Join me on a Malawian school tour
In this update, I’ll be taking you through one of the 17 primary schools I work in. I’ll show you around the school grounds, inside one of the classrooms and a VSO learning centre, and how the children use the educational tablets.
July's featured volunteer
Moni onse! 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.
July '24 volunteer update
Here in Malawi, most primary schools are very basic. Some lack fundamental resources such as textbooks or desks, and some don’t even have running water or electricity. I’m sure you can only imagine how impossible it is to teach and learn in conditions like this. It’s unbelievably challenging for children to progress through their education and finish school in these environments.
But thanks to support like yours, the learning centres built by VSO have been instrumental to children’s learning. In the video below, you’ll see and hear the incredible difference between a class of 200 children, and the peace in the learning centre. With a teacher and volunteer on hand, the learning centre is a quiet and productive space for 30 children at a time. The educational tablets have been fundamental to providing quality education that children deserve.
Thank you
Generosity like yours is changing the lives of children here in Malawi - they’re learning to read, write and count thanks to time spent in the learning centre.
I’d love to hear your thoughts – or simply, come and say hello – by leaving me a message below.
Speak soon,
Theo
VSO Education Specialist, Malawi
Want to ask a question?
VSO’s Sponsor a Volunteer team will share your message with the VSO volunteer and get back to you with a response. Your email address will not be used, disclosed or transferred to any VSO personnel, it will be stored securely in accordance with VSOs privacy policy. A sample of messages including display names will be published to the Sponsor a Volunteer homepage each month.
Your latest questions answered
Hi, I just received my first update from you. I think you're doing an amazing job helping children.
Theonas
Hello Hannah,
Thank you so much, Hannah, for reading the update. Indeed it is an amazing job being done here, but it is more amazing because of your support and we appreciate the support you always give to make VSO do it's project all over the world including our country Malawi, please continue. In my country many, many children are encouraged to complete their primary circle because of such education interventions, like the current one that is making children acquire skills of reading and computing during their early grades.
Hannah, you might have some questions about what we are doing in the project. Please, feel free to ask and I will respond accordingly.
Thank you so much, Hannah, and have a lovely time.
Theonas
Thank you so much, Hannah, for reading the update. Indeed it is an amazing job being done here, but it is more amazing because of your support and we appreciate the support you always give to make VSO do it's project all over the world including our country Malawi, please continue. In my country many, many children are encouraged to complete their primary circle because of such education interventions, like the current one that is making children acquire skills of reading and computing during their early grades.
Hannah, you might have some questions about what we are doing in the project. Please, feel free to ask and I will respond accordingly.
Thank you so much, Hannah, and have a lovely time.
Theonas
Hello again Theo, What a great project; I think I might have read about it a while ago in the VSO magazine, now to hear about it now it is helping so many children, and with plans to expand, is really exciting.
Theonas
Hello Alison,
Hope you are fine. Let me first apologize to you for my late coming back to you and share experiences. Indeed it is a great program, Alison, as I might have mentioned in my last email that the program targets all primary schools in our country, totalling to over 6,000 and will run up to 2029, if all goes well. So you should know that there is great appreciation and excitement over here because of your support.
Just to share with you, Alison, attendance of most learners has improved and some learners come to the point of reminding a teacher to have tablets session if they see time elapsing in a day.
Let me thank you so much, Alison for your encouraging words and you should know that your words are a source of strength to us.
Thank you so much and enjoy your time.
Theonas
Hope you are fine. Let me first apologize to you for my late coming back to you and share experiences. Indeed it is a great program, Alison, as I might have mentioned in my last email that the program targets all primary schools in our country, totalling to over 6,000 and will run up to 2029, if all goes well. So you should know that there is great appreciation and excitement over here because of your support.
Just to share with you, Alison, attendance of most learners has improved and some learners come to the point of reminding a teacher to have tablets session if they see time elapsing in a day.
Let me thank you so much, Alison for your encouraging words and you should know that your words are a source of strength to us.
Thank you so much and enjoy your time.
Theonas
Good evening, Theonas, Thank you for telling me about the problems you will be working on in your VSO position. I am enormously sympathetic to you and glad that successfully doing your job can bring great satisfaction to everybody involved.
Theonas
Dear Alison
Thanks for your touching and inspirational word, Alison. It is very nice and encouraging to hear that.
Briefly, Alison, I do monitor and support teachers and learners as they use tablets in all project schools. What happens is that the schools are identified, different experts provide different services to make a school ready to receive tablets. Such services include providing solar charging system for charging tablets and cages for safe keeping of tablets. The community does provide a security guard ( watchman) during the night. It all starts with community sensitisation about the coming of tablets in the community as a project or program of children to learn through the tablet. Then, teachers are trained on how to conduct and support a tablet session. Alison, take note that at the moment children learn mathematics and a vernacular language, "Chichewa" through the tablets.So what I do is go round to these schools and monitor and support the teachers and children during tablet sessions. We also provide information and reports about the way things are happening on the ground in relation to the project. We also support management in carrying out the project activities in the field such as meetings, trainings and open days, including supporting visitors who come and visit us.
Thanks a lot, Alison.
Regards
Theo
Thanks for your touching and inspirational word, Alison. It is very nice and encouraging to hear that.
Briefly, Alison, I do monitor and support teachers and learners as they use tablets in all project schools. What happens is that the schools are identified, different experts provide different services to make a school ready to receive tablets. Such services include providing solar charging system for charging tablets and cages for safe keeping of tablets. The community does provide a security guard ( watchman) during the night. It all starts with community sensitisation about the coming of tablets in the community as a project or program of children to learn through the tablet. Then, teachers are trained on how to conduct and support a tablet session. Alison, take note that at the moment children learn mathematics and a vernacular language, "Chichewa" through the tablets.So what I do is go round to these schools and monitor and support the teachers and children during tablet sessions. We also provide information and reports about the way things are happening on the ground in relation to the project. We also support management in carrying out the project activities in the field such as meetings, trainings and open days, including supporting visitors who come and visit us.
Thanks a lot, Alison.
Regards
Theo
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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