You may know that August 2019 is a major milestone for Think Malawi as the organisation hits our first decade since we began as a kitchen table charity in 2009. And though we've grown over the years -- including just last year changing our name from Ganet's Adventure School Fund to Think Malawi and expanding our focus -- we wanted to take a moment at this milestone to thank all of our supporters and reflect on how far we've come together!
It is a story oft told of how Think Malawi's founder and CEO Steve McInerny volunteered at Ganet’s Adventure School in 2005 (before the charity was founded) and met the school's founder Gertrude Banda. Since the charity was started in 2009, Steve and his fellow Think Malawi trustees have worked hard with Gertrude through thick and thin to ensure the learners receive the best possible education.
Each year over 200 students learn at Ganet's school in rural Malawi. The school has enviable pass rates for the crucial Primary School Leaving Certificate exam, consistently above national averages. The school is named after Gertrude’s youngest daughter Ganet, who was educated at the school and is now near to completing her secondary school education, another major milestone!
Access to education is key to opening up opportunities in the lives of these students. Over the years we've accomplished much together via phone calls, emails, texts and visits by Steve, other trustees and supporters and volunteers. We've managed to raise funds, erect buildings, construct toilet blocks, establish and manage a feeding programme, plant and maintain feeding gardens, install a water tank and even acquire a mini bus (which can be seen below)!
Many of us shared in the tension in 2016 as together we raised the funds to build the final pair of required brick-built classrooms. These classrooms made it possible for the Ministry of Education to award the essential school license, allowing the pupils to continue to learn. The success of the charity is as a result of your participation and we thank all donors and supporters, many of whom have been with us from the start.
We also would like to extend a special thanks to our current trustees, Steve, Kate, Lucy, Michelle, Justina, Asif and Fran. And an equally large thanks goes to our former trustees, founding trustee, Stef, Lisa, Deirdre, Amy, Mary, Jenny and another Lucy for being part of our team.
Think Malawi supporter Charlotte Walford was able to visit the school this year, and we're pleased to be able to share some of the photographs she took to help us celebrate how far we've come together!
Thank you for your support over the last decade, and your support for Think Malawi into the future.
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