Association for Education Projects Martin Schaer Malawi
The association for education projects Martin Schaer („Verein Bildungsprojekte Martin Schaer“) has been constructing school buildings in Malawi since 2001 - 10 schoolhouses for over 2’000 children are already operational. There is a severe lack of school buildings in the rural areas of Malawi. Often over 120 children share one single classroom and poorly trained teachers do not know how to actually teach with hardly any educational material at hand. The consequences of these conditions are a poor educational background of many children as well as very high drop out rates, despite 8 years of compulsory primary education.
It is thus a series of rather simple but sustainable measures that the Verein Bildungsprojekte Martin Schaer has put in place in order to improve schooling at the new secondary school campus in Salima, 100km east of the country’s capital, Lilongwe:
It is thus a series of rather simple but sustainable measures that the Verein Bildungsprojekte Martin Schaer has put in place in order to improve schooling at the new secondary school campus in Salima, 100km east of the country’s capital, Lilongwe:
- Construction of a school with 6 classrooms for 30 children each (ages 12 to 18)
- Construction of 7 residential buildings for external pupils (*RFF finances 3 of these)
- Construction of 1 workshop-room used for music, theatre and crafts
- *Construction and furnishing of a library
- *Construction and furnishing of an informatics room (Along with math, languages, history and biology computer and internet skills are important subjects)
- *Construction of a sports compound with soccer, basketball and volleyball fields
- The employed teachers receive advanced training as well as educational material (e.g. books, maps, games, exercise sheets, etc.)
- School fees of the poorest children are co-financed by the richer children
As soon as the facilities are finished (October 2010), the RogerFedererFoundation will work out a life skills program for the pupils together with the Verein Bildungsprojekte Martin Schaer. The program will aim at supporting children in building up self-confidence, critical thinking, communication and leadership skills and also offer music and sports workshops as from 2010.
www.martinschaer.ch
The RogerFedererFoundation supports the project (especially the modules marked with *) with an annual contribution of CHF 50’000.
Malawi facts
** Human Development Report 2006 (UNDP)
www.martinschaer.ch
The RogerFedererFoundation supports the project (especially the modules marked with *) with an annual contribution of CHF 50’000.
Malawi facts
| Population**: | 14 Mio. |
| Compulsory education**: | 5-12 years |
| Enrolment ratio**: | 62% |
| Illiteracy rate**: | 38% |
| Life expectancy**: | 43 years |
| Sustainable access to an improved water source**: | 76% |
| Nutrition**: | 19% of the children under 5 years of age are undernourished |
| Did you know: | Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa, is the heart of the country. It is also called Calendar Lake, as it has 12 feeder rivers, it is 365 miles in length and it measures 52 miles at the widest point. The lake is known for its biodiversity, many fish are species that are held in aquariums in Europe. |
** Human Development Report 2006 (UNDP)