Through student sponsorship, mentoring, women’s empowerment, teacher training, and food security initiatives Story Time endeavors to provide holistic support to students facing various challenges, including inflation and hunger. Here's a glimpse into our activities during Q1 of 2024.
The year 2020 has brought great change around the world. Malawi has seen its share of floods, elections, and regulation changes due to COVID-19. If you haven’t had the chance to keep track of it all (who does?), Story Time has put together a brief rundown of what has happened in Malawi this year, and where things stand now.
The government of Malawi closed high schools mid-year in April 2020, and in November, the government invited Form 4 (Senior) high schoolers back to school in order to study for the exams that they were originally supposed to take in May. Senior students will take their government exams, and all students will advance grades in February. The government has mandated masks, hand washing, and social distancing, but in rural Malawi, at our partner high school, students are not able to buy these items
Teacher training workshops have started and are continuing this year. Dr. Zikani Kaunda, Story Time Vice President said, “It’s good that we have all the teachers on board, the progress will be demonstrated in the students’ performance.” Each teacher will have a plan of action, from today until the end of the term, to see what has improved in terms of students’ performance.
Austin came to Story Time in order to further his education. Partly due to his determination and partly due to Story Time sponsorship, he was able to apply and begin attending college - the first in his family to do so. He wants to be financially stable so he can provide for his family. He says he thinks about his future everyday and is confident in his ability to achieve his dreams.
Selecting students for the Standard Sponsorship Project is a long process that occurs each year. Within the first few weeks of the school year, students are permitted to attend school for a period of time without paying school fees. During this window of time, Story Time members assist with a 7-step selection process.
There is an “Invisible Generation” in Malawi. One that is virtually ignored. In Malawi, 70% of the population is under 30. This means an influx of youth coming into the workforce, bringing with them, dreams of innovation, entrepreneurship, and a better future. But that is not what is happening. There is a youth job crisis and a growing number of young laborers in need of work.
![[Video] How SSP Students are Selected for Sponsorship](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56b67b9362cd949004d6c059/1522182579678-OL0L9FQJ9R4EMYV9HJVW/Screen+Shot+2018-03-27+at+3.29.13+PM.png)
