Meet Alinafe

Positive progress

At the moment, children in primary schools across Malawi are eagerly awaiting the results of their December exams which come out at the end of term in March. I always found exams nerve-wracking when I was at school – can you remember yours? Unlike me, the children at the schools I work in were feeling relaxed and well-prepared for theirs. Many even told me they enjoyed the exams. 

Their confidence is thanks to the VSO learning centres and educational tablets we’ve introduced here thanks to your support. Every day, I see students who previously struggled with their reading, writing or counting making huge progress. So, I’m feeling positive and optimistic about results day and can’t wait to hear what the children have achieved. The positive changes we’re seeing for students in Malawi simply wouldn’t be possible without your kind support – thank you for helping us make a difference. 

If you’d like to wish the children luck or have any questions for me, you can post them below in the Q&A section. 

Girls' education

It’s vital that all children in Malawi have access to the quality education they deserve. Yet, like in much of sub-Saharan Africa, certain groups of children here face particularly tough barriers to education. For example, children living with disabilities, those from very poor families, and those living in remote, rural areas. It also includes millions of children across Malawi simply because they are girls.

Things like early marriage, teenage pregnancy, and cultural norms that place more importance on boys’ education, often force girls to drop out of school. When I was young, my sister dropped out of school in class 7, aged just 13, because she was expected to get married. Sadly, this wasn’t unusual at the time and, today, there are still far fewer girls in school than boys. 

Like my sister, nearly half of girls in Malawi are married before they turn 18. And almost one in three become mothers while they’re still children themselves. I heard the other day that less than a third of girls here make it past primary school, which is heartbreaking . Without an education, girls lose out on opportunities, leaving them stuck in a cycle of poverty that’s hard to break.

I believe education can change everything, which I why I’m so proud to work on this VSO project. When girls stay in school, they are more likely to get jobs, earn money, and make better decisions for themselves and their families. When women are educated, their children also tend to be healthier and more likely to go to school - breaking that cycle of poverty for good. 

Right now, we’re tackling some of the main barriers to education in Malawi. By providing quality resources and safe spaces to learn, along with support from volunteers like me, we’re encouraging children to stay in school. Families also see the difference we’re making to their child’s learning, so they’re more likely to support them to continue with their education. 

Thanks to your support, girls across Malawi are getting a quality education and being supported to stay in, and do well at, school. By unlocking their potential, we can support more girls to move on towards brighter futures and break the cycle of poverty for good. 

I’d like to tell you about a young girl called Alinafe, who is one of the many students you have impacted with your support. 

Alinafe's story

Alinafe is 9 years old and lives in a rural village with her brothers, mother and grandparents in extreme poverty. Their small home is built with mudbricks and a thatched roof, and they have no running water or electricity.

On a normal day, Alinafe will wake up early, sweep the house, wash the dishes and then go to school. She is in class 2 and taught by her teacher, Peter, who I work closely with. After school, she likes to play ball games with her friends. Alinafe told me that one day she’d like to become a teacher herself. 

Alinafe’s mother and grandmothers all dropped out of school when they were young. Their family couldn’t afford for them to attend and, because they were girls, they were also expected to help out in the home. They don’t want the same fate for Alinafe. They believe education is important for all children. They want to see Alinafe get a job, become independent, and follow her dream of becoming a teacher. 

Alinafe is happy that her family encourage her to go to school. There are children in her village who are not as lucky. Some don’t go to school because their families can’t afford to buy school items like pens or uniforms. Other families don’t see the importance of education for girls and keep their children at home to help with chores or care for younger siblings.  

Despite attending school regularly, before the tablets arrived, Alinafe struggled with some of her lessons. She found the classes too crowded and didn’t know how to read or how to count from 1 to 100. She didn’t have the resources or support she needed to help her learn. But now Alinafe is using the tablets and attending the learning centre regularly, she’s able to read, write names, count to 100 and even multiply and subtract. 

“I see a big difference because before she used to go to school to play but now, we see she is actually learning. She can write and even teaches us some things.” Eliyana, Alinafe’s grandmother 

I see how much of a difference the tablets have made to Alinafe’s learning. She’s made great progress and is enjoying school much more. She told me “When I started going to the learning centre, I really liked it. When I go, I am happy.”

Hear more about life as a school teacher in Malawi in Peter's blog