Onga Children Get a Better Place to Learn

When the rains came, Wilfred Chingomanje knew there was little he could do to protect the children in his care.

For more than 15 years, Chingomanje has worked as a caregiver at Onga Child-Based Care Centre (CBCC) in Chiradzulu. But for years, he taught the children under a tree because the centre had no proper structure.

When heavy rains came, he would gather the children and rush with them to a nearby house for shelter. Sometimes the rain would start before he had a chance to get them to safety, leaving him and the children soaked.

During the rainy season, which usually runs from December to March, classes were often disrupted. At times, Chingomanje had no choice but to suspend lessons altogether.

“After a while, I was forced to suspend classes from January to March as the weather got worse. I couldn’t teach with the wind blowing. I could not afford to expose them to such conditions. I had to prioritise their health,” says Chingomanje.

The cold weather also discouraged some parents from sending their children to the centre, further affecting their learning.

For Chingomanje, the interruptions had consequences beyond the rainy season. He says many children struggled when they later transitioned to  primary school.

“Out of 50 children, only about 10 performed well in class,”  says Chingomanje.

That has changed since World Vision constructed a new structure at the Centre. The children now have a safe place where they can learn and take part in activities, regardless of the weather. They have space for play, sports and art, while also having more opportunities to interact with one another.

“Following the construction of the new structure, children’s enrolment has increased from 30 to 120 learners. More than 60 children from the centre have transitioned to primary school,” Chingomanje.

The support has also gone beyond the construction of the structure. World Vision has introduced a feeding component at the centre, providing porridge to the learners. Caregivers have also received training to strengthen their skills in early childhood development.

Before the training, Chingomanje and other caregivers relied largely on what they knew from experience.

“As volunteers, we had never gone for training. Everything we did was based on instinct. The training gave us a chance to give our learners better education,” says Chingomanje.

For the past 15 years, World Vision Malawi has worked alongside communities in Onga to strengthen early childhood development and create better opportunities for young children to learn and grow. More than 14 Community-Based Childcare Centres have been established, caregivers have been trained, and 18 centres have received support for school feeding.