Soon after we returned from Senegal in 2020 (right before the world changed!) we decided we wanted to build another school within a couple of years. We’ve always heard incredible things about Malawi from the BuildOn trek leaders we’ve met and so it seemed natural to have that be our next BuildOn Trek!

We originally aimed for summer 2022, however with the global pandemic and everything going on in the world, we decided to postpone it to June 2023. And here we are, just days away from leaving for this big adventure, and it’s hard to believe it’s finally here! We just received information about which village we will be staying and working in, and a little bit of info about the community which is really wonderful so see. So we’ll share it with you here 🙂

Thanks again to EVERYONE who contributed to the fundraising to this school. This new school will be there for many generations of families to benefit from!

About Malawi

Malawi is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa with a diverse landscape, several substantial lakes, and a mostly tropical climate. More than 7 million Malawians over the age of 15 are illiterate, and over 70 percent of the population lives below the poverty line of $1.90 a day. Nearly half of all primary school-age children dropout before advancing to secondary school. 

About 80 percent of Malawi’s population lives in rural areas, and the economy is heavily reliant on its agricultural industry which accounts for one-third of GDP and 80 percent of export revenues.

The village of Chiuni is a rural community located in the Kasungu region, with a population of about 450 residents. Most community members are subsistence farmers who rear livestock and grow tobacco, groundnuts, beans, soya, and corn.

Old School in Chiuni

Chiuni Primary School is a young institution that opened its doors following the completion of its first buildOn-sponsored school block, in August 2018. Since then, the school has been operating out of the initial two-classroom school block and a provisional structure (pictured above). 

Parents and administrators chose to implement the provisional classroom so that the school could increase its offered grade levels. Although they have attained their objectives, it is understood that this temporary outdoor classroom does not offer Chiuni’s students the type of environment necessary for uninhibited success. These environmental obstacles, in addition to the hope of, again, increasing Chiuni Primary’s offered grade levels, are the driving influences of this collaboration.

With the next nearest proper school a 6 km walk over remote terrain, the community members of Chiuni were left with few options for their children. Through your partnership, buildOn will be able to provide the village of Chiuni with a proper school block and latrines. Community leaders and buildOn staff members will also be working together closely to increase the number of students, especially girls, enrolled in this school.  

Meet the Community Members

Ester (Student)

Ten-year-old Ester is a passionate fourth grade student and one of 210 children in Chiuni who can’t wait to have a new school to learn in.

Watch the interview!

Richard (Parent)

Like many parents in Chiuni, Richard hopes for a better future for his son so that he can help to lift himself and their family out of poverty.

Eric (Teacher)

 As one of four teachers in Chiuni, Eric dreams of the day when he students can finally learn in adequate, spacious classrooms.

Malawi, here we come!!