Taking Back Lives

Through partnering with the village of Mazembe, in the Nkhata Bay District of Malawi, Africa, and the British based organization Ripple Africa, Taking Back Lives aims to help Mazembe lift itself out of poverty. Education is imperative to enabling and empowering this community to better their own lives. In the summer of 2010, Taking Back Lives funded the construction of our first double classroom block, equipping the local primary school with an additional two classrooms for it's 600 students. They are still in need of two additional rooms to have sufficient space for all their students to meet inside.

Prior to our partnership with Mazembe, 4 out of the 8 classes at Mazembe Primary met outside underneath trees. This resulted in frequent distractions (snakes, bugs, etc.), disruption of class whenever it rained, and exhaustion from the African heat during the dry season. As you can imagine, passing rates suffered. Only 1 out of every 100 students were passing onto secondary school. Since partnering with the school, passing rates have risen over 400%. A large part of the success can be credited to the new classrooms for the students to study in, but also the implementation of a scholarship program for those students who have passed to go onto secondary school. Before our partnership, even the students that did pass could not afford to attend Secondary school, as the school fees were simply too much for them and their families to pay. You can read more about the students we've connected to sponsors here on our student scholarship page, as well as learn how you can also sponsor a qualifying student.

Taking Back Lives plans to continue our partnerships with both Ripple Africa and the community of Mazembe to build the 2 additional classrooms the primary school is in need of. Construction is set for the summer of 2012 and the community has already made 100,000 bricks to contribute to the classrooms. We are also investigating the possibility of adding solar panels to the new structure to provide power to the classrooms. Studies show that students who have access to lights and extended hours of study are much more likely to pass primary school and enter secondary school (check out this awesome article on the success the World Bank has had in Sudan). Electricity will also open up the potential of connecting this remote village to the internet, and all the incredible resources that come along with it (check out this intriguing video about the Khan Academy).

All the success we continue to see in Malawi would not be possible without the involvement of all the incredible young people here in the United States who have been involved in our programs. Through our student clubs, fundraising events, and individual contributions, we've been able to make a long term impact in this remote village in Malawi, Africa. We look forward to the continued growth and success of all our Malawi programs.

Here's a video from Edward, the headmaster at Mazembe Primary, informing us that the bricks are ready for us to construct the classrooms!