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Youth-Led Organization Aims to Improve Literacy in Malawi
Malawi literacy levels low: 30% unable to read/write. Youth-led org MOYONE aims to improve education through initiatives, writes Mustafa Makumba.
MALAWI - Efforts to improve literacy levels in Malawi are slowly yielding results, but reading proficiency in the country remains one of the lowest on the continent, with over 30 percent of the population unable to read or write, according to a World Bank report for 2022, writes Mustafa Makumba.
However, a youth-led organization called Mobile Youth Network (MOYONE), founded by 26-year-old engineering graduate Alick Sinoya and his team, is working to close the gap in literacy levels and change mindsets among young people in Mangochi.
“Our aim is to make sure that the youth in Mangochi have a mindset change as envisioned by the tenets of Malawi 2063,” said Alick Sinoya, Managing Director of MOYONE, in an interview with Africabrief.
“As you know, in Mangochi we have a lot of young people who dropped out of school, as some got pregnant and never went back to school, while others choose to spend time at the lake. We want them to go back to school so that we can have a learned population," adds Sinoya.
MOYONE, which rolled out its operations in November 2022, has already reached out to several groups of young people, exposing them to life-changing messages about the importance of education.
The organization has implemented projects such as mobile stadium sports initiatives and the recently launched ‘Back to School’ campaign.
The Mobile Sports Initiative aims to engage different stakeholders from government and non-governmental organizations to interact with youth through sports.
The project involves organizing football matches where stakeholders from the Ministry of Health, the police, and the forestry department can engage with the youth and educate them on topical issues.
The project has been warmly welcomed by locals, including Austin Tambala, a standard 8 student at Mkumba Primary School in Mangochi.
Tambala dropped out of school due to pressure from his peers and a lack of interest from his parents.
"My friends convinced me to stop going to school and go to the lake to do some fishing," said the 16-year-old. "However, when Alick and his colleagues came with motivation talks, that is when I was convinced to go back to school," added Tambala.
Another student, 14-year-old Shamira Chilala, aspires to become a nurse after completing her education. She recalls how she used to ditch school frequently, but MOYONE's motivation and career talks have changed her mindset.
"Now I am working hard in class, and I don’t miss school without a reason," said Chilala.
Mentor Mercy Makumba at Mkumba Primary School concurs with the students, stating that the initiative has improved the school's attendance rate.
"Most students used to miss lessons, especially on Fridays," commented Makumba. "But now the situation has improved and the number of those missing classes is decreasing," she added.
MOYONE's educational projects have also been praised by Esther Sungawana, the traditional leader of Moto Village, where the initiative is being implemented. She noted that it has helped bring back to school some youth who had dropped out.
Despite facing financial challenges and relying on donors for support, MOYONE remains committed to its mission of improving literacy levels among the youth in Mangochi and contributing to Malawi's educational goals.