study Archives

Sarah’s blog 02/04/24

Schools in Malawi have two weeks of Easter holidays like they do here in Scotland. However, as some of the teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School were staying on campus rather than travelling home for the holidays, they were happy to run a holiday study school for four days this week and four days next week.

We enabled this to happen last year too and it was a great success and we provided a cooked lunch for the students and teachers from p8 at Chambo primary too. Primary 8 students have national exams to take on leaving primary school. If they don’t pass then they don’t get chance to go to secondary school. Even if they do pass, unless they have a sponsor to pay for their secondary education then they still don’t get to have a secondary education. Sponsoring a young person only costs £25 per month and they get a cooked lunch each day at school, uniform and the stationery they need. If you could make a difference to a young person and become a sponsor then please email contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com

S2 students also have national exams and this study school will really help them. S3 students asked if they could take part too. So a full timetable has been worked out to accommodate S2 and S3 students to ensure they make best use of time and teachers available. We are really grateful to the teachers for their enthusiasm and hard work and dedication to the young people.

There are no big charities feeding children in primary schools in the far north. Most are malnourished and all are hungry. Most don’t get a proper meal each day. So we are ensuring all the Chambo p8 students (approx 70 of them) and the Bright Futures Secondary School students all get a cooked school lunch each lunchtime during these two weeks. All students and BFSS get a cooked school lunch every day. How can we expect young people to study when they are hungry, tired and unable to concentrate?

So, as you can see from these photos, some of the students were happily chatting with their friends at lunchtime and enjoying their lunch. It’s small things like this that make a big difference to them. Whilst BFSS students all have the exercise books and stationery they need, the last time we gave the students at Chambo Primary exercise books and pencils was in January….they need more otherwise they are just listening to their teachers and not able to write anything down.

Can you help us provide lunch, exercise books and pencils for 70 students in p8 at Chambo Primary please? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com Thanks for reading and supporting us to support the students, Sarah x

Sarah’s blog 28/3/23

There has been so much going on behind the scenes here. I have been busy applying for grants and working out costings with Levison so I am sorry it has been a while since my last post.

We have some really exciting news that will be of benefit to the students at Bright Futures Secondary School and the p8 students at Chambo Primary too.

First of all we are delighted that four teachers at Chambo Primary School have agreed to work for part of the Easter holidays to give extra tuition to the 66 students in p8 to help them prepare for their end of term exams. This will give them a better chance of passing their national primary school leavers exams. All of these students are welcome to sign up for this study school. We are paying the primary school teachers and will provide lunch each day for students and teachers.

None of the students at Chambo Primary receive food at school. Most are malnourished and lots attend the weekly Feeding Programme where they receive their one substantial and nutritious meal of the week. During the Easter holidays they will receive a cooked lunch each day to help them concentrate.

The teachers at Bright Futures Secondary School have volunteered to work for part of their Easter holidays and will be paid extra for this. We are grateful for all the teachers giving of their time so that these vulnerable students have some extra lessons, especially the S2 students who have national exams in May.

The format for the two week Easter break will be four full days lessons each week; three hours in the morning, a break for lunch and three hours lessons in the afternoon. On Good Friday and Easter Monday there will be a couple of hours of organised team sports to ensure that the students get a break from their studies and have some competitive fun and physical exercise with their friends.

ALL STUDENTS WILL BE RECEIVING ONE SUBSTANTIAL, NUTRITIOUS COOKED MEAL EACH DAY WHICH IS MORE THAN THEY WOULD BE HAVING AT HOME IF THERE WAS NO STUDY SCHOOL. This is where we need some extra help from our kind and generous supporters. Will you help us feed these young people during their Easter break?

We need approximately £300 extra to buy additional maize and beans to feed these teenagers each day. Unfortunately, it is the rainy season and maize prices are high. Maize is also getting more difficult to find as a lot has been sent south to help feed the victims of Cyclone Freddy, which is making prices higher still. Levison said that today, lots of roads are flooded due to heavy rain which will also make it difficult to source maize. However, Levison always finds a way to ensure the young people are fed and is phoning round to try and source maize and reserve it.

So will you help us feed the young people in p8 at Chambo Primary School as well as the students at Bright Futures Secondary school whilst they work hard and study for their exams? contact_us@changinglivesmalawi.com or text FEEDING to 70480. Even if you can spare £5 or £10 it will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading and for your continued support, Sarah x

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