Mlanda Primary School

Mlanda Primary School is a large school right in the heart of Mlanda Village. It has two form entry from Standard one to seven and a single standard eight class. Approximately 1,500 children attend this school; over crowing is a huge issue. There are 16 classrooms, a Library and an Administration block, and were all in a state of severe disrepair. Plaster was falling from the walls, there was water damage to the floors and all classrooms had no closing windows or locking doors. This led to vandalism, theft and graffiti within the classrooms. In 2010 there were only thirty desks in the whole school and so pupils were forced to sit on the floor when learning. Some of the buildings are almost 100 years old and were becoming unsafe, with bowed walls and damaged roofing.

The first stage of our project was begun in summer 2011, when several of the classes in worst condition underwent full restoration works. We took a wall out in two blocks and rebuilt it with buttresses for extra support. One block had a new corrugated iron roof and all windows and doors were replaced. Each of the seven rooms was re-plastered, with new blackboards and floors. In April 2012 a team of sixteen volunteers from Bishop's Stortford College flew out and spent a week painting and decorating classrooms. Money was spent liming classroom walls to a brilliant white and then the walls were brought to life with colourful images as teaching tools. We also were able to provide the school with a mountain of sports equipment and books for their library. All blocks were repointed and painted externally to protect them from the extreme weather in Malawi, with storm drains surrounding all classrooms.

The second phase of work began in Summer 2013 to repair a further five classrooms. Again, all rooms were re-plastered, re-floored and repainted. Work was completed on the classrooms externally (all were repointed and storm drains built) and windows were moved to be facing the staffroom (to lessen vandalism as here they are more visible). We had enough funding available to build six new pit latrine toilets on site and provide further equipment for sport and books for the library. We build sixty new desks and donated twenty of these to neighbouring schools; Namcholi Primary and Khombe Primary School.  

In April 2014 a team of eighteen Sixth Form students from Bishop's Stortford College in Hertfordshire flew to Malawi and spent a week painting and decorating these new rooms, doors and windows. There was an enormous celebration, on both occasions, which saw the children and members of the community singing traditional songs, and dancing Ngoni Tribe ceremonial dances. Local chiefs from far and wide attended this event together with the Reverend and head teachers from neighbouring schools. In total, more than £25,000 has been spent on improving facilities at Mlanda Primary and we have plans to continue with our restoration work in 2016 in partnership with bishop’s Stortford College. Two teaching blocks, the Administration Block and the Library are still in need of a 'makeover' and the school is still desperately in need of further desks, chairs and toilets. 

Michelle is leading a new team out from BSC in Mar-April 2016 in order to repair and redecorate this remaining block and, depending on funds raised, we hope to provide additional furniture, equipment and learning materials for which they are currently fundraising.