Kicking off a new semester

Our Nyaudzudzu School Turns Five

Our Nyaudzudzu school celebrated its 5th anniversary on October 12, 2025! The autumn term got off to a busy start on September 22, 2025. For the first time, the school is now operating at full capacity, with all eight grades in attendance. There are a total of 761 students: 342 girls and 419 boys. In particular, the upper grades have welcomed new students from surrounding villages, as the reputation of Nyaudzudzu School has spread throughout the Muona area.

The teacher situation has also improved: we welcomed four new teachers, bringing the total to 11 teachers, along with a girls’ mentor. This is excellent news for both the students and the teachers. Most classes now have two teachers, which makes teaching much easier in groups of nearly 100 students.

The increase in student numbers has also created a greater need for textbooks. We have had to send additional funds to purchase books, as Malawi’s education authorities do not provide textbooks for students. There is still a severe shortage of books.

One of the most serious challenges is that students in Grades 1–4 are still studying outdoors because the school does not have enough classrooms. The wind blows dust around, and with the rainy season approaching, the children are at the mercy of the weather.

We have also sent funds to build a new sanitation facility for the girls. The facility will provide a place where girls can wash, change menstrual products, and use their own toilet. The building will also include a urinal, and a designated fire pit will be built outside for safely burning used sanitary pads.

It is estimated that only one in three girls can afford to buy sanitary pads from a shop. For this reason, the school plans to teach the girls how to make reusable sanitary pads themselves. The school’s mothers’ group has already raised funds and purchased fabric, and teacher Elisabeth Mangani has offered to teach the girls sewing as soon as we are able to purchase a sewing machine for the school.