In response to the education needs around Kanengo section of Lilongwe, MercyCare Malawi began to offer various academic programs since 2008. Afterschool Program is one of them. This program seeks to improve the academic performance of children in their subject areas of study, and to provide guidance and extracurricular activities through tutoring, feeding program, counseling, and recreation. The results of Afterschool Program are extensive. More children are now able to pass examinations and complete elementary school in our target community. However, the challenge remains at how then they will proceed to high school because secondary education is not free in Malawi. Already most of these are children that come from families living on less than a dollar per day. Therefore most children still are forced by circumstances to drop out and marry while young just because they have no next hope. That is why Mercy High school in the community is a vital need. It provides solutions to many academic challenged faced the villages in the target areas of Kanengo.
Culturally most customs in Malawi and lack of education facilities hinder children from attending school. Education is an eye opener that is helping out students and families to forsake their hostile cultural practices such as initiation ceremonies, child abuse, early marriages and predominant traditional dances that are stumbling blocks to children’s education (e.g. a traditional dance called gulewankulu attracts children, takes their time away from school and despises formal education as a foreign concept or something intended to retard people from getting married on time.
To improve the academic performance in the life of learners through supplementary learning activities. E.g. tutoring, counseling, feeding, career guide and extracurricular activities.
To foster social and spiritual change in children
To instill a sense of responsibility, handwork and good stewardship in all participants
We teach children the word of God through prayer and Bible teaching for them to grow in their relationship with God.
Children learn how to interact with others to reinforce development of social skills in them.
We provide educational opportunities to children to embrace the importance of education in their life.
We provide a place where children can have fun and interact freely
Children are helped to set a standard of right and wrong.
We let children express their gifts and talents through recreation
We teach children to dream and reach forward by providing children with experiences that expose them to future opportunities.
We teach children how to be responsible—for themselves, the people around them, their community and beyond through proper discipline
Providence Chigwenembe