Malawi is a truly beautiful country, its known as “the warm heart of Africa” and this is not just a strapline, it´s something you feel in the villages and in day to day life. But this saying, and the warm smiles that you find across the country, hide the truth of how tough life can be for some living here. At Bright Sparks we aim to break the cycle of severe poverty through the best education available, so we target the brightest boys and girls from the toughest backgrounds, and we support them at the best government schools in the country. Our aim is that they realize their fullest potential and we take on the barriers to them achieving it, from school fees, to money for additional needs, to mentoring and support on the journey.
Of the 36 students we are currently supporting:
3 are full orphans and 16 have lost one of their parents
25 come from a subsistence farming background
24 live in mud built huts with grass roofs
23 came 1st in their school in their Public School Leaving Certificate Examinations at the end of primary school, and 33 came in the top 5
The images below are taken from one of the villages where one of our Bright Sparks scholars is from.
Patrick Chimzimu as a yound boy before his Bright Sparks Scholarship. Patrick is now a chartered accountant and works on Bright Sparks Malawi Management Team
Where our journey begins
Subsistence living
Typical Malawian village
Collecting water
It´s a long road, but Bright Sparks is committed to the journey