Poverty undermines education

Regina Zacharia, 13, from Traditional Authority Nthache in Mwanza District dreams of being a nurse someday. It is a dream that motivates her to work hard in school.

However, it is difficult for girls living in rural areas to get quality education.

Raised by a single mother who depends on piecework, the Standard 8 pupil at Lipongwe Primary School usually lacks some basic needs.

Regina says: “I lack basic resources such as school uniform, exercise books, pads and pens. Above all, I am worried when I approach my period. Sometimes, I skip classes because I use rags and they don’t feel comfortable.”

Regina sometimes goes to school on an empty stomach because some people in her village, her family included, are experiencing some famine-like conditions.

The 2020 Unicef Situation Report of Children in Malawi shows that 49 percent of the population in Malawi are children, 60 percent of whom are poor; hence, are vulnerable to other challenges such as poor health, malnutrition and a lack of access to potable water. 

Regina is an embodiment of child poverty in Malawi. She represents thousands of children who have to walk long distances, usually on rough dirt roads, to attend classes to enjoy their right to education, one of the fundamental child rights.

Regina’s uncle Madalitso Chilumpha is concerned that poverty has deprived his niece of role models who would have pushed her to achieve her dreams. He is afraid she might drop out of school or end up an unemployed single-parent who depends on piece work like her mother.

“Getting a proper education goes beyond a school structure or qualified teachers. A lot of young girls have been forced to drop out of school because of poverty which has been exacerbated by hunger. We hope that Regina takes our advice and continues with her education despite the challenges in her life,” says Chilumpha.

He says most of the children in the village, bar a few who are lucky to get scholarships,  do not go beyond Standard Eight because their parents can’t afford to pay tuition fees at secondary school.

But Chisomo Smart, a 17-year-old girl from the same area, is lucky to have had role models who motivated her. She completed secondary school and scored 28 points in her Malawi School Certificate of Education examinations.

“My dad has been helpful. He escorted me to the boma where I met a few successful women such as nurses and doctors. At my school, we also had motivational speakers, and they helped shape my future,” she says.

But Chisomo, an aspiring medical doctor,  is concerned that she might not achieve her dream because she cannot afford to pay for college.

“I have been staying home for close to a year now.  I wasn’t selected to a public university, but I have been applying to some private colleges. Some offered me space to study, but my family cannot afford the tuition. I wish there was someone who could help me,” she said.

Her father, Clement Smart, says he has tried his best to raise money to send her to college, but failed. Now, he is hoping well-wishers can help him.

He agrees with Chilumpha that poverty, and by extension, failing to progress with school will force young girls into early marriages and unemployment.

“When girls show an interest in education, it is best to support them because they face a lot of pressure. I am worried that my daughter is just wasting years at home. Some people have already started mocking her,” says Smart.

Mwanza district social welfare officer Mary Msindwa said her office tries to support poor children in the district through the Constituency Development Fund. However, the fund is only limited to students in public primary and secondary schools.

“We have organisations such as Camfed [Campaign for Female Education] that support some needy students through primary school,” she said.

Unicef found that children have a complicated set of socio-economic needs that extend beyond basic needs.

As a result, child poverty in Malawi has both immediate and long-term consequences, including the deprivation of education, shelter, health assistance and nutrition. These disadvantages affect an individual’s ability to rise out of poverty.