Infancy to Indepenence

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It was during my first visit to Home of Hope in 2011, with a church youth group and other leaders, that we first heard Rev Chipeta’s four-word vision: “From infancy to independence”. At that time, the first “intake” of children had grown up into older teenagers. Without the grades for university, and without the funds for Technical College, children who had survived the loss of parents, perhaps to HIV AIDS - a scourge in Malawi for decades - a generation of children who had at least lived, then languished as they returned as young adults with no prospects to remote villages. “It’s almost worse for them that they came to Home of Hope. When they go back to the village, they suffer.” With this realisation, Home of Hope’s unwritten aim shifted from Survive to Thrive. “We must bring these children to independence!”

Isn’t this the dream of a parent? How could Home of Home realise that dream for hundreds of parentless ones? In 2011, the Primary and Secondary School staff came periodically as funds were available - and went as they ran out. Routes to qualifications and training were blocked by the resulting lack of grades for Higher Education, and lack of funds for the vocational route.

It's such a different picture today. Home of Hope has a functioning Technical College on site. The Primary and Secondary schools have professional Malawi Education Department paid teaching staff, and many students each now compete successfully for scare tuition loan-funded places in Malawi universities.

During this trip we'll tell you more about how Home of Hope is succeeding as an "All Through" school, and the many challenges that remain. Infancy to Independence, against the odds.

Alex, Gillian, Jo, Phil & Ruth @ LHR

Next stop Addis, then Lilongwe, then the drive to Mchinji. We'll arrive there tomorrow in the evening, but will post if there's time. 

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