<div>Meeting a young person whose academic future is on the brink of collapse breaks my heart. I've been in their shoes, and I understand the pain and despair that comes with the possibility of an interrupted education.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>But before I share my story, let me introduce you to my motherland—Malawi.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>My name is Samuel, and I come from Malawi, a small, landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. Fondly called "The Warm Heart of Africa", Malawi is renowned for its kind and hospitable people. It is also home to Lake Malawi, Africa's third-largest freshwater lake, celebrated for its breathtaking beauty and rich biodiversity.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Yet, beneath our people's warmth and contagious smiles lie daunting challenges.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>According to the <a href="https://gfmag.com/data/economic-data/poorest-country-in-the-world/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">International Monetary Fund</a> and <a href="https://www.unicef.org/malawi/school-age-children" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNICEF</a>, Malawi ranks among the world's ten poorest countries. Poverty, low educational attainment, and limited opportunities for girls paint a stark reality:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>•	40% of children under five are stunted due to malnutrition.
</div>
<div>•	40% of girls are married by the age of 18.
</div>
<div>•	Only 4% of students graduate from high school.
</div>
<div>•	Diseases like HIV (with a prevalence of 7.7%, according to <a href="https://www.unaids.org/en/regionscountries/countries/malawi" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UNAIDS</a> ), malaria, and tuberculosis remain rampant.
</div>
<div>•	Over 80% of Malawians live in rural areas, relying on subsistence farming. Climate change worsens this struggle, as unpredictable weather leads to droughts and crop failures.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This is the reality I grew up in, and I aim to change it.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Amid these challenges, my own journey reflects the struggles and resilience of many Malawian youth.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Here's my story.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>In 2007, I was selected to Msalura Community Day Secondary School, a local public school in the lakeshore district of Salima, my home district. Then, tuition fees stood at K2,500 (approximately €2 per term) with my two elder brothers already in Form Four, nearing the completion of their secondary education, and supported solely by my mother's earnings from a small business selling second-hand clothes, it became evident that she couldn't afford to pay tuition for all three of us. Consequently, we agreed that I would postpone my schooling for a year and commence in 2008 after my brothers had completed their studies.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Even though I understood my mother's limited resources and harboured no resentment, it was disheartening to watch my intense desire to learn slowly fade under such circumstances. I vividly remember the humiliation of being the only student sent out of class by the school bursar for unpaid tuition. The shame and anger I felt in those moments were overwhelming.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>My dreams were shattered when my mother's business collapsed, leaving our family in financial turmoil. This happened before my two brothers could even sit for their secondary school final exams.
</div>
<div>Without the help of a nonprofit in my neighbourhood, I would have likely been trapped in a cycle of poverty—and my education would have ended there.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Even though I completed secondary school in 2010 with grades that would have allowed me to get into a university, I could not continue my education because of ongoing financial difficulties.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Two years later, thanks to my proficiency in English, I had the opportunity to volunteer through the UK government's International Citizen Service. This program paired young British volunteers with our Malawian team. For six months, we worked with a local NGO, helping rural communities adopt climate-smart agriculture techniques to address the impacts of climate change.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>When they returned to the UK, their combined efforts raised money to pay for my university tuition. I am happy to have graduated from the University of Malawi in 2016 with a diploma in journalism.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>In late 2016, after returning to my hometown of Salima, I continued volunteering with another organisation, as jobs were scarce. At this point, I saw many young people facing the same challenges that once threatened my own future—particularly the lack of funds for tuition.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>My struggles inspired me to do what I could to help others. I began sharing the stories of needy students on my blog and Facebook page, appealing for donations to cover their tuition fees.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>That first year, my call for help supported four students. It was a small start, but it reinforced my resolve to make a difference.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>After receiving my diploma in 2016, I returned to the University of Malawi for a bachelor’s degree in communication, which I graduated from in 2019. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div><img alt="" media_type="3" src="https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/84552957_1733845387419749_r.jpeg" width="100%" />
<div><br />
</div>
<div>I am currently pursuing a master's degree in public affairs and political communication at Technological University Dublin, Ireland, as an Ireland Fellows Program scholar. This prestigious scholarship by the Irish Government recruits early-career professionals with demonstrated leadership potential, equipping them with advanced knowledge to drive social, economic, and developmental priorities in their home countries.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>My own experience has fueled my determination to ensure that financial struggles do not hold young people back from their future.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Towards the end of 2017, friends and I decided to continue raising money for deserving young people by founding the Youth Empowerment and Support Initiative (YESI).
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Since its inception, over two hundred students from Salima have received scholarships to help with tuition and other educational expenses.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>More than twenty of these students have gone on to attend teachers' training institutes, technical colleges, and universities. They are now paving their own paths to success and inspiring others in their communities—just as I have inspired them.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Each student in our partner schools requires between K55,000 (€30) and K155,00 (€100) per term to cover tuition fees, depending on whether they attend Community Day Secondary schools or boarding schools.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>I am deeply committed to ensuring these young people stay in school. It is painful to hear their aspirations fade as I talk to them, knowing how difficult it is for them to continue their education.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Join us in making a real impact on their futures. Your donation can make a tangible difference in their lives and keep their dreams alive.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>You can learn more about our Initiative and contribute by visiting our website.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><a href="https://www.yesinitiativemw.org" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">www.yesinitiativemw.org</a>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Follow us on Facebook:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><a href="https://web.facebook.com/YESInitiativemw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">YESI Malawi</a>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/yesinitiativemw" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">yesinitiativemw</a>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Twitter (X): <a href="https://x.com/yesinitiativemw?s=11" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">YESInitiativemw</a>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>I also encourage you to read this, my very first blog post that launched the Initiative in 2017:
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><a href="https://samuelmalasabanda.wordpress.com/2017/01/25..." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">My Story Their Story</a>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Thank you for supporting education for Malawi's future. Your contribution is helping create lasting change for young people in our community.
</div>

Anonymous

Morgan McCreadie

Ciaran Fitzsimons

MICHAEL DORRINGTON

Beatriz Bizzo

David Gibson

Leo Varadkar

John Chambers

Education for Salima: Empowering Malawi’s Future.

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Android v12.11.0 and above

Platform is Android

paymentMethodType

checkoutType

Payment method type group to be vaulted on success

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

Share Text generation Skip Fundraiser

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

paymentProcessorAccountId

fallback mode accounts

proCampaignId

p2p legacy startfundraising page

AMP24 New Funds Only PROD (DO NOT MODIFY)

countryCode

charityId

UKCharities

Federated Search Internal Testing

route.pathname community

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

Supporter Comments Eligible Funds

International Only

fundId

braze fundraiser group 

Payment Identity Transfers ATO Risk Check (Targeted) - Production

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Active Fundraiser - Smart Default Cadence

DAF Internal

Vault on success card payment method

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

Desktop users

Person ids

United States (US) users

allow yuno fundraisers for test

Mexico country code

Posters INTL

NPO Profile Opted-In

iOS at or above 12.4.0

non-US recurring donors

Canada Campaign Owner Group

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Scheduler payment tester gorup

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

Canada (CA) users

currencyCode

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

Profile photo entry point audience

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

Activity Tracking v1 Beta Testing

writePath

Stream Notification

start gfm intl allowed locales

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

UC Flow Enabled (Prod)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

shared notification bell audience

Custom users

ach frontend audience

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

Influencer - Prod

US fundraisers and US users

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

donationCadence

isActiveFundraiser

isPartner

isMobile

npoProfileOptIn

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

hasSessionDonation

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks V3 Rollout Audience

Thank you V3 testing whitelist

isRecurringFriendly

Is Recurring Friendly

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

appVersion is at or above 12.8.0

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

Braze Email Tester

NPO Profile Opted-Out

iOS App Version

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

iOS v12.3.0 and above

Education for Salima: Empowering Malawi’s Future.

Still €1,822 to go. Help us build momentum.