In the book Poor Economics, the authors explore the idea of the poverty trap and how it affects people across the world. In this blog, we review Poor Economics and its lessons on how to break the cycle of poverty.
Meet Bridget Khunga!
Orant Ulemu Scholarship Student
Meet Bridget Khunga, one of Orant Charities Africa’s 7 Ulemu Scholarship students.
Aged 20, Bridget hails from Mwanjasi Village in Northern Malawi. She is the second born in a family of three.
Bridget’s father passed when she was 9 years old. She and her siblings were raised by a single mother, a peasant farmer.
“After the passing on of my father, life became really hard,” says Bridget. “My mum had a huge responsibility to provide for the three of us. I decided to work hard in school to change my family’s story.”
Bridget’s hard work was not in vain. She did well in her Primary School Leaving Exams. She was selected to Nkhamenya Girls Secondary School. This brought much joy not to her, her family, and her community. However, the joy was short-lived. Secondary School meant an extra responsibility for Bridget’s mother. Bridget’s mother had to think of where her children’s next meal would come from. Not to mention school fees.
“I still managed to go to school without school fees,” says Bridget. “But it was hard for me to concentrate on my studies. I was always worried about being chased out of class. This greatly affected my performance.”
Orant’s Education Program visited Bridget’s school. After listening to Bridget’s story, our Program Manager considered her for a sponsorship.
“It is our greatest desire to see that every girl gets the best possible education for their future,” says Lonjezo Chauya, Education Program Manager. “This goes beyond just paying their school fees. We also make sure they have day to day necessities”
Orant supported Bridget for the four years she was in secondary school. Beyond school fees, we provided her with writing materials, soap, sugar, body lotion, and sanitary pads. In 2020, she wrote her M.S.C.E. After scoring well on the exams, she applied for public universities. She was selected for Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences to study for a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Laboratory Technology.
The introduction of Orant’s University Fund meant an answered prayer for Bridget. As a previously sponsored student, she was eligible to apply. Bridget applied and was one of the first students to be offered the Ulemu Scholarship.
Bridget’s scholarship covers her tuition, food, accommodation, and books.
“I am so thankful to the donors,” says Bridget. “I am anticipating graduating and getting a good job. I plan to reach out to other less privileged kids in my community and beyond.”
Congratulations to Bridget for winning the scholarship!
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