200 children. 1 teacher. No chairs, desks, or books…
…It’s impossible for children to learn, but with your help, it CAN change.
Mphatso, who was born into a poor family in Malawi, goes to school hoping for a brighter future. But that’s not what he’s getting.
It’s not right. But with your help, it CAN change.
Will you be part of the change you want to see, and help a child like Mphatso learn to read, write and count?
“When I finish school, I want to be a teacher…”
Mphatso lives in poverty – in a home with no running water or electricity. He desperately hoped that going to school would give him a better life. But his class was so overcrowded and noisy that Mphatso couldn’t even hear his teacher.
There were more than 200 children. No desks or chairs. Not enough books, pens or paper. Mphatso couldn’t learn in these conditions, and he couldn’t even ask for help because, with so many children in the class, it was impossible for Mphatso’s teacher to give any child individual attention.
Mphatso was forced to drop out of school for a time.
But he came back for VSO's learning sessions. During these focused sessions, an expert VSO volunteer helps the children learn using an educational tablet in a calm, quiet environment. Working at his own pace, Mphatso soon began to make progress. He can now read, write and count, and wants to learn more. He now has the tools he needs to build a brighter future.
We urgently need to reach more children like Mphatso. Please will you help a child living in poverty learn to read, write and count?
Give the gift of a life-changing education
Without education, children born in poverty can’t build better futures for themselves. But the conditions in Malawi’s schools are so poor that many children never learn to read, write, or count.
It’s not right. It’s not fair. But it CAN change.
Donate to VSO and you could help achieve lasting change. You could equip a child with three essential skills for life now and in the future. You’ll help them learn to read, write and count at a VSO learning centre with an expert VSO volunteer by their side to provide help and support.
In only a short space of time, children are transformed into fluent readers. They can write paragraphs, count confidently, and perform at an advanced level for their age in maths. Most importantly, they’re motivated to continue in education and go back into the classroom ready to learn more.
Help a child learn to read, write and count, and you’ll set them on the path to a brighter future. Please give the gift of an education.
Here is how every £1 is spent
We value every gift that you give, and will always put it straight to work as quickly as we can. In 2023-24, 85p of every £1 you gave went directly towards tackling poverty worldwide.15p was spent on the day-to-day running of the charity and raising the next £1 so that we can help even more people this year.
Our promise to you
It's important to us that you feel completely confident and comfortable in supporting VSO. As part of our promise to you:
- We will always treat your personal information with the strictest confidence.
- We will be transparent with how your donations are spent.
- We will always be in control of your support