St. Timothy Scholarship Programme, Malawi
The St. Timothy Scholarship Programme benefits bright students from poor families who cannot afford the fees and expenses associated with giving their children a secondary school education.
Malawi is a small landlocked country in central Africa that ranks as one of the poorest in the world. Over 60% of the population earns less than $1.25 per day, and 90% of homes lack electricity and running water. Primary education is funded by the Government, but secondary education is not free. Parents are required to pay school fees and other expenses that many cannot afford. As a result, only 15% of young people finish secondary school and only a tiny fraction progress to vocational school or university. Factors contributing to the high dropout rate include economic pressures, early marriage, pregnancy and family responsibilities. The result is a huge waste of human potential that stunts economic growth and perpetuates the poverty cycle.
To help address this need, the Anglican Diocese of Upper Shire and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Mangochi jointly launched the St. Timothy Scholarship Programme in September 2017.
The programme funds scholarships that enable girls and boys from the poorest families to attend residential secondary schools run by the dioceses on an all expenses paid basis. The scholarships, which are funded by offshore donors, have an average value of c. €640 p.a. (£570) and cover all direct expenses of secondary school attendance including tuition fees, room and board, stationery, school uniforms and shoes, athletic wear and shoes, school bag, toiletries, bed linen, mosquito net, travel bag, government examination fees and a travel allowance funding the cost of travelling by public transport from home to school and back at the beginning and end of each school term. The scholarships are renewable annually at the discretion of the Selection Committee based in part on the student’s academic performance.
The scholarship winners are selected on the basis of two criteria only: financial need and academic potential.
The scholarships are available to all students meeting the eligibility criteria without regard to their racial background or religious affiliation. Half of the scholarships are awarded to girls and half to boys. Each of the scholarship winners is accepted as a boarding student at one of the four participating secondary schools, which are:
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- St. Michael’s Girls Secondary School in Malindi (Anglican)
- St. Monica Girls Secondary School in Mangochi (Roman Catholic)
- Malosa Secondary School in Malosa (Anglican)
- St. Charles Lwanga Boys Secondary School in Balaka (Roman Catholic)
The program was launched in 2017 with the award of 40 St. Timothy Scholarships, and in September 2018 the number of scholarships was increased to 58. But the need is great: in 2017 we received 558 applications for 40 places.
Mangochi, Africa
You can help support the St. Timothy Scholarship Programme by making a donation to the Walking Together Foundation. Walk with us, and with them, to build a better future for these children!
