Ndatuwa, Malawi: When Education Ignites a Community
In rural Malawi, the community of Ndatuwa, has reshaped its future through education.
When buildOn first partnered with Ndatuwa in 2021 to construct a classroom block for Grades 1 and 2, the school served only a small number of early-grade learners. Five years later, Ndatuwa has grown into a full primary school with eight grade levels and 658 students—338 girls and 320 boys—taught by seven qualified teachers.
Through continued classroom construction, our Enroll Program, and our Adult Literacy Program, education has become the engine driving social, economic, and environmental transformation across the community.
Enrollment Nearly Doubles in Two Years
Ndatuwa’s student body growth has been both rapid and sustained.
- 356 students enrolled in 2023
- 480 students enrolled in 2024 after completion of a second buildOn classroom block
- 658 students enrolled in 2025
In just two years, enrollment nearly doubled.
These increases reflect reduced dropout rates, improved retention, and a growing belief among families that education is key to progress and poverty reduction. Classrooms once serving only early grades now educate children across the full primary cycle.
Education in Ndatuwa is no longer limited. It is expanding.
Collective Leadership Powers Progress
At the heart of this transformation is Ndatuwa’s Project Leadership Committee (PLC).
PLC members mobilize resources, remove barriers to attendance, and ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn. When four students thought they might have to drop out because they could not afford uniforms, the committee raised funds to provide them with what they needed to return to school.
Their work demonstrates deep local ownership. Education in Ndatuwa is a shared responsibility, not an external project.
Bringing Children Back to School
Through buildOn’s Enroll Program, 43 previously out-of-school children were reenrolled and supported to remain in class.
The community strengthened the program’s sustainability by raising $197 through village savings and loans. They also procured 10 goats, which have multiplied to 21 through a pass-on program. These livestock provide ongoing income for vulnerable families, helping cover school-related costs and reducing the risk of future dropouts.
Adult Literacy Strengthens Families and Livelihoods
Education in Ndatuwa does not stop with children.
79 adults, 70 of them women, have graduated from buildOn’s Adult Literacy Program in the village, gaining foundational reading, writing, and math skills.
Participants have applied their learning in powerful ways:
- Launching organic fertilizer production groups
- Improving soybean cultivation
- Joining Village Savings and Loans groups
- Participating in livestock pass-on programs
- Leading afforestation initiatives
Together, adult learners saved $485 and launched income-generating initiatives that now include raising 54 chickens and 17 goats.
One fertilizer production group now produces organic fertilizer using local materials, applying it to members’ crops and selling surplus to fund future ventures. This cycle is strengthening food security, boosting crop yields, and reinforcing long-term economic resilience.
A 69-Year-Old Signs Her Name for the First Time
Among the graduates is 69-year-old Malieta, a mother of six from the neighboring community of Yesaya.
Born into a family that could not afford primary school fees, she never had the chance to attend school as a child. Through buildOn’s Adult Literacy Program, she learned to read and write for the first time.
During Malawi’s 2025 voter registration process, she signed her name instead of using a thumbprint.
“Before, we used to use our thumbprints instead of signing the papers,” she explains. “ We are glad and confident that we have been empowered, and have raised our self-esteem after the Adult Literacy Program at Ndatuwa School. What an achievement!”
And she’s not just promoting literacy for herself. She’s spreading it to her entire family! “Since I joined the classes, I have been able to encourage my children to get an education because I have known the goodness of being literate,” she says.
Her story reflects how adult education strengthens civic engagement, dignity, and confidence across generations.
“I have been able to encourage my children to get an education because I have known the goodness of being literate.” —Malieta, Adult Literacy Program Participant
Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability
Education in Ndatuwa is closely tied to environmental responsibility.
Through the Global Environment Project, 1,500 trees were planted within and around the school, approximately 1,200 of which continue to thrive. In a country that suffers from the negative effects of deforestation and desertification, that’s a big deal!
The introduction of organic fertilizer production has helped families increase crop yields and strengthen food security, linking education directly to sustainable agriculture and long-term environmental resilience.
Advancing Gender Equity
Women are leading Ndatuwa’s progress.
Nearly 90% of Adult Literacy participants were women, strengthening their financial autonomy, leadership roles, and influence in household decision-making. Women also hold leadership positions within the PLC and actively participate in savings groups, environmental initiatives, and income-generating programs.
Their leadership supports both girls’ continued learning and broader gender inclusion throughout the community.
Education as the Engine of Transformation
What began in 2021 as a single classroom block has grown into a full primary school serving 658 students.
What began as literacy classes has grown into income-generating initiatives, civic engagement, livestock programs, and environmental stewardship.
What began as construction has become a self-sustaining cycle of development.
“We are a team, we live in a global world with common development issues and crises,” Malieta reflects. “We have the power, as a team, to fight against household poverty, illiteracy, and economic breakdown. If we can do it today, we can do it tomorrow and forever. We are champions of development and change.”
Ndatuwa’s story shows what is possible when communities lead, education is prioritized, and partnership ignites local ownership. Here, education is transforming an entire community and laying the foundation for generations to come.
If you want to help us transform communities like Ndatuwa, consider making a tax-deductible donation to support our work today.