Pius lives with his subsistence farmer grandparents and two siblings in Kayuni Village, Nothern Malawi. He is the oldest of his siblings, so the family relies on him to work, source food and other necessities. 

As a young student, it is hard to balance being the family’s main source of income and concentrating on his studies, often leading Pius to attend school on an empty stomach as his family struggles to produce food to afford three meals a day. 

Pius was identified by teachers who put him on a bursary waiting list, as he was failing to pay tuition fees on time. He was then selected from a list by Temwa given his vulnerable circumstances and began being supported by the Bursary Scheme.

“I used to be absent from school several weeks a term due to failure to pay fees in time and I used to work long hours in people’s fields to raise school fees.

I didn’t have a school uniform and hardly found enough notebooks and pens for taking notes and writing assignments. I used poor sources of lights such as candles and battery torches but could barely raise enough resources to buy the batteries and candles. Hence my study time at home was very limited since I prefer to study at night.”

Under Temwa’s bursary scheme, there’s a guarantee that Pius’ tuition fees are paid on time and he will no longer struggle to have access to writing materials. 

“I hope that I will be able to concentrate more in school now that I am no longer stressed about schooling fees and finding suitable materials”. 

Pius wishes to finish his studies and become a lawyer and MP for his constituency so he can contribute towards developing his community. He would also like to help his brother and sister and other children who come from a similar background. Temwa has been able to help lots of people in the community in terms of education, Pius has been able to see many people finishing their education through Temwa’s support. 

“I sincerely thank Temwa for the support it provides not only to bursary beneficiaries but also in other development initiatives such as health and agriculture. My community do not take this for granted.” 

Secondary school education in Malawi is not free, and the fees and associated costs of uniforms and learning essentials are often unaffordable for families with little household income. In turn, school dropout rates are very high. This scheme ensures that students like Pius can benefit from secondary school education, reaching their potential and expanding their future opportunities.

To read the latest Bursary Scheme report click here.