Transforming Lives: Ending the Cycle of Poverty and Illiteracy in Dunda, Malawi

Deep in Kasungu District , Malawi, lies Dunda Primary School. This vibrant school boasts over 1,000 students, with girls and boys learning side-by-side. Dunda is a bastion of education in a country where illiteracy is a persistent problem–but it wasn’t always this way. Through years of hard work and commitment, the people of Dunda have not only educated their children but transformed their entire community.

Building a Brighter Future, Brick by Brick

In 2019, Dunda partnered with buildOn to construct the first of two new school blocks, replacing their outdated school. These classrooms provided a much-needed boost to the existing facilities, creating a comfortable and conducive learning environment for all students. This investment paid off immediately. Enrollment surged from 945 to 1,077 students, demonstrating the community's desire for education.?

Now, the students of Dunda have sturdy school buildings to go to class in, and have ample space to attend classes with the other children of their age groups. More students are moving on to secondary school, and buildOn’s Enroll Program has identified multiple children who had fallen out of school and brought them back to the classroom.

Education Empowers: Loveness' Story

The impact of buildOn goes beyond brick and mortar . Take Loveness Mwale, a 64-year-old woman who never had the chance to continue her education as a child.? Loveness signed up for buildOn's Adult Literacy Program , a program designed to empower adults by teaching them literacy and numeracy skills. This decision unlocked a world of possibilities for her.

Through the program, Loveness gained not just English skills, but the confidence to take control of her future. As part of our Adult Literacy Program, we provide adult learners with seed capital to start their own businesses. Loveness used her funds to purchase a goat, and since then has cultivated a small herd. This newfound wealth allowed her to send her child to secondary school, purchase fertilizer for her crops, and even start a poultry farm.

Loveness' story embodies how education can break the cycle of poverty. “Through buildOn’s Adult Literacy Program, I have realized that it is possible to end poverty,” she says. “Within two years my family has changed a lot. We will not go hungry this year.”

A Community Transformed

Together, buildOn and the people of Dunda have made their community stronger. The new classrooms and Adult Literacy Program have equipped not just students, but entire families with the tools they need to build a brighter future. Dunda's story is a shining example of how education can empower individuals, families, and communities in Africa and the entire world to break the cycle of poverty and reach their full potential.

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