Some months ago, our Education Program surveyed all the primary and secondary schools in our catchment area. There were a total of 24 schools: 20 primary and four secondary schools. We are so happy to have successfully conducted the survey and analyzed the results from it, which have helped us to start implementation of some projects. Read our latest blog to learn more about this development.
The Orant Journal
95% of Orant's Sponsored Students Are Girls, and This is Why
The story is old. And global. And local. Boys are raised to be breadwinners. Girls are raised to be caretakers. It is the daughter’s job to collect water, babysit, marry. It is the son’s job to go to school and make money. This separation of roles is not always ethical.
Social systems deny women opportunities. In Malawi, if girls want an education, they often can’t afford it. If they want a career, they must fight for one. If they aren’t ready to marry, they must marry anyway. The force that ensures a woman “stays in her place” can even be violent. A 2012 study shows that in some countries, there is a higher probability for a girl to experience sexual violence than to become literate. Feel sick to your stomach at that? Us, too.
Patriarchal gender norms do more than strip a woman of agency. In cases of violence, they traumatize her. They affect her children. And they even prohibit the growth of the economy.
Wait, the economy?
Yep, that’s right. It has a lot to do with population. Turns out child marriage and early child-bearing worsen poverty. In Malawi, many girls marry or have children before the age of 18. The fertility rate in Malawi is 6.1 babies per woman. The population is expected to double in two decades. This will put a strain on limited resources.
So what’s the solution?
School, for one. When girls go to school, they’re less likely to get married early. They’re more likely to be informed about health, nutrition, and fertility. And if they do choose to have babies, they’re more likely to wait until they are physically and emotionally ready.
With school comes work.
The higher a girl’s education, the higher the wages she’ll earn. Economic stability allows women to exercise agency. Women with secondary education are more likely to make their own personal and economic decisions. They can provide for themselves and their families. They can accomplish their dreams. And they can contribute to the betterment of their communities.
So why can’t girls get an education?
Sometimes household responsibilities. Or family expectations. But usually money. Multiple studies have shown that rural households spend more on the education of boys than girls. Only primary school in Malawi is free. Secondary school requires tuition.
That’s why Orant’s sponsorship program exists.
Sponsoring a girls’ education tells her:
- You are not trapped.
- You matter. You are smart. You are capable.
- You can create your own future.
Interested in sponsoring? Visit our Education Page to learn more.
Share on:
Stories from the Field
Of 20 Orant sponsored students who sat for the Malawi School Certificate of Education Examination (MSCE) last year, 18 qualified for University, and we are thrilled to announce that 14 have secured places at public universities! Of the 14, two are boys and 12 are girls. Read our latest blog and learn more about what this means to Orant.
Some weeks ago, we opened our Orant Nyali Yanga Poetry Competition as a way of encouraging creative expression in Dowa Secondary School Students. We are excited to announce that the competition is still open and the deadline has been extended to July 15th! Read our latest article to learn more about the competition, what it means to us and how important it is to the schools and communities we work with.
Let your light shine with our new poetry competition for secondary school students in Dowa district!
On Saturday, April 27, we are holding a Spring Bingo fundraiser in support of education in rural Malawi. Read today’s blog article to learn more about how your support will help in promoting education in rural Malawi.
Congratulations to the Ulemu Scholarship Recipients! Orant’s Ulemu scholarship seeks to invest in the education of outstanding, hardworking and intelligent Malawian students by sponsoring them towards getting a diploma or bachelor’s degree. Read their bios here!
Meet Jonathan Chikaonda, our sponsored student who got the highest points in his Malawi School Certificate Examinations (MSCE). Read our latest blog to learn more about Jonathan’s journey.
For the first time in the school’s 26-year history, Ngala Community Day Secondary School has a laboratory with lab supplies and chemicals. Read this week’s blog post to feel the excitement Ngala students and teachers share due to this development!
Congratulations to our sponsored student, Alick Nathan. Alick recently graduated from Malawi University of Science and Technology with a Bachelor of Metallurgy and Materials Engineering Honors Degree. Read our latest blog to learn more about Alick’s journey!
Students in our Education Program build relationships with the donors who sponsor them and allow them to attend secondary school in Malawi.