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More info:
About the projectAbout us Thanks 'I count myself incredibly lucky to have had the experiences I have had, seen the things I have.. taken the pictures I have. Every day in Malawi I learned, grew, was challenged and humbled. I never before believed that one idea or spark of the mind could grow into such powerful movements'
Ellen Doherty, Photographer and Assistant Director. 'One of the best things about this job is coming across so many people doing such brilliant work. I can honestly say that I am more optimistic about the human race since I have been working here.'
Joe Volk, Project Administrator 'I'd seen the kids beg a foreigner for a pen, you just can't ignore the look in their eye from the heart. All the resources exist, some are just in the wrong place and need moving'
Lou Fitzpatrick, Project Founder and Coordinator 'Many people especially in Cape Maclear say that MEP is a hope for a society in which all people can be truly equal'
Brighten Ndawala, Project assistant. 'I can see that this project is to benefit the Malawi Education system tremendously'
Simeon Hau, Secretary for Ministry of Education, Malawi 'I said back in the 80's that to die of want in a world of surplus was not only intellectually absurd but equally morally repulsive'
Bob Geldof '...That's the bottom line - a poorly trained teacher in a poor teaching environment teaching a poorly prepared student... they have the recipe for failure. That's what we're dealing with, and this project is very good to help us out of there'
Head of Ministry's Educational Development Management Unit - Roy Hauya 'That's what children of that age actually need - to be in contact with something they can read, some stimulus in terms of drawing, pictures. They are not there! If they can get that within the first 3 / 4 years of their lives, they have got a much, much better start. By the time they get into Standard 4 / 5 they have got a much broader understanding of things, so it (Malawi Education Project) is a very, very worthwhile investment'
Head of Ministry's Educational Development Management Unit - Roy Hauya |
About the project
The Malawi Education Project is a tiny registered non-profit organisation based in Bristol, UK. It was set up by Lou Fitzpatrick, a music festival organiser who travelled to Malawi after working on Solipse Festival in Zambia, 2001. Registered in January 2005, the project completed full circle in October 2006, when 2 resource centres were installed into schools in the South East of Malawi. The project is proving to be a huge success in both continents, with many people in the UK donating resources, time and money to the cause. The resources were so gratefully received in Malawi; they touched the education of 2,500 children from the first trial shipment alone, and have had more of an impact than the project had initially thought possible.
Our Objective: The Malawi Education Projects main objective is to make better use of valuable educational resources that would otherwise go to waste around Bristol and the UK. We collect them together, sort them and shipping them to Malawi, then install resource centres into schools. Most school children have little to no access to any learning resources, even down to pens or paper through lack of government and personal funding. We are aiming to spread educational resources more evenly around the world, helping those in need, from a country blessed with far more than it can use. We are actively helping to better the quality of education, by providing many of the fundamental resources that the schools lack. This gives the population a helping hand in carrying themselves out of poverty by way of a positive education cycle.
What we send: We are collecting resources such as textbooks, reading books, reference books, stationary, musical instruments, sports equipment, art materials and technical equipment, to be distributed throughout a number of primary and secondary schools, colleges and orphanages in Malawi, promoting long-term improvements in their education system. Take a look at the donate page for more details on what you can donate.
We don't send everything we receive. We sort consciously through the donations we receive so as all out dated, inappropriate or incomplete material is not sent. We don't send resources that have a potentially short life span, and we don't send battery operated items. We take all plastic wrappings and other non-biodegradable packaging off donations so as not to make rubbish when it arrives, as the infrastructure for waste disposal there cannot deal with it in an environmentally friendly way. 
What we've done: Our first shipment of resources landed at Cape Maclear Primary School, a rural school of 1,750 students, located on the lake; and Sambani Secondary School, a 560 pupil school in Zomba, the country's ex-capital city. From the installation of these resource centres, both schools now have the capacity to increase in size, we have created a number of jobs for Malawians, and we have reduced the costs to the school by providing such resources as a printer and computer at the secondary school. Cape Maclear Primary School has already had another building constructed, being the new library, donated by an Icelandic support group.
Funding: The Malawi Education Project is predominantly independently funded. Organisers and friends have raised money through skydiving, indoor and outdoor parties, marathons, coffee mornings, donations, and silent auctions. We had our first financial injection from Not Pointless - a funding charity, which we hope to be the first of a few grant making trusts and agencies to enable us to do what we do. We sell hand painted greeting cards through the website which raises money for both the project and the Malawian artists who make them. We operate an extremely cost-efficient project; no money is wasted, every penny is stretched, we pay only for essentials and don't put any money into paying unnecessary costs. We believe in exercising our blagging and bargaining techniques. We are fair people, giving for love, so this world can become a fairer place! All money raised is put towards the basic costs of achieving our mission. 
Why Malawi? Malawi is the worlds 5th poorest country and one of the least developed, with a low literacy rate of 64%. The country is stable and conflict-free, the population are very friendly, proud people, and the country is fairly self-sufficient. Natural resources alone cannot increase the country's wealth, education is the most productive and important step forward. Free basic education has been in effect since 1994, and financially it is a big challenge for the government. Educational resources are minimal to non-existent with an average of less than 1 textbook per student, and because of this the quality of mainstream education is low. We can make a huge difference by simply recycling!
Volunteers: Volunteers who come to Malawi to work on the project pay their own way entirely. We don't ask for a fee to come with us as many voluntary organisations do. We don't have an application process... it's all by word of mouth. As we're such a small set up, then it's essential that the volunteers are compatible, proactive, have good initiative and common sense, are strong enough characters, and have a good sense of humour! 2008 plans: During this year the project will develop dramatically, with a larger UK premises, increase in UK volunteers, our 2nd shipment of resources leaving the UK, set up of a Malawian premises and purchase of a vehicle, recruitment of our Malawian team, and the plans and preparations in place to start approximately 20 library installations in January 2009. Volunteers will start in Malawi in late October, preparing our base for the shipments arrival and training of the crew. It's going to be a busy year for us all. |