MASYAP Gives School Uniforms In a Back-To-School Project
Shakira Dinesi is a Standard 5 pupil at Mbayani Primary School 1. Dinesi did not attend much of her classes during the first term because of lack of school uniform. This affected the 10-year-old girl and hindered her academic performance, social interaction, and ability to engage in the school environment.
“My old school uniform was worn out, and I felt embarrassed to wear it because my fellow students used to laugh at me. This made me boycott classes a lot and this affected my academic performance,” she said.
Dinesi is not the only child who faces such challenges in school with lack of school uniform.
In it’s response to help the students, Mai Aisha Sisters and Youth Aids Programme (MASYAP) came up with a project of distributing school uniforms to the underprivileged pupils in various primary schools in Malawi. The project was launched at Mbayani Primary School in Blantyre on October 10, 2023, with over 230 students benefiting from the initiative.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Programmes Manager for MASYAP Doreen Iman said the project is one of Mai Aisha Trust (MAT) initiatives to promote education in the country.
“MASYAP is an organisation that is under Mai Aisha Trust, and its main goal is making life easier and more
sustainable for the youth and women in the country. We have several projects, and one of them is keeping children in school,” she said.
“A number of students are usually sent back from school when they don’t put on school uniforms, and it’s sad that till today, with the economic situation in the country, many parents can’t afford to buy their children school uniforms. As MASYAP, we want to make sure that every child should be able to attend classes while in school uniform,” she said.
Iman further said the school uniforms instill security when they are seen on their way to and from school.
Upon receiving her school uniform, Shakira Denis showed her gratitude saying she is ready to perform well in class again.
“This will make me not to lose focus in class; I will always keep it clean every day and wear it to school,” she said
The Mbayani primary school manager Leah Juta welcomed the project, saying it will keep a lot of students in school.
Juta also disclosed that Mbayani School has over 6,600 students, and most of them do not have a proper school uniform.
“This is a great initiative, and I would like to commend MASYAP for the gesture because it will promote education in the country,” said Juta.
The school uniforms were made by the Threads of Care project, which is also under MASYAP to promote women in the Solve Dependency Act.
In her remarks, the MASYAP Women’s Coordinator, Lennie Kachingwe, said that being the closest school for MASYAP, they thought of launching the project at Mbayani Primary School 1.
“We will distribute the uniforms in Blantyre, Chiradzulu and Zomba districts. And let me take this opportunity to thank the Threads Care Foundation for producing goodquality uniforms for the learners,” Kachingwe said.
“We urge the learners and their parents to take care of the uniforms as part of their appreciation. We want them to always be looking smart and neat,” she said.
