The Orphan Sponsorship Scheme

At the moment the Malawi Home Based Care Charitable Trust is supporting 17 orphans. To sponsor an orphan it costs between the equivalent of £150 a year and £700 per year to cover three terms worth of school fees or vocational training, uniform, exercise books, pens, exam fees and transport to and from school/college.  Extras such as a pair of shoes, food and parafin or candles so that they can study in the evenings are sometimes also provided.

The HIV/AIDS catastrophe in Malawi has left thousands of orphans, child carers, single parent families, street children and child headed households. Children in Malawi are often needed to look after sick parents or younger siblings and when the parents die they are absorbed into the extended family or left destitute. Every family is caring for orphans and every family is struggling to cope. They have to be tough, resilient and resourceful to survive. Education becomes low on the list of priorities. Orphans can take years to complete their primary education due to family demands let alone secondary or tertiary education which only a small percentage manage to achieve.  Education gives them a slightly better chance of getting a job. Given the chance, most orphans are keen to learn and long to go to school or college.

Primary school is free in Malawi but there is no free secondary education. Children who show particular aptitude are selected to fill the limited number of places in government schools where the fees are about £44 a term. They may be sent to one too far from home, necessitating boarding which adds to the cost. Then there are uniform, stationary, exam fees on top of this. If they fail to pay, pass their exams or drop out due to family pressures, they loose their place with no second chance. This means that they have to try elsewhere and the only option is a private school. Fees here are much more. 

Private schools in Malawi can in no way be compared with English private schools.  Often the buildings are run down, equipment such as computers, a library, sports and music facilities and so forth do not exist and accommodation is basic in the extreme - students are expected to bring their own bedding, a bucket for 'bathing' and extra food rations.  But the standard of ecuation is usually better, classes are smaller and discipline stricter than government schools.

Having completed school, orphans still face an uphill struggle to independence as they have no income.  Sponsors are therefore asked to continue their support through vocational training to give their orphan a better chance of finding work and becoming self supporting.   Currently further training courses that orphans on the Scheme are doing include mechanics, electrical installation, electronics, welding, tailoring, tourism and agriculture.  These courses tend to cost a lot more than school - daily transport to colleges, higher fees and often extra equipment is required.  

A brief description of some of our orphans will show how much sponsorship can help.

Nixson Kalilonde is deaf and dumb. He is a 17 year old orphan living with his older sister, who is HIV positive and often sick, and goes to a special Catholic school where he boards as it's so far away. He is also HIV positive and on antiretroviral therapy. He is tiny for his age but very cheerful and loves going to school where they cater for his special needs. He is becoming quite an artist.

Harold and Maureen Chinyama were orphaned at least 8 years ago and are looked after by their older sister, Thoko. They have been supported through secondary school.  Maureen is now studying tourism and Harold, who did extremely well in his final school exams, is now studying a BSc in laboratory technolgy at the College of Medicine.  

Maliko Hamilton is the 14 year old son of a night guard. They are a poor family and Maliko has been blind since birth. He was refused a place at the local village school due to his disability. The nearest and only school for the blind is too far away. Sponsorship has paid for him to board at this special school where he is learning Braille and his parents can visit once a term. We visit him in his home village once a year and he enjoys demonstrating his Braille skills to us.

Wadson Mtotera is a 18 year old orphan who is HIV positive and has cancer of his left leg which is an AIDS related disease. He lives with his extended family. Food is scarce and the pain in his leg was interfering with his schooling. We got the pain under control, we paid for two terms worth of school fee arrears and he was able to return to school and, much to everyone's amazement, passed his junior exams.  He is now studying a 3 year course in welding and fabrication and doing very well. 

Margaret Maxwell Nansanganya is 24 years old and and has eleven siblings. She completed secondary school but failed her final exams. She speaks good English and is highly motivated.  Her life long ambition was to become a mechanic or plumber and with our sponsorship, she has been able to complete a course in mechanics and start up her own business.   

Misheck Bob is 20 years old. His mother died in 1995 and his father in 2004. He lives with his brother.  He is a bright and hard working boy who has done well despite his hardships.  With our support, he completed his secondary school education and in 2011 will complete a 3 year course in electrical installation.  The Sponsorship Scheme will then provide him with £130 to help him set up an electrical shop in Bangwe market. 

Sponsorship is a commitment from helping a child through school to the time they can stand on their own and face a more secure future. 

If you would like to sponsor an orphan, please email kate@malawihbc.org with an indication of how much you would like to donate per year.  You will then be allocated an orphan and provided with details of their situation and a photo.  Sponsors receive a yearly update on how their orphan is getting on and how the money is spent.