We are delighted to launch this year’s Malawi Christmas Appeal on JustGiving to raise funds for our partnership school, Chipwepwete. This is an incredibly important project close to our hearts, transforming the lives of children through education provision. One of the benefits of being able to work so directly with our partners Hope4Malawi is the knowledge that literally every pound raised goes into the projects we are supporting.
Since 2015 we have had the ambition of providing a free school lunch for every child, at a cost of £15 per student per year, which helps to increase school attendance. However, the generosity of our community over recent years has made a number of additional and transformational projects possible.
Last year, we began raising funds towards constructing a new classroom block, with a view to enabling all students to finally learn inside and providing teachers with a space where they could prepare lessons. This facility will particularly transform the education of the youngest students in the school, lifting them off dusty floors (as below) to learn at desks like their older peers.
This year, we are aiming to raise an additional £5,000 towards completing and furnishing this new classroom block, which is well underway (see pictures).
Each year, students across the school learn about this partnership, and a group of Upper Sixth students travel to Malawi to see first-hand how the money is spent, meet our partners, spend time with the children at Chipwepwete Primary School and get involved in local community projects.
In July this year, student Rachel visited and shares her experience: “It was a massive culture shock as soon as we arrived, but in the best way possible. We would drive through dirt tracks and rivers and look outside to see people selling all kinds of fabrics and food on the side of the road. The biggest shock, however, was when we arrived at the school and met the children. They all seemed so full of appreciation despite having so little. As we drove in every day, they would run along beside the truck and greet us with singing and dancing. Their constant joy made me come back home and really appreciate everything we have.”
To find out more or to contribute whatever you can, please visit our JustGiving page. There will also be opportunities to give at our Christmas events over the next few weeks.
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