Help me to build sanitary and security facilities at a girls’ boarding school in Zomba, Malawi!

 

Masongola secondary is a co-ed boarding school with alteast 206 girls sharing beds, sanitary areas in only one hostel compared to boys who have three hostels. Due to lack of security, learning resources and hygienic sanitary areas, performance has decreased and health cases on reproductive tract infections, depression and Post traumatic syndrome disease has been on the rise. The physical facilities of the girls’ hostels are falling apart (see pictures below) – the rooms are overcrowded; bathrooms and toilets are in terrible state as are; and the physical beds they sleep on. COVID-19 has only made matters worse.

 

Most of the girls at the school come from poor backgrounds; a boarding school is meant to provide solace where students can relate to peers and focus on improving their lives through education. However, this has not been possible for the girls as the state of the physical facilities coupled with a state of constant fear for ones’ physical security is not conducive for learning. I’ve recently learnt that 20% of the girls have dropped out of secondary since the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is a great loss.

 

About me:

My name is Honoline Francis, a kinesiologist by training and a Financial Aid/ Awards Assistant with University of Toronto Scarborough, Ontario Canada. I am a 2012 Alumni of Masongola secondary school and my mission is to provide support to these girls so that they are able to continue learning. By doing this, it is my profound hope that they are able to proceed on to university or college and make a difference in their lives and communities – as I was and still am able to do.

 

About the Project:

I am raising $15,000 to build sanitary and security facilities at Masongola Secondary School located in Zomba, Malawi. I need your help to fund this initiative so that together we can educate one girl at the time. With this money, we’ll be able to provide girls with access to healthy and safe learning spaces that are conducive for learning. The funds will go toward renovating the following spaces:

 

a. Security wire

Masongola girls’ hostel is not fenced, so the only source of physical security is from the mesh that creates an extra barrier once windows are closed. Since these mesh are worn out, intruders have been invading at night – resulting in heightened anxiety among the girls. So, replacing the mesh is crucial to increase security as well as to help reduce malaria cases as the mesh trap mosquitoes.

 

 

b. Bathrooms & toilets

These funds will be used to replace of the shower roses and cisterns, renovate the whole bathroom floor, & clean all the water pipes that have been blocked. We will also replace the toilets with pit latrines as these are cleaner in areas with due to water scarcity . Finally, and we will add accessible washrooms for students living with disabilities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

c. Mattresses and Beds;

There are alteast 120 beds and mattresses to fit 206 girls, sometimes a bed is shared by two girls. This is uncomfortable and makes it easy to share skin transmitted diseases. The over crowdedness of the hostels has also resulted in the easy spread of COVID 19. The beds are in very poor conditions and are being supported by bricks and stones which is not safe to sleep – causing another source of physical insecurity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

d. Laundry area;

The funds will be used to rebuild and add more laundry tabs aswell as to replace all the pipes. Because At the moment, only one pipe has running water to serve 206 students. This is unsanitary especially when it comes to cleaning their uniforms or underwear.

 

 

 

Last i would like to renovate this students library and chemistry lab. These students learn through imagination, they do not have running water and lab equipment's to practice what they learn. The library is full of out dated books that are not within this day and age syllabus. Both facilities have been turned into classrooms to accommodate some students. Overall, performance has decreased significantly the past five years especially during national exams.

 

 

 

 

 

I will be working with the Deputy Head Mistress Ms Kondwawaka Saka and Mrs Tepani alongside my dear friend Pamela. I will update you with the progress of this project.

 

 

Thank you so much for your contribution to this initiative, to educate these students.