invest in a young woman and accelerate progress? Will you stand up for girls’ education?

‘Each time a woman stands up for herself, she stands up for all women.’

Maya Angelou

Thank you for your support and hope you enjoy the photos from Bright Futures Secondary School and nursery this morning. Happy International Women’s Day, Sarah x

Miss Chisenga is the humanities teacher at Bright Futures Secondary School.
Miss Mkumbwa, Head Teacher and English Teacher.
Group discussions outside. It’s good to see some sunshine after the heavy rains.
Miss Chisenga, humanities teacher, Miss Mkumbwa, Head Teacher & English Teacher and Miss Siyame, nursery teacher. All are good role models for the vulnerable girls we help to support.
Miss Siyame is the nursery teacher.
The preschoolers (4-6) enjoy coming to nursery and are fed at each session.

BFSS Essay Competition – December

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Sarah’s blog 19/1/24

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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