Vinjeru Education in Malawi (Vinjeru) was set up in 1999 with the aim of advancing the education of young people in Malawi, particularly in the rural areas.

We supply educational resources for schools and individual children in Malawi.

Vinjeru is a small charity dedicated to the cause of education in Malawi and we have limited funds and no paid staff.
To meet the costs of transportation, we rely on grants from other organisations, most particularly The British and Foreign School Society, donations from individual members of the British public and the grant of duty free clearance by the Malawi Revenue Authority.

However, we have the advantage of having a very focused remit and the knowledge that whatever we collect does get delivered to and used by schoolchildren in Malawi.

We receive numerous letters of thanks and appreciation from headteachers, staff and pupils from a wide range of schools in Malawi.

Nick Winterton OBE

Container 2006 and Distribution

This year’s container arrived at Enukweni on 14 June and the goods were emptied into the container we bought last year for storage of the goods before and during distribution. Inside the container at Nyumba ya Mtende after some of the packages had been taken out for sorting and distribution.

Beneficiaries this year

We are proud to announce that every year Vinjeru’s activities spread to more schools and colleges of education within as well as outside Mzimba District where we started.

Mzimba District (North): Enukweni Zone

1. Kamanda Full Primary School (98 pupils)

Some areas are more rural than others and it was agreed with Vinjeru’s partner organisation, Enukweni Rural Community Library (ERCL), to start distributing the goods to schools in the remotest areas including Kamanda Full Primary School.

Also we were advised it would be good for all the children to travel to Enukweni to collect the items and make it an educational visit to see things that do not exist at home, like cars, computers, electricity, etc.

Only 4x4 vehicles, land rovers, and feet manage to negotiate the journey to this place and others like it. 9 July 2006: Inside the Computer Lab Jean Gondwe, student of Enukweni Community Day Secondary School (CDSS), demonstrates computer technology to some of Kamanda Primary School pupils.
Enukweni CDSS is probably one of the best-equipped secondary schools in the country in IT terms.

Kamanda Primary School pupils posing in the DOLL QUEUE. The red “kaps” are donations from Elizabeth Turner in London.

2. Kanyawazi Junior Primary School (140 children) also made it a school trip to collect donations of books, pencils, pencil sharpeners, rubbers, pens, chalk, etc. Most if not all of the children have never owned or seen a toy and it was not surprising that even teenage boys wanted dolls, or “vidoli” as they call them.

3. Malokotela Primary School: About three years ago one of the only two teachers said it was not just his pupils but that he had never seen a typewriter either. The first typewriter he ever saw was a portable one that Vinjeru donated in that year.

4. Luwazi Junior Primary School is a new school that was started due to the long distance to the nearest school.

5. Katokoli Primary School, also known as St Pius. Like St Kizito and St Monica below, this school has some connection with the Roman Catholic Church. The senior priest at Rumphi, the RC headquarters came to thank Vinjeru for supporting these schools.

6. St Kizito Primary School has a good health centre within its compound an American Peace Corp Volunteer nurse based there. The choice of the HC’s location was influenced by the diligence of the local leader, Chief Mdolo who, coincidentally, has a medical doctor son working in a hospital at Mzuzu. As a rule of thumb, Rural HCs do not have qualified doctors.

On 27 June I attended a meeting of the Area Development Committee (ADC) on Chief Mdolo’s invitation to speak about Vinjeru’s work. The Chief said being an NGO Vinjeru was automatically a member of the ADC. Due to family commitments he failed to be at the ADC meeting, but attended the Education Day celebrations and thanked me for my contribution on both occasions.

7. St Monica Primary School

8. Luhomeru Primary School lost the only female teacher it had the day before the monitoring and evaluation meeting and the school was not represented as a result. The head teacher sent a message of thanks to Vinjeru for the donations.

9. Embombeni Primary School (below with David Lansdale playing with the children) is one of the luckiest ones. It is by the main road and transportation is not a problem.

10. Chisangango Primary School

11. Enthongeni Primary School’s donations included a music keyboard for which Mr C E Shonga, a teacher and keen musician, was very grateful.

12. Kapondero Primary School

13. Encgongolweni Primary School

14. Holera Primary School’s donations included knitting and sewing materials, football boots and school shoes.

15. Enukweni Primary School received knitting and sewing materials. It already has three sewing machines from Vinjeru.

16. Enukweni Teacher Development Centre (TDC) received a computer.

17. Thimalara CDSS: deputy head teacher was most pleased with a large world atlas, which the school never had before, as well as other items.

18. Enukweni Rural Community Library collected a number of books, old newspapers and magazines.

19. Kanthete Nursery School received many toys, games, some chalk, etc.

Engucwini Zone:

20. Engucwini Community Day Secondary School

21. Kasuma Primary School collected a portable typewriter donated by Elizabeth Turner, some books, etc, with a dictionary. A number of the primary schools received a dictionary each, most of which were donated by Judy Hamilton. The teachers were very excited, as the dictionaries are the most sought after items.

22. Emanyaleni Primary School collected some “doll” books as requested by the head teacher. He complained that previously we gave them books that were too difficult to understand for his pupils. They need books with lots of pictures in them. Teachers from other rural primary schools have told us the same.

23. Luhaýani Primary School also took some of books with pictures in them, pencils, rubbers, pens, chalk, rubbers and so on.

24. Madise Community Day Secondary School received some books, etc.

25. Kamwe Primary School: The Primary School Adviser of Engucwini zone and her husband, Mr Ng’oma, carried the boxes of books, etc, on a motorcycle, which is the official mode of transport for PEA’s.

Mpherembe Traditional Authority:

26. Elunyeni Community Day Secondary School’s donations included a portable manual typewriter from Ethel Corduff.

Bwengu Zone:

27. Bwengu Community Day Secondary School

28. Luzi Community Day Secondary School

29. Jombo Community Day Secondary School

30. Katope Primary School (320 pupils)

31. Songamino Primary School (75 pupils)

Kwendeni Zone:

32. Ekwendeni Community Day Secondary School received two computers, electric globe as well as many books, etc.

33. Chigude Rural Community Library

34. Chimbongondo Community Library

35. A lucky student at Mzuzu University was very pleased with a word processor donated by Elizabeth Turner.

Rumphi District: Bolero Zone:

36. Bolero Secondary School in Bolero became the first of main, government-supported secondary schools to receive donations from us since Mzimba Secondary School in 2000. The head teacher collected three computers and a fax machine. She later reported that the community went “mad” with excitement to have computers in their school. .

37. Kasongwe Junior Primary School collected some books, pencils, pencil sharpeners, rubbers, chalk, etc, and even a dictionary.

Rukuru Zone:

38. Rukuru Community Day Secondary School collected some books, etc.

Chitipa District:

39. Nthalire Community Day Secondary School received books, etc.

Karonga District:

40. Chitimba Community Day Secondary School

NOTE: The majority of schools have not given the number of pupils. In future every school will be requested to do so.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IN MALAWI

The Minister Finance; Malawi Revenue Authority; SDV Malawi; MAERSK; Committee members of Enukweni Rural Community Library; Mr Rumbani Kaunda; Mr David Lansdale

ACKNOWLEGEMENTS IN THE UK

The British & Foreign School Society; Charities Aid Foundation; Charities Trust; Hope for Children; St Thomas’s Church, Clapton; Anonymous Donors through the Charities Aid Foundation; Key Air & Sea; The Jones Family and Carol Lawton in Australia; Mrs Marjorie Rennie; Mr Alan Elliott; Deliwe Elliott; Thasya Elliott; Ben Elliott; Prof & Mrs C Baker; Miss Sipiwe Chikondo; Mr & Mrs M Chennell; Dr David Brown; Dr Navid Khan; Mrs Manjula Harikantra; Mr E K & Mrs B A Kendal Clark; Mrs Coral Sutherland; Mr & Mrs C Collins; Mrs J M Comper; Mrs E Corduff; Mr A Croghan; Mrs A Dutt; Mrs A Elliott; Mr & Mrs David French; Hawi Gondwe; Mrs J Hamilton; Mr E Hamilton; Russell Hamilton; Mrs Lucy John Mrs D Lawson; Mrs J Lewis; Mrs J Lightfoot Miss M Ling; Mr & Mrs P McGain; Mrs T Minty; Julia Reece Mrs M Rennie; John Sheriff; Miss E J Turner; Mr Les King; Mr N Wenban-Smith; Nick Winterton OBE; Sally Collins; Mrs Joyce M Fogg Dr Sarah Giles; Dr David Brown; Mr A R and Mrs E J Moffat Mr E K & Mrs B A Clark; Mr Morry van Ments; Mr Nick Downes; Mary & Malcolm Chennell; The Rev Marjorie Brown & St Thomas’ Church, Clapton; Julia Reece, Lesley Papworth. -------------------------------------------------------------