Meet Atu, Project Manager

As my mum was a teacher, I was always encouraged to go to school and get a good education. I didn’t really enjoy my school years but my mum would always push me to do well. Looking back, I’m thankful she did as I wouldn’t be where I am today. As I now realise the importance of a good education, I’m passionate about helping children to get the quality education they deserve. 

I've been with VSO for over five years now and I’m currently a District Project Manager on VSO’s education project in Malawi. I manage the project in eight different districts across Malawi. Every day looks different but my main job is to make sure the project is running smoothly, and supervise Education Specialists like Theo - I roughly have 160 national volunteers reporting to me! It’s a lot of hard work but I’m so grateful to be a part of change in my home country.  

Challenges in getting an education

Did you know, primary education was made free here in Malawi in 1994? Despite this, many children still don’t finish school. Lots of families may struggle to afford necessities like uniforms, learning materials, or transportation. Some parents may not see the value in the education their children are getting, and instead send them to work to earn money for the household. Class sizes can be large, with one teacher, meaning children can get lost in the noisy crowd and find it hard to progress. 

I’m aware that as a child, I was incredibly lucky as my mum came from a wealthier family. I didn’t have the same struggles some of my school friends faced. I remember some of my friends would come in without eating because they didn’t have enough food. They couldn’t concentrate in class because they were hungry. They couldn’t play football during breaktime because they didn’t have enough energy. It was heartbreaking. With your support, I can put the education I got into good use to help the next generation of children to get a better education, and in turn, a brighter future ahead. 

I think undivided attention is key in order for a child to successfully learn and retain new information. In a class of 200 and one teacher, it’s an impossible task to captivate every single student’s attention. The learning centres provide a tranquil space where children can fully concentrate. The educational tablets have a one-on-one ‘digital teacher’, making learning more interactive and fun, and encourage students to want to learn more. Isn’t that amazing? 

We all know the world is advancing at a very fast pace. In this day and age, technology is a necessity. The fact these children have the opportunity to access and interact with technology is incredibly valuable. I’ve seen children in very rural areas who don’t even have running water or electricity at home, let along access to technology, come on leaps and bounds since being introduced to the tablets. As they’re advancing in technology at such an early age, this will put them one step ahead when they eventually look for a job.  

Click here to find out more about the learning centres and educational tablets.

Inclusive education

In every learning centre, there’s always one teacher and one volunteer on hand to help with questions or technology issues. Here, children are able to get the dedicated time and attention they need to learn effectively at their own pace. This is vital to children with learning disabilities in particular. 

Thanks generosity like yours, we’ve been able to implement learning centres exclusively for students with learning disabilities in some districts. I’ve been supporting in some of those centres, one being in Karonga – where I grew up! These centres have specialist teachers and additional equipment such as projectors for children who don’t have use of their hands, or hearing aids for learners who have a hearing disability. 

The plan is to have at least one of these centres in every district – hopefully that’s something we’ll be able to achieve in the future with you by our side.