HELP BUILD A GIRLS HOSTEL TO REDUCE SCHOOL DROP OUT

I am fundraising for Chiyola Community Day Secondary School (CDSS), located in the rural Western part of Rumphi district in Traditional Authority Chikulamayembe, Malawi. As someone who was born and raised in the same village and currently serves as a board member for the school, I feel a deep responsibility to ensure that girls have access to quality education without compromising their privacy, dignity, and safety.

Established in 2024, Chiyola CDSS draws students from six feeder primary schools. Currently, the school only has Form One students, with plans to welcome additional learners in Forms Two, Three, and Four in future academic years. Like many Community Day Secondary Schools, students at Chiyola face significant challenges due to the lack of boarding facilities. Many students walk an average of 28 kilometres daily to reach the school, which creates barriers, particularly for girls who often have household responsibilities before attending classes. This has led to poor academic performance and increased dropout rates; for instance, five girls dropped out during the 2024-2025 academic year, two of whom got married.

The situation worsens during the rainy season when students struggle to cross rivers, leading to even higher absenteeism.

Flooding river during rainy season:

In response, the community is considering allowing girls to board at the school. However, currently, the girls are sleeping in teaching classrooms, which are also used as classrooms during the day. While the community has built a grass-thatched kitchen for meal preparation, the use of classrooms as hostels compromises safety and privacy for the girls.

Boarding girls' kitchen:

The community is actively engaged in fundraising for the new hostel, including operating a maize farm (see picture below), with all proceeds directed towards this initiative.

Maize farm:

Your donations will be instrumental in constructing a safe and secure hostel for the girls at Chiyola CDSS, allowing them to focus on their studies and reducing absenteeism and dropout rates.

All funds donated will be used solely for the intended purpose, and evidence of the new hostel's construction will be shared with all donors. The donated funds will be manged by the board members and school committee with whose blessings informed this fundraiser.