Temwa's schools support projects have taken many forms including:

• The building of a community library and primary school block
• The starting of a scholarship programme to help pupils through secondary school
• The provision of much-needed educational materials

We have also started a Temwa Schools Magazine project in the UK. This will help to educate young British people about the problems faced in Africa and help facilitate them in making a positive contribution through activities such as fundraising and twinning with Malawian schools.

• Library Project
• School Blocks
• School Support and Scholarships
• Schools Magazine

Usisya's community committee identified a library as an important tool in helping people to maintain and improve upon the literacy skills learned at school, to increase their knowledge in a variety of areas and to learn to enjoy reading.

Since opening, the library has received many interested visitors. It now stocks a range of books on a variety of topics as well as newspapers and magazines that give everyone in the area access to current affairs within Malawi. We are looking forward to seeing its membership continue to grow and to giving the people of Usisya the access to information they have lacked until now.

Since completing the school block in 2008, funding was received from CVS to build another block in the village of Nkhutu. This block was completed in 2009 and that the school has been used in the academic years since then.

The previous primary school huts did not provide a good learning environment; they did not stand up well to the elements and were not attractive to teachers, who are in short supply.

The project provides 20 scholarships for willing students to attain their secondary school qualification as well as a plan to provide financial resources to improve the educational facilities available at the 18 primary schools in Usisya. The 20 scholarships (the NWT Bursaries) have been split up into three types:

• Four for exceptional students to attend the government or mission-run school to which they are selected
• 12 for able students who might not be able to pay for their secondary school education to attend the C.D.S.S
• A further four term-by-term bursaries to be which will encourage competition within classes and raise overall performance

An additional focus of these NWT bursaries will be to redress the gender imbalance within the educational system in Usisya.

Temwa also aims to improve the educational facilities at Usisya’s primary schools. We have provided educational materials such as workbooks, stationary and calculators as well as the building of a new school block. The NWT Bursaries began in January 2008, the start of the school year in Malawi, and are ongoing.

The schools magazine that has been in development in conjunction with an organisation called Young Bristol has recently rolled off the print machines.

The Temwa schools magazine is ready to be used by schools and youth groups throughout Bristol and its surrounding areas. Created by Millennium Volunteers at Young Bristol (a youth charity in the city, in partnership with Temwa). The youth-orientated magazine is aimed at young people between 13-19 years old. It is intended to be used in schools to encourage young people to learn about sustainable development and get involved with Temwa in establishing community projects in Malawi.

CLICK HERE to visit the School Magazine's page on our website.