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.
Meet Mara Kamutu: Orant Sponsored Student
Cases of school dropouts and early marriages are not a peculiar phenomenon in the Northern Part of Dowa, T/A Nsakambewa.
Even intelligent girls tend to not realize their potential due to the realities of poverty.
According to a report by The World Bank, certain girls are farthest behind. They are those who face multiple disadvantages such as:
- low family income
- living in remote or underserved locations
- having a disability
- belonging to a minority ethnolinguistic group
Born and raised in the typical village of Bimphi, Mara was no exception. She had always been one of the best performing students from Bevu Primary School. She was selected to Nkhamenya Girls Secondary School, a national secondary school in Malawi.
“I had high hopes of beating the odds,” she says. “However, I could see my dream dying as my parents could not afford my school fees.”
Mara’s mother says, “We have 8 children. None went far with their education. Mara was the last born. Her education needs came at a point when we were too old to do piece work or cultivate our fields.”
Mara was on the verge of dropping out. However, a day before leaving the school campus, her luck turned. Orant Charities Africa’s Education Program came through for her.
Orant’s Education Program works closely with schools to sponsor students who wouldn’t otherwise afford an education.
Mara seized the sponsorship opportunity wholeheartedly. At the end of secondary school, she sat for her college entrance exams. She got 21 points on her MSCE. She has since been selected to the University of Malawi Chancellor College. She plans to study for a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities.
“Thanks to the donors, I will be able to realize my ambition,” Mara says. “In the future, I would like to help other needy students.”
Congratulations to Mara. We are so proud of you!
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The Orant Journal
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!