Our Students
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We have some wonderful youngsters now pursuing degrees and diplomas at Malawi colleges and universities. All of them are former students on our school bursary scheme.
Our first diploma student was Thocco Frank. He is now running an experimental agricultural project. For details see irrigation.
Our first university student, Davis John, is due to finish at the end of 2025. Against all the odds, he was one of 3,000 out of 24,000 applicants to obtain a university place that year. He was said by his teachers to be extremely hardworking and dedicated. We decided to support Davis through university if we possibly could, in the hope that he would be able to bring real long term benefit to the local community, and were lucky to find a donor to part-sponsor Davis’s education.
MSP now sponsors 3 university students (a 4th starts in autumn 2025), 3 students training to become teachers at Colleges of Education, one taking a degree in accountancy at the Malawi College of Accountancy and 3 students training to become pharmacists and nurses. Our first pharmacy student graduated in June 2025.
If you would like to sponsor or part sponsor a student or help us raise funds to offer scholarships and bursaries, we’d love to hear from you. See Donate for further information.
Student Biographies
Davis John
I am the firstborn in a family of four children – one girl and three boys. We come from a poor family with few resources like land and money. My family depends on a small piece of land for farming, which gives us some food and a little money to help us survive.
I lost my father in 2015 when I was in primary school. After his passing, life became very hard. My mother had to care for all of us alone. Since we had no steady income, I often had to miss school for many days to do small jobs and earn money to support my family and my own needs.
Even though life was difficult, I was determined to continue with my education. I was selected to attend Mpasa Community Day School, but I faced many challenges. I struggled to pay school fees, buy a uniform, and afford other school needs.
Things changed when I met Madam Dorothy Mafukeni. She helped me get a bursary from MSP. This support helped me a lot – it covered my school fees, uniforms and other school items. It gave me hope and strength to work hard in my studies.
WIth this support, I finished secondary school successfully. Now, I am in my final year at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), Bunda Campus, studying Bachelor of Science in Animal Science. My course focuses on livestock production, including goats, sheep, poultry, beef and dairy farming. It also includes some parts of veterinary science.
I have been able to reach this level of education because of another bursary, also supported by MSP. Without this help, it would have been impossible for me to go this far. I am very thankful for all the support I have received.
My dream is to start a livestock farm. This farm will help me change my family’s situation and also support my siblings in their education, just like I was supported. However, I do not have the money to start the farm. I am kindly asking for help from well-wishers who can support me with the starting capital. I believe that with God’s help and support and support from kind people, my dream will come true.
I want to thank everyone who helped me in my education journey, especially Averil and her team.
Clever Makina
I am a student at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition and Food Science under the Department of Human Nutrition and Health.
This programme is a multi-field course that explores the relationship between diet, nutrition and health. It covers key areas such as nutrient metabolism, food science, public health nutrition, nutrition counselling, food safety and the scientific principles linking diet and disease. In my studies I am also learning about food composition, processing and preservation, and I am gaining a deeper understanding of the role of nutrition in promoting good health.
What I find most enjoyable about my studies is the hands-on experience I get through nutrition assessment. I particularly enjoy performing anthropometric measurements, collecting detailed information about clients, including their medical history, clinical and biochemical characteristics, dietary practices, current treatment and food security situation and using that information to plan healthy, personalised diets by, for example, helping individuals choose from the hundreds of available foods to create a diet that supports good health. Looking ahead I am deeply passionate about addressing the persistent issue of malnutrition in Malawi, especially among children, pregnant women and lactating mothers. In the future, I hope to work closely with both government and non-governmental organisations to introduce more effective nutrition interventions. More importantly, I aspire to establish my own nutrition-focused organisation that will act as a consultancy offering personalised nutrition advice and resources and delivering targeted interventions for vulnerable groups in our communities. ‘Adequate nutrition is not just about food, it is a key foundation for a healthy population and, eventually, for national development.’
Esther Makina
I am a 20 year old student from a family of six. As the second-born, I’ve learned the importance of hard work and determination. My family relies on subsistence farming for food, but we often face challenges due to limited access to farming tools and implements.
I completed my primary education at Mwanazanga Primary School and was fortunate enough to secure a spot at Henry Henderson Institute (HHI) for my secondary studies sponsored by MSP. After graduating from HHI, I enrolled in the Bachelor of Banking and Financial Management Services (BBFSM) programme at Malawi College of Accountancy (MCA), which is a four year course. I’m currently in my third year.
My passion lies in accounting and I aspire to provide exceptional banking services that will contribute to Malawi’s development. Upon graduation, I hope to excel in roles such as bank manager, accountant or insurance company manager. These career prospects excite me and I am committed to working hard to achieve my goals.
Grace Kameta
I come from a family of four daughters. I am the third born and the first graduate in my family. I studied a certificate in Pharmacy from Holy Family College of Health Science. I always enjoyed the programme – dispensing, pharmaceutical interactions, procurement and many things.
Even though it was difficult, I managed to succeed and get my certificate in Pharmacy. I would like to continue studying Pharmacy until I have a degree, if I have the opportunity to do so.
Kelvin Kango’ma
I am the first born of eight children, four boys and four girls. I am from Muhike village in Phalombe District. I am studying a Bachelor’s degree in languages (Education) at the University of Malawi.
I am a major of English (literary studies) and a minor of Linguistics. and the main aim of my course is analysis of stories and novels from across the world, exploring the cultural, economic and political contexts of areas from which the stories are written. For example, last semester I studied stories and novels from America, Great Britain and Brazil; this semester I have studied stories from Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.
Harvey Jonathan Mahata
I originally come from Mahere village, Phalombe District, Malawi. I was born in a family of three children and I am the last born. My parents and my siblings are all involved in farming. I’m doing my studies at Domasi College of Education. The programme I am studying is Bachelor of Education (Secondary) Science, specialising in Mathematics and Agriculture.
It is a four year course, which I am really enjoying. The courses I like most are agriculture courses because they are relevant to where I am living and our everyday lives. I particularly enjoy studying crop production, animal production and teaching methods of agriculture. When I finish my studies I would like to be a farmer and a teacher, potentially at Ngozi secondary school.
Simeon Banda
I’m the fourth child in a family of six children (three boys and three girls). My family is headed by my mother, Emma Chewer, a single parent since my father passed away when I was in standard 6.
My mother engages in small-scale subsistence farming to earn a living. Due to financial challenges, two of my sisters got married early, but I was fortunate enough to receive support from MSP, enabling me to continue my studies.
Priscilla Kalepa
I am the first-born of 3 girls. I live with my mom, who is a single parent. We are a farming family and my mom sells what she harvests, which means we are often short of food and she uses a loan.
I am studying a diploma to be a nursing and midwifery technician. The course is three years. I am enjoying my studies and gaining valuable skills. I want to be successful and help my family like MSP is helping me.
Gift Frank Kanyama
I am from a family of six children. My parents were concerned about my education, despite their poverty, until I succeeded to MZUNI. I am doing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Politics and Governance at Mzuzu University. It explores the dynamics of power, policy making and leadership.
I am very interested in this programme as it equips me with leadership skills, critical thinking, and how to make informed decisions aimed at transforming our communities.
I am hoping to work as a public officer with different stakeholders that focus on the wellbeing of people in the sectors of education and community development and also with charity organisations in the future that will help to improve the people’s livelihoods. Politics and governance is not just a matter of being a politician, but it also focuses on people’s wellbeing.
Ireen Kihiye
I am the second-born in a family of six children. Our family depends on small scale subsistence farming, leading to food insecurity due to dependence on rainfed agriculture, so my parents struggled to provide my basic needs.
I am studying a Certificate in Pharmacy at Holy Family College of Health Sciences. I want to be a professional pharmacist and be able to help my family as well as the needs of my community and my country. I will use the knowledge from my course to work in a related institution or open my own pharmacy and help my community to access medicine.
Alice Maula
I am Alice Maula. I am starting my course at the end of June 2025. It is a certificate in Pharmacy at the Holy Family College of Health Sciences. I have two sisters and one brother and I live with my mother only. She is a farmer. I want to achieve my goals and help my family members and other people. I will help patients in a good manner.
Dyton Mcherewatha
I am from a family of six children, headed by only my father. I am the only child selected for university. My elder brothers dropped out of school due to poverty. My father depends on farming, but due to climate change there is no profit so he cannot manage to pay school fees and also upkeep fees for my education at Mzuzu, where I was selected to Study Bachelor of Education in Science (Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Physics).
I selected this programme because I want to be a teacher. After obtaining a degree, I believe I will be employed as a teacher and this will help me and my siblings because I will be able to pay their school fees.
I’ve completed my first year at Domasi College of Education, pursuing a four year Bachelor of Education in Sciences (Mathematics and Agriculture). I’m enjoying both subjects, although mathematics can be challenging at times. Agriculture is relatable and meaningful to me because of the agricultural background from which I originate and Malawi’s agrarian nature.
After completing my studies in three years, I aspire to become a teacher. However, considering the job market in Malawi, I’m prepared to utilise my agricultural knowledge to work as a farm manager before securing a teaching position.