Girls' education in Malawi
In this update, you’ll hear from VSO staff member and project manager, Wezzie, who is responsible for making sure VSO continues to improve children’s education in Malawi. Wezzie will give you a bit of an insight into her role, project plans for the new year, and why advocating for girls’ education is so important.
January's featured volunteer
Moni onse - hello everyone! I’m Theonas Kalumika, VSO Education Specialist in Malawi, and I’ll be taking you forward on your Sponsor a Volunteer journey. Read on to find out how, with your support, we’re giving children here the education they deserve.
In Malawi, poor learning conditions and a lack of resources have created barriers to children’s education.
Over two thirds of students don’t finish primary school and those that do often lack the skills needed to thrive as older children and adults. Many primary schools have classes full of hundreds of students but only one teacher, meaning many children get left behind in their education, and eventually drop out altogether.
By supporting children with educational tablets, they're taking huge leaps in their learning. I was very excited when I heard about the work VSO is doing in schools in Malawi, and ever since I started volunteering I've been able to share my knowledge with everyone here. I can't wait to update you on how our work here in Malawi is going, and how your support is helping change children's lives.
January '25 volunteer update
Halifax Trading Malawi
Chaka chabwino chatsopano – happy new year!
My name is Wezzie Chimwala. I was so excited when Theo asked if I’d like to write to the people who are helping to transform education for children in my home country. I’ve been with VSO since 2019 and I’m responsible for monitoring and reporting on the project here. This means I track the performance and results to ensure we’re on track to achieving the goals we’ve set. I’ve seen first-hand how your donations are unlocking potential in children here.
Malawi has always been my home – I grew up in Lilongwe (the capital of Malawi). My family are a middle-income household, so my parents could send me to school and afford basics like a uniform. I didn’t have a good pair of shoes or a school bag – I had plastic shoes but I loved them, and I carried my school books in a plastic bag, but it didn’t bother me. I was grateful to go to school; I had a lot of friends and more importantly, I had food.
Halifax Trading Malawi
Like a lot of schools in rural areas, my classroom was very basic. It didn’t really have doors and we didn’t have desks either. Unlike the class of 200 children in teacher Peter’s class, my class was a lot smaller. My school didn’t have many books so my dad would take me to the library to read. I think my love of reading is one of the reasons why I am where I am today.
My role means I travel around the country a lot and see many of the schools VSO works in so I know how much of an impact your donations make. Theo keeps me up to date on how the children are getting on and the stories he tells me are astounding. I’m so happy to hear about how children’s lives are changing, thanks to these educational tablets.
The plan for 2025
We’ll be continuing to provide ongoing support in all the primary schools VSO works with to reach more children. We are also striving to support more learners with disabilities. So far, VSO has set up resource centres with the aim to support 6,000 learners with disabilities and have purchased specialised equipment, such as wheelchairs, projectors and hearing aids. We are training teachers on how to use the equipment so that they know how to use them in the learning centres.
As well as this, we have been working with the local government to strengthen inclusive learning in primary schools. The hope is that this helps to keep more children in school – especially girls.
The importance of girls’ education
Children face many challenges accessing education in Malawi. The overarching problem is poverty – families struggle to pay the fees associated with school and many children end up dropping out. This has a wider impact on young girls as it likely means they’ll fall into early marriage and may become pregnant. Families will often marry off their daughters to ease the financial burden on themselves.
Although the legal age to marry in Malawi is 18, the country has one of the highest child marriage rates globally, with 38% of girls married before this age1. Incredibly, great steps are being made to combat this. Did you know, in October 2024, the government of Malawi launched a strategy to eventually end child marriage? The goal is to reduce child marriage by 20% by focusing on initiatives that keep girls in school, transform harmful social norms, and strengthen legal protections against child marriage2. I’m really hopeful for the future.
Halifax Trading Malawi
When I was in school, I knew some girls who didn’t complete their education. Most of them said they couldn’t afford the fees or their parents had passed away so they had no choice but to marry. I’m so glad that there’s now a big commitment to safeguarding the futures of girls and young women so they have the chance of a better future ahead.
I’d like to tell you a little bit about Sarah*. A sweet little girl who, thanks to your incredible support, has stayed in school and enjoys learning because of the educational tablets your donations have made possible…
Sarah's story
Sarah is 10 years old. She goes to primary school. She lives with her sisters and parents in a village. She tells me there are children in her village who don’t even go to school.
Every morning, Sarah wakes up early, has her breakfast and walks to school. Her parents are very supportive of Sarah’s education and encourage her to go to school every day.
When the learning centres were built in her school, Sarah says she was “so excited to use the tablets and learn”. Since using the educational tablets, Sarah’s writing skills have improved a lot. She looks forward to coming to school every day so she can learn to read and write. When I asked what she wants to be when she’s older, she told me “I want to be a teacher like my teacher, Peter. I want to become a hard-working teacher and teach children how to read.” It’s so heart-warming to know the incredible teachers I get to work with, like Peter, are inspiring the children of Malawi’s future.
With the introduction of the educational tablets, more girls like Sarah have the chance to thrive in school, keeping them in education and out of early marriage. We are now looking at future teachers, potential engineers, nurses, lawyers, bankers, and more. Just imagine what potential could be unlocked with the education they’re now getting! It’s really incredible. Thank you for helping to transform education for them.
You can watch a short video below to see a glimpse of Sarah’s day at school.
Halifax Trading Malawi
Thank you
Thanks to people like you, the opportunity to change the lives of millions of children in Malawi through digital learning, has been presented to us all. As you sow your seed of contribution towards making dreams into a reality, and help to break the cycle of poverty, remember that no contribution is too small. Just like a mustard seed has the force to move a mountain.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all that you do.
Take care,
Wezzie Chimwala
Project Manager, Malawi
*Pseudonym used to protect identity of children
1 https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/learning-resources/child-marriage-atlas/regions-and-countries/malawi/
2 https://www.girlsnotbrides.org/articles/malawi-launches-national-strategy-to-end-child-marriage/
Want to ask a question?
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Your latest questions answered
Thank you for your update. Yes 27°c is very hot for us. It's summer here at the moment and about 21°c. Yes schools are a lot different here. I work as a teaching assistant and at the school I work at there are 2 classes per year group...
Theonas
Thank you so much, Hannah for the information about the age range and class level. They appear similar but indeed, the way we are teaching and what we are emphasisng on definitely it's different. For example most of our students cannot read and compute well at these levels a thing I think is different from your country. This is why this program started to pull up learners who can't read, write and compute figures. Hannah, is it ok with you to share me with your syllabuses both English and Maths, if possible? As you might have already guessed, here there is no lunch time for the years 1,2,3 to grade 7. Hence, there is no particular gathering place for learners to take there lunches. Further more, the assembly does not take place in a hall. It occurs in an open space which can accommodate the whole enrolment within the school premises. Over 95 percent of the learners do not have packed food. Everyday learners just knock off and straight go to there respective homes where they individually experience life i.e to find something to eat or spend the day without proper food. Hannah, if you can share me the school time table as well for your school, just to appreciate how different our time tables are.
So , you can imagine how much we appreciate your financial support as we use the tablets.
Thanks a lot, Hannah and keep it up.
So , you can imagine how much we appreciate your financial support as we use the tablets.
Thanks a lot, Hannah and keep it up.
Hi Theo, Good to hear from you and keeping me up to date with your work and more widely with the work of the school to which you are attached. It was most interesting, as well to hear from Artwel about the achievements and difficulties he is facing.
Theonas
Hi Tony
Thank you so much, Tony, for your email . As stated by Artiwel , head teachers of schools face a lot of challenges during their work particularly in the most remote areas. There are very limited teachers' houses, no offices, the houses of heads are mostly used as storerooms for school materials. However, people like you who support organisations such as VSO, help alot in reducing the pressure of administrators of schools. But the truth is that there are too many problems in most schools in Malawi.
Tony, you wanted to know if the the ipads and tablets are being supplied by VSO , yes VSO has been supplying the ipads and the tablets are being supplied by the Imagine Worldwide (IW) a partner of VSO in the current program implementation.
Tony, you say there are also teacher shortages in UK. What is causing this, is it people not willing to join the profession, or something else, but what is it? Here , in Malawi trained teachers are available but no funds to enable the government to employ them. The financial situation is bad. Once more the support you are giving VSO assists us as well, so continue please. May the Almighty God bless you.
Until next time enjoy your time, Tony.
Regards
Theonas
Thank you so much, Tony, for your email . As stated by Artiwel , head teachers of schools face a lot of challenges during their work particularly in the most remote areas. There are very limited teachers' houses, no offices, the houses of heads are mostly used as storerooms for school materials. However, people like you who support organisations such as VSO, help alot in reducing the pressure of administrators of schools. But the truth is that there are too many problems in most schools in Malawi.
Tony, you wanted to know if the the ipads and tablets are being supplied by VSO , yes VSO has been supplying the ipads and the tablets are being supplied by the Imagine Worldwide (IW) a partner of VSO in the current program implementation.
Tony, you say there are also teacher shortages in UK. What is causing this, is it people not willing to join the profession, or something else, but what is it? Here , in Malawi trained teachers are available but no funds to enable the government to employ them. The financial situation is bad. Once more the support you are giving VSO assists us as well, so continue please. May the Almighty God bless you.
Until next time enjoy your time, Tony.
Regards
Theonas
Dear Theo, Just a note to say how interested I was to receive your letter introducing yourself and VSO's work in Malawi. In 2018 my wife & I were fortunate to visit Malawi. I can imagine how difficult it must be for teacher and pupils to stay motivated.
Theonas
Dear Antony
Thank you so much for your response and encouraging words, Antony. Indeed, most situations are not motivating for teachers and pupils in our country. As you know our country, Antony, the challenges are many, there is poverty, transportation and communication in terms of roads and buses not good at all, health services not good and inadequate hospitals in the rural, not medication, plus plus. So, VSO with this project, is reaching out to the most remote areas. However, this is happening because of your support and we appreciate your help, otherwise all you read about children learning through the tablet could not be possible. Thank you so much and continue supporting VSO so that in turn we receive your assistance too.
By the way, Antony, which part of Malawi did you visit, if you remember.
Thank you so much for your time.
Regards
Theonas
Thank you so much for your response and encouraging words, Antony. Indeed, most situations are not motivating for teachers and pupils in our country. As you know our country, Antony, the challenges are many, there is poverty, transportation and communication in terms of roads and buses not good at all, health services not good and inadequate hospitals in the rural, not medication, plus plus. So, VSO with this project, is reaching out to the most remote areas. However, this is happening because of your support and we appreciate your help, otherwise all you read about children learning through the tablet could not be possible. Thank you so much and continue supporting VSO so that in turn we receive your assistance too.
By the way, Antony, which part of Malawi did you visit, if you remember.
Thank you so much for your time.
Regards
Theonas
Did you know?
We bring about lasting change not by sending aid, but by working through volunteers to empower communities in some of the world’s poorest regions. You can read more about VSO’s areas of work and discover more about our projects here.
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