Report from Malawi – Nov 22
PROJECT KINDY – REPORT NOVEMBER 2022
Greetings from Nsanama, Malawi, and from all of us, Sisters, volunteers, teachers and children to all the friends of Project Kindy.
We have started a new academic year, and we are now half way the first term.
Schools have started well, and teachers and parents are actively engaging themselves towards the education of their children. They bring their children to school and in turn some stay back to cook the porridge for them. In our kindergartens this year we cater for approximately 832 children, though every day the attendance change, due to sickness or other reasons.
Now that the season of planting rice is approaching, we will experience a diminishing in number of the children attending schools, because the parents will go with them to the fields, where they will stay for weeks or months.
As mentioned in the report of May, the Government has requested that all children going to primary school should have gone first to nursery school. So, NGOs and people opened small schools in the villages as well as in the towns. At first parents took their children to the nearest school, but realized the difference with our schools, especially in the teaching, care of kids and porridge, and so they brought them back.
Below are the approximate numbers in our kindergartens, but as I mentioned before, these are not stable. Children come and go, but every day the teachers call the attendance register. When the Director visits the kindergartens, he also records the presence of the children in each location.
Bakhita, 120
Katundu, 150
Mahete, 108
St. Augustine, 85
Tadala, 85
St. Pius, 42
Tikondane, 60
Mwayi wathu, 54
Masau, 42
Mlambe, 40
St. Francis Atupele, 46
- Porridge
One of the reasons for parents to bring back their children is the porridge prepared at the schools. Other kindergartens in the villages cannot afford that, and we are extremely grateful to Project Kindy’s support for the maize, sugar and salt which allow us to provide the schools with what is necessary for the porridge. Children come from home without eating, carrying their cups or their plates, ready to learn, knowing that they will have their porridge during break.
- Staff support
Teachers and volunteers are very grateful for the help they get every month. They know it is a token of gratitude for their self-giving, and they appreciate the effort. They feel recognized in their day-to-day service, and it tells them you care for them and value their presence and service.
This new scholastic year they receive MK 8,000 per month, more or less 6 US$.
December will mark the end of the first term, and being the month when almost everybody in Malawi experience shortage of food, we have thought of giving them a bag of maize.
- Kindergarten operational costs
The new buildings (Tikondane, Mwayi wathu and St. Francis) were painted with lime during school holiday.
The teachers were provided with books to prepare their scheme and record of works and lesson plans, pens, exercise books to prepare the daily attendance register, chalk, writing materials, printed papers for the children to colour, and coloured pens.
- Training of teachers
Teachers had their first formation of this scholastic year on 13th November 2022; they were introduced to the scheme and record of works and lesson plan preparation, and they were given tips on how to prepare them.
After the input, which was done all together, teachers of each kindergarten came together as a group to prepare their scheme of work and lesson plan.
Teachers are always very appreciative of the formation they receive. Though none of them is a teacher, they put all their interest and efforts during the formation, so to be more efficient and “professional” in their reaching out to the children.
Each teacher was also provided with a book that recalls the previous formative meeting, during which they were encouraged to use things available in nature to teach the children, to expose children to the experiential learning rather than just hearing or seeing.
A Chinese proverb says:
“to hear, I forget;
to see, I remember,
to do, I understand”.
Dear Friends,
We don’t get tired to repeat again what we told you already:
the life and education of children that you enhance and promote,
the awareness you create in parents of the importance of children’s care and education,
the support to teachers and volunteers….
All these would not be possible without you, and speak volume of your love and passion for God, for life, for the less fortunate, our children among them.
Words cannot express all our gratitude and appreciation for who you are and all you do for us and our little ones, and the future society of Malawi. We pray for you together with our children, and ask the Lord to bless and reward you the way He knows best.
From all of us, thank you very much.
