Dowa District, Malawi … Upon venturing into the bush country of Malawi, visitors encounter stark realities that reflect the harsh living conditions. As the morning sun rises over the distant hills, men and women are already on their way to the fields, wielding cultivation hoes. Some children are seen walking the dirt paths to rural schools, while many others leave their villages to tend to sheep and goats, despite the compulsory attendance at school classes. However, for many families, the future is sacrificed to the present, as families rely on their children for daily survival.
During a recent trip into the Dowa district for a tree-planting ceremony, the team from Action for Progress encountered a group of children aged 10 to 14 years of age, diligently caring for several goats. It was early in the morning and mid-week, a time when children should be in school. Wilson Tembo pulled to the side of the road to greet one of the children, a young boy. When he inquired about the boy’s desire to attend school, the boy responded, “I have the desire to go to school, but what am I to do? I lack the necessities, such as clothes and books, required for school attendance. We do not wish to miss out on our education while our friends are in school, but we have no one who can assist us.”
Tembo expressed his profound sadness over the plight of numerous children who face a bleak future without an education. When visiting the village, it becomes evident that many activities are necessary, but not always desirable.