OUR 12th SCHOOL IS COMPLETE!

We are excited to announce the completion of The Sonder Project’s 12th school, St. Elizabeth, inaugurated on July 26, 2021, in the community of Khundango in the Central Region of Malawi.  Khundango is home to an estimated 1,655 people, with 710 students registered at St. Elizabeth. The school offers grades 1—8 but only had two adequate classrooms before completing the new building. The new school block is easily the nicest building on the campus—and within the entire community for that matter—instilling a sense of pride in the students and leading to an increase in attendance.

Just ask Teleza Banda and Joel Mwale. Teleza and Joel sit on the Project Leadership Committee as the Vice-Chairperson and the Treasurer, respectively.  Teleza says, “The school is beautiful. It will attract a lot of learners to come to school because they will be learning in a nice environment.”

Meanwhile, Joel has a 4-year-old daughter and a 6-month-old son and tells us he looks forward to sending his children to the newly built school.

The school’s Project Leadership Committee celebrates in front of the completed school. Teleza stands (4th from left) and Joel (2nd from right holding his daughter).

The current students are equally excited. Eliza and Akilas, in grades 7 and 8, respectively, can’t wait to sit at the new desks.  “The school will have a great impact on the community,” Eliza tells us.  She says a friend who dropped out of school is returning, thanks to the new building.

And Eliza’s friend is not the only one. Akilas believes more learners will be flocking here to sit in these new classrooms.  “The school sits on a hill, and people can see it from far,” he says. You can see the pride in both their faces as they talk.

Students Eliza (right) and Akilas (left) check out the new school after unveiling the dedication plaque.

The school in St. Elizabeth is the 3rd school we’ve completed in Malawi since we opened our office there in March 2020. Our goal is to complete one more before the end of 2021, and we need your help!  Donate today to help us raise the $30,000 needed to construct another school!

Students celebrate in front of the newly completed school in the community of Khundango.