Sisters Rising Worldwide COO Kelly Mallon Young, in partnership with the Watts of Love organization, completed a week-long journey to Malawi to share both light and love with local communities in need. In rural Malawi, darkness limits opportunities for children to study, families to work, and communities to feel safe. Thanks to support from our donors, last year SRW was able to provide Watts of Love solar lights and financial literacy training to many families living without electricity. As part of Kelly’s visit to Malawi, she delivered additional solar lights and training, and visited with local families who received lights last year to see firsthand how a single $50 solar light and training is transforming lives and creating more economic stability and prosperity. Now, in the community of Nsanje, children are able to study and their families can continue to work after sunset, creating brighter, safer, futures and greater opportunities in their communities.
Kelly also visited a local girls’ primary school, where 24 teachers serve over 1,660 students. She learned about significant challenges that contribute to high dropout rates among girls. Younger students often leave school due to low literacy levels and the struggles of living in extreme poverty. Despite having free tuition, families are unable to afford the needed basic school supplies and are forced to prioritize food for their children over education.
For older girls, additional barriers exist. Although SRW’s effort to educate local village chiefs is reducing the practice of child marriage in Malawi, it still forces some girls to leave school. Many also drop out upon reaching puberty due to a lack of private changing facilities. Kelly met with school staff to discuss these challenges, as well as the school’s critical need for more subject books and a copy machine so that students can take secondary school entrance exams there. Currently, the exam location is a few hours away, which discourages students from taking it and continuing on to secondary school. SRW is now exploring ways to address these issues, enabling more girls to complete their education and reducing their vulnerability to poverty and human trafficking.
Kelly noted how inspired she was by the people she met in Malawi, where she and her team were greeted with songs, dances, smiles, and joy by the local communities, wherever they visited. “I went to the darkest corners of the world to let people know that Sisters Rising Worldwide sees them, and cares deeply about them,” she said. “And in return, I received so much more. The joy and love they shared will forever be with me, and will inspire me to continue on my journey of bringing opportunity to those who are forgotten by their governments.”
Click here to watch a short video from Kelly’s trip and stay tuned for more updates on how SRW is helping the underserved in Malawi and across the globe, and bringing more joy and smiles to the faces of those in need.
In August, SRW will launch two exciting new youth programs for rising champions for change. Sister Champions Ignite (for high schoolers) and Impact Collective (for college students) offer students the chance to work on real-world issues, lead creative campaigns, build community, and join other young people passionate about making a difference. They’ll gain mentors, leadership […]
Crisis Summary: Namakwa Primary School and its surrounding community (total population: ~2,500, including 1,200 school children) in Eastern Uganda are in a critical water crisis due to prolonged drought, aging infrastructure, and climate change. The only available water is from contaminated streams shared with animals, putting children and families at risk of typhoid, cholera, and […]
