Malawi. One of the poorest countries in the world, with over 70% of the population living in extreme poverty. Children in Malawi are subject to the most brutal forms of environmental disparities, struggling to get access to pure drinking water. It’s surprising to think about the two sides of the world we live in; most of these challenges are unimaginable to us.
The Problem:
All across Malawi, schools are struggling with access to pure water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in schools.
Nearly 1 in 5 schools lack access to clean water
Less than 5% of schools provide soap and water for handwashing
Students are forced to use unsanitary water
This can lead to severe illnesses among school children, resulting in high dropout rates for children who want to take advantage of opportunities but are stopped by these barriers. These challenges are crucial to address. They don’t just affect health; they directly impact education, attendance, and children's futures. Environmental equity has less to do with fairness; rather, it is shaped by circumstances that change students' lives into their own story. These children deserve a better lifestyle, thus comes our initiative.
Our Mission
Our organization, Give Earth a Smile, leads an initiative called Seeds for Change which is aimed to improve both the health and education of a rural school in Malawi, the Bwiba Full Primary School. With over 1,200 young and motivated students, we will employ this project to improve water and hygiene awareness as well as provide the students with books and resources to create change in their own communities. Seeds for Change is geared towards empowering the youth of Malawi to use their resources for the betterment of their society. This program will consist of various sessions with 50-100 students, with each session consisting of a storytelling activity, a student-led project, and the distribution of books and learning resources for the school. We have already conducted an introductory activity of planting trees in the school, introducing students to a change they can be part of; now we want to take this a step further!
Why it Matters
This initiative isn’t just about raising awareness and providing resources; it's about supporting children who want to advocate for opportunity and change within the community and to be able to support its residents' needs even while carrying the weight of environmental injustice every day.
Why Your Donation Matters
We aim to raise $1000 to launch this program
Your gift today will go directly towards:
Purchasing books for students
Providing resources for the school
Supporting local educators
Transportation for volunteers
You have the chance to be a part of this change. These children deserve more than what they are receiving. They deserve an opportunity. They deserve a future. With your help, we can turn these barriers into an opportunity. One school at a time.