Malawi - ‘the warm heart of Africa’

Where is it?

Some facts Population 15.6 million Major languages: English, Chichewa Life expectancy: 56 years (men), 57 years (women) Main exports: Tobacco, tea, sugar, cotton GNI per capita: US $280 compared to South Africa’s GNI per capita: US $5,770 and UK’s GNI per capita: US $41,520 (World Bank, 2009)

Education Highly valued – Government priority Children start at age 6 Primary for 8 years Secondary for 4 years In order to progress to the next year you have to pass exams. If you don’t pass then you repeat the year Very little early years provision – not within remit of Ministry of Education

Challenges for Education Not enough schools Not enough classrooms – children taught outside, sent home during rainy season Not enough toilets/pit latrines Not enough teachers Almost no resources – textbooks, jotters, paper, pencils Huge drop off rate from standard 1 to standard 8 as children have to work at home looking after siblings, working in fields or early pregnancy in girls

Holyrood Project 4 years of senior pupils going to Malawi Improving infrastructure Building classrooms and painting rooms, including learning resources on the walls Holyrood and other schools across the city Sending out backpacks Raising money for Mary’s Meals

Lord Provost’s Malawi Fund Improving ICT resources Health projects – building clinics Support from Access and City Building Mary’s Meals

Working in a range of countries Feeding programs in primary schools Run by Mother Groups Delivering backpacks to primary school pupils Supporting volunteers to run early childhood development centres for under 6s – feeding them twice a day Increasing the number of children coming to school

Malawi Leaders of Learning In partnership with Link Community Development Ages 6 to 18 – primary and secondary Literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing School improvement planning Building the capacity of staff in Malawi to improve learning and teaching Working with Mother Groups, School Management Committees – the local community

Malawi Leaders of Early Learning In partnership with Mary’s Meals Extend the number of centres for under 6s which feed children and help get them ready to learn Continue to help them extend the feeding programs in primary schools

Building capacity by investing in Malawi Employ a project manager Background in education who would be line managed by Sr Eunice Mentored by Link Community Development Malawi Work with schools, teachers, primary education advisers to improve school improvement planning Make arrangements for Malawi Leaders of Learning Identify schools and areas of improvement, including access to electricity through Solar Connect

Solar Connect

What next Steering group here and in Malawi Communications plan Fund raising plan Applications being sought for first team – spring 2012 Cordia continue to support Mary’s Meals Access continue to support ICT through LP

Glasgow City Council Response What can you do as part of the Glasgow family? Ideas? Every child to bring £1 once a year Each department to have a Malawi Day - you choose what that looks like Business involvement...