World Vision in Malawi Donates to Kapanda Secondary School to Enhance Education Outcomes

Nestled amid towering natural trees that offer fresh air and scenic views, Kapanda Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in Nkhata Bay provides a conducive learning environment. However, the school has long faced a severe shortage of essential learning materials, including desks and mattresses. This affected learning and living conditions, especially for girls in an overcrowded hostel.

Form Four student Tafazwa Longwe, 20, has spent her secondary school years scrambling for scarce desks, mattresses, and library furniture with her classmates.   She was visibly relieved when World Vision donated desks, mattresses, and other learning materials to her school. Tafazwa recalls how the scarcity of mattresses created tension among students. “We had only 70 mattresses for 122 students in the girls' hostel,” she explains. “This forced two students to share a single mattress, which caused constant fights and stress.”

The classroom situation was worse. Three or even four students shared a single desk, making learning uncomfortable.  Kapanda CDSS headteacher Daniel Kabiya says the school's expansion to a double-stream in 2021 exacerbated resource shortages. “The enrolment increased, leading to a severe shortage of desks and other resources,’ he says “This made it difficult for teachers to manage classroom discipline.”  Kabiya adds that the poor sleeping conditions in the girls' single-structure hostel negatively affected their academic performance.

The dire situation prompted World Vision to step in with much-needed support. World Vision donated 150 desks, 30 mattresses, 500 dictionaries, 15 reading tables, 76 library chairs, and Bibles.  The donation is part of World Vision’s efforts to support education, child protection, and water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) projects in Kande, Traditional Authority Fukamapiri in Nkhata Bay district.

World Vision Programme Manager for Mzimba and Nkhata Bay districts, Limbani Gondwe, underscores the organization's commitment to supporting education. “Everything we are doing is because we care for your future,” Gondwe told students at the handover ceremony. “But your success is in your hands. Teachers and resources cannot write exams for you, so focus on your education.”

Gondwe says apart from long-term projects, World Vision also receives Gifts in Kind which supports in meeting various development needs identified in the communities.  “These contributions are Gifts In Kind, from our donors and supporters through World Vision USA,” explains Limbani. The donation is valued at 40 million Malawi Kwacha. 

With the donation, Kabiya, the head teacher, expresses gratitude and hope for the future of the school’s 401 students. “Despite the challenges, we've worked hard and achieved great results,” the head teacher states. “Last year, our top student scored 12 points, and we sent 12 students to public universities. “This donation is a huge relief, and I'm confident our performance will improve further.” Tafazwa shares her headteacher’s optimism.

“With the new mattresses, we feel stress-free and are much happier going to class,” she says “The desks make us more comfortable and help us focus better on our studies.” Northern Education Division principal quality assurance officer Enious Nyasulu acknowledges that Kapanda’s challenges mirror those faced by many schools in the norther region of Malawi. He states: “Our division is probably the largest in Malawi, with nearly 239 secondary schools. Most of these schools face a severe shortage of desks. Many students are forced to sit on the floor, which is particularly challenging for girls.” Nyasulu urges other development partners to emulate World Vision’s efforts.

“Continued investment in educational resources remains essential to securing a brighter future for Malawi’s learners,” he says.