From Laps to Desks: Improving Handwriting and Hope at Kagunje Primary School

Having good handwriting is something to be proud of. However, mastering it takes time and consistent practice, starting from early school days. In Malawi, handwriting is not just a basic skill, it also influences children’s career aspirations during their formative years, such as the desire to become a doctor. The doctor’s handwriting is a skill that children learn, and over time, it improves with the right tools and support. One of those tools is a desk.

For Lameck, 13, a learner at Kagunje Primary School in Malawi’s Nsanje District, his dream of becoming a doctor was at risk due to the struggle to refine his handwriting simply because his school had insufficient desks to accommodate Standard 7 students. 

“I used to write on my lap. If someone bumped into me, my letters would turn out messy and nothing like the writing of a doctor,” says Lameck. 

Kagunje Primary School has 1,075 learners, and the school’s enrolment increases each academic year. Despite the growing student population and the demand for more desks, only Standard 8, a senior class, had desks catering for fewer than 70 students. This situation forced many students like Lameck to balance their notebooks on their laps while writing, something which compromised the quality of their writing.

“Lack of desks at this school was holding back my dream of becoming a doctor. Without a proper surface, I couldn’t practise and perfect my handwriting,” says Lameck. 

Omega,16, another Standard 7 learner at Kagunje Primary School, says that sitting on the floor during lessons impeded her academic progress. 

“Without desks, my time management skills, which are important for exams, suffered. Writing assignments took longer because I had no comfortable space to do schoolwork,” says Omega. 

With the donation of school furniture made at Kagunje Primary School by World Vision, Lameck and Omega no longer worry that the lack of school desks will stand in the way of their dream careers.

“I now write clearly and neatly. Every day, my handwriting gets closer to what a doctor’s should be,” say Lameck. 

According to the Headteacher at Kagunje Primary School, Nephias Headson, the donation of the desks has greatly improved the learning experience and environment at the school. 

“Before the donation of the desks, students, especially girls, struggled to sit on the floor while maintaining their modesty. They would often crouch uncomfortably. Students now respond to questions more confidently, participate freely in class activities, and no longer have to crouch awkwardly,” says Headson. 

World Vision donated 60 sets of school desks to Kagunje Primary School. The donation is part of World Vision’s efforts to enhance the well-being of vulnerable children and communities through the effective distribution of Gifts in Kind (GIK) resources across various sectors, including education. In 2024, through GIK, World Vision donated school furniture, including 2,618 desks, chairs, and tables, across Malawi.