Malawi: Classes instead of dough balls
Supporting disadvantaged schoolchildren in Malawi
Already in 1998, the “Lydia Action” initiative was founded by Rachel Fiedler in Malawi to support people in need and to enable them to live a better life. In the southeast of the country, the practical help is a strong sign of compassion and Christian charity. It consists of medical care, assistance in setting up a small business – especially for women – and the support of school children in rural areas.
At the beginning of the school year, Falesi never would have thought that she might finish as the fourth-best student. Although the 14-year-old girl had always been a diligent student, she often had to help her single mother at work. Falesi and her two siblings often experienced that there was not enough money for food. Clothing, medication or school supplies were luxury goods. So there Falesi was, standing next to her mother on the street during classes, mixing the dough for Mandasi dough balls and helping to fry and sell them.
Poverty prevents education
The situation of schoolchildren in rural areas in Malawi is challenging. There are actually enough schools - even if it is sometimes a very long way to get there. 90 percent of children of primary school age have a school within easy reach. However, the proportion of children attending school in rural areas is below the national average, with only half completing their entire schooling. As many families live in poverty, they cannot afford school fees, uniforms or materials. So the girls and boys only attend school for a few years, then drop out or help with work while they are still at school.
From the very beginning, it was therefore important to Lydia Action to support schoolchildren in their studies. In two centers, staff members invest in the lives of boys and girls.
School materials and support
Falesi is one of these children who received practical help from the education support program in the Zomba district: Pens, exercise books and schoolbooks. For the girl, the moral support was almost more important. Her mother could hardly help her with her studies and preferred to have her with her as a helper at the market. The teenager found support from the Lydia Action team. It inspired her so much that she now wants to become a teacher herself.
Special program for menstrual hygiene
Girls and young women receive another form of support. If there is no money for hygiene products or there is simply a lack of education, the period is a time for girls to hide at home and not go to school. It is difficult to talk about this: “When I had my period, I missed classes. I had a lot of catching up to do and the whole situation was just embarrassing,” reports Lizinet. The thirteen-year-old from Mtambo is one of 32 girls who received special support in the second quarter of 2024. In addition to health education about menstruation, each participant received a hygiene pack with five washable and reusable cloth pads. “The pads and the tips have given me self-confidence. I've learned how to look after myself during this time. And I'm also going to school,” says Lizinet gratefully.
Falesi and Lizinet are three of the 99 girls and boys at several elementary schools in the region who are currently receiving practical help, encouragement and support on their educational journey. This increases their chances of a better future in the long term. But the fruits of this valuable work can already be seen at the end of each school year: when Falesi looks at her school certificate, her eyes light up and she laughs with pride.
By Michael Fischbeck
This article first appeared in the EBMI-MAGAZINE 3/2023
You can support children like Falesi and Lizinet with your donation. More than 50 projects in Latin America, Africa and India care for the needs of boys and girls and offer them faith and comfort.
