Growing up in a remote village in southern Malawi’s district of Chikwawa, where the next meal would come from was always a nightmare. I was raised by a single mother, and my six siblings and I knew from a tender age that if we did not work for food, we would not have food. By extension, we knew that we wouldn’t have clothes and other necessities, including learning materials. We owned our survival and destinies, and it became ‘normal’ for us to work for food and any other needs and wants of our youth.
Yet the jobs that were available in the village nearly all involved piece work, locally known as ganyu, and were mostly done in exchange for food. There were very few opportunities for cash work available, and those were jealously guarded by the adult labourers of the village. So, in our sixth year of primary school (age 11), my peers and I journeyed to neighbouring Mozambique in search of seasonal agricultural work. My goal was to get enough cash to buy a school uniform, clothes for my younger siblings and myself, and learning materials for the next school term. This break from school had short-term effects on my performance, but the long-term benefit was that it allowed me to focus on my studies for the next two years. This gave me time to prepare for the national primary school leaving examinations, which I did using the learning materials I had bought for myself during my absence.
For children in excruciating poverty, education is, without opportunities for paid work, usually a far-fetched dream.
Although I missed one of three terms that year, the school uniform and learning materials made it possible for me to complete my primary education. And, because I did well in the national primary school exam, I was given a place at a government boarding secondary school. That led to a government loan that funded my university education. I am now an NGO worker and PhD researcher. Looking back, I can say that if I had not been able to find work when I needed it, I would never have received the education that has had such a positive impact on my life and the lives of my family members.
