Promoting Education Equality through Student Sponsorships
Promoting Education Equality through Student Sponsorships
“Education is key to success.” As true as this phrase sounds, this key seems to be inaccessible to most secondary school students in rural Malawi, where there is no free education beyond eighth grade. In Malawi, secondary school education requires one to pay tuition fees and cover all other school necessities, which most students cannot afford. For those students who cannot afford such costs, they are left with no choice but to go back to their villages. This means their dreams and aspirations being shuttered, due to poverty.
Alifonsina Chadula's story
17-year-old Alifonsina Chadula vividly remembers how, despite being a brilliant student who was so passionate about achieving her ambition of becoming a nurse, she could see this dream dying as her parents could not afford her tuition at Madisi Secondary School, which was amounting to 120,000 kwacha (approximately $70 USD).
“When I was selected to Madisi secondary school I was so excited and I saw my dreams coming to pass until the day I was chased out of school as my uncle could no longer afford my school fees. My uncle told me that he had tried all he could, but he could not afford to keep sending me to school,” narrates Alifonsina.
Alifonsina explains that she lost all hope of going back to school while she waited at her home village at Mankhaka.
“My heart bled as days passed. But there was nothing I could do about my situation as my parents are mere subsistence farmers, who solely rely on farming to provide for our family of eight,” says Alifonsina.
How Orant's student sponsorships help students living in poverty
After two weeks of staying at home, Orant heard of Alifonsina’s story and decided to come through for her.
Orant has been paying her tuition and providing her with basic necessities such as notebooks, soap, sugar, body lotion, sanitary pads and other necessities.
We are so proud that Alifonsina is doing well in her studies and that she is one of the best behaved students such that she was elected in the leadership position of a Vice Head Girl, due to her good behavior and performance.
“I am thankful for Orant’s support. I used to only have five notebooks for eight subjects as my parents could not afford enough notebooks for me. I am now happy that I have enough notebooks on top of other necessities that I am provided with,” says Alifonsina.
How can you promote education equality?
Join us at our 2024 Spring Bingo Fundraiser at Denton Woman’s Club, on Saturday, April 27, 2024, at 11:30 A.M. Tickets are available here.
Add the event to your Google Calendar here and don’t miss a minute of the fun!
