Education Scholarships Empower Students in Mchinji District, Malawi
Advancing Girls' Education in Africa (AGE Africa) provides comprehensive scholarships to 26 students in Mchinji, Malawi, enabling access to education.
MCHINJI DISTRICT, MALAWI — Advancing Girls' Education in Africa (AGE Africa), an international organisation based in the United States, is making a significant impact in Mchinji District by providing comprehensive scholarships to 26 students, writes Gerald Fanuel.
The organisation implements the Malawi End to End programme, which aims to enable disadvantaged but talented young women and girls to attend and complete secondary school.
AGE Africa equips them with the resources, knowledge, and awareness necessary for their success.
Fifteen-year-old Happiness Peter from Mtsukunya village in T/A Mlonyeni expressed her gratitude for being part of the AGE Africa family.
She explained how the organization's intervention has provided her with an opportunity to continue her education, alleviating the financial burden on her parents.
Happiness stated, "I can't imagine how life could have been without the intervention of AGE Africa. When I had just written Standard 8 examinations and was waiting for results, my parents did not know where they would get money for school fees and other needs for my Form 1. But the coming in of AGE Africa increased my confidence and my energy to work hard in class, for I know that there are a lot like me who are struggling to source school fees."
Patrick Moses, a guardian from Folotiya village, emphasised the positive impact of AGE Africa's scholarship programme on his brother's education.
He said, "I do not have a reliable source of money that can help us to survive as well as pay school fees for my brother, but AGE Africa, through their scholarship programme, changed the future of my brother and us, who are to focus on our survival, having confidence that one thing has been settled."
AGE Africa's Country Director, Ulanda Mtamba, is impressed with the program's impact in its first year in Mchinji.
She stated, "It is the wish of our organisation to help students who are needy but very capable in class to continue with their education."
Samson Kawiya, the Principal Education Officer for Mchinji District, commended AGE Africa for its scholarships and expressed the need for more beneficiaries.
He said, "It is very true that most students drop out of school due to the scarcity of school fees and other necessary school materials, but the scholarships that AGE Africa is providing would help them to complete their education."
Mtamba acknowledged the overwhelming need for scholarships but mentioned financial constraints.
However, through a partnership with Phillip Morris International, AGE Africa hopes to increase the number of scholarships each school year.
Since its establishment in 2005 in Malawi, the programme has provided scholarships to 400 secondary school students and 66 tertiary students, creating transformative opportunities for young learners in the country.