Our campus continues to develop, and the landscape is growing green. This past year, we have added to our facilities: our second staff house, a second student dormitory, second greenhouse, all the while continuing to plant 100’s of trees, our school orchard, and outdoor gardens.

With the impact of the COVID pandemic, next year in Malawi will see a short, compacted academic year, as the nation strives to realign back to a normal school year beginning in September of 2022. 

In late 2021 we further developed our marketing capability by creating a digital asset manager to manage our digital assets in a safe and secure manner.

Kuwala teacher, McSensio Raphael will move into the newly built Teacher’s house on campus. He will be able to provide consistent communication, pictures, and videos of life and events happening at the school.

The world braces for Covid19. The Government closes all schools in Malawi. The students and staff return home until the pandemic is over, and it is safe to resume studies and life on campus.

A pumping system and pumping station house are installed. Perimeter fencing is constructed around the perimeter of the campus to provide additional security for the students, staff and facilities. Construction begins on the first Teacher’s house on campus. Having a teacher live on campus provided community for the girls, all of whom are without family while attending school. Presently, a Housemother lives in the Hostel with the girls. The school hires a Nurse to visit to provide health talks and treatments. A tree-planting program, landscaping and an abundant outdoor Community garden is producing a greener landscape. This is in stark contrast to the barren lands of Malawi. Survival and hunger have stripped the trees and foliage in search for firewood. The first harvest of tomatoes and greens happened in the Community garden tended by the students.

The first marketing campaign for the school is launched. The “Soul Lifting” Gift Catalogue goes out for the Christmas Season, encouraging the support for gifts that will significantly impact the school. Starvation in the communities surrounding the school is significant as they await the harvest from the fields. Our partners in Malawi and the school provide bags of flour to the communities, providing the bridge to sustain them until the harvest. The compassion shown by our students and staff significantly impacts the communities surrounding Kuwala.

Construction on a two-story water tower is started and built to provide a workshop on the main floor and offices and administration on the second floor. A septic system and sewer system are complete with the capacity to fulfill the needs of the long-term vision and potential size of the school.

In preparation for the opening of the first class at Kuwala, a three-room classroom block and a temporary kitchen and dining hall are completed. September 9th – Kuwala opens its doors to the first 60 girls to begin classes in Term 1; the Canadian equivalent of Grade 9. These girls have been chosen through an interview process from hundreds of girls wishing to attend secondary school. Most are from rural areas and all from impoverished socioeconomic backgrounds and families experiencing extreme poverty. The girls receive a uniform in the school’s colours of blue and yellow. Desks arrive as well as school supplies and textbooks. The girls move into the Hostel to live on campus during the school year. They receive three meals a day and have the responsibility of daily chores and homework. Weekends are scheduled for laundry, study, sports, community activities, Church and worship.

The Scholarship Sponsor Campaign begins. $100.00 a month/$1200.00 year provides education, housing and meals for one girl at Kuwala. An Accounting program established for both the Malawian and Canadian Board provides consistent, transparent communication and tracking of all the programs for the school. Dr. Allan Jones, an Optometrist with Canadian Vision Care, a registered Canadian Charity, visits the school. Dr. Jones provided free eye exams for the girls and provided free glasses for those who required glasses.

Solar panels are installed on the dormitory, providing light to the girls in the evening for their study time.

A truck is acquired for our Malawian partners, and the Malawian Board is Incorporated. They will become our partners on the ground and will work together with our Canadian Board to establish a path forward for the school.

The first step is the construction of a road into the area where there will be a future campus. The road is entirely hand-dug and excavated with hand tools. The arrival of a shipping container marks the beginning of the arrival of tools, equipment and supplies to begin construction on the buildings at the campus. Drilling takes place for the school’s water well. Composting toilets are built in preparation for the arrival of the work crews.