How much of my donation actually goes towards supporting the student?

We have no overheads and all staff are volunteers. We have to pay bank fees to convert currency into Malawian Kwacha.

How do you choose which children to support?

We rely on advice from the schools for this, in particular primary schools whose students are leaving but cannot afford to continue their education. .

Do you have staff in Malawi?

We don’t have staff anywhere, but three of our eight trustees reside there. They are influential in the choice of students, and ensuring that they are indeed in need.

Are you registered for gift aid?

Yes we are, so this will increase your contribution by 25% if you are a UK taxpayer.

What happens to the beneficiaries after secondary school?

Hopefully, they will achieve the Malawi Schools Certificate of Education, enabling them to find clerical or office work or to go on to higher education. At the moment we do not support children in higher education, but we hope to do so in the future.

What happens to children who do not attend secondary school due to poverty?

Their options are few: begging, working in fields/ farms for less than the cost of a day’s meal, or for girls, to get married at the age of 12-13 years. Young boys could get into bad habits like underage drinking, smoking, and even theft as the pressure to provide is not met by means.

Am I able to have access to what the Fund has accomplished?

Yes. We will provide all the relevant information, including the ‘voices’ of the beneficiaries.

What are the possible pitfalls of this program?

So far, we can not find the downside.

What challenges do you envisage that the students/beneficiaries students may face?

Coming from very poor families, the students may be the first to enter secondary school in their family and/or local area. As such, they may lack immediate mentors and motivators.

How many children do you hope to support per year?

We have not set a limit. We will support as many as the fund permits. As we can see from the facts and figures, only 15% of eligible students enter secondary school. There is so much need.

How do these efforts align with Government efforts, and from NGOs? Are there any overlaps?

There is a substantial gap between need and supply. This fund will support current efforts.