Dreaming big for a generation

Mebo is a 10 year-old grade six girl at Mthiko village in the area of Traditional Authority Mazengera in Chilenje community in Lilongwe.

The diligent young girl, who lives with albinism, walks over five kilometers to school. Determined to become a revenue collector, she is eager to achieve her dreams through education.

“I wake up morning every day and walk over five kilometres to school so that I can fulfil my dream of becoming a government revenue collector someday,” says the 10 years old.

However, Mebo believes many children of her condition fail to go further with education in the community because their parents are not well supported so they can take good care of their children.

“Often times I am afraid that I might not be able to reach my dream because many children with my conditions fail to complete education as their parents struggle financially, may be the same might be the case with me because my father struggles to support us,” she explains.

Mebo believes if government could come up with initiatives to support households with children with albinism with special business loans it could help them with a better livelihood and be well supported in school to achieve their dreams.

“Some children go to better schools because their parents can afford, but I go to a government school because my parents cannot afford, so if government supported my parents with some business loans it would help me and my siblings get a better education, “says Mebo.

Mebo also adds that walking over five kilometres to school puts her off the path to academic excellent performance.

She says, walking every day to and from school renders her tired and she fails to concentrate in her studies due to fatigue.

She feels if World Vision could help solve her mobility challenges then her academic life could improve so much proportionately.

“Currently I have to walk to school every day. As s such, I get to school tired which makes me not study enough and somehow this affects my studies. If World Vision could help with some mobility facility so I could get to school with ease and in time, my performance could be better,” she says.

Mebo wants to build a big house for her family when she fulfils her dream of becoming a revenue collector.

43 year old Masautso Henry is Mebo’s father. He has five children, including Mebo, all albinistic. As a father, Henry is worried that he has not been able to support his children with the basic life amenities.

He says his farming endeavours currently do not suffice meetings all the basic needs of the family.

Henry wishes if he was at least able to provide good shelter to the kids as currently the family’s dwelling house is smaller and leaks during heavy rains.

“My house is smaller to accommodate seven of us, five children, myself and my wife. As such, we squeeze ourselves through to occupy the available space as currently I cannot afford to erect a new house as I earn little from my farming ventures,” says Henry.