Jacaranda School, Malawi
The Wings of Hope supports the Jacaranda Primary and Secondary School for Orphans in Limbe, Malawi
There are around 1.8 million orphans and vulnerable children in Malawi, and 1 million of these have lost parents due to the devastating impact of HIV-AIDS. Young children end up heading up households or are pushed into destitution through losing their parents, increasing their vulnerability to abuse, malnutrition, depression, illness, and homelessness. As well as these effects, vulnerable children often have lower rates of schooling and struggle to finish school due to financial or family constraints. The school is named after the jacaranda tree, a beautiful symbol of life, growth, and hope, common in Southern Africa.
The Wings of Hope have supported the Jacaranda School since 2008.
The school supports 400 orphan students, providing them with:
- free primary and secondary education
- tertiary education scholarships to final year graduates
- uniforms and school supplies
- clothes and shoes
- daily nutrition of two free hot meals for every student
- medical care and counselling
- HIV-AIDS awareness programmes
- arts programmes
- agricultural activities
- home support (including home refurbishment, and monthly financial support for the most impoverished)
Jacaranda has provided 65 students with tertiary education (university and vocational) scholarships since its inception, and 93% of graduating students felt that they were now equipped with the skills to succeed in the world of work.