The Shaping Our Future Foundation (SOFF), founded and chaired by the First Lady of Malawi, Madam Monica Chakwera, continues its efforts to empower girls through bursary provision. Over the past three years, SOFF has assisted more than 2,500 vulnerable students from various public secondary schools nationwide by covering school and examination fees, as well as providing uniforms.
Lawrence Kayesa, SOFF’s Education Programs Coordinator, confirmed this progress following a generous donation of seven laptop computers valued at MWK14 million by Chawezi Chacha Banda, a well-known businessperson based in the USA.
The donation was made to the First Lady’s foundation during the African Business Summit held in Dallas, USA. Kayesa stated that the laptops will be awarded to seven girls who excel in the 2023 Malawi Schools Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations and are selected to attend public universities.
“In 2023, fifteen students from our bursary program scored aggregate points of between 10 and 15 points. We’re hopeful that these students will make it to public universities. Upon being selected, SOFF will do a vulnerability assessment to identify seven girls to receive the laptops,” said Kayesa.
On progress that the country is making on girls’ education, Kayesa said, “We are making progress as a country in shaping girls’ education. In the past years, girls were behind in terms of education, but this time around we have parents, guardians and various organisations supporting girl-child education.”
He cited an increase in number of girls who performed well during the 2023 MSCE examinations as an indicator that we’re moving in the right direction.
“Out of the 15 students who scored 15 points and below, 14 are girls,” he reported.
Kayesa further highlighted that despite the progress in girls’ education, there are a lot of challenges hindering girls to go further with education, citing school fees and lack of adequate learning resources.
“This year alone, SOFF has received 19,105 bursary applications through the Ministry of Education from students who are on the verge of dropping out of school because their parents/guardians cannot afford to pay school fees and other related expenses,” he narrated.
In her remarks, one of SOFF bursary recipients who was at Lilongwe Girls Secondary School and scored 10 points, Sphiwe Ngalande, expressed her gratitude for the support that the First Lady is providing to vulnerable students through SOFF.
She said that the laptops will help the benefitting students in their studies and motivate other girls to work hard in class.
“A laptop is a dream gift for a student who is about to start college studies,” she said.
