Hooke Court in Malawi was established as a UK charity in 2015 having been involved with 9 schools in the Bandawe area of Malawi since 2011. During the summer of 2019 we expanded and started working in the neighbouring Chintheche zone which comprises of 13 schools. The charity was set up with 8 trustees and has now increased to 10 - most of whom are highly qualified teachers and Head Teachers.
Our charity aims to help improve standards of primary education in the these schools to give advice, provide teacher training, maths and English lessons to the children in and out of the classroom as well as to fund raise to give the schools basic resources.
Mandy Cooper, trustee and her husband Pete, have spent many months in Malawi over recent years and have developed a strong relationship with the teachers in the Bandawe area of Malawi. As a result of this it was decided that Hooke Court would become involved in helping the schools in this area. Since 2014 we have been taking groups of volunteers to help implement phonics in the schools, provide team building activities for the children and carry out minor repair and maintenance in the classrooms. In August 2015 a party of 17 volunteers travelled to Malawi to work with the teachers and children. We raised money to pay for renovations to a girl’s boarding house, repair and resource some classrooms and provide a few basic resources for two schools. Two UK schools also forged links with 2 Malawi schools.
In September 2015 the Hooke Court in Malawi Charity was formed.
In 2015 the World Bank ranked Malawi as the poorest country in the world based on GDP. Only 40 – 50% of children complete primary education and 11% complete secondary education.
The Government made primary school education free for all children a few years ago but refrained from providing the schools with any more funding, resources or infrastructure to support this initiative. Consequently, teachers are faced with classes of 100 – 120 or more children with no resources except possibly a few desks. The parents are too poor to provide pencils and paper, the school has no money to buy such items making learning a very difficult task.
The Government have more recently stipulated that all children from 5 years old are to be taught everything in English. Previously, this was compulsory from 11 years old. Teachers need to have a comprehensive understanding of the English language and ways of teaching reading to enable this to be implemented.
At 13 years old, the children must take a test to enable them to enter into secondary education. The cost of this test is 50p, which is far too expensive for most so the majority of children leave school and join their parents farming for survival.
‘a fabulous opportunity for us to develop our skills and knowledge as well as helping others.’
GET INVOLVED! - Join our team of volunteers who go out for 2 weeks in August to help teach and maintain the local schools.
‘I have learnt a lot about myself and my outlook. Loved the project, beyond my expectations’
Your money could help to raise much needed funds for the people in one of the poorest countries in the world.
This can cost as little as £100 per term and will enable a 13 year old child to continue their education rather than join their parents in the fields.
You can make a single donation or monthly donation...
Please make payable to: Hooke Court in Malawi
Bank: HSBC
Sort Code: 40-19-21
Account Number: 31553569
Please make cheque payable to: Hooke Court in Malawi
Postal Address: Sarah McConnell, Hooke Court, Dorset DT8 3NX
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This year a small group of 4 trustees and a representative from Prodigal Bikes spent 10 days in Malawi. Unlike previous years we didn’t do any actual teaching this year.
Instead 16 schools in the Bandawe and Chintheche Zones were visited by Fiona,Sanna and Sarah. The Headteachers and teachers were present and very welcoming. It was good to see some of the classroom displays provided in previous years still being used and to see that the Malawian teachers had added their own resources to the classrooms. Many classrooms remain without desks and doors and are in a poor state of repair. We came away from each school with the overwhelming realization of how grateful they all were for the bikes, School in a Bag, sanitary kits and resources we provided. Particularly teachers in the Chintheche zone who may have to cycle a couple of hours morning and afternoon to get to school.
This year we delivered 50 school bags from School in a Bag, 100 sanitary kits provided by Dignity by Design and provided funds to make more. The lates knitted squares were sewn together to make more blankets for the children at the School for the Deaf along with some mattresses that had been kindly donated.
We also attended the official opening of the new classroom at Mkundi School, funded by The Mercers’ Livery Company. Representatives from the Nkatabay Education Office came for the ceremony and the two local Chiefs gave speeches of thanks.
Kapesca’s new classroom, funded by St Marys’s Primary School, Swindon, was also opened, again another celebration was had with the entire community present.
Pupils who are being sponsored by a sponsor in the UK were seen. Six of the pupils have finished secondary school this year; three have gained enough points in their final exams to earn a place at a Government University, one at an independent University, and one of the boys with Hearing Impairment is working as an apprentice with Prodigal Bikes.
Whilst Sanna, Fiona and Sarah were travelling around and meeting with the sponsored pupils, Peter and Pete along with Prodigal Bike Team Malawi - Christopher, Simon and Louis – repaired many of the donated bikes. Simon has worked as an apprentice for the past 12 months; Louis will be joining him in this role. Four wheel chairs were also repaired and the playground at the HI School was also repaired and painted.
We are now planning the visit for next Summer. We have lots of requests to work with the teachers again to help them with their teaching of maths and phonics. Please do get in touch if you are interested in joining us whether it be to mend bikes, maintain classrooms or teach in the schools.
If you would like to Volunteer, Donate or have any questions in regards to the Charity, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Hooke Court in Malawi
Hooke Court
Dorset DT8 3NX
Telephone: 01308 862260
Email:
