LOCATION:

Nsaru, Malawi

PROJECT TEAM:

Harvard University

PARTICULAR NEED:

APU required an expansion of facilities to accommodate its growing student body

CUSTOMIZED SOLUTION:

Circle of Women built a fourth classroom block in order to expand the student capacity by 120 students for a total of 480. By phasing in 40 more students annually, APU will reach full capacity at 480 students by 2017

ENROLLMENT:

Formerly at 360; goal of 480 enrolled students by 2017

Total Raised: 

$82,568.94

AREA OVERVIEW:

Only 62.7 percent of the total population is literate; 76.1 percent of men can read and write as opposed to only 49.8 percent of women. With the 14th highest fertility rate in the world of 5.35 children born per woman, education is often pushed aside to meet the responsibilities of child-bearing and child-rearing

SUSTAINABILITY PLAN:

In progress

PARTNERS:

Memory Mdyetseni and Christie Johnson of Malawi Education Foundation (MEF)

PROJECT STATUS:

Construction completed

Malawi is a small, landlocked nation in Sub-Saharan Africa with a population of 16.3 million citizens. Only 62.7 percent of the total population is literate; 76.1 percent of men can read and write as opposed to only 49.8 percent of women. While many children can get an elementary education because primary schooling is free, schooling attainment falls considerably among adolescents. Atsikana Pa Ulendo (APU) is a girls’ secondary school located 19 miles west of Lilongwe that is addressing the gender gap by providing quality education in a rural community and offering scholarships to students who otherwise could not afford to attend. Currently, the school’s three classroom blocks allow for a capacity of 360 students. APU and Circle of Women will build a fourth classroom block in order to expand the student capacity to 480 students by 2017.

For more information about the APU Project, please contact apumanagement@circleofwomen.org.