In January 2025, the community’s new childcare centre was completed offering a child-friendly learning and care environment for children aged three to six.
In July 2025 69 children and two teachers attended, and 30 graduated to primary school. Formally in a small church building, and on land provided by the village chief, children now have the opportunity to learn crucial early literacy and numeracy classes in a safe and suitable school area.
This is a great gift for everyone involved including adults and the local community who can use the facilities after school. Children receive a daily vitamin-enriched porridge cooked in the kitchen, and food and school supplies can be safely stored in the storage room. There are sanatory WC’s and a new freshwater borehole used by the community. In the multi-activity playground children can expand their motor and social skills.
This was all made possible through the collective and generous support of our sponsors: The town of Frauenfeld in Switzerland with their fundraising efforts raising $19,318, £14,400 The Wyler and Andersson Foundation Switzerland, The Rosa und Bernhard Merz Foundation Switzerland, and Symphasis Foundation Switzerland for their donation of $67,000, £50,000 and not least private donations raised by our boNGO Switzerland members.
In Malawi there are few state childcare centres and the majority, particularly in rural areas, have minimal teaching materials if at all, and teachers have little training in classes that often have over 100+ children. Facilities are often made of plant based local materials susceptible to the rains with little or no secure facilities for learning materials.
We are now appealing for continuous funding to help equip the school and deliver the classes.
It costs $571, £427 a month to run Chimwabvi, including the food, maintenance, teaching materials, teachers and security. That’s $8.30, £6.21 per child per month, or $0.41, £0.31 per school day.
The cost to provide the food is $288, £216 a month, $4.17, £3.12 per child per month, $0.20 £0.15 per school day per child.
Donors have the option to have their company or individual name displayed on the building wall as a symbol of enduring thanks and create for you a short video about your support.
Please contact us directly at malawi@bongoworldwide.org
