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In Malawi, many young people, particularly girls, are denied access to education, with the most significant barriers faced in poorer, rural areas. The secondary school completion rate for girls stands at just 21%, reflecting the profound impact of poverty and traditional societal roles. With 70% of the population living below the poverty line, many families simply cannot afford the costs associated with secondary or higher education. This financial strain, coupled with cultural practices, often leads to young girls being married off early. In fact, 42% of girls in Malawi are married before the age of 18, and 9% are married before their 15th birthday.

This project takes a holistic approach to address these challenges and ensure that both girls and boys at risk of poverty can attend school regularly and complete their education successfully. Through scholarships, mentoring, training, and the provision of hygiene materials, we aim to increase school completion rates, with a particular focus on empowering girls. 

In rural areas of Malawi, menstruation remains a topic surrounded by misconceptions and is often considered embarrassing. Menstruation and menstrual practices are deeply linked to taboos and social restrictions for women and girls. Sociocultural norms in society prevent open discussions about puberty and menstruation, leaving girls with few opportunities to care for their health and meet their needs.

The lack of access to menstrual hygiene products has created an alarming situation that particularly impacts education and academic performance. Many girls feel ashamed when their school uniform is stained with blood because reliable sanitary products are not available. This leads to stigmatization, causing them to miss school temporarily or, in some cases, drop out entirely. As a result, many girls face early marriages and unwanted pregnancies.

Through this project, we aim to empower girls, enhance their self-esteem and confidence, and ensure they have access to education even during their monthly period. This will be achieved by providing reusable tampons in rural schools in Blantyre. Additionally, we will offer education on menstrual hygiene, helping girls feel informed and secure about managing their health.

Trees are essential for a healthy environment and climate. Over the past few decades, many forests in Malawi have been cleared, resulting in significant environmental challenges.

Through this project, every student will plant and take responsibility for their own tree, which they will monitor and water daily. The goal is to teach students about the importance of environmental stewardship, responsibility, and conservation.

Due to a lack of classrooms, lessons are often held outdoors. The trees planted on school grounds will not only improve the local climate but will also provide much-needed shade for the students, creating a more comfortable learning environment.

 The risk of drought periods and other weather extremes as a result of climate change has increased sharply in Malawi. This has far-reaching consequences for the country, where a large part of the population lives from subsistence farming. Their livelihoods are threatened:  

Crop yields are declining, food prices are rising and many people lack food and clean drinking water. The effects are particularly fatal for children. For example, around 37 percent of the children in Malawi already suffer from malnutrition, which impairs their development and makes them more susceptible to disease.

Through this project, we aim to empower 2,500 households in Mulanje and Machinga by improving their resilience to the impacts of climate change - through sustainable agriculture, food security efforts, access to drinking water, income-generating activities and more. Project activities will benefit a total of 12,500 women, men and children from 2,500 households.