During their recent visit to Malawi, Temwa’s Programme Advisor Ifeoma Fox and Fundraising and Communications Manager Amanda Grimstead personally witnessed the success of our newly launched three-year Early Childhood Development (ECD) initiative, which concentrates on establishing and supporting community-operated preschools.
Situated just outside Usisya on Lake Malawi lies the village of Bweteka, reachable after a 45-minute walk across farmlands and two rivers. Before Temwa’s intervention, there were no provisions for children to attend any form of preschool, leaving them ill-prepared for primary school and resulting in high dropout rates. While a few children had attended a small private nursery prior to the establishment of the new community-run preschool, Good Hope ECD, most couldn’t afford the steep fees, leaving them without any early education.
Community members had frequently been observing many idle children during the day, so sought to remedy this situation. Understanding the benefits of preschool education, they reached out to Temwa through the Village Chiefs and learned about the new ECD project. In October 2023, Temwa initiated engagement meetings with the four community Chiefs to address their concerns and their aspiration to establish a functional preschool in Bweteka.
Following discussions with the chiefs, Temwa collaborated with them to form a new preschool committee and provided ongoing support to ensure its readiness before the opening of Good Hope ECD. On January 8, 2024, the first cohort of 36 students commenced their education, which has since expanded to 69 students, with more enrolling weekly. While they are currently utilising the local church hall as a temporary venue, plans for a more permanent structure are already underway.
At present, the nursery is operating smoothly, boasting high student attendance and active involvement from the community. Surpassing initial expectations, caregivers have begun creating educational resources such as alphabet posters and nature learning areas. Temwa is delighted by the significant progress achieved in a short space of time and holds optimistic prospects for the preschool’s future.
The chair of the school committee expressed, “children eagerly attend the nursery, though occasional illness may occur. They are motivated to progress to primary school. Upon returning home, they share their learning experiences with parents and guardians. We are immensely grateful for the caregivers’ dedication in supporting our children.”
Find our more about our education projects here.