A primary school for Mpingu, Malawi
Thanks to support from Raise the Roof Choir, E3 supporters, Clive Richards Foundation and local fundraising in Malawi, the school opened in September 2023.
What difference does the new school make?
A school closer to home will mean children are less tired, feel more positive and are able to concentrate better – many walked 5-10km each way to their previous schools.
It reduces absenteeism in the winter when it’s too cold to walk all that way barefoot.
Girls are vulnerable to giving up hope, dropping out of school and marrying young. Some men approach them and offer them a lift as they walk to school. A shorter walk protects girls, boosts their confidence and restores their hope.
Thank you to everyone who has helped make this vision a reality.
More information about the project…
Number of primary age children who are not currently at school: 400.
Why? A long walk to school, cultural practices, early marriage/pregnancy for girls, lack of parental support, working in the tobacco fields and on farms to help their family survive.
Pupils at new school: 210
40% will be children who aren’t currently in school.
40% will be those who walk long distances to school now.
20% will be fee paying to help with sustainability.The pupils will receive a better quality education because the class size will be 35. At government schools there can be up to 100 pupils in a class, and they are not staffed properly – sometimes there is one teacher covering several classes. The learning environment will also be better in terms of learning materials, the building and proper toilets – most government schools have pit latrines, which are dangerous and unhygienic.
The School Board is currently exploring having an afternoon school for another 210 pupils.
The school will be self-supporting because 80% of pupils will pay a fee slightly below the market rate, which will fund the running costs and full scholarships for the other 20% of pupils. This means the school will be sustainable and will have an impact on the community by providing education to the poorest families, while remaining a non-profit institution.
Life in Mpingu
Over 50% of people live below the poverty line. 25% live in extreme poverty.
Some children are orphaned and live with extended family.
Most families grow crops to survive. Whether it rains determines whether they can eat.
Challenges for children: lack of food, a 5 to10km walk to school, tattered clothes and no shoes, some classes have only 1 teacher for over 100 pupils.