Primary Needs - Embangweni, Malawi

On-Going Needs at Primary School for the Deaf

Embangweni Primary School for the Deaf, in its third decade of existence, is providing education for approximately 200 learners each year in a safe environment. These deaf learners not only learn the standard Malawi school curriculum but are taught all the things a hearing child learns in the home: social skills, how to do chores, religious education, participation in activities such as sports. They are also provided instruction in what is really their base language: sign language. When a deaf student completes Class 9, s/he is expected to know at a minimum 4 languages: English, Chichewa, Chitumbuka and Malawi Sign. Most also function well with American Sign Language, have a bit of knowledge of British Sign Language and know the home language from their village.

Because the school is so important to the deaf in this part of Malawi, it is important that it receives the help and funding needed to stay an excellent functioning school.

A number of needs are on-going:

Food support for the students: although the school is now growing a portion of its own food, and continues to receive help from the government, it is working on a shoestring with no food always a possibility. Some things like meat and eggs are provided only once a week.
General upkeep: with two hostels, a chapel, 6 classroom blocks, a vocational education center, offices and storage facilities, there is a constant need for maintenance and upkeep. Funds for this are generally not in the budget. Some groups have come to paint the classrooms and provided funding to replace the roof and window screens in the girls’ hostel.

Improvements: there is a need for improved sanitary facilities and even a new hostel for the girls. The school is in need of more teacher houses so the teachers do not need to rent in the village and walk or bike to school twice a day. There is no central dining hall. With the possibility of piped water on the horizon, the school may want to upgrade the sanitary facilities to include something like showers.

Supplies: the government provides copy books but text books must be provided by the learners. Many students cannot afford these and so teachers need to spend much time writing the material on the board so students can copy it. There is always a need for pencils and pens. Some art supplies are useful but not vital. Many supplies can be sourced in Malawi if money is available. Basic items like blankets, soap, lotion, toothbrushes and paste and female sanitary supplies can be sourced in Malawi but need funds. Students are supposed to bring these with them when they come to school but of course things wear out or are used up during the term. Good quality chalk is prized, as are chalk erasers.

Consumables: the school must buy wood for the cooking fires and pay someone to transport it. They must buy seed and fertilizer for the gardens beyond what is donated by well-wishers. Water comes from the school bore hole, but if it breaks someone must be paid to fix it.

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