Safe Sanitary Facilities Give Vanessa and Her Schoolmates Dignity and Hope

My name is Vannesa, 13. For many years, accessing sanitary facilities such as toilets was one of the most difficult parts of my school day. This was because our school had very few old toilets. They were often overcrowded and offered little privacy. Sometimes we had to wait in long queues, and for us girls during our monthly cycle, the situation was even harder. Many of my friends missed classes because they felt embarrassed or unsafe.

Today, everything has changed. Thanks to the generous support from  World Vision and its donors, our school now has seven toilets dedicated to girls like me. These facilities are clean, private, and safe. This means that 283 girls at our school can now attend classes without fear or shame. My classmates and I can now access sanitary facilities with dignity, and I can focus on my education instead of worrying about where to go.

These toilets are more than bricks and cement. They represent hope. They remind us that people care about our health, our education, and our future. Because of the support for World Vision Malawi’s work, my fellow girls and I are staying in school, dreaming bigger, and working hard to achieve our goals.

On behalf of all the girls at my school, I would like to thank all World Vision Malawi’s donors and supporters. Your kindness has given us confidence, dignity, and the opportunity to succeed. You have changed our lives in a meaningful way. Thank you for believing in us and helping to make our dreams possible.